Who Love You the Most?

Who loves you the most? Probably…the one who knows you the best.

So…does it not follow that since God knows you the best…He loves you the most?

Many Christians deal with self-condemnation. They feel unworthy…undeserving…and even unaccepted. Their fear is that God is displeased and disapproving.

No. God knows you the best…and loves you the most. There is no one who knows you more…or loves you more.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…”

Jesus satisfied all of God’s demands for justice…and then washed away all of your sins. When God looks at you…He sees the purity of His Son. You stand perfect in Christ. It’s His righteousness and not yours that God sees.

He knows you the best…and loves you the most.

Solitude

Solitude. It’s what Jesus sought when He left the crowds…and retreated to the hills to pray.

Why are people religious? To find social acceptability…satisfy intellectual curiosity…to make a place to turn in moments of anxiety…or for some other undefined reason.

How unfortunate. The call is to know God…and live in a life-giving relationship with Him.

But how? And that takes us to solitude. You must retreat from a noisy world and meet God in the place of solitude. It’s where you let the noise subside…and you listen for the inner voice of the Lord to enrich your heart and cultivate a relationship with God.

Satan’s plan is to keep you busy…preoccupied…and consumed with all the affairs of life.

Today…find a place of solitude…open your heart to God. And listen for His voice.

Talking Back

Talking back. That’s always bad – especially if it’s directed to God.

“Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘He did not make me’? Can the pot say of the potter, ‘He knows nothing’?”

A child who talks back to a parent invites punishment — and rightly so. It shows disrespect.

This is a commentary on society…because the ungodly are guilty of backtalk to God. They disregard His commandments…they spurn His authority…they mock His requirements.

Listen into the conversation of the entertainment world. They celebrate their disregard for righteousness. They mock and show little respect for righteousness. It’s a litany of backtalk.

Avoid any hint of backtalk to God.

Perfect Peace

Perfect peace. That seems unattainable.

But here’s the promise — “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee…”

Perfect peace…like perfection…seems out of reach – not fully experienced this side of heaven. Both are to be held in the heart as a strong and persistent desire.

Here is the principle – the level of peace is measured by your level of trust. The greater the trust…the greater the peace.

So if you look for greater peace…increase your level of trust. The greater your trust in the Lord…the greater will be your peace.

This is the challenge of life…to learn what it is to wholly trust in the Lord. It requires full surrender and a heart of obedience.

Today…increase your trust – and enjoy greater peace.

In Pursuit of Truth

In pursuit of truth. Let that be a compelling ambition of your life.

With every promotion…advertisement…slogan…claim you need to ask – what is true?

But more. What about your thoughts about yourself…what people think of you…how God feels about you…and how you measure the impact of your life on others?

Learn to separate truth from lies. Then embrace truth and repudiate lies. Remember…Satan is the father of lies — and when you renounce a lie you are stripping him of his power.

Now to religion and doctrine. In all matters of faith…be on the lookout for deception and misrepresentation. Be a good student of God’s Word – rightly dividing the word of truth.

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The Wells of Salvation

The wells of salvation. That’s where you go to draw living water.

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

Good wells are deep — and they provide water that is pure…cool…and refreshing.

What about the wells of salvation? What is it that you draw from them?

Forgiveness. You can draw this water from the well. Sins of commission…sins of omission – they all need pardon.

Peace. In a world of turmoil…the cry is for peace. And you need it today. Drink deeply of the peace that only Jesus can give.

Hope. Go to the well for the hope that is found in Christ. He is preparing an eternal home for you.

The wells of salvation hold all that you need for time and eternity.

All in a Name

All in a name. That’s true of the names assigned to Jesus by the Prophet Isaiah.

“And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Wonderful Counselor. You can turn to Jesus for insight and wisdom as you walk through the many challenges of life.

Mighty God. Jesus not only offers guidance…He promises limitless power to assist you through all the hard places of life.

Everlasting Father. You can always turn to Jesus for comfort and strength – like a loving father with his child.

Prince of Peace. Jesus cares about the quality of your life — your joy…your sense of purpose…your destiny…your hope.

So today…let these names enrich your understanding and provide encouragement.

A Commentary on Culture

A commentary on culture. That requires objectivity and spiritual discernment.

Isaiah the prophet warned about this. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

It sees a culture that is upside-down.

Yet…this is often the case with those who provide commentary on culture. They see life around you in reverse — evil as good…darkness as light…and bitter as sweet.

Who are the commentators? You will find them in the media…education…entertainment…and even sadly among some clergy.

How can you provide the right commentary? By looking at culture against the backdrop of God’s Word.

Now…your view is accurate.

The Desperate Cries of the Ungodly

The desperate cries of the ungodly. They will not be heard.

God spoke through Isaiah the prophet – “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many payers, I will not listen.”

The message is sobering…convicting…and clear. God will not be manipulated.

In desperation…the unrighteous call out to God for help. But when the crisis passes…they quickly forget about God. They return to their godless ways.

For Judah and Jerusalem…God said that He will not hear their prayers…because of their heart of manipulation.

Yes…it is always right to cry unto the Lord. But it must be sincere…or God will not listen.

While no one is worthy of God’s attention…neither should anyone be guilty of a vain attempt to manipulate His favor.

All the Ducks in a Row

All the ducks in a row. That’s what people strive for – everything in life in order.

Instead…it’s partial chaos. Something isn’t going right. It might be a crisis at work…an argument at home…a bad diagnosis from a doctor.

Try as you might…you can’t get all of the ducks in a row.

Jesus spoke to this. “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

So…anchor your life in Jesus. In Him you will find a calm in the midst of the storm…a light in the darkness…and a strength to endure.

But why is life like this? It is all a part of learning to trust fully in Jesus. And you will find that when all you have is Jesus…He is wonderfully all you need.