Maranatha - Awaiting Christ's Return

1 Cor. 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Tag: Psalm 119:11

What Are You Hiding?

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On December 13, 2024

In Devotionals

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psa 119:11) 

It has become more important nowadays to spend time reading the Bible in order to make sense of all the insanity. We are bombarded with the fulfillment of prophecy in the news. But does the average Christian even realize it is prophecy being fulfilled? If not, they are missing out on God’s greatest blessing! God does not want the Church to be fretful but to be encouraged!

He not only provides us with this information but He also provides us with directions on how to avoid sinning! When one is born again, he now has the power to say no to sin and not be overcome by it. God’s Word is the only thing in life that comes with a promise such as this. Do you know of anything or anyone who can promise that if you read and hide their product, it will keep you from sin? Nothing can do this. No one can do this, but God! God’s compassion is so great that He provided His Word to strengthen us in time of weakness.

Not only did our Heavenly Father give us His Word to grow by so that we wouldn’t sin, but He also provided His Word so that we could be cleansed should we fall into sin. 

BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. (Psa 119:9) 

The Word will cleanse us and keep us from sin. So why don’t we spend more time in the Word? I believe that ole slew foot has managed to keep the Christian today from the Word by way of distractions and excuses. Today’s distractions are many. Everyone has them. If you’re not in the Word daily and gleaning from it, then you have too many distractions. If you’re not in the Word daily and gleaning from it, you will continuously struggle with sin.

The fact of the matter is this: the believer who does not read the Word is plain lazy. Would you deprive your family from nourishment? Would you deprive yourself? Of course not! When you are not in the Word, you not only allow sin to come into your life, but you cause sin to come into your home. Your children will see it and will follow in your footsteps. So when you do fall into temptation and sin, you have no one to blame but yourself. It isn’t God’s fault, but your own. 

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Cor 1:9) 

If we fall, we fall because we chose to fall. The more you spend time in the Word, the less time you will have to devote to sin.

NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psa 119:105)

Navigating the Sharp Turns of Life

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On December 6, 2024

In Devotionals

Psalm 121:1-8, “[A Song of degrees.] I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.(1) My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.(2) He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.(3) Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (4) The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.(5) The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.(6) The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.(7) The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. (8 )

My husband has driven motorcycle for years. When he became a motors officer within his police department, he was trained on how to navigate around sharp turns. If you notice in the picture above, the officer’s head is pointed in the same direction he is turning. He was taught that the motorcycle will follow your line of sight.

What direction is your line of site pointed to? Who is it pointing toward? Every human being is moving in a particular direction. Some are headed toward failure while others are headed toward success. Either way, we are all moving ahead in a particular direction. Some roadways are bumpy with trials while others are smooth sailing.

We have all been through trials, haven’t we? How we deal with those trials all depends on how we prepare for them and how we handle ourselves during the trial. Shouldn’t we be preparing for our spiritual walk by looking to our Bibles? Shouldn’t we be fueling ourselves with the Word of God and putting on the full armor of God so we can be sheltered by the Lord during our trials? Why do we make it difficult on ourselves by not doing so? One thing is for certain, just as this police officer has learned that his motorcycle will go in the direction he is looking, we will go in the same direction as our spiritual mind will lead us.

I am particularly fond of Psalm 121. I have run to this Psalm many a times. My eyes have turned toward the direction I wish to follow. I have especially run to it as of late to find solace and my Lord’s love there because of a major trial I’m going through. This time, however, the Psalm meant more to me than it has ever meant. I noticed the different points the Psalmist had made:

1. I have to make a conscious effort to seek my help. God won’t force Himself upon me. But when I seek Him, He is there! My spiritual motorcycle is pointing toward Him, therefore my destination will be Him.

2. I have to recognize where my help comes from. I don’t rest in the counsel of my spouse or my friends, although it may be good counsel. I know that God is the One who will take care of my trial.

3. I realize that my Shepherd won’t allow me to falter. The more I am in the Scriptures, the more my faith is built. Verses come to mind as I need them for encouragement. Each step is guided by my Shepherd.

4. I realize that my Shepherd never sleeps! Praise the Lord! This verse alone brings me to tears. Nothing happens that He’s not aware of. Nothing! My Shepherd is ever watching over me!

5. I have come to know that my Shepherd will keep me safe.The Lord keeps me – watches over me – provides me with shade when fiery trials are present. That shade is found when I sit quietly reading my Bible and soaking in what He has for me.

6. I trust that my Saviour will keep me from the devil’s tactics and preserve my salvation. I know that everything that happens to me has been allowed in my life for my benefit so I can grow in my faith. There is great comfort knowing that my eternal security can never be removed because God is the One that preserves my soul, not me.

7. I know that my Shepherd will guide my path forever more. When I am in the Word, feeding my soul, my Shepherd can keep me from taking the wrong path in life. I cannot claim this if I am not in the Word. NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psa 119:105) and Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psa 119:11)

I must point my eye toward the One who can help me. I seek for help and I know where that help comes from; I must recognize that this Help will keep me safe when I abide in Him; and lastly, my Help preserves my soul – which cannot be said of any other help this world has to offer. Why not go to the Expert? Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness in my life. Teach me to point my eyes in the direction that will lead to answers.

Dear God…
I cherish my time in Your Word
That peace and comfort there lie
I keep my eyes fixed on those hills
Where my Helper comes from on High

About God’s Word

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On September 11, 2024

In Devotionals

This Week's Theme: Thy Word - Velvet Ashes

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psa 119:11) 

God’s Word is the only thing in life that comes with a promise such as this. Do you know of anything or anyone who can promise that if you read and hide their product in your heart, it will keep you from sinning? Nothing and no one can do this; except God! God’s compassion and love for us is so great that He provided His word to meet any need that crosses our path.

Not only did our Heavenly Father give us His word to grow by so that we wouldn’t sin, but He also provided His Word so that we could be cleansed should we fall into sin. 

BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. (Psa 119:9) 

The Bible will cleanse us and keep us from sin. So why don’t we spend more time reading it? I believe the devil has managed to keep today’s Christian from the word of God by way of distractions and excuses. There are so many distractions in this world. If you’re not reading your Bible daily and gleaning from it, then you have too many distractions. If you’re not in it daily and gleaning from it, you will continuously struggle with sin.

The fact of the matter is this: the believer who does not read the Bible is plain lazy. Would you deprive your family from nourishment? Would you deprive yourself? Of course not! Your spiritual body needs nourishment as well When you are not diligent in your Bible reading, you not only allow sin to come into your life, but you cause sin to come into your home. Your children will see it and will follow in your footsteps. So when you fall into temptation and sin, you have no one to blame but yourself. It isn’t God’s fault, but your own. 

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Cor 1:9) 

If we fall, we fall because we chose to fall. The more you spend time in the word of God, the less time you will have to devote to sin.

NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psa 119:105)

Lord, light the path I walk today

Let Your words show me the way

That leads me to find Your will

Use Your word my heart to fill

Where Can We Get Help?

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On September 2, 2024

In Devotionals

Psalm 121:1-8, “[A Song of degrees.] I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.(1) My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.(2) He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.(3) Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (4) The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.(5) The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.(6) The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.(7) The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. (8 )

Where Can We Get Help?

Not a single human being a live has had a life without trials. Think about that for a moment. A runner prepares for a marathon by training every day; no matter what kind of weather. Everyone is running the marathon of life. Some of us are slower than others but we have to remember that every single one of us will finish the race at some point or another. That race ends when we close our eyes at that final moment of life.

How we deal with trials as we run our marathon of life all depends on how we prepare for them and how we handle ourselves during the trial. When you prepare for a long trip, what do you do? You make sure you have a full tank of gas; you check your tires and all the fluids in your car. Shouldn’t we be preparing for our daily spiritual walk in the same manner? Shouldn’t we be fueling ourselves with the God’s word, and putting on the full armor of God so we can be sheltered by the Lord during our trials? Why do we make it difficult on ourselves by not doing so? Who in the world would run a marathon with no training whatsoever?

I am particularly fond of Psalm 121. I have run to this Psalm many a times. During the major trials of my life, I especially ran to this scripture to find peace. It is there that I experienced the Lord’s love and compassion. At the time I am experiencing a trial, however, the Psalm means more to me than it has ever meant. Here’s what I noticed – the Psalmist makes different points:

1. I have to make a conscious effort to seek my help. God won’t force Himself upon me. But when I seek Him, He is there!

2. I have to recognize where my help comes from. I don’t rest in the counsel of my spouse or my friends, as good as their counsel may be. I know that God is the only One who can take care of my trial and see me through to the end.

3. I realize that my Shepherd won’t allow me to falter. The more I am in the scriptures, the more my faith is built… brick by brick. As I need encouragement, verses come to mind that I can recite to myself and encourage myself. Each step is guided by my Shepherd.

4. I realize that my Shepherd never sleeps! This one gives me goosebumps! It brings me to tears because I know that since He never sleeps, nothing can happen to me that God’s not aware of. Nothing! My Shepherd is ever watching over me!

5. I have come to know that my Shepherd will keep me safe. The Lord keeps me – watches over me – provides me with shade from the heat of those fiery trials. That shade is found when I sit quietly reading my Bible and soaking in what He has for me. This picture is exactly what comes to mind as He keeps me safe through life’s storms.

6. I trust that my Saviour will keep me from the enemy, Satan, and preserve my salvation. I know that everything that happens to me has been allowed in my life for my benefit so I can grow in my faith. There is great comfort knowing that my eternal security can never be removed because God is the One that preserves my soul, not me. It is not by my own efforts that I gained salvation and, therefore, is not by my efforts to keep it.

7. I know that my Shepherd will guide my path forever more. When I am in God’s word and feeding my soul, my Shepherd can keep me from taking the wrong path in life. I cannot claim this if I am not soaking in God’s word daily. NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psa 119:105) and Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psa 119:11)

I must seek for my help and know where that help comes from; I must recognize that this help will keep me safe when I abide in Him; and lastly, my help preserves my soul – which cannot be said of any other self-help this world has to offer. Why not go to the expert? Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness in my life. Teach me what I must learn from each trial.

Dear God…
I cherish my time in Your Word
That peace and comfort there lies
I keep my eyes fixed on those hills
Where my Helper comes to my side

End Time Comfort Found in Psalm 119 – Day 7

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On January 15, 2024

In Devotionals, End Time Comfort Found in Psalm 119

Psa 119:11  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Good morning! Have you ever wondered if there was a self-help book that would keep you from making the wrong decisions? We especially need one in these days of deception. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy that there would come a time when people would not want to listen to the preaching of the Word and would prefer to listen to someone with a positive message. (2 Timothy 4:3) There are plenty of “preachers” out there who have the Cheshire cat grin and are leading souls to everlasting burning … that’s right, for all eternity! That door to the lake of fire is permanently closed once a person goes there. There will be no relief in sight – no end whatsoever. People fail to think of the repercussions of their sins; but reader, there is coming a time when payment for those sins will have to be made.

The only self-help book out there that has a positive outcome is the Bible, friend. There is no other book that contains truth, everlasting life and peace. The Bible reveals who has the truth, who provides everlasting life and who gives peace; it is Jesus Christ, the Messiah! (John 14:6) He is the only one and the only way!

Furthermore, Jesus is the word of God (John 1:1), we can easily see Him in this verse:

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee!!!

So what is the self-help I’m speaking about? It is hiding Jesus and His word in your heart! Jesus’ blood provides forgiveness for our sins. As well, for this born again believer, by speaking God’s words when I am in the middle of temptation, the desire for that sin dissipates and then leaves. This gives me goosebumps! When Jesus’ Spirit comes into the very core of our hearts at salvation, we have the power and ability to say no to sin! Since Jesus is the word of God, we can hide His very words through memorizing or at least remembering the verses that keep us from sin! This is the only way to succeed as a Christian! Stay in the word of God – read your Bible and study! It’s worth re-emphasizing this previous verse:

Psa 119:9  BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Thank You, Lord, for the blessed Bible! It is our source of communication from You and with You!

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

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