Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God....For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1

Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God....For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. v21,23

As Peter exhorts us to be "alert and fully sober" (v13), to be "obedient" and to avoid following our evil desires (v14), to be holy (v15-16), and to live in "reverent fear" (v17), He reminds us of who Christ is and how our faith itself is a gift from God.  John Piper provides this excellent message
to help us more fully understand not just how our faith is a gift from God but how God is orchestrating so much more so that we can see Jesus Christ as the object our treasure and hope.

We also have this great nugget in v23 that reminds us how our faith rests on something that is "not perishable" but "living and enduring".

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me, who never stops loving me and working for me - thank You Jesus!  I know You love me and I am greatly encouraged that You give me faith and I can count on You, Your Word and the Holy Spirit - all of which are living, not perishable and permanent!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of what You provide for me.  I sin...daily...and it often weighs on me.  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 today and every day.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Psalm 119

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. v105

It is not definitively agreed upon who the author of this psalm is nor when it was written or the circumstances of the psalm. Yet as with all scripture, it has eternal value as it is God breathed and living.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness[.] 1 Timothy 3:16

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

This morning, I feel desperate for God and His light.  I don't know what the future holds and many days I have concerns about how I can provide for my family - these are of course unfounded as God provides.  Once again I should hold on to what is true and let go of what is going on my mind as many thoughts are directed by Satan who wants to separate me from God.

See also this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who will always be with me - I am 100% certain!  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love.  I worry.  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 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.  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.

But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.

2 Chronicles 32

But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart. v31

God wants us to use our lives to proclaim His greatness.  All of us are miracles and He has he worked wonders in our lives - He wants to use us to reach others.  I am doubtful that God left Hezekiah in the sense Hezekiah was unable to communicate with God.  God is everywhere and accessible for all of us - it is more likely that God stopped working in the same way He had been (see v30 where it says "He succeeded in everything he undertook."). 

This speaks to the "dry spells" in our lives where many of us feel that God has stopped working in our lives.  This is not possible. 

God will be with us to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12-13).

When we claim that God is not working in our lives we must look more vigorously for Him to see what He is doing because He is doing SOMETHING.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is always with me and always working in my life - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a God.  I worry.  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 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.  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.

He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth—the Lord God Almighty is his name.

Amos 4

He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth—the Lord God Almighty is his name. v13

We often need to remind ourselves that there is a God, He is in everything, He has created everything in Him and for Him, and He holds everything together (Colossians 1:16-17).  He is all powerful, and all knowing.  He does not need us yet He loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son to suffer and die for us (John 3:16).  Our God is a great God and He is Almighty!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I see and feel Your presence every day.  I am so thankful for the many blessings You pour out for me.  I am not worth such love and blessings.  I am weak, selfish, lazy, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  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.

The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

Hosea 14

The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. v9

Much of our culture has pushed aside God, viewing Him as some distant, uninvolved God that has no role in our life.  Absent God in our lives, we act without boundaries assuming this is freedom.  Yet ironically, we find ourselves more troubled than ever because of this "freedom".  For those of us who love and follow God, we understand that following God provides true freedom because we are no longer slaves to sin and death.

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:17-18

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Hebrew 4:12-13

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are that You provide the freedom that we long for - freedom from the sting of sin and death...and You are with me...always. Thank You Jesus!  I desperately need You.  I am broken and I continue to sin.  I am lazy and selfish.  Please forgive me and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength.  Please heal her 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.

In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?

Psalm 56

In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid.  What can man do to me? v10-11

First of all, the Word of God, the Bible - is God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

The Word of God, which we know as God Himself is alive, active, and critical to our development as children of God...which should go without saying once you know that the Word of God IS God.
 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness...2 Timothy 3:16

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God and I love spending time with You through Your Word and in prayer.  You appear to me and provide a rest and peace that I am unable to find anywhere else.  Thank You Jesus.  Yet there are many times when I feel anxious and stressed.  Please forgive me for my worry and help me overcome and turn from such sin.  Help me turn towards You instead.  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 her from 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 today and every day.