Promise of God #132

Psalm 46:1 WEB

 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
  

In today's promise, the psalmist makes the declaration that God is ready to help us at the first sign of trouble. He is always with us and is our refuge and strength when we need shelter from the storms that come our way. Reading from the English Standard Version Bible, I want to read Psalm 46:1-3...

¹God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.ⁿ²Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, ³though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah (ESV)

When we read the first three verses of this psalm, we can full appreciate the result of us embracing the promise that God is a very present help for us in time of trouble... We will not fear. Even if the earth itself gives way, we will not fear. If the mountains are thrown into the sea... We will not be afraid. Though the waters roar and the mountains tremble... We will be safe in the secret place of the Most High.

In a time when natural disasters are at an all time high and there are increasing wars and rumors of wars, we need to be convinced that God is who He says He is. He is our ever present help in our time of trouble and He promises to be our refuge and the very strength of our life. May the revelation of this promise bring a peace to all of us that passes our understanding. 

Photo by Eric Boldt

Promise of God #131

Deuteronomy 31:6 WEB

  Be strong and courageous, don’t be afraid, nor be scared of them: 

for Yahweh your God, he it is who does go with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you.”

These words were spoken by Moses at the very end of his life when he told the Israelites that he wasn't going to accompany them into the promised land. I can't imagine how the nation of Israel must have felt when their trusted leader of 40 years told them that his time of leadership was at an end. They must have been struggling with fear because Moses encouraged them not to be afraid. 

Moses went on to repeat this word of encouragement face to face to his trusted assistant Joshua in verses 7-8. It was important for Joshua to get a grasp on this promise from God as well because he was to be their new leader and the champion of their conquest of the promised land. In the time that these words were spoken, Israel was about to face literal giants in the land of Canaan so they needed to know for certain that God had promised to be with them wherever they went. 

While it is not likely that any of us will be facing literal giants in our daily life, we are all facing giants of discouragement, fear and despair in one way or another. My prayer is that this promise from God spoken thousands of years ago to Israel would bring comfort and strength to each one of us today. 

We don't have to be afraid. God is with us and He will never leave us. May this truth go deep into our hearts so that we will have the strength we need when we face our own giants. God will not fail us!

Photo by Barry Adam

Promise of God #130

Philippians 4:13 WEB 
I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. 
  

In yesterday's promise, we talked about the kingdom principle of weakness. In today's promise, we talk about the kingdom principle of strength. The reality is that they are one in the same. In Philippians 4:13, the Apostle Paul makes the bold declaration that he can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens him.

The reason that Paul could say that nothing is impossible is because he had learned the secret that his own strength was made perfect in his weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:1-10) If we are leaning on our own abilities, then we can only do what we have the personal strength to do. If we realize the secret of our strength comes from us being empty of our own self-effort, then we will realize that there are no boundaries, barriers or limitations because Jesus knows no boundaries, barriers or limitations.

No matter what life throws at us, we are more than conquerors through Him who has loved us. (Romans 8:37) If we embrace the humility of a childlike heart and understand that true strength does not originate with us but with Christ that lives in us, then we will believe that we can truly live an impossible life. May each one of us see the incredible power and strength that is available because we can do all things through our elder brother Jesus, who gives us His power and strength to overcome in every situation. 

Photo by Barry Adams

Promise of God #129

Romans 8:26 WEB 
In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses,
for we don’t know how to pray as we ought.
But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.
  

The KJV Bible says that the Spirit helps us in our infirmities when we don't know what to pray for. The NIV Bibles says that the Spirit helps us in our weakness. Today's promise brings good news to everyone who has every felt weak and uncertain of what to pray for. I find it very comforting to know that the Holy Spirit that lives inside of me, is ready, willing and able to help me in my greatest moments of weakness.

But what about the times when I feel strong? What is the role of the Spirit of the living God when I am walking in my own strength? Is He helping me then or is He just waiting for me to be reminded once again that apart from Jesus I can do nothing? (John 15:5) I believe that one of the greatest principles of the kingdom is the principle of weakness. As the Apostle Paul discovered in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, when he was weak, then he was strong because God's grace was made perfect in his weakness. 

If you are feeling weak today, be encouraged! The Spirit of the living God that lives in you will help you in your greatest times of weakness and will even pray through you the words that need to be spoken to the Father when you don't have the words to pray. May each one of us receive a deeper revelation of the glorious kingdom principle of weakness today. 

Photo by Barry Adams

Happy Mother's Day

Promise of God #128

Matthew 8:16-17 WEB 
16 When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons.
He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick; 17 that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying:
“He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases.” 

Jesus took upon Himself every sickness and every disease that mankind has ever experienced so that we could be healed. I cannot imagine the unfathomable price that Jesus paid for today's promise to become a reality for us in our generation. 

In the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus was sweating great drops of blood, He cried out to His Abba (Father) for the strength to drink from the cup that would pave the way to our redemption. It was at this crucial time in history that Jesus took upon Himself ALL our sin and exchanged ALL our brokeness for ALL of His life. I believe that only the Holy Spirit can bring revelation to us so that we can grasp in part the incredible sacrifice that Jesus paid so that we could become heirs of His glorious inheritance.

May God give all of us the grace today to comprehend the fact that Jesus took upon Himself all of our sickness so that we could be healed. May faith rise in our hearts today so that each one of us could appropriate the finished work of the cross in every area of our body and our soul that still needs to be healed. Thank you Jesus for saying 'yes' to your Father and drinking the terrible cup of the brokeness of humanity so that we might be made whole...spirit, soul & body. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Photo by Carl Dyck

Gospel Reading - May 13, 2012

Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle B

May 13, 2012

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This Sunday's Readings

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First Reading
Acts of the Apostles 10:25-26,34-35,44-48
The gift of the Holy Spirit comes to Cornelius and his household, and they are baptized.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 98:1,2-3,3-4
A song of praise for God's salvation
Second Reading
1 John 4:7-10
God is love.
Gospel Reading
John 15:9-17
Jesus commands his disciples to love one another.

Background on the Gospel Reading

Today's Gospel follows immediately after the Gospel proclaimed last week, in which Jesus taught that he was the vine and that his disciples were the branches. In the example of the vine and the branches, we learned that our union with Jesus will lead to fruitful service. Today's reading extends this teaching to describe the kind of service that Christians are called upon to offer to others.

When John wrote this Gospel, his community was influenced by a set of religious beliefs called Gnosticism. It appears that one of John's intentions was to distinguish Christian belief from the beliefs held by the Gnostics. Evidence of this can be found in today's Gospel.

One of the tenets of Gnostic teaching was the importance of knowledge, orgnosis, as the determining aspect of faith. We read today's Gospel as a response to this teaching. In John's Gospel, we hear Jesus affirm that he is known by the Father and that his disciples will know the Father by knowing Jesus. In this passage, however, Jesus reminds his disciples that this knowledge is to be expressed in love. Those who know Jesus well—and Jesus says that his disciples do know him—will love one another. Knowledge leads to love, which leads to action. John reminds his community that Jesus taught that love is the sign of a true disciple and, thus, a true Christian. Even more, a true disciple shows a particular kind of love, sacrificial love.

In the Greek, there are two words for love that are used in this passage. The first is agape. The second is philia. The first word is most often used to describe love for other persons and for God. It is understood as the highest and most perfect kind of love. The second word is used to describe the affection of friendship. In this context, John appears to use these words as synonyms. The root of the Greek word for friend comes from this second term for love, philia. By using this word, Jesus transforms the terms of his relationship with his disciples and redefines for them their relationship with God. In the Hebrew Scriptures, faith in God made one a servant of God.

Here Jesus teaches that his relationship to his disciples is based on friendship, not servitude.

Another aspect of Gnostic belief taught that a believer was an elect person, chosen and set apart from the world. John reminds his community that Jesus also taught that a disciple is one who had been chosen—one who had been chosen by Jesus. To be chosen by Jesus, however, is not to be set apart from the world. Instead, to be chosen by Jesus is to be sent to serve the world as he did. The disciples of Jesus were chosen and were sent into the world to bear fruit by serving others, by sacrificing for others, in love.

This reading, like last week's, is part of Jesus' Last Supper discourse. In the context of John's Gospel, these words are spoken before Jesus' Crucifixion. We read his instruction to the disciples in light of his death and Resurrection. We know that Jesus himself gives us the greatest example of the kind of love and service that he teaches to his disciples. He has, in fact, laid down his life for his friends, for his disciples, and for us. Through his death and Resurrection, we have received the grace to love others as Jesus has commanded.

Promise of God #127

Psalm 119:105 WEB Your word is a lamp to my feet,
and a light for my path.
  

Have you ever walked on a path in the forest in the middle of the night without a flashlight? If you have and there wasn't a full moon shining, it is a pretty difficult thing to manuevre. Without a light to guide the way, you will inevitably go off the path and at the very least, bump into a tree.

I believe the psalmist in today's promise is saying the same thing about the importance of God's Word for you and me. In the grand scheme of things, we are only little boys and little girls who need all the help we can get. We do not have the navigational tools to manage our own life. We need both the written Word of God and the timely spoken Word of God to guide us through this life. 

It is comforting to know that our God and Father equips us with all we need to live a godly life including lighting our path as we take one step at a time. Notice that the psalmist doesn't say that God's Word lights the path miles in front of us. He says that God's Word is a lamp unto our feet.

May each one of us rejoice in the fact that God has committed the resources of heaven to guide us on our life's journey. He has not left us in the dark to try to fend for ourselves, but has focused His Word like a huge beam of light at our feet to guide every step we take. 

Photo by Barry Adams

Promise of God #126

Numbers 6:25 WEB Yahweh make his face to shine on you,
and be gracious to you.
  

We live in an area in Canada where it is very cloudy in the winter months. Sometimes we can go weeks without ever seeing the sun. When the sun does eventually come out, the feeling of exhilaration is almost indescribable. The gloomy feeling of gray skies day after day can really take its toll on a person's emotional well being. 

Today's promise is taken from the priestly blessing in Numbers 6 that the Lord told Moses to pray over Israel on a daily basis. In this blessing from the Lord, Moses tells the people that the face of the Lord will shine upon them all the days of their life.  Can you imagine living every day of your life being aware of the brightness and warmth of our God and Father's countenance? 

Even though clouds do come our way, we can rise above the clouds (just like we can do in an airplane) and still see His face shining on us. My prayer today is that each and every one of us would feel the warmth of His love and the brightness of His face shining upon us. We are not called to walk this life alone. Our Father is watching over us every step of the way. 

Photo by Jeff Epp

I belong to Jesus

Promise of God #125

Luke 12:32 WEB Don’t be afraid, little flock,
for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.
  

Jesus makes this promise to His disciples just after He tells them not to take any thought for their life because they have a heavenly Father has promised to provide for them. In this intimate conversation with His friends, Jesus encourages them to 'seek first His Father's kingdom' and all of their practical needs will be met as well. 

Then Jesus wraps up His conversation by declaring today's Scripture verse... "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (ESV)  Isn't it wonderful that we don't have to be worried? Isn't it reassuring to know that we don't have to live in fear because God is absolutely delighted to give us His kingdom?

As Jesus says in today's text, we are His little flock. Little lambs can't protect themselves, they can't provide for themselves, they can't manage the cares of daily life. All they can do is live a life close to their shepherd. It is so comforting to know that Jesus is our Great Shepherd and we have no need under His watchful eye.

May each one of us be encouraged today and hear the voice of Jesus speaking deep in our hearts the words that He spoke to His disciples... "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (ESV) 

Photo by Barry Adams

Positive and Inspirational Quotes

Promise of God #124

Psalm 139:13 WEB
For you formed my inmost being.
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
  

The New International Version Bible says Psalm 139:13 this way... For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. (NIV) The New Living Translation says... You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. (NLT) No matter what translation you prefer, this is a gentle picture of God's loving creation process of your life.

You were not blasted into creation, but gently formed in your mother's womb by a loving God who took the time to delicately knit all your inward parts together. May the revelation of your creation bring a sense of wellbeing to your soul. You were not a mistake. God planned you before the foundation of the world and He determined the exact time of your birth.

One of the greatest tragedies in this world today is the feeling that our lives were a mistake. Some people were even told that by their parents. The truth is that no life was ever a mistake. Each person ever created, was created with intention by the One who is love itself. God gently formed you in your mother's womb and He is the One who brought you forth on the day you were born. (Psalm 71:6) There is absolutely no doubt about it!

Photo by Barry Adams

Promise of God #123

Psalm 37:18 WEB Yahweh knows the days of the perfect.
Their inheritance shall be forever. 
  

In today's Scripture verse, King David declares that all of the days of the upright are known to the Lord. In Psalm 139:16, David also says that each one of our days has been recorded in a special book before even one of them came to be.

God knows us through and through and He loves us with all His heart. His eyes are upon those whom He loves and their inheritance is secure forever. For those who have said 'yes' to Jesus, we can rest in the unshakeable and everlasting inheritance that we have in Christ. It is a hope that will never fade or lose it's value. 

You are of great worth to God and He loves to watch over you. May the truth of this promise cause hope to well up in your heart today knowing that you are truly safe and secure in the big strong arms of your heavenly Dad. 

Photo by Carl Dyck

Promise of God #122

Psalm 139:7-10 WEB7 Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me. 

Psalm 139 is one of my favorite psalms. In today's Scripture passage, King David is declaring that there is absolutely no place he could go to escape the presence of God. If he goes to heaven, God is there. If he even descended into the earth, God is there. David goes on to say that wherever he goes, the hand of the Lord will lead him and hold him.

What an amazing promise! Wherever you go, God goes with you. The universe does not contain the Lord. The Lord contains the universe! In Acts 17:28, the Apostle Paul declares to the Greek philosophers that 'in him (God), we live and move and have our being.' The Godhead is closer to us than we could possibly imagine. For those of us who have received Christ, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God dwells within us and has established His kingdom there. 

If you feel that you are alone in this world, if you struggle to sense God's presence, be encouraged in today's promise. God is with you. He is always with you, for there is no place that you can go to escape His loving presence!

Photo by Barry Adams

My Prayers

Prayer for being a good steward in God's Creation

Prayers for Spirit of life within us.

Prayer for God's Gift to us.

Prayer of a Servant with an accepting Heart.

Promise of God #120

Hebrews 6:17-18 WEB

17 In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise
the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;
18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie,
we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold
of the hope set before us.
  

In today's Scripture passage, the writer of Hebrews tells us that we are heirs of the promise of God. He also says that we can trust in God's unchangeable character because it is impossible for God to lie. Since God is the ultimate promise keeper, we can bank on everything that He has promised to be true. We can trust Him with all our heart and rely on everything that He has said.

The English Standard Version translation says Hebrews 6:17-18 this way... ¹⁷So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, ¹⁸so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.(ESV)

Every promise that our God and Father has made is yes and amen in Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:20) May we all be filled with faith today to declare that God is faithful to do all that He has promised because He is a good Father who keeps His Word! ...and it is impossible for Him to lie.

Photo by Barry Adams

Promise of God #121

Job 33:4 WEB The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 
  

Promise #121: My Spirit made you and My breath gives you life.

In today's Scripture verse, one of Job's friends is declaring that the Spirit of God is the One who made us and His breath gives us life. When God created Adam in the Garden of Eden, He breathed the breath of life into his nostrils and Adam became a living soul. Jesus breathed on His disciples after the resurrection and they received the Holy Spirit.

Every breath that you and I take is a gift that comes from the Father of Lights. He has made us and He has promised to sustain us. Everything good and perfect gift that we have comes from our heavenly Dad. The One who created us is the One who will continue to provide all that we need, both physically and spiritually.

May each one of us be reminded of our God and Father's goodness as we draw each breath into our body. He has made us and His breath gives us life!

Photo by Jeff Epp