Month: February 2021

Search me O God

February 25, 2021

Psalms 139:23-24 says “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

David knew what it was to talk and pray to God. He prayed and praised God when things were going well. He prayed and cried out to God when things we not good or where his enemies were all around him.

In the above verses we see that David also wanted God to search his heart and his thoughts. He wanted to be right with God and asked if there was anything that he needed to sort out. He also wanted to be lead in the way everlasting.

Most of us, if we are honest have things hidden away in our hearts and in our thoughts that are not quite right. Things that we wouldn’t want anyone else to know or hear out loud. I know I have at times.

I think the key is to be like David in these times. We need to ask God to search our hearts and our thoughts. Ask Him to reveal any offensive ways. When He does we then need to confess them and ask for help to overcome. 

When we do this we walk in the way of the everlasting. The way God intends us to walk…closely with Him each and every day.

Prayer

Dear God, like David I want you to search my heart and test my anxious thoughts. I pray if there is any offensive way in me, that you would show me. I want to confess and be right with You. With all my heart I want to walk with You in the way everlasting, Amen.

Paul and living for Jesus

February 11, 2021

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

As I read these verses I think about the change that overtook Paul after his conversion. He was no longer driven by selfish ambition, he was a changed man.

Paul was convinced that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sin. This is the message he took everywhere. As a result of knowing this, he couldn’t live his life for himself any more.

Paul lived for Jesus Christ because he believed that he has died with Christ (Romans 6:6, 11). He believed that dying with Christ meant that he should live for Jesus (Galatians 2:20).

His heart was changed. He had a new focus. It was all about living for Jesus and pouring himself out for others (2 Timothy 4:5-7).

How about you? Has your life changed since you came to Christ? Have you got a new reason to live? Are you living for Jesus today?

Prayer

Dear God, help me not to live for myself, but to live for You and Your Kingdom. Help me to always remember that Jesus died for me and that I have been raised to a new life in Christ. Amen

Peace with God through faith

February 5, 2021

For communion today I want a wonderful passage from Romans 5. In this passage we will see some great truths the Bible says we have if we trust Christ for our salvation.

Romans 5:1-11
1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.
6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.
8 But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.
10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son.
11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

In this passage we see some wonderful truths.

We have peace with God – no longer do we have to wonder if we are right with God. We have peace with Him. The Bible calls Jesus the prince of peace and He gives it to us. As the we know it is a peace that is not of this world.

We have undeserved privilege – because of Christ’s death for us we have new standing with God. Hebrews tells us that we can boldly come into His presence. And as God’s children, we will share in His glory.

We have God’s love in our hearts – the reading tells us that God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with God’s love.

We have a Saviour who gave all for us – At the right time Jesus came and did what only He could do. No-one else in all history could die for us. Jesus as the perfect sacrifice purchased our salvation.

We have no condemnation – we are right with God because of Christ’s shed blood. We are now free from condemnation and the wrath of God. God does not condemn us.

We have a new relationship with God – our friendship with God has been restored by the death of Jesus. We were enemies, but now we are God’s friends.

These 6 six things are some of what Christ has done for us. His death on the cross for us gives us peace with God, we have our sins forgiven, we are no longer condemned and facing God’s wrath, and we are now friends with God.

Let us pray.

Three focus verses for 2021

February 1, 2021

I have decided to have three focus verses for 2021. These verses are to guide my year and keep me on track in the things I feel called to do.

This year I am using three different versions as the versions use slightly different wordings to bring the meaning out.

Proverbs 3:5-6 TPT – Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go.

2 Timothy 2:15 AMP – Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

1 Peter 4:10 NLT– God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

My heart in 2021 is the trust God and His leading, to study hard and rightly use God\’s Word, and to use my gifts for the good of others.

I hope and pray 2021 is a great year for you. It is my hope that you will be blessed by God and you will know His peace and favour this year.