Psalm 45

 Our souls expand to praise You, King:

Your Beauty gleams with Light Divine;

Your Generous Words in gold tones ring,

illumined by pure, searing Fire.

We adore You, Ruler Most High,

arrayed in dazzling Majesty.

You surge ahead for Truthful Right;

forging New Paths for humble feet.

You void potentates’ prideful claims

with poignant darts of guilt and shame.

Forever You will reign Supreme,

for Justice always guards Your Realm.

Relinquishing our parents’ hurts

we bring You gifts from all cultures.

God, form our children as leaders;

give Your Stories fervent readers.

Psalm 44

 In the Old Stories of Your People’s roots

all the Glory is Yours, Loving Parent.

You uprooted ruthless idolaters,

cleansed the land, planted families in good soil;

Your Mother Love, not swords, secured their homes.

Wise, Kind Ruler of all: we worship You;

trusting Your Peace Power we pay tribute.

But we sense You have turned away from us,

left us on our own to face scorn and theft;

we are exploited, exiled and enslaved,

treated like the scum, not Salt of the Earth;

renegade movers-and-shakers mock us.

Yet we never forget You and Your Laws;

we bow to You, pleading for Your followers

who are suffering and dying every day.

God, for real You never slumber or sleep?

Are You dozing? Don’t You care anymore?

Please come to the aid of our war-torn world:

come soon, Messiah; we trust in Your Love.

Psalm 43

 Justify Your followers, God:

defend us against false charges

contrived by heartless cheaters.

We know You are our Champion.

Why do we feel abandoned?

Why are we always grieving,

weighed down by life-sappers?

Beam Your Brilliance on us,

Spirit of God, guiding us back

to revel in Your Loving Presence.

We want to worship You, Source of Sheer Joy,

praising You with all kinds of instruments.

“What’s our problem?” we ask each other:

“Why the doldrums?”

We will zero in on You, God, and come

back to celebration, Liberator.

Psalm 42

 Like dehydrated children

we thirst for You, Life-Giving God.

When can we drink our fill of Your Spirit?

All we can taste is the salt of our tears.

People keep jeering “Where is God?”

while the marrow of our lives runs out.

We used to love gathering to worship You;

full of Your Spirit, we loved singing hymns.

“What’s the problem?” we ask each other:

“Why these doldrums?”

We need to zero in on You, God,

voicing Your praise again, Liberator.

Morose, withdrawn, we recall Your Splendour

from lush valley to mountain peaks.

Our churning emotions reverberate

with waterfalls and ocean waves.

All day You pour forth Love, Lifespring Fountain;

at night we dream up prayer poems

to You, our Deep Thirst Quencher.

Spirit of God, Eternal Mountain Spring:

“Why do we feel You don’t care anymore?

Why are we always weeping,

weighed down by life-sappers

who keep taunting ‘Where is God now?’”

“What’s the problem?” we ask each other:

“Why these doldrums?”

We need to zero in on You, God,

voicing Your praise again, Liberator.

Psalm 41

 God Blesses people who

care about poor people;

God Rescues and Shelters,

Heals and Blesses people.

Father, forgive and restore us:

our tangles have broken Love’s Bonds.

Haters presume we are goners;

friends and family turn against us.

Yet Your Forgiveness restores us,

preserving our integrity.

Keep us always in Your Pure Love.

All praise to God then, now, always!

Psalm 40

 We were patients in God’s waiting room:

wretched and weeping we waited until

Someone heard us crying, drew us from gloom

to gladness, murky swamp to lofty hill.

Spirit infuses us with New Praise Poems

(may they rouse others with awe for God).

People who trust God will enjoy Shalom,

immune to all the hype of demigods.

God plans and acts in countless wondrous ways.

Words fail us: God, You’re incomparable!

You ask nothing for us to do or say

yet through us You make Yourself palpable.

We hear and see ourselves in Your Story.

Hearts united, we yearn to follow You:

we pray our work will bring You honour, God;

we bare our souls to show Your Love is True.

Keep us near You, Holy One: protect us

from harms others do or we do ourselves.

We are inundated, losing focus

in blame-and-shame mazes again. God, help!

Psalm 39

 Told each other: Talk

will only aggravate.

Resolved: No words when

opponents are around.

Quiet for many days,

no voice pro or con.

But emotions boiled,

could not stay silent.

God, is my life over?

Help me confront death.

Life is a mere moment

no matter poor or rich.

God, what’s our future?

You alone bring hope:

free us from sin’s grip;

silence senseless scorners.

Told each other: Be still—

God is in control.

But we can’t bear this

austere discipline.

God, listen, help us please:

help all refugees.

Help me find Your Peace

with Joy before I die.

Psalm 38

 Divine Parent, please don’t lash out at Your

hurting children, wounded by Your anger,

beaten down under Your frown,

infested with guilt.

One hates herself for foolish binges;

deep in debt, she never stops weeping.

Another is old and listless

with a sore back killing him.

O God, we long to help ease their pain:

we sigh with her; his hurts crease our faces;

our hearts break for many more.

Our vision decays.

People avoid us, sick of our grieving

while landmines explode under children’s feet.

Strategists ignore dire needs;

officials deceive.

We turn inward, tongue-tied, waiting for You—

God, we trust You: please show us what to do.

May we not bow to tycoons

who boast of their loot.

Wise Judge, we admit our wrongs and failures

but we are despised for being poor.

Holy Spirit, help us endure;

keep our motives pure.

Psalm 37

 We tell each other:

Stop stewing about happy-go-lucky

fiends; they will shrivel like scorched grass.

Bank on God; do good work; enjoy Earth’s gifts;

love God and be free of want.

See God’s Spirit brightening all we do

like sunbeams at dawn and noon.

Hold still for God, jumpy minds:

listen; wait; breathe in God’s Spirit.

Stop stewing over wealthy scoundrels;

anger cooks our own goose, boils off goodness.

To God’s humble dependents

Earth is bequeathed in Peaceful Abundance

after greedy crooks abscond.

Wars displace and maim poor friends;

ruthless leaders destroy good citizens;

their bombs kill their own children.

God’s Love Power trumps coercion.

Though God-fighters flash, they will fizzle,

drowned in debt—while God-lovers keep giving—

joyous, vibrant and healthy.

Elders say they have never seen

kind people lonely or their kids hungry.

Watch people who do good deeds:

there is a bright future for Peacemakers—

in the trenches, then Home Free with God.

Psalm 36

 God, hear blind self-admirers’

snide laughter, piled on strident

in-your-face, godless chatter.

Read their minds at midnight, processing spite.

Holy God of endless, sky-high, True Love:

Your Justice is ocean-wide;

You Care for all who are alive;

we Flourish in nature’s intricate web.

God, how exquisite Your Love!

You calm our panicked spirits,

nourishing us with Wisdom.

Enjoying You we discover New Joys.

Source of all Love: keep our love bold and true,

playing, singing New Heart Tunes.

Let no snobbish mind pervade;

may self-worshippers trip up, slip away.

Psalm 35

 Attack the attackers, God.

Suit us with Hate-Proof Armour,

wielding Your Word Baton.

Holy Spirit, be our Secret Service;

blow away life-draining demons.

Some try lacing truth with nonsense:

catch them with their own catch phrases;

shock them by their own short circuits.

I shout from my truest self:

“God, You are the Greatest!—

Champion of the helpless poor.”

Fast talkers fire questions,

hurl barbs into peace talks.

Those we have cared for like family

smile at our misery.

God, why the centuries long delay?

Come, rescue us from fear’s clutches;

we long to praise You in great crowds.

God, stop blind, proud haters; stop those

mockers of humble Earth-Tenders;

shame those who kick people around.

Let justice-doers’ joy erupt in song,

honoring You Who enjoy

filling Your servants’ lives with joy.

God, may all our voices laud You always.

Psalm 34

 Twenty-four seven we yearn to praise,

whisper “Yes, Love” with each waking breath,

yearn to show hurting people God is Good,

yearn to come together singing hoorays.

I looked for someone when I was scared stiff;

an angel banished my paralysis,

carried me beyond every trouble

to where light surrounds God-worshippers.

Savour Divine Love, everyone;

revere God in holy simplicity.

Hunger weakens strong young hunters

but God-searchers are fully satisfied.

Love living? Yearn for a long, good life?

Watch your words, nothing foul or false;

avoid violence; follow Peace Path blazes.

God’s Kind Eyes and Ears hold humble humans

but brutes will be deleted from all screens.

God responds to honest soul cries,

comes close when hearts fracture,

restores life to knocked out spirits.

We all make or step in messes

but God brings us out in one piece.

Culprits’ own sick lifestyles kill them;

Divine Counsellor’s rehab frees us.

Psalm 33

Sing for joy to God, straight-talkers;

praise is natural for life-lovers.

Strum jazz guitars, ripple keyboards;

write great hymns, create new music

for the Voice of Sacred Scripture’s

Master Author ever rings true.

God Who prizes Truth and Justice

fills the world with nature’s Love Notes.

By Divine Wisdom’s ordering

stars emerged, galaxies were born,

lands arose from wild waters.

Attention! Stand in awe of God

Whose Voice creates and activates.

God confounds warlords’ strategies;

Divine Peace Plans cannot be foiled.

God-loving groups thrive in Glad Lands.

God our Maker sees our actions.

Mega-armies can’t keep us safe;

brute force, breakneck speed lead nowhere.

Spirit shines through Love-Way pilgrims,

takes us through drought and death to Life.

We wait, relying on our Guide,

full of Joy. God, keep us near You.

Psalm 32

 God, Your forgiven ones are merry,

honest, guilt-free in Your Wide Mercy.

Trying to hide or deny sins,

my energy died beneath Your frown

but when I faced up, came clean,

what relief You gave! Forgave all.

Let every wannabe do-gooder

pray to You, Loving Listening One.

You will wall off inundating floods.

Holy Presence, secret protection,

Your Embrace deflects raucous chaos,

fills our minds with rescue music.

“I’ll be your Teacher” You tell us.

“I’ll watch and guide you with Tender Care;

don’t react with knee-jerk rebellion.”

Devilish players pile up sorrows

but True Love signs multiply

all around Your trusting followers.

People with God-honoring desires,

sing out wild grateful joy!

The Message Of Grace

 The Message of Grace

I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

ACTS 20.32

When leaving the city of Ephesus, the apostle Paul spoke one final word to the friends he loved and had led in that church. He told them that he commended them to God and to the message of His grace. The apostle Paul had spent three years teaching them the good news of grace and now, as he was leaving, he reassured them. It was through that message that God would build them up and cause them to experience the inheritance that was their spiritual birthright.

There are many trendy topics in the church world today, but never lose sight of the fact that it is the message of God’s grace that will cause you to grow spiritually and to live the life He intends for you to experience. Grace isn’t just another subject in the Bible. It is the subject, because grace is the fountainhead from which everything that can be known about our God springs.

Examine every biblical topic through the lens of the Father’s grace expressed in Jesus Christ through the Spirit. Any other approach will leave you with nothing but dead doctrine. It is the message of Living Grace that will build you up and equip you in life.

Biblical Verification

 Biblical Verification

These were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

ACTS 17.11

The Berean Christians were commended by Paul for not only enthusiastically receiving the word, but also for examining the Scripture for themselves to see whether or not his message was true. Their example still stands as a pattern for “noble-minded” people.

There are two extremes in the modern church. There are those who believe everything they hear. And there are those who don’t believe anything they hear unless they already have heard and come to believe it. Both extremes are a mistake.

When you hear a teaching that is unfamiliar to you and you aren’t sure what to think, don’t immediately accept or reject it based on your present understanding. Go to the Scriptures for yourself and study to see whether the things you have heard are so.

The Spirit of Christ lives in you and will guide you into the truth if your heart and mind are open to Him. Believe what the Holy Spirit shows you, and the truth becomes yours. Otherwise the most you can do is to parrot what somebody else has said. As one in whom Truth lives, you are capable of much more than that.

Made Holy

 Made Holy

A voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.”

ACTS 10.15

In Acts 10, Peter had a vision about animals descending from heaven on a sheet. There were all kinds of animals, both clean and unclean according to the Law. When God told him to eat, he resisted by reminding Him that no good Jew would eat an unclean animal. It was at that point that God spoke these words to him: “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.”

The lesson Peter needed to learn wasn’t one primarily about animals, but about people. God was about to send him to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile who Peter would have considered unholy up till then.

Are you holy? How you answer that question says much about your own perspective on this matter. By His blood, Jesus has cleansed you. By His grace, He has made you holy. To grow in your grace walk, it is important to affirm that fact. Don’t deny or even diminish the reality that you are holy. You didn’t do anything to make it happen. He did, so simply thank and praise Him for it. And, as God taught Peter, it would be wise to see other believers in that light too.

Ruthless People

 Ruthless People

This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to the cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again.

ACTS 2.23-24

Has anybody ever been terribly unfair to you? Have you ever been almost destroyed by the ruthlessness of another? You’re not alone.

The greatest offense ever committed against a man was what was done to Jesus by those who opposed Him. They tortured and killed the perfect Son of God. The amazing thing about the mistreatment of Jesus (and you) is the Father’s ability to redeem it.

God is bigger than the wrong men do. Human beings were completely responsible for crucifying the Son of God. “You nailed [Him] to the cross,” Peter said. But God was sovereign over even this, and in fact, had planned it before the foundation of the world, Christ was “delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God.” Do you see how the two fit together? We do have an awesome God!

Mentally release those who have treated you with unfairness or even cruelty. Don’t live in the past. Your God stands above all that has happened in your life. He can redeem and use those things for your good and His glory.

Seeing Miracles

 Seeing Miracles

Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene [was] a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst…

ACTS 2.22

The Bible says that it was God who performed the miracles, wonders, and signs through Jesus. Our Lord did not live out of his own ability. He lived out of the infinite ability of His Father. Peter stresses the fact that Jesus was a man who relied on His Father to accomplish His work. If Jesus chose to depend totally on His Father to animate and empower His lifestyle, how foolish it is to think we can do anything for God by our own natural abilities!

A miracle is an act of God that defies natural explanation. Do you know when miracles happen? A person will see the miraculous work of God in and through him to the extent that he renounces self-sufficiency and rests in the all-sufficient Holy Spirit within him.

If you want your grace walk to be marked by the kind of miraculous power Jesus knew in this world, don’t depend on yourself. Instead, trust Him to do His works through you in the normal flow of your lifestyle. As He does, it will be apparent to you and others that it is Him at work, and He will get the credit for it.

And Suddenly

 And Suddenly

And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

ACTS 2.2

Don’t ever lose hope about your Father moving in an area that concerns you. Things could change in your life in a moment. God has a way of acting suddenly. After the disciples had waited in the upper room for ten days, suddenly everything changed.

Don’t worry about obstacles either. In an instant, they can be removed and life can turn around. Don’t think that your life will always be like it is now. Believe God for His blessings. Never give up on Him. He indeed does love you and has a wonderful plan for your life.

Maybe you’ve lived life on the same track for many years. You’ve thought about your dreams, but they have seemed impossible. After all, considering your circumstances, how could things be different?

Don’t judge your future by your past. If you sense that God’s will for you requires a change, know that it can happen at any moment. Change will come. Live with faith-led expectancy. It might be today. If not today, it might be tomorrow. Keep persevering and trusting God because He is good and certainly will act on your behalf.

Favour And Union

 Favour and Union

I pastured the flock doomed to slaughter, hence the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Favour and the other I called Union; so I pastured the flock.

ZECHARIAH 11.7

This obscure verse hidden away among the Minor Prophets gives a powerful prescription for godly leadership. Zechariah described taking a flock from the greedy shepherds who had controlled them. The first thing he did was to select two shepherd staffs. One he called “Favour,” and the other he called “Union.”

What tools for leadership in the hands of every godly leader! Favor is the disposition of kindness toward those you lead. It is closely related to grace in that it is an expression of loving concern for those in your charge.

Union refers to a binding together between the shepherd and those he leads. A godly leader doesn’t stand aloof and disconnected. His life is intertwined with those he leads because he genuinely cares about them. He doesn’t say, “Go do this,” but “Let’s go do this!”

Apply these principles in your leadership of those under your charge and you will be behaving like another Great Shepherd. Favour and Union are His staffs too.

True Justice

 True Justice

Thus has the LORD of hosts said, “Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother.”

ZECHARIAH 7.9

Grace is the mother of justice. Divine justice is different from the polluted concept of human justice. Revenge isn’t justice. On the other hand, restoration is a perfect expression of justice.

Allow the Scripture and the Spirit to renew your mind about the meaning of justice. Seek to facilitate divine justice in every arena where you have personal influence. Look at others and ask yourself how Jesus Christ would treat that person and then strive toward seeing that they receive that kind of treatment.

Justice transcends political parties, religious sects, and philosophical positions. To dispense justice by practicing kindness and compassion toward others is to express the heart of our Father. To dispense the justice of the Father is to walk in sync with the Spirit and the Word.

If dispensing justice hasn’t been a priority in your life, ask the Holy Spirit to show you occasions and means by which you can bring this expression of divine love into your grace walk. Life isn’t fair, but God is gracious. Show that to others by your actions and influence.

Grace Grace!

 Grace, Grace!

This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD of hosts. “What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’ ”

ZECHARIAH 4.6-7

When the angel of God spoke about the obstacles that Zerubbabel would face in rebuilding the temple, He reminded him that the progress made wouldn’t be a result of his own might or power but because of the Spirit of God. Spiritual barriers are never overcome by sheer human willpower. Our source is His Spirit, not our own strength.

What is the means by which we level the mountains of opposition that threaten our reaching the goals our God has given us? It is grace, the divine enablement of His Spirit within us. As you survey the mountain that lies before you, compare its size to God, not your personal strength. Zerubbabel did and, with that perspective, could cry out, “What are you, O great mountain?”

God assured him that he would overcome it with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” Speak grace into the towering obstacles of your life and watch what His power can accomplish. Grace is always your strength, whatever you face in life.

A Happy Father

 A Happy Father

The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

ZEPHANIAH 3.17

Set your mind on the great love that your Father has for you and you’ll see it make a huge difference in your daily perspective. God isn’t watching your activity from a distance. He is “in your midst” in the daily activity of your life. He stands ready to fight for you because of your great value to Him.

When Zephaniah said that God “will rejoice over you,” He was suggesting that God literally dances with joy when He sees you. The Hebrew word for rejoice literally means “to twirl with delight.” He sings songs of joy when He considers the union you and He share together.

Your feelings may not confirm the reality of this biblical truth, but choose now not to allow your feelings to drive your beliefs. Believe what He has said about you, and stand in faith on that belief every day. As you renew your mind to the truth of how God feels toward you, it will begin to transform your outlook on every detail of your life.

Deliverance From Sins

 Deliverance from Sins

He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

MICAH 7.19

When it seems that your failures, even your sinful actions, have the upper hand in your life, it becomes easy to get discouraged. It may feel like your Father is a long way from you in those moments. It is in those moments that you need to remind yourself of the truth.

“He will again have compassion on us.” Your Father never becomes exasperated with you. His love for you is the cause for unending patience and continuous compassion. You are His precious child, and when he sees you in danger of being hurt by a sinful deed, He stands ready to rush to your assistance.

Like a natural father would rush toward his little child who was about to pick up a poisonous snake, your heavenly Father rushes to you when you’re on the brink of disaster. Look to Him and He will “tread [your] iniquities under foot.” His heart toward you is never to shame or punish you, but to deliver you from the sin that would destroy you.

Call out to Him in times of temptation. Run to Him when you feel overcome by your own failures. His compassion will make things right.

Don’t Sweat It

 Don’t Sweat It

Linen turbans shall be on their heads and linen undergarments shall be on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything which makes them sweat.

EZEKIEL 44.18

This particular verse in Ezekiel teaches a valuable lesson that still applies to our lives today. The priests were to wear linen because the fabric was light and didn’t cause them to sweat.

The pattern there sets the course for every servant of God throughout history. Our Father’s plan is that, metaphorically speaking, we should never sweat. Do we serve Him? Yes, of course, but we don’t work out of our own ability. Our efforts are an expression of His life operating in and through us.

Legalism commends endless service, even to the point of exhaustion. In the grace walk, we aren’t passive, but because we don’t depend on ourselves as the energy source for service, we are able to serve endlessly and tirelessly.

If your spiritual service causes you to feel fatigued, perhaps your actions aren’t coming from the proper source. As we serve God in the power of the Spirit, much is accomplished. But our strength is renewed, not depleted.

A New Heart

 A New Heart

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

EZEKIEL 36.26

Don’t ever allow yourself to believe that you’re a bad person. Even when you have done something that tempts you to see yourself as bad, remember that you are not defined by what you do. The One who lives in you determines your true identity. Don’t believe anything to the contrary.

It may be tempting at times to stare at your failures, your weaknesses, and the areas of your life where you believe you are deficient. It’s tempting to conclude that you aren’t all you ought to be. Do not travel that legalistic pathway. It will only lead to self-condemnation and defeat.

At the core of your being, you are a righteous child of God. You have been given a new heart. Maybe you’ve focused on the Old Testament verse that talks about the heart being deceitful and desperately wicked. However, you don’t live in the Old Testament. You live in New Covenant times, and things have changed.

Your heart is new because a new Spirit, His Spirit, lives in you. So reject lies that come to your mind and walk in the truth of your new heart.

Endless Kindness

 Endless Kindness

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

LAMENTATIONS 3.22-23

Sometimes the circumstances of life wear us out physically, emotionally, and mentally. In those moments it becomes easy to develop a victim mentality. We begin to think that every day is a dead-end repeat of the day before, and it seems like we’re on a treadmill, with little hope for change.

The promise above from Lamentations is an oasis of hope on days like that. The Bible promises that our Lord’s lovingkindnesses never cease. God never runs out of goodness when it comes to you! His heart of compassion toward you will never be empty! Regardless of how you may feel, your God is never, never, never going to stop renewing you with His strength and goodness.

Every day of your life you will find that your faithful God is there to uphold you. In Jesus Christ, you are a victor! Rise up and face the circumstances of your life in the assurance that God will work in them to accomplish something good. Trust in His faithfulness and bet your life on His goodness. You have a divine guarantee that you will not be disappointed in the end.

Mighty Things

 Mighty Things

Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

JEREMIAH 33.3

One of the greatest barriers preventing many people from enjoying a life in grace is what they think they know. They are firmly entrenched in a paradigm of spiritual reality that to them is self-evident, however imaginary it may actually be. Without divine intervention, the religionist will never experience grace to its fullest extent. Why? Because a religionist is a person who depends on his or her own practices and efforts to gain acceptance with God. Recipients of grace must have a heart and mind that is open toward God, and nothing so decidedly shuts down one’s capacity to receive as empty religion.

Many think they understand the truth about grace, yet they have never even begun to comprehend the reality of its beauty in full bloom. Would you be willing to consider for a moment that some of the ideas about the Christian life that you have held as truth may not be grounded in reality? As you continue to grow in your understanding of God’s grace, you will see that it is so much bigger and better than you could even imagine. Open yourself to learn, and the Great Teacher who lives in you will show you greater things about Himself than you have ever known.

Everlasting Love

 Everlasting Love

The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying,

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;

Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”

JEREMIAH 31.3

Before anything material took shape or form, the love of God toward you was an eternal reality. The beauty of all the beaches, mountains, and forests of the world pales in comparison to the beauty of His everlasting love. All the stars and planets in their grandeur bow in the presence of the eternal love of God, the love that was set on you before there was a flicker of light in the universe.

His love for you has no beginning. His love has always existed within the shared love of the Trinity. Father, Son, and Spirit reveled in their plan to bring you into existence and into the circle of divine union they had forever known. You are not an afterthought in creation.

You have been drawn to God by divine intention and through divine passion. Never, never, never entertain the thought that He doesn’t care. The love He has for you will endure throughout eternity. Set aside shame about the past, guilt about the present, and worry about the future. Divine Love holds you tenderly in His arms and will never let you go, even for a moment.

Good Plans

 Good Plans

“I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

JEREMIAH 29.11

The people of Israel were enduring captivity in Babylon when the Lord spoke these words to them through the prophet Jeremiah. After they had lived in harsh adversity, the promise was probably hard for some of them to believe. Bitter experiences have the potential to jade people’s perspective and cause them to become cynical about the future.

Whatever you may have experienced in your own life, don’t make the mistake of projecting negative faith into your future. The brightest and best days lie ahead for you. The first song I learned in life was called “Every Day with Jesus Is Sweeter Than the Day Before.” It’s true. While outward circumstances may vary, your walk with Christ will only become better and better, culminating at the time when you finally see Him face-to-face.

Don’t anticipate negative days in this temporal world either. Presume upon the goodness of God. He is honored when you have faith in His lovingkindness. He has plans for you, and they are good. Believe it and anticipate it.

A Motherly God

 A Motherly God

You will be nursed; you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.

ISAIAH 66.12-13

Think about times you’ve been in public and seen a misbehaving young toddler. He may be running around a store reaching for everything he shouldn’t touch. It’s not uncommon to see his mother reach down and pick him up, perch him on her hip, and carry him.

Or think of times you’ve been at a solemn event such as a wedding or funeral. A young child begins to be restless and making noise. The mother will often take that child on her lap and gently stroke him until his restlessness gives way to the comfort that leads to sleep on her bosom.

Our God’s behaviour is the same way toward us. When you misbehave, the response isn’t one of divine impatience. Your God gently picks you up and carries you to keep you from getting into trouble or hurting yourself.

When you are restless, God holds you close and gently strokes your heart with love until you find peace and renewed rest. Don’t ever doubt His love. You’ll be carried, caressed, and loved for all eternity, no matter what you may be doing or not doing.

Abandonment Is Impossible

 Abandonment Is Impossible

Can a woman forget her nursing child

And have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.

ISAIAH 49.15

When a mother abandons her newborn baby, the the event usually makes the news. People shake their heads in disbelief because there is no bond quite like that between a new mother and her nursing child. It is a mother’s nature to love and nurture her child.

There is almost no limit to the sacrifices that a mother would make for her baby. She would do almost anything for the well-being of that child. Nothing is too much, it seems.

God wants you to know that the likelihood of a mother forsaking and forgetting her child may be small, but the chance of Him forgetting you is nonexistent. His love for you will cause Him to pour out compassion on you forever. No circumstance, no sin, no problem, nothing at all could ever affect His disposition and actions toward you.

You are His precious child. He gave His Son’s life for you so that He could give His life to you. His love for you never vacillates for any reason. You can take comfort in knowing that you are His and will forever be the focus of His love.

Wiped Out Sins

 Wiped Out Sins

I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud,

And your sins like a heavy mist.

Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.

ISAIAH 44.22

Imagine for a moment that you had never done anything to feel guilty about. Wouldn’t that be fantastic? What if any and every wrong thing you’d ever done had never happened? Would that empower you to live more boldly, with more confidence that God’s plan is to bless you in all you do? Would it be a motivation to enjoy intimacy with your Father at every moment?

Grace brings news to you that seems almost too good to be true. It’s this, your sins have been wiped out as if they had never happened. They are gone and forgotten by God. When God looks at you, He sees you as if you have never sinned. Does that seem too good to be true? “How could that be?” you might ask.

The answer is that it is possible because of what Jesus did when He came the first time. He dealt a blow to sin that didn’t simply defeat it, the deathblow against sin through the cross annihilated it in your life. There is not even a trace of it left now. “Return to me,” God says, “because I have already wiped out your sins.”

Forgiving Others

 Forgiving Others

I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake,

And I will not remember your sins.

ISAIAH 43.25

This promise about the forgiveness of sins by our God reveals much about the importance of forgiving others. The verse clearly says that God has wiped out our sins for His own sake. He has shown His grace to us by forgiving us, but that forgiveness isn’t for our sake alone. It is also an expression of His nature.

God is love. For Him not to forgive our transgressions would be a contradiction within His own nature. The great love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that love “does not take into account a wrong suffered.” God has forgiven you for His own sake, because it would be incongruent to do otherwise.

Likewise, you are now able to forgive those who have sinned against you in the same way. The source of your life is in Divine Love, so to refuse to forgive would be a contradiction of who you are at the core. You forgive others, not only for their sake, but for your own sake as well.

To refuse to forgive is to act in contradiction to your authentic self. Who do you need to forgive? Do it now by faith and in the power of divine grace.

Wilderness Roadways

 Wilderness Roadways

Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

ISAIAH 43.18-19

We tend to imagine the future based on our past experiences. Then our past becomes the mental framework within which we envision what lies ahead.

If unwise choices in your past seem to have affected your potential for the future, you are particularly vulnerable to the risk of this false perspective. This outlook displaces faith because it limits your expectations of what God can and will do in the coming days.

Don’t allow yourself to become bogged down in the past. Your best days are still ahead. Our God doesn’t live in the past. He is the great “I AM” who lives in you at this moment and leads you forward to new vistas of divine opportunities.

Perhaps you have made decisions that seem to limit future possibilities. It is important to recognise that God transcends natural circumstances and isn’t restricted by what you face. He has the power to “make a roadway in the wilderness” when it comes to obstacles in your situation. Your future is a new day in which your Loving Father already has planned your steps.

Divine Justice

 Divine Justice

The LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore

He waits on high to have compassion on you.

For the LORD is a God of justice;

How blessed are all those who long for Him.

ISAIAH 30.18

The justice of God is often misunderstood. Although it has often been associated with retribution, divine justice isn’t about payback. Rather it is about making things right for all concerned. This verse teaches that your Lord longs to be gracious to you. He waits for opportune moments in your life to show you His compassion. The reason for this divine attitude is because He is a God of justice.

If you’ve seen God’s justice as something to be feared, allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind about the matter. He isn’t watching for misbehaviour so He can punish you. Your Father is watching for those perfect moments when He can pour out His grace and compassion on you to show you how much He loves you.

Don’t allow fear concerning God’s attitude toward you to ever find a place in your mind. He is indeed a God of justice and, because His very nature is one of love, you can long for Him at every minute of your lifetime, knowing that His only plan toward you is to express perfect love.

Approved Works

 Approved Works

Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.

ECCLESIASTES 9.7

Religious bondage keeps people in the place where they are continually examining their religious service to be sure the work is consistent enough, sacrificial enough, big enough, strong enough, effective enough, and so on. The list goes on and on and on. The gnawing question is always, “Is it enough?”

The grace walk is a lifestyle in which people can relax and enjoy living. They don’t have to be concerned about whether their works are enough to please God, because they understand that their Father is pleased with them. They know that works are simply the outflow of the intimate and loving relationship they share together with God.

Which lifestyle are you living right now? Here’s great news: you have divine permission to relax, enjoy your relationship to God, and let your good works flow naturally out of you. Because the Spirit of Christ is at work in you, He will also be at work through you to accomplish the Father’s purposes.

Your works are actually His works through you, so you don’t have to examine them. Just enjoy them and thank Him for working through you.

Prayer January 3

 Dear Jesus,

You are the giver of good gifts. You do not withhold any blessing that the Father gives You. You extend eternal life, reconciliation, a heavenly home, and a place in the Lord's presence to me. You are in these wonderful gifts. In other words, Lord, You do not only give things, but You give Yourself.

Thank you, Jesus, for Your generosity. I am grateful for Your big heart. I am thankful that You shed grace upon me. What amazing grace! It fills my lap and runs like a river's stream. Thank You for saving a sinner like me. Thank You for giving Yourself as the payment for my sin. Thank You for giving me an intimate relationship with You.

I confess that at times, I lose wonder. When I am enticed by the things of this world, like clothing, home decor, and the latest gadgets, I forget the imperishable treasure that You have bestowed upon me. Life in You and eternity become dull in my eyes. And I confess there are other times, Jesus, when I see You as Santa or a genie in a bottle. I bring to You a list of wants and desires. I measure Your goodness by what I possess.

Lord, help me to see that Your goodness stands alone. The riches of salvation far surpass what I have or do not have in this life. Your presence, which is always and forever with me, is the sweetest gift. Sweet Saviour, help me to embrace the abundance of Your generosity. And give me a heart like Yours, a heart that sheds lavish grace on others.

In Your name, amen.

Jesus Fulfilled The Covenant Promise

 A covenant promise and a people

With the generous God at the centre 

Who desired to give His abundance

A land for a large nation to enter

Canaan was reserved for the Israelites

It was land flowing with milk and honey

A harvest to last generations

Of former slaves with divine destiny

But Canaan was just a present symbol

A picture of something greater beyond

It pointed to eternal life with God

That the true gift was a heavenly bond

Jesus fulfilled this covenant promise

Giving the gifts of salvation and life

In the fullest and most bountiful sense

With God's fellowship, we will surely thrive

The heart of Christ the best present capped

Sublime, endless, too awesome to be wrapped

Is yours if you trust in Jesus who is

A gentle guide to the Father's riches 

Prayer January 2nd

 Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your grace, Your love, and Your power. Thank You for who You are. Thank You for bestowing upon me the blessing of being Your child. I am so undeserving, and yet You lavish love and blessings on me regardless. Your grace is unmatched. Thank You for advocating for me. You sit upon Your throne, the highest authority in heaven and on earth, and yet You are thinking of me. You are rooting for me. You are praying for me.

You came to earth to die in my place, a death that was rightfully mine. You took it upon yourself and rid me of sin and shame. You are the advocate between my repentant heart and the Law. You plead my case to the righteous Judge on my behalf.

Forgive me, Lord, when I forget these things. Help me see more clearly every day Your sacrifice and love for me. Guide me in Your ways, and continue refining me in Your holy fire so that I can better reflect You and Your heart.

In Your name, amen.

Jesus Is Our Advocate Who Intercedes

 At this moment, Jesus sits on His throne

In heaven, the place where He ascended

Now He rules as Sovereign One over all

Looking over us, whose wounds He mended

Jesus is the slain Lamb and pours His blood

Continuously before the Father

The blood covers yesterday's frustration

And tomorrow's words said to dishonour 

Past, present, and future sins are hidden

In our Saviour's image of righteousness

And thrown to the sea, fully forgotten

Because Christ satisfied the Lord's justice

When we make mistakes again and again,

He is our advocate who intercedes

With the evidence of His saving work

Case closed before prosecution proceeds

So shame and guilt should not hang our heads low

Or make us avoid the Father's delight

When Jesus publicly declares us His

And cheers for us to walk boldly in His sight

Prayer January 1

 Dear Jesus,

You are the unshakeable foundation on which I stand. You hold all power and authority as the eternal Son of God. Your strength cannot be compared to anyone else. The heavens and earth bend to whatever You say, for You are the Creator. Nothing frightens You, and nothing is outside of Your control.

Thank You for walking a sinless life on my behalf. Thank You for facing death and for bearing my past, present, and future sin on the cross. You did not avoid the grave. Instead, You endured it. You braved the waves of the Father's wrath and alienation from His presence in death. Because of Your courage, I do not have to face the same torment. Thank You for rising from the grave. I am grateful that right now, You sit on Your throne in heaven. I am grateful that You are alive. This truth proves that in You, nothing is impossible. In You, sin and evil are destroyed.

Jesus, I confess that at times, I live like You are dead. I live with hopelessness and discouragement. When I make continual mistakes, I see that my only fate is death. When I see wickedness prevail, I forget that You are the true King. I struggle with believing that You have given me victory in You.

By Your Spirit, help me to live in the abundant life that You promise. I do not have to fear death. I do not have to linger in guilt and gloom. I can navigate this broken world with joy and confidence. As I walk, keep my eyes on eternal life and God's mighty throne.

In Your name, amen.

Life After Death Is Our Inheritance

 Death is mankind's enemy, a giant

On the battlefield, gloating and prideful

The result of defiance to God's law

Our hearts faint at the sight of death, frightful

Such a nemesis cannot be conquered

As it seems, all who face it cannot win

Death grabs us and throws us into the grave

What we deserve for our heinous sins

Though, there is one Man who is the champion

He has a heart that is invincible

Jesus faced death's sting and went to the tomb

But He rose, a moment so pinnacle

Without sin, Jesus was victorious

Through the cross, He conquered the proud giant

Jesus is the knight who slew the dragon

The Olympian with honour highest

Jesus reigns as King of kings, Lord of lords

Sharing victory with those who believe

Life after death is our inheritance

Through faith in Christ, eternity is achieved