VerseD: Jeremiah 17:7
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.
Jeremiah 17:7, ESV
Trusting the Lord brings the blessings of forgiveness, grace, a changed heart and mind, inner peace, and eternal life in Christ.
a simple man of God
Hopefully making theology simpler to understand! (2 Corinthians 1:12)
Archive for the ‘ Religion ’ Category
A Faith Old Enough to Count in Decades
Many years on this blog I mark a very important date in my own life: January 9. And not just because it is my wonderful mother-in-law’s birthday.
Two of my more favorite passages from the Bible are these:
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:7-8, ESV
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12, ESV
What wisdom do we gain by considering our lives and drawing near to God?
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3, ESV
So, every January 9, I celebrate my Re-Birthday, the day I was born again by faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
And on January 9, 2020, (specifically, at 6:47 pm CST), I am celebrating 20 years as a Christian.
And I think people should celebrate their salvation much more than we do, to show the world the joy of the world to bring others to glorify the Lord.
Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord, exulting in his salvation.
Psalm 35:9, ESVBut may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
Psalms 40:16 ESV
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
Jude 1:3, ESV“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16, ESVHow then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:14, 17, ESV
VerseD: Proverbs 16:3
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:3, ESV
Do not read this as “Make sure God is invoked in your work so that your plans work out.”
Start your plans by seeking God’s will, work diligently and faithfully with the help of God, and find success on God’s terms, not necessarily your own.
VerseD: John 1:12
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
John 1:12, ESV
We may all be made in God’s image, but we are not all His children.
We become children of God by believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God who takes away the sins of the world.
VerseD: Matthew 4:4
But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
Matthew 4:4, ESV
Jesus’ example: respond to temptation and trials with Scripture.
We should be like Jesus.
VerseD: Psalm 42:11
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
Psalm 42:11, ESV
Sometimes this life can get us down or even feel pointless and beyond hope.
But God is God. If we turn to Him and praise Him alone, we will find our joy and peace.
VerseD: Revelation 7:9
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands
Revelation 7:9, ESV
We share the gospel because God loves all people, and we cannot comprehend all the ways the various cultures and personalities will worship Jesus in complete unison.
Oh, what a worship service that will be!
Preparing Your Heart – The Second Week of Advent 2019
Once again, this series is a re-post from five years earlier, with some additions by me.
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It is now the second week of Advent! (See last week’s devotional thought here and here.)
Again, Advent is a time to remember our Lord’s first coming as we look forward to His imminent return.
So, let us prepare hearts for encountering the Lord!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-14, ESV
It is important for us to remember that God’s people, the Israelites, those who painstakingly preserved the written Word of God and pursued righteousness, failed to recognize Him when he came to them quite literally in the flesh.
Jesus said just three chapters later, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23). Our culture today is largely spiritually dull, even in many churches.
Ask yourself, “Would I recognize God if He approached me today?” Seek His face in prayer, Bible reading, and the fellowship of believers. Ask God to reveal Himself to you. Too many missed Him the first time around. Seek the living Lord! Have faith that He is returning soon!
“For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 16:7b, ESV
VerseD: Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21, ESV
If the Antichrist was in front of you, dying of thirst and starvation, would you help?
We help others for God’s glory. He does not need our help defending Himself or the Church.
Simply do good.
VerseD: Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
Psalm 100:4, ESV
Always give thanks to God, for everything all the time, praising Him for His love and good works.
It is the fastest route to God’s heart.
a simple man of God
Do we truly love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? Maybe I can help with the mind part, at least! This is Daniel M. Klem, apparent poet, reluctant yet passionate Disciple (Peter?), and foolish man attempting to understand theology!
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