Alone With God

Mat. 13:23 “And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up onto a mountain apart to pray. And when evening had come, He was there alone.”

We live in a culture were we are constantly on the move. We race against time to get things done. There seems to be not enough hours in a day to finish what we start. Jesus, went about His day working to meet the needs of people. Healing, feeding, comforting  and forgiving people who recognize their helpless condition. Yet, He made time to be alone with His Father. How much more necessary is it that we take time out of our day to be alone with God. Time to read His Word, time to meditate of His love, time to worship Him, time for Him to search our hearts, and time to petition Him for our needs and the needs of others. With the demands of the day, it is not always easy to slip away to be alone with God, but it is imperative that we do. When we get alone with God we are able to enter into His presence to pour out our hearts, refresh our spirits, and know the mind of God. With purpose, let us put aside those things that distract us, and draw nigh to God, for He has promise to be there for us. 

The East from the West

Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.”-

“to such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them” God’s love is unconditional. He loves people and desires that people will follow Him. He sent His Son to earth to live and die on a cross that our sins may be cast in the sea of God’s forgetfulness. He rose from the dead that we may experience new life in Christ. His mercy does not over look sin, but His mercy will forgive sin to those who will yield their hearts to Him. To those who keep His commandments and come unto to Him that He may give us rest. His covenant is for us to humble ourselves before the presence of Him and He will take our sins and remove them as far as the east is from the west, never to be remember again. We look back and see how sin destroyed our lives and separated us from His fellowship, but the Lord is Great is mercy to them that fear Him, and will not bring up our past that is under the blood. His blood covers a multitude of sins and are never remember against us again. 

The Eyes of the Lord

1 Pet. 3:12 “ For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”

God is not a respecter of person, but He does have favorites. He give to every person the ability to choose right and wrong, He does not predestinate a person’s choice. His eyes show favor to them that are of a contrite heart, a heart that desire to seek God first in the everyday things of life. The righteous, are those who seek to live in harmony with God, love His commandments and choose to follow them. He listens to the the prayers of those who seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. We don’t always understand His answers and providence, but we can arrest assure that He cares for those who love and serve Him. Those who choose to live a life of wickedness and make choices that are selfish and self-serving, God will strive against them to turn from their wicked ways and repent. Such who resist Him, will face His judgment. For those who desire to live for God, His eyes will rest on them to do them good. 

Stand Before God

Rev. 20:12 “ And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”-

The reality is that we all will stand before God and give an account for the life we lived. There will be no exception, from the beggar in the street, to the kings and rulers that sit in high places. God is keeping a record of our life.  Did we live it to glorify God, or did we live to just please ourselves and our carnal desires? The work of salvation, accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord is written in the Book of Life. Have we experience the new birth? Have we been born again? These are the “works” that determine our eternal destination. There will be no excuses and no augments when we stand before God. There is no hiding for the books will reveal our works. It is sobering to think that we all will give an account after this life is over, and only that done in the Name of Jesus will matter. Standing before God does not have to be a fearful event. If our hearts have been cleaned by the blood of Christ we can stand boldly in that day knowing that we are a child of God and have a conscience void of condemnation. 

To Know God

1 John 2:3,4 “And hereby we know that we know Him: if we keep His commandments.

He that saith, “I know Him,” and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him.”-

To know God, is to abide in truth. Keeping God’s commandments is to follow the teachings of Christ to abstained from sin, love those who hate you, and to worship Him with all our hearts. If we love Him we will not do things that bring displeasure to Him. God hates sin and commands us not to do things that are evil, wicked and selfish. To know Him is to walk in light and not live in darkness. If our lifestyle is living to please the flesh and satisfy selfish desires then we have deceived ourselves in thinking we know God. We are living a lie if we have hate in our heart toward our neighbor. We are far from perfect. Life can be frustrating and things happen that can cause us to become bitter and resentful toward others. But knowing Christ is to have His love and Spirit that helps us overcome these feelings that invade our life. If we walk in the the light as He is in the light we can have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Christ will give us the powers to forgive and remain faithful to keep His commandments. Let us live to please God and keep His commandments.

Days of Trouble

Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.”-

We live in a troubled world. History records that every generation has suffered troubles that seem to be worse than as the years continue. No doubt, we live in trouble days. Truth and His Word is no longer the fiber of our country. It is troubling to hear that many are walking away from what was once considered to unchanging truth. Good is evil, and evil is good. In trouble days, we need a Stronghold. We need someone who is able to work miracles in these trouble days.  

Encourage Others

Acts. 4:36 “And Joses, who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, “the Son of Consolation”), a Levite of the country of Cyprus,”

Our personalities are shape genetically and environmentally. The influences that surround us often determine who we are. Barnabas had a way of bringing hope and cheer to those around him. He was a man who looked at life with the glass half full, instead of half empty. He lived after his name. He was a man who encouraged others in the faith. To those who had little, he gave of his own means, to those who others did not accept, he went out of his way to befriend them. No doubt, Barnabas’s personality was shaped also by knowing Jesus. Jesus, the One who changes lives and influences personalities to be kind and giving desires that everyone have a heart the will encourage others to look to God when things get hard. We all can be like Barnabas, bring hope to the hopeless, and encouragement to others who are going through tough times.