Eager To Be Free

“The Lord is good…he knows everyone who trusts in him.”  Nahum 1:7

He knows!  Those of you counting on Him to be your salvation, your righteousness, your strength, and your provision, should be greatly encouraged.  The Lord knows who you are, and He can’t help responding to your believing heart.

God is keenly aware when even the tiniest glimmer of trust begins to flicker in the heart of one of His creatures.   Scripture declares that His eyes roam to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of anyone who is committed to trusting Him. (II Chronicles 16:9)

Only in trusting God can we ever fully please Him.  (Hebrews  11:6) The good news is:  it is not about our performance!  That will always fall short, because we are human.

But those who trust in Christ are automatically considered righteous through what Christ did on the cross.  He was made sin for us so we might be made righteous through Him.  (II Corinthians 5:23) It doesn’t depend on me!

PONDER: Have I rested my full “weight” on Jesus, trusting Him as God’s only provision for my salvation and sanctification?  Or do I feel there is still some part of this whole process that depends on me?

PRAYER: Lord, open my eyes to the many times You’ve declared in your Word that I am made right with You by trusting in what Jesus has done for me.  It’s a gift!  It cannot be earned — only received.

Tags: glimmer, II Chronicles, II Corinthians, performance, provision, righteous, salvation, sanctification, weight
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“…Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord.”  Psalm 144:15b

What a beautiful advertisement for the God of the Bible !   A joyful countenance is a rare quality these days, and anyone possessing it will almost certainly attract attention.

What does a joyful heart tell others about the God we serve?  It declares He is good.  It affirms His loving kindness.  It telegraphs His abundant provision for those who put their trust in Him.

Too many people I know, who claim the name of Christ, are not joyful, but rather stressed, worried, and fearful.  Some are even bitter and angry.  What does that imply about God?

Remember that joy and happiness are not synonymous.  Joy reflects an inner confidence, the assurance of knowing who God is and how I am related to Him.  It finds its source in the Lord, not in circumstances, and thus becomes an anchor to the soul that puts its trust in Him.  No unhappy or tragic situation in one’s life can alter that assurance, so joy can shine, even through tear-filled eyes.

PONDER: What does my countenance, my attitude, tell others about God?

What can it show me about my relationship with God, my trust and confidence in His  goodness, His love, His provision?

PRAYER:  Oh, Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve ever given people the impression that You cannot be trusted.   Help me choose to rejoice in every circumstance.  Show others, through my life, that You are, indeed, good and trustworthy. 

Tags: abundant, countenance, joyful, provision, Psalm, stressed, telegraphs, worried
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“You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.” Psalm 23:5

David is obviously speaking from personal experience. Can you imagine sitting down to a feast, surrounded by your enemies, and enjoying it? Yet David declares that, though pursued and encompassed by people who weren’t content just to malign and slander him, but vowed to kill him, he found himself the honored guest at a lavish “banquet” prepared by the Good Shepherd.

For most of us, the “feast” would go uneaten, the cup unfilled. With enemies lurking nearby, our focus would be totally consumed with our own self-preservation. Any meal at that moment could mean only one thing — a very bad case of indigestion!

Yet, this “feast” is available for anyone willing to tear his/her eyes away from the menacing enemies threatening to devour and destroy, and fasten his gaze on the Shepherd who offers anointing and blessing. If we will choose to sit down at His banqueting table, even in the toughest of times, we ‘ll realize anew God’s goodness and unfailing love.

PONDER: In my most difficult moments, who/what gets my attention? Have I ever missed the feast Christ has prepared for me, because I couldn’t tear my mind from the situation at hand?

PRAYER: In You, Lord, I have everything I need: protection, provision, peace. Help me keep my eyes on You and trust You completely.

Tags: anointing, banquet, blessings, enemies, feast, God's goodness, Good Shepherd, guest, peace, protection, provision, table, trust, unfailing love
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