The Word of God

Just a little something I found while studying. I enjoyed it and thought you might as well.

THIS BOOK contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers.

Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy.

It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s character.

Here paradise is restored, heaven opened and the gates of hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand object, our good is its design and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.

Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.

It is given you in life and will be opened in the judgment and will be remembered forever.

It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.”

— Anonymous (found on the flyleaf of an old Bible)

SOAPing the New Testament – James 1:17

[17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17 ESV)

My brother, Tony, posted “Is God Responsible for my Temptations and Sins?” earlier today. He used James 1:13-15 as the basis for his post. Check it out. I would like to add my own post on verse 17.

James moves from talking about temptations (that God never gives) to telling us what God does give. Every good and every perfect gift. He reminds us of God’s goodness. When we are faced with trials, they are not to tempt us to sin, but rather they are to strengthen us and make us more Christ like. God does not produce evil because His nature is good. Every gift that God gives to us is good–it is sufficient, it lacks nothing, it is beneficial and complete.

The second portion of this verse states that these gifts come “down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James chose the phrase “Father of lights” because it was a Jewish phrase which referred to God the Creator of the heavenly “lights”. What I like is the part that says, “with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” God never changes. He doesn’t shift. God’s mercy never ceases and nothing can stop His goodness.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your good and perfect gifts. Thank you for your unchanging character. Thank you for the trials that you send to strengthen my faith. Help me to be more like You. Amen.

This verse brought this 18th century hymn by Robert Robinson to mind, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”. I pray the words will bless you.

1. Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.

2. Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

3. O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.

God is in Charge of His Creation

“…then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” (Genesis 2:7 ESV)

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27 ESV)

I’ve had a lot of things going on in my life in the last 6 months. Some that have been out of my control. That is a hard thing for me. I was born on the 4th of July and my mom always said God did that as a joke. She claims some of my first words were, “I’ll do it myself!” While I’m sure that’s not quite accurate, her point has always been that I’m very independent. So when things are not exactly the way I believe they should be, my inclination is to fix it. “I’ll do it myself!”

While studying for children’s church a few Sundays ago, God really spoke to me about Him being in charge of everything. Starting with His creation – Me! When I really think about God’s creation, I’m so amazed! Day one…let there be light…and there it was. Day two…separated the sky from the waters…it just happened. Day three…separate the water from the dry land…let the earth bring forth vegetation of all kinds…and it was. Day four…sun, moon, stars…there they are. Day five…birds, fish…it was done. Day six…land animals…there they are…but day six wasn’t done.

This is where it gets real good. This is where God slowed down and took His time. The Bible very specifically says that God formed man from the dust of the ground. He MADE man. He didn’t just speak, He took His time. He made man with His very own hands. He made man different – special – unique! And then, He breathed life into man. He breathed physical and spiritual life into man.

God is in charge! He knows the things that I think I need to control. He knows my worries and concerns. He knows my strengths and my weaknesses. He knows everything little thing about me. He created me. No one knows the creation better than the Creator. God is in charge of His creation. God is in charge of every detail of my life. I can rest in that.

Earlier today my brother, Tony, posted “Proclaim Jesus”. That’s what I want to do. In every circumstance, I want to proclaim Jesus. I want to remember that even though I want to “do it myself”, there’s no need. God already has it under control. He’s in charge!

Heavenly Father, thank you for all Your creation. Thank you for creating me. Thank you for the opportunity to proclaim you in every circumstance. Help me to rest in the fact that YOU are in charge and I don’t have to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.