Lord's Day Devotion - Salvation Belongs to the LORD

 

David's mockers said there was "no salvation for him in God".  What a taunt when David was down and out, and vulnerable once again.  This time he was fleeing from his own son Absalom.

Absalom, who was attempting a coup to take over the throne of David, his father.  David was no longer a spring chicken by this time, unlike when King Saul was seeking his demise years earlier.

It wasn't that David didn't fear for his life this round.  He did.  That's why he fled but reading Psalm 3 shows how he put his trust in God.

He penned that the LORD was a shield to him.  He also cried aloud to Him.  If you are a fugitive, trying to hide, you don't make loud noises.

But he believed God had him covered.  He had peace and confidence that the LORD heard his cries.  He had entrusted his plight and put it into the LORD's hands so then He could rest.  He could sleep and awake refreshed because "the LORD sustained" him.

Even though so many were against him and his living conditions were definitely NOT up to palace standards he believed God would save him.

This psalm does not touch on David's actual rescue but you can see the trust he put in the LORD that his enemies would be struck on the cheek and that his salvation did indeed belong to the LORD.

Through Jesus, we in our day, can be saved through similar faith and confidence in Him.  He is Someone who has earned our trust, so to speak.  We can rely on Him even in dangerous situations or through other troubles we may face.

Certainly our salvation does come from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31 ESV), Paul and Silas told the Philippian jailer.

Those of us who have done just that and have become followers of Jesus Christ know personally, that our salvation comes through Him.  We now have forgiveness of sins, everlasting life and a bright future with Him in glory to look forward to.

However, as we journey through life, we can experience other times that salvation belongs to the LORD as David did, over and over again.

As we sit around the table this Lord's Day, reaching for the broken bread and drinking from the cup of wine in remembrance of Jesus' action that brought and bought our salvation on the cross, give thanks, as you remember salvation certainly does belong to Him.

It may well be easier said than done but let's realize He is worthy of our trust, so trust Him.

                                                   ~ ERC  January 2025 ~

Based on Psalm 3 (ESV).

Sing, Thou Art Worthy, along with Blood Covenant and Salvation Belongs To Our God, along with Christ Covenant Church (Jeremy Fisher).

Excellent Completion

 

"Fools and bairns see unfinished work" is a saying I've heard from my mother on more than a few occasions.  This is what comes to mind when I consider Philippians 1:6 (ESV).

"And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

What a relief!  The work is good and once it's started it will be completed!  A lifetime process but one that will be brought to completion.

It would be a mistake to judge the 'good work' before it's finished.  This ongoing good work is found IN us.  The Holy Spirit's work and empowerment will bring forth His fruit between now and the day Jesus Christ comes for us.

There are times when we feel tired, exhausted, discouraged and overwhelmed yet this assurance of there being good work done can be uplifting.  At times we may feel nothing good is being done. However, God's Word is emphatic that something is happening and it is good.  Furthermore, it will be finished work.

But what is the good work being done?  If you take the verse in context, you'll see Paul's prayer is that the Philippians' 

"love will abound more and more," 

right along side 

"knowledge and all discernment".

This is a boon for me.  So many times I feel inadequate in general and even in particular.  Nevertheless to know I shouldn't judge myself too harshly in the middle of the process because the good work towards these mature attainments is assured.

The "fruit of righteousness" 

is also being grown in me.  This too is a relief.  The unfinished work can be discouraging but to realize it is being grown since it was sown helps one to persevere knowing one does not have to go-it alone.  The Lord will bring it all to complete maturity.  Verse 11 says I'd be "filled" with the fruit of righteousness.  How blessed is that!

For followers of Jesus Christ who have the Holy Spirit and walk in the fear of the Lord, we will know God's graciousness towards us as He does His good work in us as we actively pursue it.

If you read the whole of the letter to these Philippian believers, you'll see other aspects of Christian living that will be brought to completion as well for which we can get the stamp of approval and excellence.

For instance, standing firm in their faith, in one spirit and mind for the sake of the gospel.  this despite the ongoing persecution they were patiently enduring.

Humility - learning to have this same attitude as Christ's.  It can be a toughie but as we ponder on what our Savior and Lord has done and submit to Him, we can learn to develop some humility.

Obedience - also an ongoing charactistic being worked at to do both God's will and work.  Again, obedience for those of us who our own will, may find it difficult to submit even to our Heavenly Father's will at times and go kicking and screaming, so to speak, but do in the end obey. 

Like yesterday, I did not want to go and join a cross-cultural mission event but while doing a Bible study on missions and cross-cultural missions that very morning, I felt the hand of the Lord compeling me to go despite the barriers that needed break-through.  In the end, there was a 'saving grace' the Lord gave me.  It made me feel grateful to Him.  Thank You, Father.

God's 'work' for the sake of the gospel and/or all humanity is a work-in-progress too.  No doubt it can be tough work with obstacles at every hand but again, the assurance that it is HE who works in us who will bring this work to completion can be burden-relieving in one's mind.  The outcome is in His hands.  The good work in us can then be an outpouring to do good work for Him, which can motivate us towards the maturity He so desires for us, should we choose to accept His mission.  He'll be faithful complete us.

So let us rejoice and not be anxious.  Let us pray and give Him our thanksgiving, making our requests known to the Lord.  He's there for us.  May God's peace flood the hearts and minds of each and every follower of Jesus Christ.

Because He lives, we can face today and tomorrow.  Because He works good work in us, we will be brought to completion in our spiritual lives as indviduals and as a church, as did for the Philippians.  In whatever good work He gives our hand to do, let's give of our best to the Lord.  Let's put our hands in the hand of our Master, walk with Him because He'll make His work in us excellent and complete.

Praise the Lord!

Father God, we humbly come to You giving our thanksgiving for the good work You faithfully  do in each of us.  You do not give up on us, for this we are eternally grateful.  In You we trust through our Lord Jesus Christ and it is in His name we pray and praise and give our thanks.  Amen.

                                                   ~ ERC  January 2025 ~ 

Based on Philippians 1:6-11 ESV.

Sing, He Who Began a Good Work in You, along with Steve Green.

Book Review - This Work of Darkness - By Lucretia Grindle - Publication Date: 16 January 2025

 My heart was in my throat the whole way through this book.  It is not for the faint-hearted reader!  I wanted to tell my mind that this is only fiction.  However, much of the narrative was based on true, historical events.  That is, the witch hunts in Salem Village, and Salem, Massechusetts (1692-1693), with many of the trials held in Boston.

Superstitious Puritans lost reason and hunted down supposed witches on the say-so of very young girls they termed, 'the afflicted'.  Afflicted, that is, by 'witches'.  The story centers around Resolve Hammond, the Englishes, Ned Morrill, Abigail Hobbs, Mercy Lewis, the Putnams and others.

I found the author of This Work of Darkness to be very masterful, as despite it taking me time to read through the story, it strongly held my attention when I was reading.  I'd definitely say it's a page turner that could keep a reader up all night in suspense of what would happen next.  Those happenings with twists, turns and plots that galvanize the reader to the next page.

Truly a very worthwhile read in my opinion.  I give this author a 5 Star rating and thumbs up!  I hope to read more of her work in the future.

                                            ~ Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger ~

                                                         January 2025

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by Net Galley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.

Reviving the Soul

 Not only when meeting together with other believers do we find the refreshing or reviving of our souls.  The Psalmist David wrote,

"The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul ..."

He added that they,

"[rejoice] the heart ..."

and 

"enlighten the eyes ..."

So when we feel disheartened and discouraged or dragged out from a day at work or school, why not find a passage of Scripture upon which to meditate.

When I read Psalm 19:7-12 I feel light-hearted.  Partly it brings back memories from childhood days when we were tasked to memorize these verses.  But more than that, we sang them.  They truly did rejoice my heart.

God's Word is perfect when so much else is not.  When we lack wisdom, God's sure word can make us wise.  There is so much that is impure in the world but God's Word is pure and enlightens the eyes.  Sound a bit like cleansing after having to walk through many impurities of the day?  Those who fear the LORD will be made clean.

God's Word is true, righteous and sweet.  We hear a lot of evil communication and corrupt speech, again, as we go through our day.  A lot of 'mud' splatters onto us.  Meditating and even just reading God's Word can revive us.

Let's keep God's Word as our most prized go-to for reviving our souls and communing with the Lord until He comes.

Lord Jesus, we often feel down and tired but You and Your Word can truly lift us up.  Revive our souls oh Lord!  Amen.

                                                   ~ERC  January 2025 ~

Based on Psalm 19.7-11 (ESV)

Song, Psalm 19 - The Law of the Lord is Perfect, along with Nina Vera.

Philemon Refreshes the Saints

 

Philemon, the "beloved fellow worker" of Paul amazes me.  I had been blithely seeing the fact that he used his house for the church that would meet in his house but forgot about his caring personality.

While writing for a devotional for children about walking in the fear of the Lord with a sub-theme about the fearing the Lord as a family, there was a question I asked myself.  Where are there such examples in the Bible?  

Of course, Romans 16 has a few mentions of households that were greeted and those whose homes or households, were used for the church to meet .  Paul commended them.

In the book of Acts, Peter knew where he could find praying saints, that is at Mary's house.  They must have met there regularly, so that was the first place Peter visited after the angels got him out of jail (see Acts 12:12-16).

Then I found Philemon.  After reading what Paul commended him for, I found that Philemon really lived up to his name.  One of the meanings is "affectionate" and another, "loving".  

Have a read of Philemon.  It's only one chapter but once you spot the ancecdotes about him, you'll see his loving and caring character.

First off, he uses his home, presumably along with his wife Apphia and son Archippus.  Then Paul mentions Philemon's love and faith towards 'all the saints', those followers of Jesus Christ.  He thanks God for this and remembers Philemon in his prayers.

Paul, who was writing from prison as a prisoner for Christ Jesus,

 "derived much joy and comfort from the love Philemon showed to the saints".

  The results of Philemon's care was that 

"the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through [him]" (see vs 7 of Philemon).

Many times we may feel discouraged by life but we can thank the Lord for those who refresh us.  It does lift up our spirits.  Since the saints met in Philemon's home, he had much opportunity to refresh the saints.

Mostly, when I've read the letter to Philemon, I focused on the exciting story part of his runaway slave that obviously was by God's appointment and good sense of humor, that slave Onesimus bumped into Paul somehow or other, in prison, I'm guessing.

Through Paul, Onesimus comes to Christ.  Paul sends Onesimus back to his master Philemon to bear the further consequences of the error of his ways.  However, Paul appeals to Philemon's heart and the brotherhood of being in the family of God.

Paul beseeches Philemon to forgive Onesimus and to see him now as a brother-in-Christ.  Actual punishment for caught runaways slaves was whipping.  If that didn't kill them, they would likely be manacled in chains to discourage running away again.

We don't really know if Philemon took Paul up on his offer to repay any of Onesimus' debts but we do learn that he must have forgiven him.  Look in Colossians 4:9.  It reads,

"... and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you."

Amazing grace.  I find this very endearing.  Of course Paul had some strong points laid out in his appeal.  He wanted Philemon to "refresh [his] heart in Christ" by actions of forgiving (see vs20).

Normally, if a person wants to stay at their friend's house, they will ask if it is ok first.  Here in the letter to Philemon, Paul doesn't ask, he just states, as if it's a foregone conclusion that he'd be accepted.  It's almost like an order.  He tells Philemon to 

"prepare a guest room for me ..."

Talk about inviting yourself!  Ha, ha!

But Paul's friendship and partnership as a fellow worker in Christ, allowed him to count on Philemon for all of this.  Philemon's character allowed for great hospitality, not just for refreshing the regular saints who met in his home, but also for longer-stay guests.

This gift of hospitality of Philemon's encompassed not just letting his home be used for church, but he reached out to and spotted those who needed extra care, thus refreshing them.

No doubt this created extra work for his wife, son and as he seems to have been a man of means, his servants and slaves; indeed for his whole household, in general.

To me, this shows his commitment to it.  I like to believe that his motivation was that he feared the Lord and walked in His ways.  What's more, that his wife and son were with him in this so that they feared the Lord, together, as a family.

And a family who fears the Lord creates a household that serves the Lord.  I further believe that God loves to see this and uses households to help and refresh the believers and to bring many more sons and daughters into God's household.

Ask yourself, what do you, as a believer in Christ, use your home for?  Let's learn to refresh the saints as much as we can.

Father God, thank You for bringing me into Your household through faith in Jesus Christ.  May all Your children learn to practice hospitality as a family, using their possessions as Philemon once did because they fear the Lord.  Those possessions, which actually come from You in the first place, be used to refresah the saints.  In Jesus' name I ask, Amen.

                                                    ~ ERC  January 2025 ~

Based on Philemon 1:2, 7, 20, 22 and Colossians 4:9.

Sing, Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone), along with Michael W. Smith.

For Those Who Fear Him

 There is a verse that's been stuck in my mind for the past few weeks.  It's about God's mercy.  You can find it in Luke 1:50 NIV.

"His mercy extends to those who fear Him..."

This is the part that keeps swirling around.

Just why this gets to me, I'm not too sure but its time to examine it.  What does it mean?

Mercy is not getting what a person deserves - generally speaking - in regards to getting some form of punishment that could be bordering on severe.  At many points in our lives, we do need His mercy.

I like that God's mercy, extends ....

I get a mental picutre of a holding out of His scepter, extending it to the one who dared to enter into His presence uninvited - much like the incident of Queen Esther.  Everyone, including the Queen, had been holding their breath when she entered.  The mercy was extended towards her.

In the case of our key verse, look who gets the mercy extended to them and what is the nature of it.  It's to those who fear Him.  When a person walks in the fear of the Lord, they will be shown mercy.  Mercy will be extended to them.

The biggest mercy extended would be having been rescued from God's wrath that is to come.  When a person accepts Jesus Christ as Savior, they've been rescued from an eternity without Christ in that place of fire and brimstone, otherwise known as Hell.

Throughout a follower of Jesus Christ's life on earth, the mercy will be extended.  He does not revoke the scepter of mercy to those who fear Him.  Spiritually speaking, we can grow closer to Him even in the midst of any chaos that could be happening in our lives.  His mercy helps us to forge through as He opens the way for us.

The way for us to forgive others.  For us to share the message of Jesus with others.  For us to show mercy to others - as we have received, freely give (see Matthew 10:8).  Give without payback in other words.  No doubt, you can think of many more 'for us-es'.

This mercy is far-reaching.  Read the rest of the verse to see where Jesus' mercy extends.  It's

"from generation to generation"!

When we fear God, and King Jesus who this verse refers to, our descendants also receive mercy.

What a wonderful, merciful Father and Savior we have!

Thank You Heavenly Father for sending Jesus to earth for us that we might receive the mercy of your salvation through Him. May all of Your children continue to live and walk in the fear of Jesus to have His mercy extended towards us, even to our next generations through us, as You did for Queen Esther, and for King David, the man after Your own heart.

When we read Jesus' geneology in Matthew chapter 1, we actually see a few rogues but when they turned back towards You in sincere repentance, Your mercy was so much more.  Then You blessed us with Jesus.

Forever grateful, I give You praise and thanks in Jesus' name.  Amen.

                                                 ~ ERC  December 2024 ~

Based on Luke 1:50.  See also, Esther 8:4 and Matthew 1.

Sind, His Mercy Is More, along with Keith & Kristyn Gettty.

Book Review - The House of Second Chances - By Lauren Westwood - Publication Date: 1 January 2025

 

The House of Second Chances was just that and that's what made the read satisfying.  It was also intriquing.  The secrets lent mystery and suspense to the story, keeping my curiosity simmering thoughout.  I found Estate Agent Amy Wood to be a fun, yet serious and unique character.  Through all odds against her, she attempts with varying success to match a house with prospective buyer.

With the particular crumbling estate she trys to protect is a mansion of great historical value - to her.  She sleuths out and unfolds a secret of magnitude on several levels.  Romance sugar coats it all peculiarly, I found.

In my opinion, anyone with a love of ancient historical properties needing restoration will be able to relate well with Amy and the narrative.

                                            ~ Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger ~

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by Net Galley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.