And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8

And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Romans 8:30

As I continue to be in between studies, having wrapped up my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which today looks at how believers should feel "as secure as God is faithful." Security is a key need for all of humanity.  Listening to the devotion made me think of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which of course is a secular view of how humanity seeks a higher order of needs once a certain level of needs is satisfied.  What is lost on this hierarchy is how all of these needs are in the context of creation that is wasting away and only temporary.  It is possible to move up and down this hierarchy depending on life circumstances which are beyond our control.  While my thoughts must evolve, my initial thought is that as believers experience the process of spiritual formation and maturity, we grow in feeling eternally secure which is the topic of today's devotion - and this eternal security is by definition temporal nor subject to the ups and downs of our circumstances.  John Piper, starting with Romans 8:30, in today's devotion, shares "an unbreakable chain" that "[n]o one who is predestined for sonship fails to be called. And no one who is called fails to be justified. And no one who is justified fails to be glorified. This is an unbreakable steel chain of divine covenant faithfulness."  Piper then goes on to refer us to Philippians 1:6 and 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 and use these verses as examples of "promises of our God who cannot lie. Those who are born again are as secure as God is faithful." Brother and sisters in Christ: pursue God and experience eternal security!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are so good to me and You give me eternal security with You - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the peace of mind this provides.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from this sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

Romans 8

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Romans 8:33

Today I pause in my study of Isaiah to look at John Pipers Solid Joys (www.desiringgod.com > Features > Solid Joys), where the post for today unpacks the implications of God's justification of us.  In the Exalting Jesus in Romans commentary, Tony Merida states that in Romans 8:31-39 Paul's focus is for us to celebrate the security of God's love for us.  When we are saved, it is God who does the saving (Ephesians 2:8) as He welcomes us into His family as one His elect. In Romans 8:33, Piper, in his devotion, encourages us to see that first, it is GOD who has elected us - not any earthly power and not any divine power but the God of the Universe and the King of Kings!  There is no higher power!  Piper then wants us to see that such a declaration of our election and of how God sees us as justified in His eyes, then no one can take this away or overturn such a decision that God has made.  We are justified in God's eyes - end of story.  Piper writes: "[i]f God is the one who acquits you — declares you righteous in his sight — no one can appeal; no one can claim a technicality; no one can call for a mistrial; no one can look for other counts against you. God’s sentence is final and total."  The implication (and application) Piper wants us to see is "unshakable security" in the face of suffering or whatever the world throws at us.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have made me one of Your family, one of Your elect and I am justified in Your eyes and with this I gain great peace, security, confidence, etc. - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings - my sin of worry, anger, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Many are saying about me, “God won’t rescue him.” But, Lord, you are my shield, my wonderful God who gives me courage. I will pray to the Lord, and he will answer me from his holy mountain. I can lie down and go to sleep, and I will wake up again, because the Lord gives me strength. Thousands of troops may surround me, but I am not afraid.

Genesis 6-9

Many are saying about me, “God won’t rescue him.” But, Lord, you are my shield, my wonderful God who gives me courage. I will pray to the Lord, and he will answer me from his holy mountain. I can lie down and go to sleep, and I will wake up again, because the Lord gives me strength. Thousands of troops may surround me, but I am not afraid. Psalm 3:2-6 (NCV)

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). 

Today I want to focus on how God provides believers with security, refuge and hope and how He wants us to share with others this security, refuge and hope.  When God was to flood the earth, He instructed Noah to build an ark to serve as a means to preserve Noah and his family.  There are many places where people place their security, refuge, and hope: homes, money, jobs, people, government, etc. Yet these things come and go and do not provide spiritual security, refuge and hope; and they do not last, certainly not for eternity.  We all need to place our security, refuge and hope in Jesus Christ so that we can weather the storms and flood in this life, and to provide for our eternal life as we must all be ready for either our own passing or for when Jesus returns both of which we don't know the timing.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:36-39

For those of who have this security, refuge and hope we must give it away to others who need it.  God even helps us with the words to say - straight from scripture.

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-3 (NIV)

Now we hope for the blessings God has for his children. These blessings, which cannot be destroyed or be spoiled or lose their beauty, are kept in heaven for you. God’s power protects you through your faith until salvation is shown to you at the end of time. This makes you very happy, even though now for a short time different kinds of troubles may make you sad. 1 Peter 1:4-6 (NCV)

My highlighted verse for today comes from Psalms where David writes about how he feels refuge in God during a period of great fear when he fled from the persecution of his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15-18).

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You give me security, refuge, and hope - an ark - during times of great turbulence and distress.  You have seen me through periods of great pain.  I am grateful Jesus!  Yet I am not deserving.  I have grave sin in my life and it continues....worry, harshness of others, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

All your fortresses are like fig trees with their first ripe fruit; when they are shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.

Nahum 3

All your fortresses are like fig trees with their first ripe fruit; when they are shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater. v12

Some sources (here and here) indicate that Nineveh was once a thriving and secure city, including the MacArthur Commentary, and 2 Kings 19:36 which indicates Nineveh as the home of at least one king.  Whatever security and comfort any of us experience - it is not where we should place our faith, security and trust.  Apart from God we have no good things, and as we have seen throughout the Bible, including Job, we can just as easily lose everything.  Hurricane Florence is a recent example. 

Help me God place my faith, trust, and security in You.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has blessed me.  Yet I am undeserving of such blessings.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

I will strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they will live securely,” declares the Lord.

Zechariah 10

I will strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they will live securely,” declares the Lord. v12

We all seek strength and security in our lives and often times we place our hope in money, jobs, relationships, etc; Yet God wants us to rest securely on Him - for He is the cornerstone.

From Judah will come the cornerstone[.] Zechariah 10:4

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. Isaiah 28:16

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone[.] Psalm 118:22

Jesus also warns us to avoid building our lives, hope, security on anything but Him.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed a great God and I want You to be the foundation for my life - because I know that You are always with me, will never leave or forsake me, will provide for me and will help me through any difficulty.  Yet I know that worry and I place security elsewhere - please forgive me and help me overcome such sin!  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, the church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

Proverbs 11

Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. v4

It is tempting to place my hope and satisfaction in wealth yet I know from experience God is in control and that whatever wealth we have does not belong to us and that we are to be good stewards of what we have and to use it for God's glory.  I also know that because all wealth belongs to God it can be taken away.  I have seen this in my own life and in the life of others, including faithful believers.  Our hope and satisfaction should be in God alone.

You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. (Deuteronomy 8:17-18)

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:10

 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:19-21

Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.  He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins. Psalm 130:7-8

 

Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. Psalm 39:5

 

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure Hebrews 6:19

My Prayer: Lord, You are my hope...the anchor for my soul.  I know You will be with me until the end of the age.  You are so patient and full of compassion and mercy for me...thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and efforts.  I continue to worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

Psalm 119

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. v114

Where is my hope?  Too often I place my hope in financial security, or in my own abilities, or on the actions of others.  Instead I should place all of my hope in God.  He is the only one who can do anything, at any time.  He is all knowing.  And His motives are pure - He loves me and He promises me that He will never harm me and that He will "prosper" me  and to give me "hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).  And God always keeps His promises (Luke 1:37).

What an awesome God we have!

My Prayer: Lord You are my hope and my shield.  You encourage and protect me from harm - thank You Jesus these blessings and many more!  I am undeserving of such blessings - I worry far too much.  That I do it at all is a sin.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin.  Help me turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands—if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe—then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.

Psalm 7

Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands—if I have repaid my ally with evil  or without cause have robbed my foe—then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust. v3-5

The thing is that we ALL have guilt on our hands and we deserve punishment and condemnation.

[F]or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God[.] Romans 3:23

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. 1 John 1: 8-10

 

 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

 

We are then to be humble and know that we need Jesus Christ as He is the only one to cleanse of our sins.  He is also our everything...our hope, provision, security, confidence, etc.

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Hebrews 6:17-19

God is counter intuitive to the world (Isaiah 55:8) but this I have come to know as truth: out of our fear and reverence of God, and out of our humility and desire for God, we find peace, confidence, security, etc...this is what the author of Hebrews 6 refers to.

My Prayer: Lord what a great God You are!  You are able in all ways and You provide for my every need - physical, emotional, and spiritual.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a God.  I often place my hope in earthly matters...please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

Other study - Radical: Love That Captivates

John 3:16

Hosea 1-2