What To Do When All Else Fails

Life is a series of events. We can choose to watch it go by, or be engaged in it. God calls us to be engaged. I have a friend that struggles with day to day life. I tell my friend about God. What more can we do? We can live as God would have us live, celebrating the life He has given us.

On the sabbath, this means to rest.

Prayer
Father, please grant your people a day of rest. Please let You people experience all You have for them every day, and let them know You are on their side. In Jesus name. Amen.

Plugging In To The Plan

My wife and I were sitting on our patio this morning. Two squirrels, a few minutes apart, walked passed her, pausing for a moment before moving on. We were talking and moving, but they were not afraid of us. This lead to a discussion about the peace of God and how they were most likely attracted to that. As I thought about our conversation, it occurred to me that my wife was correct, and that God has a plan, and if we follow it we will be at peace.

That caused me to look up a scripture in Isaiah 58:13 God is speaking about keeping his Sabbath. It follows on the heals of God giving instruction about fasting. In both cases God is offering us the gentle emphasis of course correction. First that fasting is not about getting from God, but to be used by God to help others. Secondly, that the Sabbath was set by God and important for us to receive the promises of riding on the high hills of the earth and being fed the inheritance of Jacob.

Doesn’t it make sense that an intelligent Creator would have a plan? Does it not then also make sense that by us plugging in to that plan, there is a good “fit” and we get closer to God?

We serve a very intelligent Creator!

Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You as the intelligent Creator King of the universe. Thank You for watching over us. Thank You for holding us up. Thank You for what you have given to us. Thank You for the plan, and showing it to us. We pray today that all could receive and follow your plan. In Jesus name. Amen.

Peaceful Completeness

Yesterday we looked Psalm 76 and talked about this “place”. As I was thinking about this today it occurred to me that the sabbath is supposed to be this. It is a place of rest and reflection. We are encouraged by God over and over again in the scriptures to follow His commandments. It is as if that is a path or passage way of some sort. In Psalm 112 we see that God gives us light in the darkness, that He makes us to have riches, and establishes our households. We only need keep His commands. In verse four it says there arises light for the upright in the darkness. I believe this means that when we stumble, God knows our heart, and raise up light for us to find our way back to the path. In verse seven it says we will not be afraid of evil tidings, that our heart will remain steadfast on God. To whom are these promises made?

In verse one it says these promises are made to the one that delights in the commands of God. It is one of my deepest prayers that this can be all of us.

Prayer
Father, we praise and thank You for being God. We ask that You reach out to everyone, to reveal the blessing of Your commandments, and to cause us all to draw closer to Jesus. In Jesus name. Amen.

Rest And Reflection

There is something about resting on the sabbath and reading scriptures that is just different. There is a certain peace that does not exist on other days for me. Perhaps it is the general sense of the importance of the sabbath to God. This morning I was reflecting on the scripture Psalms 119:110. Here the psalmist talks about how those that are against him have laid a snare for him, but he has not forgotten the law (continued serving God). He says that these directions from God are actually his heritage, like a family heirloom. They make the psalmists heart sing. I know that feeling. Then the psalmist says he will listen to God, and will make his stand with God forever.

It is a Father’s greatest hope to pass along a heritage to his children. I can understand why God wants to do this for us. I only hope that I, too, can pass along God’s heritage to my children.

Prayer
Father, Thank You for the inheritance of the wisdom of the laws and statutes You have placed in our heart as the new covenant. Thank You for Your son Jesus and the sacrifice He made. Please help us to pass the heritage You have given to us to our children. In Jesus name. Amen.

God Is With Us Everywhere

In reflecting on the sabbath this morning I thought about God being with me. It is typical for people to think about God being with them when they go to fellowship or church. In the past I have thought that I was going to where God was. I no longer believe that to be correct.

In Psalms 139 the psalmist is reflecting on his personal relationship with God. In verse 8 he says that if he ascends to heaven, God’s Spirit (the Holy Spirit – God) is with him. He then says if he descends to hell, God’s Spirit (the Holy Spirit – God) is still with him. So, God is always with us. When we do Good, God is there. When we blow it and do what God would prefer we did not do, He is still with us. It makes me sad to think that there have been things that I have done that I took God with me to do. The good news is, the psalmist, both in 139 and elsewhere, encourages us to seek God for cleansing and forgiveness that we might reunite ourselves with being on the good path.

It is up to us.

Where will we take God this week?

Prayer
Father, thank You for being willing to go with me everywhere that I go. I ask You to forgive me for those places I have gone that I should not, either physically or mentally, and for taking You there. Please help me, and all of us, make better choices to serve You in truth and holiness. In Jesus name. Amen.

How Good And Pleasant

John’s second letter to the church has only one chapter. It speaks about how we are to treat one another with love; that this is what we ought to do. Sadly enough, there are many, some who name the name of Jesus, that believe it is their job to decide who is serving God and who is not. Even John says that the test is those staying in the the teachings of Jesus are those that follow God. Part of the teachings are loving others, forgiveness, mercy, and truth. At the end of John’s letter he says he wants to wait to tell them the rest until they see each other face to face, that their joy might be full. Isn’t it interesting that John finds being together with other believers face to face is what it takes to have joy? Psalms 133:1 exclaims, “Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

It appears that God has a plan that has us all together for a reason. It gives us a chance to learn from each other. It gives us a chance to have great joy. This is the doctrine of Jesus – what He was trying to tell us was His way. So, if we separate ourselves from others, or separate others from us, we are not really practicing what He said, right? So the act of pushing others away is an example of not following the teachings of Jesus. And, I think it is possible for us to do this with our words as well. We can draw others close or push them away. A day dedicated to God, like the sabbath, should be a day when our joy can be full, when we can all draw together to worship and praise God.

Prayer
Father, thank You for Your rest. Please put mercy in our hearts for each other. Please help us to not stay away from each other, or keep others from being around us. Please help us to have kind and loving words for each other. In Jesus name. Amen.

The Return From Captivity

This morning my wife and I discussed a scripture that speaks of the return of God returning His people from captivity. In Psalms 126 we see that those that went out sowing in tears will return in joy bringing the fruit of their labors with them. This reminded me of the sabbath because when Jesus returns, one day we shall all live with Him in peace and joy. What a great image that placed in my mind, for everyone to return to God happy and joyful!

There was another scripture that helped me to think of how we get from this sabbath to that sabbath. Psalms 56 speaks of how our enemies must turn back. What causes their retreat? When we cry out to God, He is on our side, and they know that they must turn away or face God. Likely that would turn out bad for them. It also says we need not be afraid, because God is for us. It helps me to be able to rest to know that God will turn away our enemies when we call out to Him, in preparation for that day when Jesus rules and reigns on the earth.

Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You as the One True Most High God. We eagerly await the day when we see You face to face. Please be with Your people on this sabbath and every day, turning away their enemies when they call out to You. In Jesus name. Amen.

The Gift Of Rest

Last night as I was thinking about the sabbath, I thought about God being all knowing. For example, He knew before He started creation that He would be creating six days and resting with His creation on the seventh day. He knew that He would give a great place to Adam and Eve. He knew that they would mess up, and there would be a fall of man. He knew the fall would take away the more permanent rest state He had in store for them. And He knew He would have to send His own Son to die a gruesome, horrible death, and rise from the dead, that all His children might one day again have a path to the more permanent rest. God must have a really big heart. If I knew all that ahead of time, I just don’t think I could have done that.

For me, it makes that first sabbath with God hanging around with Adam and Eve in the garden, and every sabbath, pretty special to me.

Prayer
Father, thank You so much for being willing to create the universe, knowing what we would do with it. Thank You for sending Jesus to die and rise again that we might have a path back to fellowship with You. Thank You for Your heart and Your love for us. We thank You and praise You as the most High, One True God over all. In Jesus name. Amen.

Doing God’s Stuff

Most of the time when I think of the sabbath I think about the part about the rest. This is good, because it is the one day that I can sleep in, for example. God rested from working to get things done. What do you suppose He did on His day off? I think to answer that we have to look at what the scriptures say we are to be doing for a clue.

In Isaiah 58 it says we are to turn away from doing our own things, from saying our own things, and treat it as a holy day of the Lord. The word holy here implies dedicated to, like set apart for, focused on, etc. So we are to spend time with God on the sabbath, doing what He wants us to be doing, whatever that is. Now, looking back at the first sabbath, what was God doing when He rested? He was spending time with Adam and Eve! They were all walking in the garden together, checking out the new stuff, Adam naming things. Can you imagine how great a day that would have been?!? The very first time God and man celebrated the sabbath together!

Prayer
Father, thank You for taking time to be with us in those first seven days of creation. What an amazing time that must have been! We thank You for taking time to be with us on the sabbath today, for being willing to talk with us and give us direction for things you want us to do. You are a very great God! Praise be to the Most High, King of the universe! In Jesus name. Amen.

Resting

God was really smart when He created the earth. Can you imagine a world where all we ever do is work? What if there was never a time to stop and reflect on who we are, and who God is? In Psalm 43 we see God is the one who is our Deliverer. If we call out to God, and rely on Him, we can be at peace.

Does that mean we will not struggle? No, we may still have struggles. In fact, when we keep the sabbath, we are resting from the struggles as well. It is that time to refresh in the love of God. Part of resting is the focus we place on God. Just thinking about how He cares for us, meditating on His provision, and on His deliverance from evil doers in our life. These things refresh our souls.

Prayer
Father, thank You for the rest You provide for us. It is good to think about You, to meditate on Your works. Praise You for the rest You provide in our life! Thank You for watching over those we love. Thank You for having a whole plan for our lives. In Jesus name. Amen.