What Concerns Me
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What Concerns Me
Every single person on earth has concerns of various sorts. We tend to easily become worrywarts, who are anxious over huge troubles and little problems — even non-existent problems. We even know how to feel anxious over things in the past. Our memories will drag up the past and make us relive the distresses of years long gone by.
King David lived through all sorts of stresses and came through with flying colors. How could he do it? He had people of all sorts trying to kill him. Even his own son, Absalom, wanted to kill him and take over the throne. That’s a lot for a soul to handle. In whatever his challenge was, David knew something special. He rests in it and reveals it in Psalm 138:8,
The LORD will accomplish what concerns me;
Thy lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting;
Do not forsake the works of Thy hands.
It’s that eternal truth — “Thy lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting.” We are not the Almighty. Our so-called greatness is absolutely nothing when compared to the greatness of our Creator and Redeemer. We did not make the universe. We do not cause the sun to rise yet another day. We cannot keep from dying. The bottom line is that the lovingkindness of the LORD keeps all things in His care. We owe our all to Him alone.
Because “God is love” (1 John 4:16), and His lovingkindness is everlasting, we can personally know for sure, “The LORD will accomplish what concerns me.” In other words, God will carry us through our trials and concerns, and strengthen us in them. That word “accomplish” in Hebrew includes the meanings of perfecting, performing, and completing. That’s important to remember because it’s true for all Christians. The apostle Peter wrote about our trials, sufferings, and temptations. Then, in 1 Peter 5:10, he brings in this same eternal truth,
And after you have suffered for a little, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
We go through the anxiety, trials, and temptations always trusting “the God of all grace” — just as King David did. As we trust God and keep our faith in Him, He will “perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you”. That description is so complete. God alone brings us through with flying colors. It’s not our doing or our puny strength and intelligence. When it comes down to the nitty-gritty, we are helpless. We need God Almighty to grant our very next breath.
That’s why we give God thanks and all the glory. He takes care of “what concerns me.”
Looking to our Savior and Redeemer in all our troubles, we say, “Hallelujah! Lord Jesus, thank You for being our victory in all things.”
Love,
Margaret
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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and GOD of gods.
A 2.67 year old says I Pledge Allegiance
Pray for our country.
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… Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus …
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Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus by the Yupiq Eskimo village of Quinhagak, Alaska
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The LORD made this day, let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
Psalm 118:24
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The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:30
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Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
Psalm 33:1
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How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4
.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13
.
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1
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Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3
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Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12
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Let Him Be Accursed
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Let Him Be Accursed
We are all familiar with a wide variety of warning signs. Signs warn us of poisons, falls, slippery areas, wet paint, dangerous curves in the road — you name it. Those warnings are very necessary and have saved lives. From beginning to end even the Bible is filled with all sorts of warnings intended to save us. The warnings are about the consequences of sin and the dangers of all sorts of falsehoods — they are falsehoods that will rob people of eternal life.
Some people imagine that they are staunchly on the road to heaven when they are not. They have imagined that various religious rituals will save them — and sometimes they are depending on the good works their preachers advocate. What kind of slippery path are they on? They are not trusting in Christ Jesus alone for their salvation. There is no way rituals or good works can save anyone. They are all smeared with mankind’s sinful nature.
The Bible is literally filled with warning signs against these falsehoods. Just one really strong warning is from Paul in Galatians 1:6-9,
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.
Those are strong words — repeated words. Everyone needs to listen up. What is it that we must run away from? — false preaching in “a different gospel”. How can we know if we are listening to the right gospel? The right gospel is what is written in a true translation of the original Greek and Hebrew of God’s word. There are some cults that have written their own version of the Bible, and those versions are a far cry from a true translation.
The versions written by the cults actually contradict themselves. Their words have been twisted to take away the free salvation God gives through faith in Christ Jesus. Some even change the original words in an attempt to become politically correct in today’s liberal world. Their so-called Bible versions change God’s word to accommodate their sinful life styles and false teachings.
That is why Paul boldly says, “Let him be accursed.” Such false preachers will be eternally condemned — but, we need to be avoiding them now, so that we don’t end up equally condemned. They can be so deceitful in their sly twisting of words. If we don’t diligently study God’s true word, we can easily fall for their schemes. It’s as Paul says about them in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15,
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds.
With reverence for Christ’s sacrificial love, we say, “Hallelujah! Lord Jesus, thank You for all Your warning signs throughout Your word. Keep us safe in Your eternal truths.”
Love,
Margaret
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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and GOD of gods.
A 2.67 year old says I Pledge Allegiance
Pray for our country.
.
… Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus …
**************
Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus by the Yupiq Eskimo village of Quinhagak, Alaska
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The LORD made this day, let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
Psalm 118:24
.
The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:30
.
Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
Psalm 33:1
.
How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4
.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13
.
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1
.
Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3
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**************
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Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12
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My Flesh and My Heart May Fail
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My Flesh and My Heart May Fail
Sometimes God’s children can feel very torn up inside. They see wicked people seemingly getting along just fine, with all their cheating, lying, cursing, slandering, and arrogant boasting against God. In all their sneaky wickedness, the unbelievers are saying, just as Psalm 73:11 says,
And they say, “How does God know?
And is there knowledge with the Most High?”
The unbelievers boldly mock their Creator and Sustainer because they imagine God Almighty is too dumb to know or remember all that they do. Just like any one of us, the unbeliever cannot even take another breath without God’s sustaining power allowing it. The unbeliever does not stop to think that the God who made all that is in the universe and far beyond knows and remembers their every thought and action. They don’t appreciate God’s loving patience — or the awesome power it took to create all that there is.
When the psalmist, Asaph, was feeling so down by all the wickedness going on around him, he leaned on the power of God to always lead and guide him. Then, in Psalm 73:25-28, he wrote,
Whom have I in heaven but Thee?
And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For, behold, those who are far from Thee will perish;
Thou has destroyed all those who are unfaithful to Thee.
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
That I may tell of all Thy works.
God’s children today are in the same position as Asaph. Nobody on earth has anyone as dependable as the LORD to be their strength from day to day in this life. Having “the nearness of God” in our every trial is all that we need to make it safely through this world.
It’s certainly true that “my flesh and my heart may fail”. Everyone will die at some time or another. But, the questions will always be, “What will the strength of my heart be in my dying moments?” — and “What will my portion be in the life hereafter?”
That’s what counts.
How do we want to be in our hearts when we die? As we look at all the corruption in this world, may we fully grasp the blessedness of knowing for sure, in our living and our dying, “But as for me, the nearness of God is my good.”
Then, resting our eternity in God’s hands, we say, “Hallelujah! LORD, it is a relief to know that You hold our future in Your loving hands.”
Love,
Margaret
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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and GOD of gods.
A 2.67 year old says I Pledge Allegiance
Pray for our country.
.
… Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus …
**************
Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus by the Yupiq Eskimo village of Quinhagak, Alaska
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.
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The LORD made this day, let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
Psalm 118:24
.
The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:30
.
Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
Psalm 33:1
.
How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4
.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13
.
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1
.
Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3
.
**************
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Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12
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…………
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Grace to You and Peace from God
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Grace to You and Peace from God
The apostle Paul often said in his letters something similar to what he said in Galatians 1:3,
Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ…….
It sounds so special because it is so special.
Only God can grant us grace and peace. It is only because of Christ Jesus, our Savior, that we can have the grace and peace that are afforded in the forgiveness of our sins. God’s grace takes away all of our sins. God’s peace settles and quiets down our guilty conscience. It’s all because of Jesus.
Only those who put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ can have the peace of real forgiveness. No one can have peace when they are striving to live by the law — because nobody is able to live perfectly by the law. It’s self-defeating.
But, God’s grace in sending Jesus to pay for all our sins gives us peace.
Before accepting forgiveness through Jesus, we were trying all sorts of ways to be good and God-pleasing. But, we knew deep down in our hearts that we never could be good enough or pleasing enough. That’s simply because nothing can really take away sin — except the grace of God Almighty. And that grace can only be found through faith in Jesus. We have to accept the truth that Jesus is God come down to suffer and die as the actual full payment for our sins.
The world makes big talk about peace, but it’s all a sham. Their pretentious “peace” is like a bad joke. But, when Jesus says, in John 14:27,
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful,
…Jesus is giving the peace of sins forgiven and His life within us — as we live in Him. It is the peace that passes all understanding, as Philippians 4:7 says,
The peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Let us rest in the grace and peace given to us through faith in Christ Jesus. This real grace and real peace can only come from “God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ”.
With God’s gifts in hand, we say, “Hallelujah! Lord Jesus, thank You for all that You have done to give us the peace that passes all understanding.”
Love,
Margaret
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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and GOD of gods.
A 2.67 year old says I Pledge Allegiance
Pray for our country.
.
… Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus …
**************
Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus by the Yupiq Eskimo village of Quinhagak, Alaska
.
.
.
The LORD made this day, let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
Psalm 118:24
.
The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:30
.
Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
Psalm 33:1
.
How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4
.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13
.
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1
.
Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3
.
**************
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Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12
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The Only God
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The Only God
Jesus’ followers were more than certain that Jesus is God Almighty come down to save us. A few examples include:
1 Timothy 1:16-17
And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.Jude 1:24-25
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.John 1:1-3
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 came into being through Him; and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
There are many who vehemently deny that Jesus is “the only God”. They might grudgingly say He was a prophet, but if that’s all they want to admit to, they are essentially claiming that Jesus is a lying prophet, because in various ways Jesus said that He is God. One example is in John 8:57-59, where Jesus called Himself “I AM“ — the name the LORD called Himself, when He identified Himself to Moses (Exodus 3:13-14),
The Jews therefore said to Him [Jesus], “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.”
Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple.
The Jews wanted to kill Jesus because He plainly said He was God Almighty. They felt it was blasphemy for Jesus to say He was the LORD God, come down to save them from their sins.
Today, people don’t want to admit that Jesus really is God, because then they would have to deal with the problem of admitting they are corrupt sinners in need of a Savior to rescue them from hell. To them, it’s downright embarrassing to have to repent and humbly live by faith in Jesus alone. They are much more comfortable hiding their sins and claiming they are okay.
But, the apostle Paul wasn’t embarrassed. When he realized he was headed for hell in all his unbelief, he examined all the facts in Scripture and saw that Jesus really was the promised Savior. Then, in 2 Timothy 1:12, in prison he declared,
For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
Paul willingly suffered beatings and imprisonment for the sake of the truth that Jesus Christ is “the only God.” Adding up all the truths of fulfilled prophecies makes all the difference in the world regarding our “embarrassment“ over having faith in Jesus — and repenting of our sins.
In the joy and freedom of the truth, we say, “Hallelujah! Lord Jesus, thank You for patiently loving sinners.”
Love,
Margaret
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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and GOD of gods.
A 2.67 year old says I Pledge Allegiance
Pray for our country.
.
… Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus …
**************
Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus by the Yupiq Eskimo village of Quinhagak, Alaska
.
.
.
The LORD made this day, let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
Psalm 118:24
.
The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:30
.
Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
Psalm 33:1
.
How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4
.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13
.
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1
.
Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3
.
**************
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12
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…………
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To All Who Call Upon Him in Truth
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To All Who Call Upon Him in Truth
King David wrote many profound truths about God Almighty. It is well worthwhile to really think about them and take them to heart. In Psalm 145:17-18, he wrote,
The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
And kind in all His deeds.
The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
It is very important to realize that “the LORD is righteous in all His ways.” When some people feel their prayers are not being answered, they might feel God is unrighteous, bad, and wrong in His ways. That is never the case, because God is holy, loving, and all-knowing. He always has been and He always will be. There isn’t a single, itty-bitty thing that God doesn’t know about.
God knows our every hidden thought, feeling, attitude, and action. That all boils down to the fact that God knows we are sinners. We are the ones who need straightening out, guidance, testings, and strengthenings, so that we will be enabled to live honest lives of faith, hope, and love.
In all of His holiness and perfect righteousness, God certainly is “kind in all His deeds” — even to those who have done evil. He mercifully sustains all of us, so that we all owe Him our every breath. No one should ever take His love and mercy for granted, because there is another truth we need to respectfully remember — “The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.“
No one can ever “pull the wool over God’s eyes“. He already knows us inside and out. No matter what our situation or sin, it is imperative that we “call upon Him in truth“. Another lie isn’t going to help us. We cannot pretend that we are upstanding, good, and honest, when we are not.
God may be patient and amazingly kind to all sinners — but that is no reason to pray to Him in a dishonest way. Dishonesty will always catch up with us, because God knows every hidden thing about us. We are always in need of confessing all our sins and asking for His forgiveness. We are also always in need of praising, blessing, and thanking God for His merciful patience.
Then, in truthfulness — the door will be more open for God to come into our hearts and be “near” to us in our needs. When we “call upon Him in truth”, His leading and love will fulfill our deepest needs for His saving forgiveness and eternal blessings. Then He can help us to grow in faith, hope, and love.
Thinking about how God’s righteousness is always in love, we say, “Hallelujah! LORD, Your greatness in love and understanding is unsearchable. Thank You for loving and understanding us in our needs.”
Love,
Margaret
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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and GOD of gods.
A 2.67 year old says I Pledge Allegiance
Pray for our country.
.
… Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus …
**************
Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus by the Yupiq Eskimo village of Quinhagak, Alaska
.
.
.
The LORD made this day, let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
Psalm 118:24
.
The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:30
.
Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
Psalm 33:1
.
How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4
.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13
.
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1
.
Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3
.
**************
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12
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…………
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That We Should Be Called Children of God
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That We Should Be Called Children of God
1 John 3:1
See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
The apostle John wants every Christian to always be aware of God’s immense love for all who put their trust in Him. No matter how old we may be God considers all those who believe in Him to be His dearly beloved children. So, John says we are “called children of God” because that is exactly what we are. John explains this in John 1:12-13,
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Those who believe God’s word are born of God’s Spirit, as Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:6,
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
When we believe God, we have “received Him”. That’s when we are born “of God” — “of the Spirit” —because God then comes and lives in our hearts and minds. And, that’s when the world cannot figure us out. Having faith in God does not make sense to them. Because they reject God and their need for forgiveness, they mock the concept of having faith — “For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
But, the child of God knows in his heart and mind the love and reality of God Almighty. We might not be able to explain all that we know, but we know it as a child of God. In knowing God, we love God for who He is and all that He does. That is why we agree with Paul in Ephesians 5:1-2,
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you…
We never want to be like the unbelievers in this world because we know and love the wondrous freedom of God’s love that we have in Christ Jesus. It’s as Jesus told us in John 8:31-32,
If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
We have been freed from our sins and we want to stay free in Christ Jesus. We love the loving ways of our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. And so, we say, “Hallelujah! Lord Jesus, being a child of God is worth far more than anything in the world. Thank You for making us Your very own.”
Love,
Margaret
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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and GOD of gods.
A 2.67 year old says I Pledge Allegiance
Pray for our country.
.
… Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus …
**************
Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus by the Yupiq Eskimo village of Quinhagak, Alaska
.
.
.
The LORD made this day, let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
Psalm 118:24
.
The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:30
.
Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
Psalm 33:1
.
How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4
.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13
.
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1
.
Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3
.
**************
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12
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.
.
…………
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