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Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24
I find it extremely comforting and reassuring to have my wife take a good look at me before I head out the front door to start the day. I know that if she sees something I have missed in my appearance she will let me know. If she sees dirt on my face, a stain on my shirt, a belt loop missed, or a color combination that is not working, she will simply, clearly, and lovingly let me know about it. Her caring sense of observation has saved me much embarrassment through the years.
It’s also equally comforting and reassuring to let the Holy Spirit give us “the once over” before we head out the door to start the day. How wise we would be to daily let Him inspect us to be sure everything is in order—to be sure there is not resentment or bitterness hardening our hearts, to be sure there is no anxiety or worry weighing on our thoughts, and to be sure there is no unbelief or doubts clouding our spirits. How blessed our day would be if we could leave the house each morning knowing it is well with our souls.
It is not the multitude of hard duties, it is not constraint and contention that advance us in our Christian course. On the contrary, it is the yielding of our wills without restriction and without choice, to tread cheerfully every day in the path in which Providence leads us, to seek nothing, to be discouraged by nothing, to see our duty in the present moment, to trust all else without reserve to the will and power of God.
-Fenelon
Whatsoever, wheresoever, whensoever You please!
-R.M. M’Cheyne
The trees of the Lord are full of sap. Psalm 104:16
Without sap the tree cannot flourish or even exist. Vitality is essential to a Christian. There must be life—a vital principle infused into us by God the Holy Spirit—or we cannot be trees of the Lord. What a secret thing the sap is! The roots go searching through the soil, but we cannot see them transform the mineral into the vegetable. This work is done down in the dark. Our root is Christ Jesus, and our life is hid in Him. This is the secret of the Lord. In the Christian, the divine life is always full of energy.
-C.H. Spurgeon
In today’s posting I would like to recommend that you read a good book on theology. Why theology? Theology is a good word and a vitally important one. It means the study of God, especially His attributes and character. Any study of God must be based upon the Bible, for it is here and here alone that God has given us a written revelation of Himself. We cannot have a knowledge of God according to truth unless we allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to us all that God has said about Himself through the Scriptures.
Sound, biblical theology is essential for your Christian life, for right thinking about God, and for you to be able to walk with Him in truth. There is much deception filling the minds of people today and a great deal of confusion about who God is. Many good books have been written and many good sermons have been preached that declare to us who God is according to the Scriptures. However, we need to be wise and discerning. The truth of Scripture must form our theology and not the opinions of man.
Today there are Christian novels, books, and DVD’s that are wrongly influencing the way people think about God. There are voices today that are telling us about a God they have created out of their own imagination. Some, in an attempt to make God relevant to our culture, have tried to pull Him down to our level of thinking and living. We need to see the Lord in clarity, in reality, and in truth.
Here are a few biblically based books on theology that will help enrich your relationship with God and deepen your love for Him as you discover more about His mind, His heart, His nature, His attributes, and His ways.
The Attributes of God—volumes 1 and 2 by A.W. Tozer
God the Father, God the Son— by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
The Nature and Character of God—by W.A. Pratney
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with His glory!” Isaiah 6:3
Most often, when people in the Bible encountered God they either trembled, fell on their face, worshiped, or took the shoes from off their feet because they were standing on holy ground. Like Isaiah, we need to see the Lord “high and lifted up”.
It is the Lord’s glory and holiness (His majesty) that brings the fear of the Lord to our hearts. It is His glory and holiness that keeps us from an unholy familiarity toward God; it is His glory and holiness that keeps us from cavalier attitudes and actions toward the things of God; it is the glory and holiness of God that keeps us from becoming careless in our walk, careless in our speech, careless in our humor, and careless in our relationship toward God.
God’s holiness and glory are linked together. God’s glory should silence us, God’s holiness should humble us; God’s glory should lift us up, God’s holiness should clean us up; God’s glory should adorn us, God’s holiness should transform us; God’s glory should excite us, God’s holiness should ignite us.
It has been said that scientists look into space and study, while believers look into space and worship. Do your eyes see Him? Does your heart adore Him? Do you cry out “Holy, holy, holy…the whole earth is filled with His glory?”
Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush aflame with God,
But only he that sees takes off his shoes.
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning
We would never know the music of the harp if the strings were left untouched or enjoy the juice of the grape if it were not trodden in the wine-press. We would never discover the sweet perfume of cinnamon if it were not pressed and beaten or feel the warmth of fire if the coals were not utterly consumed. The wisdom and power of the great Workman are discovered by the trials through which His vessels of mercy are permitted to pass.
-C. H. Spurgeon
Have we not seen Thy shining garment’s hem
Floating at dawn across the golden skies,
Through thin blue veils at noon, bright majesties,
Seen starry hosts delight to gem
The splendor that shall be Thy diadem?
-Amy Carmichael
If I were going on a safari, I would want a guide who had the fire power to stop a charging wild beast from devouring me. If I were traveling through the desert, I would want a guide who knew where all the wells were located. If I were traveling through the jungle, I would want a guide who knew the trail and could get me to my destination.
As we travel through life we need more than tips or well intended advice, we need a true Guide. We need a true Guide because we need to be guided. Sadly, many people seek guidance from guides who do not know the way and lead them to dead ends. God is the only true, trustworthy, fully qualified Guide there is who can rightly direct our steps and lead us in the way we should go. If we have the right Guide, we will know the right guidance.
We must first yield ourselves to God before we can know His guidance. God wants to rule in our hearts before He guides us and directs our steps. Guidance comes out of relationship. Elisabeth Elliot, in her book on guidance, reminds us that “When God spoke to Moses from out of the burning bush, first came the ‘I Am’ then came the ‘Do this.’” When it comes to our future, Elisabeth Elliot also reminds us that, “God knows the way, He has been over every foot of it.”
The Palmist, David, tells us in Psalm 31:3, “For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name's sake, lead me and guide me.” Before David asked God to lead and guide him, David knew that God was his rock and fortress—his safety, his protection, and security. Because David trusted God for his life, he could also trust God for his future. For David, God’s guidance also meant God’s glory. David did not ask God to guide him in ways that would make David look good, but that would exalt the Lord’s name.
For the believer, God’s guidance is one of the greatest issues that must be settled in the heart. God’s guidance is what separates the believer from the world. God is looking for those who want His way in their lives instead of their own way. The ones who know God’s guidance are those who have said in their hearts, “God, I am trusting in your plans for my life instead of pursuing my own plans.”
As your Guide God will…
Tell you when it’s time to go ( Genesis 12:1)
Guide you in His strength (Exodus 15:13)
Give you rest (Exodus33:14)
Go before you (Numbers 14:14)
Light your darkness (2 Samuel 22:29)
Provide for you (Nehemiah 9:20)
Lead you in paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3)
Guide you in truth and faithfulness (Psalm 25:5)
Teach you His way (Psalm 25:9)
Keep His eye upon you (Psalm 32:8)
Give you His counsel (Psalm 73:24)
Correct your course if you start to drift (Isaiah 30:21)
Not leave you or forsake you (Isaiah 42:16)
Nurture you (Isaiah 58:11)
Be your companion (Jeremiah 3:4)
Fret buster #56
With the guidance of the Holy Spirit all things will come together according to God's plan. Now that I am getting "older" my pace is a bit slower and I take time to enjoy the moments along the path. I used to allow "pressure to meet deadlines"....to stress my soul. That has slowly come to a peace-filled place wherein things are done according to God's timetable. - Jonathan Urie
Fret buster # 57
Everything that God is today He has always been; everything that He has always been He will always be. Yesterday, God was there. Today, God is here. Tomorrow, God will be there. Was He your peace yesterday? He will be your peace today. Is He your peace today? He will be your peace tomorrow. Was He your provider yesterday? He will be your provider today. Is He your provider today? He will be your provider tomorrow.
Fret buster #58
O God, renew us in Thy love today,
For our tomorrow we have not a care,
Who blessed our yesterday
Will meet us there.
-Amy Carmichael
Fret buster #59
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” John 14:1
God wants us to have quiet hearts, not troubled thoughts.
Because God is Truth (Jeremiah 10:10), Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6), the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17), and the word of God is Truth (John 17:17), we should…
Know the Truth. John 8:32
Practice Truth. John 3:21
Worship in Truth. John 4:23
Bear witness to the Truth. John 5:33
Speak the Truth. John 8:46
Be guided by the Truth. John 16:13
Be sanctified by the Truth. John 17:17
Be of the Truth. John 18:37
Obey the Truth. Romans 2:8
Rejoice in the Truth. 1 Corinthians 13:6
Do nothing against the Truth. 2 Corinthians13:8
Be girded with the Truth. Ephesians 6:14
Love the Truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:10
Believe the Truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:12
Rightly handle and skillfully teach the Truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
Welcome the Truth. 2 Timothy 3:8
Listen to the Truth. 2 Timothy 4:4
Be established in Truth. 2 Peter 1:12
Walk in Truth. 2 John 1:4
Each step is a right step when it follows His pathway.
Each word is a loving word when it comes from His heart.
Each touch is a healing touch when it is motivated by His compassion.
Each decision is a wise decision when it is made according to His will.
Each work is a good work when it is done for His glory.
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it).
Romans 11:36 AMP
F. W. Boreham tells the true account of an elderly Scottish woman who, just before she died, lifted her feeble, thin hand and gently placed it upon his head as he was kneeling in prayer at her bedside. With a thick Scottish accent she pronounced this benediction over him, “The Lord bless ye, the Lord bless ye and keep ye! The Lord bless ye in your youth and in your auld age! The Lord bless ye in your basket and in your store! The Lord bless ye in your kirk and in your hame! The Lord bless ye in your guid wife and in your wee bairns! The Lord bless ye in your gaeings out and in your comings in frae this time forth and even for evermair!
…And so may the Lord bless you!
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