Word of the Day: Steadfast Love

When I thought, “My foot slips,”

your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.

Psalm 84:18

The Answer Is No

“Will the Lord reject forever?
   Will he never show his favor again? 
Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
   Has his promise failed for all time? 
Has God forgotten to be merciful?
   Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

Psalms 77:7-9 NIV

Praise be to God alone, the answer is no! In Christ he will not reject us. He will show his favor. His unfailing love will appear again and again. His promises are yes in Christ to us. His mercy is everlasting and his compassion is new every day! Praise be to God alone!

He Chose You

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

John 15:16-17 NIV

It never ceases to amaze me that God chose me. My whole life sees to be an enigma. The student that teachers said, "Oh no, not him" who became a teacher. (A middle school teacher of mine literally fell out of his chair spinning around when he heard I became a teacher.) If there is such a thing as Attention Deficit Disorder I still have it. When I was in school a ruler was what teachers used to "help" you pay attention and stay focused. I question just about everything, stumble easily, I'm wrong more often the right, have to do things more than once, learn the hard way, discern mostly with hindsight, remember that I should of prayed first, and I know most of my motives are completely self-centered. 

Yet, Christ chose me. And he chose you...

May You Flourish in God's Unfailing Love

 

Take a moment, as you do what you must, and remember what God has done in your life this last year. 

Thank you, Lord, for your unfailing love!

What Do You Want Blotted Out From Your Life?

Have mercy on me, O God,
   according to you unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
   blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
   and cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 51:1-2

David was definitely a sinner. This Psalm is not a Psalm of praise. It is not just a plea for forgiveness, it's a cry from David to God asking God to remove the guilt of the sin he had committed. He knew he sinned. He realized the devastation his actions had produced. He wanted God to blot out his transgressions,  wash away all his iniquity and cleanse him from his sins. 

Not to justify or minimize any sin, but to emphasize the mercy of God I want us to remember that we are all sinners. Haven't we all wished that God would blot out some things - sin - from our lives. 

The amazing thing is that even though David did reap some negative things, the Lord still completed his purposes. The Messianic line  still prevailed and Christ was still born, died for our sins and rose again. 

You may want God to blot something out of your life. The truth is, God will accomplish his will because he is Sovereign, merciful, his love is unfailing and he has great compassion toward you! 

Hang On, His Love Is Unfailing

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,
   yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)

The word of The Lord is good. The truth of his love for us is assurance in moments of doubt. Whatever you may be going through, God's love for you never waivers. 

Father, open our eyes to see your unfailing love in our lives. Praise be to you in us today!

MESSY OR NOT, JUST KEEP LOVING LIKE GOD

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:22-23 (NIV)

My youngest sons' latest thing is tennis. So, we were out in the back hitting balls against the wall. It's good practice learning to get your racket in position and developing your reaction time. He started taking lessons with the local city parks and recreation classes. I figure, if he likes it he might as well learn to do it right.

That is kind of what Peter is saying here. Now that God has given you a new heart and a sincere love, don't be afraid to really love others. Maybe we hold back because we are afraid of getting hurt. It might be that you are concerned about people, even or especially Christians being a bit unloving back. 

Here's the deal. The depth of God's love for us is not based upon how we receive his love, it's just about his love for us. Think about the love of a parent. Parents love their children now how messy of an eater they are. They just keep feeding them. God loves us no matter how poorly we receive or deal with that love. And that is what we do when we love others. We just love deeply, knowing that like us, the person we are seeking to love with the love of God may not fully perceive or receive it. But, like God, we just keep loving. 

Thank you, Father, that you just keep loving me. Thank you that no matter how much I miss, you still have all the love I need. Praise be to you in us today!

STRONG & LOVING

The truth for the day.

"One thing God has spoken,
     two things have I heard;
 that you, O God, are strong,
     and that you, O LORD, are loving. 
 Surely you will reward each person
     according to what he has done."
 Psalm 62:11-12

God is strong. God is strong enough to deal with any problem you have. God will give you the strength you need to deal with any problem you have.

God is loving. God is dealing with you in love, right now. Even his discipline is mixed with his love. The crucifiction of Christ was the ultimate demonstration of justice and mercy, love and grace. 

Father, help us to live by faith in the truth that you are stronger than any problem we have and that you are loving in all your dealings with us. Praise be to you in us today!

TELL ME ABOUT GOD'S UNFAILING LOVE

"Have mercy on me, O God, 
     according to your unfailing love;
 according to your great compassion
     blot out my transgressions. 
 Wash away all my iniquity
     and cleanse me from my sin."
 Psalm 51:1-2 

I can not tell you how many times I have been unable to see the end from the beginning and felt that I was at a complete loss. Yet, when I remembered that the truth is that God has unfailing love for me, and that even if I could not imagine how God was going to work things out, God always knows what he is doing, then peace would come. Sometimes it is a knock-down, drag 'em out battle within myself to not stay focused on only what I can see at the moment. Frankly, I am just working my way through one of those "precious moments". But, I know God is Sovereign Lord and he does have unfailing love for me. I have seen him bring me through every battle. So, I trust him now. 

What about you, can you remember how God's unfailing love has faithfully brought you through? If so, please share with us what God has done in your life.

HEY! WHAT DID YOU HEAR?

"We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have  heard, so that we do not drift away." Hebrews 2:1 

Sometimes we don't need to hear something new, we just need to get what we got. Students will always tell me they don't understand something, particularly directions. I will tell them to read the directions out loud to me. The vast majority of the time about halfway through they say, "Oh, got it" and get back to task. 

How many times have you gone to church hoping to hear something new, something to stimulate your faith? That's OK. But, I believe that what we really need is to see again the truth found in Christ Jesus and his glorious redemptive saving grace. Maybe we just need to see how his grace applies to our lives at this given moment. 

There has been many a time that I have sought God (alone or at church) and after a time of remembering God' Sovereignty, his unfailing love, and his grace to me, I say, "Oh, I got it" and get back to walking by faith. 

What have you heard about the love of God of you? What have you heard of the faithfulness of God toward you? What have you heard about the power of God in Christ's resurrection now working in you? What have you heard? 

Don't let what you have heard, what you know, drift away. Hold onto Christ, he is holding on to you!

Father, remind us of the many things you have spoken to us and shown us. Praise be to you in us today!

SECURE IN HIS UNFAILING LOVE: PSALM 48:8-9

"As we have heard,            
     so have we seen
 in the city of the LORD Almighty,
     in the city of our God;
     God makes her secure forever.
 Within your temple, O God,
     we meditate on your unfailing love."
 Psalm 48:8-9

Father, today we thank you for your unfailing love and the security being in You brings. Praise be to you in us today!

EVEN THERE...

"Clap your hands, all you nations;
     shout to God with cries of joy!
 How awesome is the LORD Most High,
     the great King over all the earth!"
Psalm 47:1-2

Where on the earth are you right now? God is King over even there. There is no place he can not reach you.

What is going on in your life right now? God is King over even that. There is no circumstance he can not use when we chose to love and trust him.

Father, reveal yourself to our very lives today! Praise be to you in us today!

NEED HELP? GOD HAS UNFAILING LOVE/ Psalm 44:26

"Rise up and help us;
     redeem us because of your unfailing love."
 Psalm 44:26

Remember, it's all about redemption. Christ died to redeem us from our sins. Sins of the past, present and future. His unfailing love is our help. Think about that: unfailing love. We may fail, he will not. Keep your focus on Christ. When you fail, seek Christ. When you succeed, praise him. In all things and at all time seek him. 

Father, help us to seek you always. Thank you for always being there and for your unfailing love! Praise be to you in us today!