No respecter of persons

And Peter open his mouth and said: Most certainly and thoroughly I now perceive and understand that God shows no partiality and is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he who venerates and has a reverential fear for God, treating him with worshipful obedience and living uprightly, is acceptable to Him and sure of being received and welcomed [by Him]. Acts 10:34-35 AMP

I have heard people say that 'Cancer is no respecter of persons', well guess what, neither is God. He is willing and able to accept us all if we do what He says. The Message Bible puts it this way.

Peter fairly exploded with his good news: "It's God's own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favourites! It makes no difference who you are or where you're from - if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel - that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again - well, he's doing it everywhere, among everyone. Acts 10:34-36 The Message

God loves us all, His creation. He wants to have a daily, living, loving relationship with each of us. This is how much He loves us.

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:16-17 NLT

The action that God took opened the door for all of us, not just one select group of people, to be in right standing with Him. He really, really loves us - you and me.

But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ's blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God. Romans 5:8-9 AMP 

And that is grace. Available to us, today.

So that [just] as sin has reigned in death, [so] grace (His unearned and undeserved favour) might reign also through righteousness (right standing with God) which issues in eternal life through Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) our Lord. Romans 5:21 AMP

After reading these scriptures, we are reminded of many things, including that

1. God is no respecter of persons

2. Because God loved us, He sacrificed His only Son, Jesus.

3. That sacrifice, Jesus's blood, enables us to have right relationship with God, our Heavenly Father, now and eternity.

4. Through Jesus we have God's unearned and undeserved favour.

Now there are four things to give thanks for and celebrate today!  These truths remain the same regardless of what is going on in and around us. 

I know that whatever God does, it endures forever; nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it. And God does it so that men will [reverently] fear Him [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is]. Ecclesiastes 3:14 AMP

Question for today, can we lift our eyes from our circumstances and our feelings, and focus on Jesus. Jesus, who is no respecter of persons. Jesus who has made a way for us to live for eternity with our Heavenly Father.

My spirit is overwhelmed

For the enemy has pursued and persecuted my soul, he has crushed my life down to the ground; he has made me to dwell in dark places as those who have long been dead. Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed and faints within me [wrapped in gloom]; my heart within my bosom grows numb.

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I ponder on the work of Your hands. I spread forth my hands to You; my soul thirsts after You like a thirsty land [for water]. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Answer me speedily, O Lord, for my spirit fails; hide not Your face from me, lest I become like those who go down into the pit (the grave). Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You.

Psalm 143:3-8 AMP

There are some days that you think, what is going on here? Yesterday was one of the those days for our family. In the morning my husband and I had a difficult conversation about our business and where it is heading. As part of the conversation we read a devotion about God only giving you what you can handle.

For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads) has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. 

But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure,  but with the temptation he will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

1 Corinthians 10:13 AMP

I half jokingly said to Ken, 'God must think we can handle a lot,' as we were pressing into God, trusting Him with the outcome of our daughters' scan this week, and now we were feeling the squeeze with our business. I am not saying we believe that God caused these things to happen, but rather He is using them to grow us and teach us that He can be trusted. We thought those two rather major life circumstances were enough.

However, thirty minutes later we found ourselves at hospital with what has turned out to be a dislocated and fractured kneecap for Ken (after a fall at home). After eight hours at hospital yesterday, covered in prayer by friends, and with the help of friends looking after the children, we are now home and again finding ourselves trusting God for a long-term good outcome.

The Psalm above pretty much sums up the journey of my soul yesterday - immediately after Ken's fall, the feeling of being crushed to the ground in desperation - how much more can we take? Sitting in the Emergency Department, memories flooding back of 4.5 years go, feeling completely overwhelmed by what we could be facing here. Feeling numb and both of us literally crying out to God, how much more?

'I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I ponder the work of Your hands.'

Psalm 143:5 AMP

Then, as the hours went by, we started to remember and talk about all God has done for us, how faithful He has been, and what He has bought us through. 

'Answer me speedily, O Lord, for my spirit fails.'

Psalm 143:7a

And then our mood begins to change, we even manage to joke that with all the waiting around for scans and doctors, we are actually having lots of uninterrupted quality time together. Quality time is one of Ken's love languages. I pull out the notepad and pen and we continue with our business meeting, brainstorming and formulating a plan for the future. 

Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You.

Psalm 142:8 AMP

God had caused us to hear His loving-kindness, in a way we hadn't expected - much needed quality time together. God had reminded us once again that He is in the midst. We had lifted up our inner selves to Him in desperation, and He was showing us how to walk through it. This new journey will be on-going for a while and it will be interesting(?) to see what God will teach us both individually and as a married couple as we walk with Him on it.

Question for today, when you feel as though you have reached your limit, what do you do? Who or what do you call?

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.

1 Corinthians 10: 13 The Message

Since we are justified...

Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favour) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. 

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.

And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. 

Romans 5:1-5 AMP

Amen, Amen and Amen.

That I may dwell among them

And the Lord said to Moses, speak to the Israelites, that they take for Me an offering. From every man who gives it willingly and ungrudgingly with his heart you shall take My offering. ..... Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.

Exodus 25:1,2,8  AMP

For Moses and the Israelites, they had to undertake the task of physically building a sanctuary for the Lord.

Today, because of what Jesus did for us, the sanctuary looks quite different.

Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God's temple (His sanctuary), and that God's Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]? 

1 Corinthians 3:16 AMP

We, in Jesus, have become a dwelling place for God's Spirit.

You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief Cornerstone. In Him the whole structure is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and sacred to the presence of the Lord]. In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves are also being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.  Ephesians 2:20-22 AMP

These phrases, 'joined together harmoniously', and 'in fellowship with one another', give us a picture of perfect loving fellowship within the sanctuary.  And in a perfect world, that may happen, but we are not in a perfect world.

The foundation of the structure, Jesus Christ, is perfect and unchanging. But we are not. Maybe that is why a bit further on it says, 'you yourselves are also being built up', which tells us that we are a work in progress. We, as the potter's clay, are continually being molded and remolded.

And the vessel that he was making from clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he made it over, reworking it into another vessel as it seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me: O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does? says the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. Jeremiah 18:4-6 AMP

We have the privilege, through the grace of God, to be a dwelling place of God's Spirit. We have the challenge of surrendering our life, every part of our life, to God, the potter, so we can be all that He wants us to be. So we can hear His Spirit clearly, and be obedient to His calling.

Question for today, is there an area of your life that God is wanting to rework? Are you aligning with or resisting the prompting of the Holy Spirit? If you are tending to be resisting more than aligning, why not ask forgiveness, and ask the Holy Spirit to show us what action to take today to move forward in God's direction for us in that area. Remember, God's grace is sufficient for us, He is patient, and He has chosen to dwell in us.

Where is your faith?

And the disciples came and woke Him, saying, Master, Master, we are perishing! And He, being thoroughly awakened,censured and blamed  and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there came a calm.

And He said to them, [Why are you so fearful?] Where is your faith (your trust, your confidence in Me—in My veracity and My integrity)? And they were seized with alarm and profound and reverent dread, and they marveled, saying to one another, Who then is this, that He commands even wind and sea, and they obey Him? Luke 8:24-25 AMP

Where is your faith? What a challenging question this can be, especially in the times when you really need faith. 

Jesus is asking us, do we believe that is He trustworthy? Do we have confidence in Him, that He will do what He promises?

It can be difficult to answer, 'yes' to these questions when you have experienced disappointment, and life hasn't turned out as you expected it would. And there is one of our biggest problems - our expectations. We expect that life will be pretty much plain sailing, maybe a few hiccups, but nothing major. But that is not how life goes, and James explains quite clearly how we are to react to the trials and temptations that come our way.

Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. James 1:2-3 AMP

However, there is one expectation we can have when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour - the expectation of eternal life.

Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)—[which will bring you] unto life eternal. Jude 1:21 AMP

And let's not forget that, in making the option of eternal life a reality for us, Jesus faced immense trials and opposition.

Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.

You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood. Hebrews 12:3-4 AMP

Jesus, suffered all that for you and me. He didn't give up when the going got tough, instead He cried out, and sought His Father's will for His life. He knew his Father was trustworthy. He had confidence is His Father and His plan. He had faith.

And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw and knelt down and prayed,

Saying, Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done.

Luke 22:41-42 AMP

And here is God's response to His Son,

And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him in spirit.

Luke 22:43 AMP

So for us, when our faith is lacking, we too can cry out to our Heavenly Father, surrendering our life to His will, expecting to receive His strength. 

Question for today, is your faith lacking in some area of your life? If so, why not take time right now to cry out to God, surrender to Him and expect to receive a strengthening in your spirit.

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.  Psalms 27:14 AMP

He knows, and He is always there

O Lord, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

You see me when I travel

and when I rest at home.

You know everything I do.

You know what I am going to say

even before I say it, Lord.

You go before me and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too great for me to understand!

Psalms 139:1-6 NLT

He knows it all. The past, the present, the future. Our past, our present, our future.

On a personal note, He knows already the news we will hear about our daughter in two weeks time. He knows already what our response will be. He knows what we will be thinking.

I'm an open book to you;

even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking.

Psalms 139:2 The Message

He knows what we will say.

For there is not a word in my tongue [still unuttered], but, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

Psalms 139:4 AMP

He knows what will come into our lives as a result of that news. He knows the changes that will take place. He knows what we will do.

You sift and search out my path and my lying down, and You are acquainted with all my ways.

Psalms 139:3 AMP

But we know that on that day, without a doubt, that He is with us

I look behind me and you're there,

then up ahead and you're there, too—

your reassuring presence, coming and going.

Psalms 139:5 The Message

And about that, we can say,

This is too much, too wonderful—

I can't take it all in!

Psalms 139:6 The Message

Question for today, do you have a 'day' or 'event' coming up that you are feeling anxious about? If yes, I encourage to meditate on the above scriptures (as I have been) and know that you know that you know, God is with you in it, His reassurance presence, coming and going.

You will revive me

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever—forsake not the works of Your own hands. Psalms 138:7-8 AMP

Question for today, what do you to be revived? 

The scriptures have a few ideas on how we can revive our souls.

​WAIT and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing].
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy].
Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive; and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with you, even the sure mercy (kindness, goodwill, and compassion) promised to David.

Isaiah 55:1-3 AMP

There is definitely a lot to meditate on in that passage of scripture. And so much we can learn by reading and re-reading His truth, letting it soak into us, letting it revive us.

Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.
My earthly life cleaves to the dust; revive and stimulate me according to Your word!
I have declared my ways and opened my griefs to You, and You listened to me; teach me Your statutes. Psalms 119:24-26 AMP

Heavenly Father, please help us to better understand that it is You alone who can revive our soul. Please help us to incline our ear to you more often in our day, and hear you. Thank you for your everlasting covenant and your sure mercy in our lives. In Jesus Name, Amen.