Thank You, God, that You have given us this position of prayer, this place of power where we can not only lay our burdens down but also intercede for others in our lives. We can pray for the unsaved status of souls, petition heaven for healing or hurts, and seek answers for the help we need. A place where God, our Heavenly Father, has given us permission to come and unload it all before His holy throne.
When we fall on our knees, we fall before the only true King of all eternity. In that place, we open our hearts and pray.
Therefore, don’t stop. Pray, pray, and pray some more. Never give up. God hears and is attentive to the praying heart of His children: “๐๐พ๐ฝ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐ต๐ ๐๐ธ๐ญ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฝ๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ช๐ป๐ญ ๐ถ๐ฎ; ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฝ๐ฑ ๐ช๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ท๐ญ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฝ๐ธ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ฎ ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ถ๐ ๐น๐ป๐ช๐๐ฎ๐ป. ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ซ๐ฎ ๐๐ธ๐ญ, ๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฝ๐ฑ ๐ท๐ธ๐ฝ ๐ฝ๐พ๐ป๐ท๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ช๐๐ช๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐น๐ป๐ช๐๐ฎ๐ป, ๐ท๐ธ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ผ ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฌ๐ ๐ฏ๐ป๐ธ๐ถ ๐ถ๐ฎ.” ๐๐ผ๐ช๐ต๐ถ 66:19, 20
“And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty…” 2 Chronicles 3:6
The house of God, have we lost our wonder and respect for such an edifice? The specified place designated for drawing near to His holy presence. The place ordained by His Spirit for the saint to come and be refreshed, and to learn what thus saith the Lord. The place for the sinner to find refuge if he will but hide himself in the salvation offered there.
Solomon did everything in his power to beautify this sacred space. Other kings had other gods with other buildings of worship. But for the King of all kings, and the one and only true living God, Creator of all, he knew he could not do enough to honor the Holy Presence there. Yet, he would do what he could because God deserved this and more for this designated meeting place.
The wonder and respect for the Lord God over all compelled him to lay out the best of the best to honor Him.
But Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19), speaking of His body regarding His death and resurrection. Paul goes on to say, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you…” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Are we taking such care as Solomon did in beautifying and honoring the temple? How are we caring for the temple within?
My friends, whether we be in a building we designate as the house of God, or be it the temple within, let us remember to bring honor to the place where God’s Spirit dwells. Never lose the awe and wonder over such a sacred assembly.
Take away anything that mars the beauty, stop any practice that brings dishonor and replace it with ornaments of grace (Proverbs 3:22), remembering we are “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:10).
May we bring our own precious stones of praise and honor to beautify His house.
In the finiteness of our humanity, Father God, You deserve so much more glory, honor, and praise.
Here we go again.ย At the rear end of my backyard stands a wide, tall, bush-like tree extending forward eleven feet, and who knows how many feet wide along the back fence.
Moving into this house, it was one of the drawing factors because it offered complete privacy from the neighbors behind.
But, when a game of playing with any type of ball or frisbee takes place, that flying object will almost always end up lost in the massiveness of this so-called bush tree.ย Then, it is up to me to try to climb under, or in, or around this massive monster to retrieve the lost object.
It is not as difficult as it sounds (unless you are afraid of bugs and other critters), except the yard behind me has an over-energetic raspberry patch whose branches have wiggled their way through our massive monster, making navigating it harder due to its thorny reach.
Thorns hurt. If you have ever grabbed a branch filled with thorns, or a rose, you know what I mean. If you have accidentally brushed against one of these protruding antagonists, you can feel my pain of having to try to navigate this area and come out unscathed.
But the truth is, my friend, we will not go through this world unscathed.ย There are going to be things that hurt us.ย There is suffering we may encounter or thorny places we may have to navigate as we travel this road called life.
Jesus said, โIn the world ye shall have tribulationโฆโ (John 16:33), yet when afflictions come, we forget these words and those of Peter who said, โBeloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you,โ (1 Peter 4:12).
Why? Because when it hits us personally, it feels different. It hits too close to home, and we want to shut the doors on them, yet these hard times, these thorny places, seem to find you anyway.
Knowing that it is all a part of our existence and living on this earth does not make it easier. But maybe we can learn from others how they navigated their thorny places.
IN THE BEGINNING
Please know, that when God perfectly created this world, our life was intended to be a garden of peace. We were never supposed to have to deal with thorny places. But because of sin, because of the curse, Adam was told, โCursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to theeโฆโ (Genesis 3:17b-18a).
Where there was no sorrow, now sorrow exists. Where there were no thorny places, now they have come forth making what we have to do here harder than God ever intended.
PAULโS THORN
The Apostle Paul knew personally about thorns.
Paul’s resume is doubtless impressive. In addition to having authored two-thirds of the New Testament – his missionary journeys, works, and miracles allowed him to not only see things but also inthe supernatural workings of the Lord in his life.
Through it all, he could have boasted (Philippians 3:4-6), yet he stated in Philippians 3:8, โI count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lordโฆ and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.โ
After rehearsing the measure of suffering he had endured for the ministry (2 Corinthians 11:22-29), he stated, โIf I must needs glory, I will glory in the things which concern mine infirmities,โ (2 Corinthians 11:30).
Although he experienced โvisions and revelations of the Lordโ (2 Co. 12:1), some where he was โcaught up to the third heavenโ (2 Co. 12:2), โinto paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which is not lawful for a man to utterโ (2 Co. 12:4), he knew it would be a foolish thing to boast (2 Co. 12:5,6).
As if to draw a line in the sand, Paul was given โa thorn in the fleshโ to prevent any measure of self-exaltation that would cross the lines of humility and usefulness where he stood.ย
Jesus taught in parables regarding thorns that would encumber and choke oneโs progress in the word of God โthrough cares and riches and pleasures of this lifeโ preventing them from coming to a place of fruitfulness (Luke 8:14).
It would seem as though, for Paulโs spiritual benefit, a thorn was used to keep him in a place of fruitfulness rather than from it.
THE THORNS OF JESUS
Thorns are not easy for anybody to bear with. Through the humiliation and suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, before His crucifixion, as if to add insult to injury, He was given thorns that would tear into His literal flesh: โAnd they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,โ (Mark 15:17).
His thorns were not to keep Him from being exalted, for God would ensure His name is exalted above every name (Philippians 2:9-11).ย Anything revolving around the crucifixion and the cross, including the thorns, was to identify with and for the man (humans) He came to save, and to be obedient to the will of God, although being equal with God, Himself (Philippians 2:6-8).ย
Hebrews confirms that Jesus felt and experienced the fullness of humanity (yet without sin) while maintaining His full deity (Hebrews 4:15).ย That includes the sufferings that came with it all, and the thorns as well.
When trying to move through the difficulties of life, how do we do it?ย It is always easier to tell one about what theyโre going through and what they should do, but the hows of knowing a way to move through these prickly patches is a whole other story.
Thankfully, the Bible and the lives of how these two thorn-bearers handled the inflictions upon them can help.
LEAN ON GODโS SPIRITUAL SUPPORT SYSTEM
The same God who has been with you is the same God whose grace sustains you.
From Paul, we learn a lot about this.ย Although he prayed, as many would, for the thorn to be removed, Godโs answer was for His best plan to be carried out in Paulโs life.ย And to do that, as uncomfortable and burdensome Paul may view it the thorn must remain.
Even though the thorn was to remain, God gave Paul an answer we can all glean comfort from when we are dealing with our own protruding antagonists: โMy grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weaknessโฆโ (2 Corinthians 12:9a)
We will never have all the answers to the ins and outs and the behind-the-scenes going on in our lives.ย But we have God, the only true living God, who supplies us with sufficient grace through it all.
God gave him the spiritual support he needed to go through these troubles in the form of grace.ย He didnโt answer the prayer in the way that Paul prayed for it, but he was guaranteed that in all that he was encountering, God had a heavenly supply that would keep him in his most useful state.
So often we pray to be useful for Godโs kingdom, and yet, the way it comes out may not be at all like we imagined. But just because we didnโt imagine it this way, doesnโt mean God canโt use it. Because He can, my friend. He can.
God told Paul, โFor my strength is made perfect in weakness.โย When we think we donโt have much to give.ย When we compare our journey to this and that and feel like we come up short, we may be in the exact spot where God can manifest His strength the most.
If we think we have all the answers, as long as we can find sufficiency in ourselves and in our own strength, it is easy to lean on that. It is not until we know that without Him, I would fail. Not until we see and rely on God as our all-in-all, can He get the most out of us.
Therefore, Paulโs response was most appropriate: โMost gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.ย Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong,โ 2 Corinthians 12:9b-10).
Paul doesnโt celebrate or take pleasure in pain, rather he settles himself in them because of the useful state it allows him to remain in before God.ย Itโs as if to say regardless of where this leads or what I must endure, Iโm choosing to continue in this ministry and leave the outcome to God.
COMMIT IT INTO THE HANDS OF GOD
And for Christ, as He hung on the cross with the crown of thorns upon His head, and saw the angry stares of the people, with their jeering and angry words hurled at Him, He committed the whole process of the cross into the hands of God.
He refused to relieve Himself from it. He refused to back down. He persevered through the pain.
When they entered Gethsemane to arrest Him, He could have escaped. Before they laid one stripe upon His back, He could have called down blindness upon His prosecutors as the angels did at the door of Lot (Genesis 19:10-14). Before one nail inserted itself into the flesh that would die for all humankind, He could have stopped it but that would not have been in the will of God.
So, regardless of the cost, the pain, and the persecution, Jesus committed it all to Godโs hand and submitted to His holy will: โNevertheless not my will, but thine, be doneโ (Luke 22:42). That included the whole package deal of the cross, including every single thorn God wanted Him to feel and wear.
And through His submission came our salvation.
When we release it all into Godโs hands, we know it is in a place where it wonโt fail from His purpose.ย God can do perfectly in one moment what we struggle and strive for our entire lives to accomplish.
The pain of thorny places may make us feel like our world is spinning out of control. But anything committed into the hands of God will come out the way He orders it, even if it doesnโt look or feel like we think it should.
We all deal with thorns, but it doesnโt mean we are in a place of disfavor. It could very well be that we are in a place of maximum usefulness. Where we see weakness, God may see His strength overcoming it. Where we see thorns, it may be a place where God wants to perform a great work in you.
When traveling through familiar places in our past, we often encounter landmarks, buildings, spaces, people, or things that remind us of certain events or times in our lives.
My mother and I one day traveled down roads and through neighborhoods we had not visited together since I was a kid. As we drove, we pointed out buildings over here and over there that held special memories. We laughed as we remembered, asking each, “Do you remember when…?” when pointing to other spaces.
It was literally our chance to drive down memory lane. Although it took us longer to reach our intended destination, the joy we experienced in traveling through these memories made it more than worthwhile.
In life, I often come upon places, things, persons, or even situations that will spark a memory in my heart, a memory of deliverance. Whatever it is that initiated that spark, the thought of “I remember when…” comes, and I cannot help but stop and thank God for the way He brought me through or stood by my side during that situation.
In the Bible, places were named and marked for various things, including those deliverance moments. In Joshua 4, stones were gathered from the midst of the Jordan by some of the men of Israel, one from each tribe, after the people crossed over on dry ground. The purpose was, “That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of theย Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever,” (4:6, 7).
Those stones were gathered to remember a moment of God’s deliverance on behalf of His people.
As we encounter things, people, or moments that jar a memory of God’s moving deliverance on our behalf, take a moment to thank God for where He brought you from and what He brought you through, and use that memory to reassure your heart in the faithfulness of our God today. He who has traveled with you in those moments is with you now in these moments of today.
Father God, thank You for all the times of deliverance You have provided in my life. Thank You for all the moments I can reflect and see where Your hand and power have stepped in for my cause and worked on my behalf. There are multiple times when You have kept me from seen and unseen dangers. Thank You for all of those deliverances time and time again. Thank You for Your keeping power, strength, mercy, grace, and help at work for me. Your faithfulness has been so real and I just want to bless Your holy name for continuing to travel with me through this life. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray, AMEN.
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โAnd seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.โ John 20:12
The morning after the high Sabbath had come. Certain women, of whom Mary Magdelene was one, approached the tomb of their beloved Savior, intent on properly honoring Him with the spices they brought for His body.
Upon arrival at the tomb, the object of their desire for coming was not there. The body of Jesus, whom they wanted to pay homage to, was gone.
They felt the earthquake, they saw the angel that sat upon the stone that had been rolled from the door of the tomb, and they heard his words: โAnd the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay,โ (Matthew 28:5, 6).
The women were entrusted to share the news with Jesusโ disciples, but one had come back.
Mary, whose encounter with Jesus freed her life of demonic oppression (Mark 16:9), needed to take a deeper look into the tomb, and what she saw may have reminded her of Godโs presence and work among His people: โBut Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain,โ (John 20:11, 12).ย
Not being a high priest, or any priest for that matter, and never seeing it for herself, but hearing stories of what it may have been like, I wonder if she pondered this question in her heart, โIs this what the mercy seat was like?โ
The Mercy Seat in the Old Testament
The book of Exodus describes the meticulous instructions and care to follow on the building of everything regarding the Tabernacle as prescribed by God, including the mercy seat: โAnd thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.ย And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.ย And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof,โ (Exodus 25:17-19).
This is the sacred place of which God said, โAnd there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimonyโฆโ (Exodus 25:22).
This is the place of atonement, where the high priest would enter with the blood of animals once a year for the sins of the people.
The Mercy Seat in the New Testament
But when Jesus died on the cross, that protocol had been done away with. The old covenant had been replaced by the new: โJesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottomโฆโ (Matthew 27:50, 51).
The way that only one man could enter once a year (Hebrews 9:6) had now been opened for all who would believe: โBut Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us,โ (Hebrews 9:11, 12).
Whether or not what she saw reminded her of that ancient ark, what she saw was the sure sign that the price had been paid once and for all.ย Not only for her sins but for the sins of the world (John 3:16) if they would only believe: โFor Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for usโฆ but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself,โ (Hebrews 9:24, 26b).ย
What Jesusโ Fulfillment Means to Us
Mercy, by definition, is God not giving us what we deserve. We deserved the penalties. We deserved the price that was extracted through His holy sacrifice. When He laid down His life, He did so for us, not Himself.
Now, all hindrances are removed. All excuses, as they say, are nailed to the cross. Believers far and near have no reason, like Mary, to draw near in complete faith: โHaving therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;),โ (Hebrews 10:19-23).
Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthian church, called God, โThe Father of merciesโ (2 Corinthians 1:3), and rightly so.ย Just a glimpse into any of our lives would reveal how much His love and long-suffering nature have held, blessed, kept, provided, and more, despite our undeserving state.
And still today, mercy is available as we are invited not to draw near to the tomb, but to the throne: โLet us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,โ (Hebrews 4:16).
Once the way was not as easily accessible, but now we are beckoned to come. And not just come, but โcome boldly.โ Jesus paid the price for our mercy. The โnew and living wayโ has been opened.
While the old mercy seat is gone, Jesus Christ has more than satisfied the atoning cost of the new covenant, establishing now, that through Him, is where we find the grace and mercy we need.
Friend, come boldly to Jesus Christ if you need mercy.
โAnd his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.โ Luke 1:50
โBut ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.โ 1 Peter 2:9-10
“And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?” Judges 6:14
Gideon heard the message but he felt unqualified. He supposed he was inadequate for what God called him to do, stating that his family was “poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my fatherโs house” Judges 6:15.
Have you ever been there? Questioning your ability to do something beyond your normal scope of operations?
You are not alone. Many struggle daily with feelings of overwhelm, believing that this is just beyond my personal capabilities.
But can I tell you, where we see inability, God sees a victor in the making.ย Where we see someone who can’t, He sees someone who can. Where we feel we would lose, God sees one who is built to conquer. It is not, nor has it ever been about what we see, think, or can do within ourselves.ย Itโs all about what God can do through us.
Gideon going up against the Midianites (read Judges 6:1-8:21) and winning against his enemies with an unusual victorious battle plan seems just as ludicrous as a skinny teenage boy like David going up against a great warrior like Goliath (both were outmatched and outsized).ย But, anytime God places a call on someoneโs life, He doesnโt measure their ability to do the job by the individual.ย He doesnโt measure it by some fantastic gift they have in them, or their stature, or anything else one might use to determine the probability of success on the outside.ย God measures it by what He knows He can do through that life on the inside; that person who will justย โgoโย at His calling.ย ย ย
The victory He had in mind for Gideon was so great that it was going to be as ifย โone manโ (Judges 6:16)ย took down a whole army.ย In our walk of faith, we must take our eyes off what we can do and focus more on what God can do through us, answer His call on our lives, and just “go”, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” – 1 Timothy 1:9
My friend, you can do this. His holy Word reminds us:
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;” – 1 Peter 2:9
And let us also remember:
“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” – Romans 11:29
I believe we are a DIY nation.ย To some extent, thatโs not a bad thing.ย People have learned ways and methods to get things done, while in the process, saving money and finding joy in the pleasure of taking on such projects, learning their way through it to fully execute it.ย
But some of the things we need to be most mindful of building cannot be found in a box or a creative idea.ย They must, with careful consideration, be approached with special awareness, carefulness, and love to ensure a proper build.
The Bible says โEvery wise woman buildeth her houseโฆโ Proverbs 14:1. Rest assured, it is not a physical building we are called to hammer and nail (but if that is your skill set, good on you).ย But the actual construction of a house caused me to pause and ponder a few things.
One thing I realized is that for any house or building to be strong, there must be a good, strong foundation.ย Anything built on something less will not stand the test of time (see Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49).
There, one must ask themselves what kind of foundation they are laying for their house.ย Is it laid in truth?ย Is it poured with love?ย Is it smoothed out properly and settled in the care you have to hold and support those around you?
In just dealing with the basics of building next, we understand that there are walls needed in the building of a house.ย Strong walls show that you care and want to protect those in your dwelling.ย Unbuilt or broken walls give the enemy access to whatโs yours.ย So, as Nehemiah said, โLet us rise up and buildโ Nehemiah 2:18.
Spiritually, we must stand in the gap as walls protecting what is ours.ย This will mean laboring in prayer, and sometimes fasting, and staying fortified for ourselves in His Holy Word that you may surround, step in, and cover others in their times of need.
Lastly in a physical building but first spiritually, we have the roof.ย Every house, no matter the design, needs a roof built on top of it.ย While this top can act like a covering of protection in much the same way as walls do, when I think of topping this house, I am thinking along the lines of spiritual authority.ย And of course, that authority comes by way of God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Is He the head or the top of your life?ย Because if Heโs not, it would be very hard to build, help, and encourage others toward Him when we have not fully submitted to Him for ourselves.
James tells us, โSubmit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,โ James 4:7.
James also tells us, โDraw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to youโฆโ (4:8), and again, โHumble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you upโ (4:10).
All these work toward building that roof โ acknowledging Godโs authority over our lives.ย
Some areas may be harder than others to relinquish total authority, but in all areas, God must be Lord.
Her relationship with the Lord is key above all else, and in maintaining a healthy spiritual relationship with Him, she can support and oversee the maintenance of her own house.
A wise woman seeks to build a house that will stand because she cares, and in doing so, she takes careful measures to ensure that she builds her house properly.
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โO thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.โ Psalm 22:3
Psalm 22 is known by all as the Messianic psalm prophesied of and quoted by Jesus Christ as He died and gave up His life for all mankind on that old rugged cross.
In the tragedy that would occur on Calvary, David tucks in this verse describing God dwelling in the place where His people praise Him.
If you are living a life of praising God, then no matter what circumstance you face, you are drawn near in heart and soul to Him, and the peace of His presence is never far from you.
One psalmist once declared, โMany are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them allโ Psalm 34:19, knowing that at the end of his course, victory was on the other side.
But on this side of life, we may still face many challenges and difficulties we are not keen on. For the very word tells of the distress it brings in oneโs life. But it is in the midst of these struggles the individual must train themselves where the thoughts of their heart will lie: in the bosom of Godโs faithfulness, or in the logic of human thinking.
The first would always be the winning choice regardless of oneโs current condition, for in the bosom of Godโs faithfulness, these moments of hardships, with the tears and turmoil they may possess, give way and make room to be refreshed in the fire by the God who will step in with you โ to have oneโs heart lifted with peace above the circumstance because praise has elevated you.
Oh, my friends, praise is powerful!ย Praise can lift you from the deepest pit and the direst of occasions.ย Though physically one may not experience the immediate relief they long for, but when our thoughts and intents of heart are transferred from viewing the troubles before us to the faithful God who has always been with us, we are raised by the power of His presence in the midst of the storm.
Naturally, we may be down, but inside we rise to the place where His glory dwells. Inside, we seem to soar into the heavenlies, leaving the cares of this world behind.
โO thou that inhabits the praises of Israel,โ will He not also come near to you and me when we sequester ourselves with Him, lean upon His bosom of faithfulness, and just praise.
Tears may mingle there, but let praise be not absent.
Cares may be cast there but let not the Hallelujahโs be silenced.
โI will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.โ Psalm 34:1
โO praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye peopleโ Psalm 117:1. You do not have to be Israelโs biological child to praise the LORD. The heart of the saint, His redeemed one, crying out, โAbba, Fatherโ (Galatians 4:6) knows that โpraise is comely for the uprightโ (Psalm 33:1) no matter who they are or where they hail from.
โGive unto the LORD the glory due his nameโฆโ Psalm 29:2
โIt is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:โ Psalm 92:1
We may not be before the ark decorated with cherubim, but we can come before the โThrone of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in times of needโ (Hebrews 4:16) which is decorated with His undeniable glory.
And while there before that place of His presence, let us not just ask from Him, but let us offer to God our genuine, heartfelt praise.
Difficulties, struggles, and hurts โ with great compassion for the trials some face, I will never downplay their experience. But according to Job, regardless of our present experience, we can still find a place of praise, for he said, โNaked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lordโ Job 1:21.
โPraise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.
From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high,
Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.โ Psalm 113
One day we shall rise and meet Jesus in the sky, put away this humanity as we step into eternity.
Heaven, at last, will be our home, forever in Your presence we will evermore roam.
No more clouds, sin, or earthly dismay, we will be caught up, raptured away.
The days draw near, with my heart, I look up, anticipating fellowship at the Lord’s dinner to sup.
Eternity is forever, today is temporary, through trials and toils, look up, blessed honorary.
The King will come to take us home, His people, beloved, as His very own.
If you’re not sure of your future bright, let not this day pass without making it right.
Tomorrow’s not promised. Today is at hand. Repent and turn while you still can.
“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” ~ Revelation 1:7
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:52
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” ~ Titus 2:13
“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” ~ Mark 13:26, 27
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” ~ Acts 2:38
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” ~ Acts 3:19
Have you ever witnessed the taffy-making process? It is a very interesting process to watch for sure. After mixing sugar and other ingredients together, you are left with this massive blob of sweet goodness lying on the work table.
What can one possibly do with such a non-conformative mess? You can stretch it and pull it until it becomes a pliable consistency to be used for the sweet creation you had in mind. Whether by hand or through the use of a machine, eventually the blob will yield to the purpose and intended design, becoming something very useful and delicious to the one who created it.
My friend, you and I are the sweetness of Godโs Creation. So much so, in the beginning, He said, โLet us make man in our image, after our likenessโฆโ Genesis 1:26. There is something genuinely sweet and uniquely beautiful in the reality that the God of all creation wanted a special creature in His โlikeness.โ
Sadly, this beautiful, sweet creation has been tainted, corrupted, and susceptible to the dregs of sin this world produces. But that doesnโt stop the story. Thank God!
There is something more in the eyes and in the heart of the Father for this lowly being. He still sees the possibility of all they can become and with His holy hands, He begins His own process of pulling and stretching. And like the taffy maker, Heโs watching, and working, and drawing hearts near for the end result โ a sweetness we can never feel, experience, or imagine on this side of glory.
But as with the blob of candy turned treat, there must be a willingness to yield to the pulling and stretching work God wants to perform in you and through you.
The question is, will you truly let God have His way in your life. Oh, I know the sentiments we say, the songs we sing, and the prayers we pray โ but when itโs all said and done, as uncomfortable and sometimes painful, will we yield our all I holy surrender to become those sweet creations?
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11
“There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.” Proverbs 19:21
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” 1 Peter 2:9
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” Psalm 139:14, and it istruly a sweet thing.
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