"Open my eyes to the wonderful truths in your law.
I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your laws.
Lord, give me your unfailing love, the salvation that you promised me. Then I will have an answer for those who taunt me, for I trust in your word. Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for my only hope is in your laws. I will keep on obeying your lay forever and forever.
May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word. I know, O Lord, that your decisions are fair; you disciplined me because I needed it. Now let your unfailing love comfort me, just as you promised me, your servant. Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live, for your law is my delight.
Those who love your law have great peace and do not stumble."
Psalm 119:18, 30, 41-44, 74-77, 165 NLT
Knowing the person behind the book
To own a Bible—to know we have it if we need it—brings a certain measure of peace. When we actually read and begin to understand it we are better able to receive peace of mind and heart. And when we apply what God's Word teaches, our lifestyle actually becomes a fertile place where peace can grow. But when we truly grow to love this wisdom given to us by its loving author, we have actually come to put our trust in the person behind the book. The writer of Psalm 119 grew to love God's law because it revealed who God was. We can rest assured when we follow the principles that issue from God's great love and wisdom.
from the TouchPoint Bible with commentaries by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) p 535
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
— Psalm 31:24 NIV
According to the apostle Paul, three things will continue forever: faith, hope, and love. Paul makes it clear that the greatest of these is love, and we all agree. But what of the other two?
We know faith is crucial. Without faith it is impossible to please God or to hang on when life is tough. Doubt can creep in so easily, and the only answer is to remember that Jesus is worth it all.
But what about hope? In our haste to be sure we have faith and love, do we sometimes fail to give hope its proper due? Without hope, life is a sorry game, played without enthusiasm or joy. As our society marches into the twenty-first century, people wonder what our real chances are. Is there any hope?
Those are legitimate questions, and I believe that only Christians have the legitimate answers. When our dreams seem to go sour or remain unfulfilled, hopelessness can dominate our lives—or we can hold on with open hands, knowing that we have hope because God is faithful.
— Sheila Walsh
Excerpted from A Grand New Day © 2008 by Thomas Nelson®, Inc. Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson®. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Tags: Sheila Walsh
— Psalm 31:24 NIV
According to the apostle Paul, three things will continue forever: faith, hope, and love. Paul makes it clear that the greatest of these is love, and we all agree. But what of the other two?
We know faith is crucial. Without faith it is impossible to please God or to hang on when life is tough. Doubt can creep in so easily, and the only answer is to remember that Jesus is worth it all.
But what about hope? In our haste to be sure we have faith and love, do we sometimes fail to give hope its proper due? Without hope, life is a sorry game, played without enthusiasm or joy. As our society marches into the twenty-first century, people wonder what our real chances are. Is there any hope?
Those are legitimate questions, and I believe that only Christians have the legitimate answers. When our dreams seem to go sour or remain unfulfilled, hopelessness can dominate our lives—or we can hold on with open hands, knowing that we have hope because God is faithful.
— Sheila Walsh
Excerpted from A Grand New Day © 2008 by Thomas Nelson®, Inc. Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson®. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Tags: Sheila Walsh
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Reflecting Christ
"…you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
Colossians 3:12 NLT
Clothed in kindness
"A doctor once stepped into a taxicab and discovered an unusually friendly driver.…he asked the man why he was so cheerful. "It all started," he said, "when I heard about a taxi driver who was so kind to a passenger that the man remembered him in his will, leaving him $65,000. I thought I would try it, and maybe somebody might leave me something. But after I tried it, I found it was so much fun being good that I decided I would do it for the fun of it, reward or no reward."
The world would certainly be a more cheerful place if we all had such good dispositions. Imagine walking down the street and seeing nothing but smiling faces.…
Life is not a bed of roses, and most people are too happy to let you know that. That's what we tell ourselves when we want to appease our guilt on those dark and dreary days. I'm not the only one who's had a bad day, we think. People are just going to have to understand.
Maybe they do, but how does Jesus feel about it? Kindness should flow out of the life of a Christian. The world has an excuse to be angry, but we don't. Redeemed people should act like they're happy to be redeemed.
This is what separates believers from those who haven't discovered the goodness of Christ. We have a reason to rejoice. We have a standard to uphold. We have a Savior to pattern our life after.
from Embracing Eternity by Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins and Frank M. Martin (Tyndale) p 86
Colossians 3:12 NLT
Clothed in kindness
"A doctor once stepped into a taxicab and discovered an unusually friendly driver.…he asked the man why he was so cheerful. "It all started," he said, "when I heard about a taxi driver who was so kind to a passenger that the man remembered him in his will, leaving him $65,000. I thought I would try it, and maybe somebody might leave me something. But after I tried it, I found it was so much fun being good that I decided I would do it for the fun of it, reward or no reward."
The world would certainly be a more cheerful place if we all had such good dispositions. Imagine walking down the street and seeing nothing but smiling faces.…
Life is not a bed of roses, and most people are too happy to let you know that. That's what we tell ourselves when we want to appease our guilt on those dark and dreary days. I'm not the only one who's had a bad day, we think. People are just going to have to understand.
Maybe they do, but how does Jesus feel about it? Kindness should flow out of the life of a Christian. The world has an excuse to be angry, but we don't. Redeemed people should act like they're happy to be redeemed.
This is what separates believers from those who haven't discovered the goodness of Christ. We have a reason to rejoice. We have a standard to uphold. We have a Savior to pattern our life after.
from Embracing Eternity by Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins and Frank M. Martin (Tyndale) p 86
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)