Meditation: March 17

“You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.” Psalm 65:11

Whatever happens and however it may happen, God ends with the placement of His crown of goodness. That is why He is called good even when things happen that are difficult to explain. When there are valleys there also must be mountains. The deeper the valley indicates the higher the mountain must be. Valley experiences are not always fatal. They can be but not necessarily must be fatal. His path is frightening to the fainthearted. Every wall in the valley contains a message that you have reached the point of no return. But as long as you are aware that He is leading you, you can trust Him throughout the journey. A crown awaits you at the end of the season of testing. Not only is there a crown, but there are rich blessings to be gathered along the way.

Meditation: March 13

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,” Jude 24

God has the ability to stabilize our walk and keep us from staggering. It is the staggering walk or the unsettled and unsure steps that eventually lead to a fall. We don’t have to waver in unbelief, but can maintain a steady confidence that God is all that He says in His Word. The world has a dizzying affect upon all who focus their attention in its direction. The contrary winds of error spoken by the majority blow in such ways as to cause the fainthearted to sway under its control. But God has a path that is straight and the power to keep us straight on the path. It leads to the Presence of His glory as one who has victoriously endured the pressures that otherwise would have caused us to drift away. Even if we stumble or stagger or even drift for a moment in time, He gets us back on course and teaches us what we need to know in order that we may stand erect in the center of the storm. There His peace abides and we learn to trust in Jesus as Lord over the storm.

Meditation: March 7

“For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.” Psalm 36:9

The initial light of God leads us to greater light. We see Him as Redeemer and we are saved from the penalty of sin. The entryway into His grace has been provided as His light has shined upon us. But there is light shining on the path inviting us to enter in. It is not enough to enter in a park at the gateway of all that has been provided for us in Jesus Christ. The things that accompany salvation is awaiting us within the vast areas of exploration of blessings and joy that can only be experienced once we have passed beyond the Outer Courts and are will to enter into the Holy of Holies. The further we are willing to be led, the deeper the level of intimacy we are enabled to experience. His light leads to the fountain of life. We are able to drink from the fountain that spring forth into everlasting life. When Jesus Christ becomes life to us, we can then live the abundant life. The pleasure of knowing the Father as He is known by the Son is made known to us. Lord, lead us to the greater light so that we may be able to see You and be blinded to the distractions of the flesh, the world, and the devil.

Meditation: February 24

“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness,
The Lord will be a light to me.” Micah 7:8

There is a future after a fall. There is life and victory on the other side of apparent defeat. It is the enemy who has devised the plans and set the traps for my failure. He has studied my weaknesses and mocks at my strength when I take pride in them. Yes, it is too easy to believe that I have the strength to stand alone. But when I fall God who is my sufficiency, is there to pick me up. Do not rejoice over me when I fall. There is much I have yet to learn but now I will learn in humility, trusting God to show me what I was unable to see. My victory is merely delayed and not denied. I will arise from this place as the light of God’s love shines upon my path guiding me in the direction of His will.

Meditation: February 4

“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4

There is an interest that ought to be equal to our own. There is no way for one to know this because there is none that is able to tell that make sense to our intellect. Why should we not know this truth that defines us as humans in the likeness and image of God? It is because we are fashioned to consider our own needs and war to make good on what our own heart desires. Self-interest is the path of least resistance. But to resist selfishness without strength, will lead to a loathing within the soul with the feeling of neglect. One will feel as if he is forced to deny himself merely because of a legal standard, but deep within his soul he feel is not fair. One can only be deeply concerned about the interest of others as much as his own with help from above. It is only when the love of God is accepted is he be empowered to release His love. He has a selfless love to give as evidence that His Presence is with us. As we have received the Spirit of Christ, we must allow His mind to govern our every thought; thoughts that include the interests of others.

Meditation: January 7

“I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.” Psalm 119:10 (MSG)

The heart has many paths available for it to follow. There are significant things that one must pay attention to that can easily grow into obsessions, and one can find justification for having to give their undivided attention to them. To be single-minded is to consider the Lord in all of our ways; it is to pursue Him, not merely first and then move on to other things, it is to pursue Him in the midst of everyday life. What pleases Him must become our priority even when other things are pressing us and vying for our attention. The signs along the way; His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our pathway. We are then able to read the signs leading us closer to Him. God is here to direct us through every decision if we just let Him have every area of our lives. There is a message for us as His Spirit guides us along the Way.

Meditation: November 28

“That I may know Him…” Philippians 3:10

The deepest cry of the human heart cries in the direction of its Maker and Provider. There is a deep yearning to know the Source from which it came. The ability to want and have provided a fulfillment that makes all of life meaningful is a gift given to all from God. It is the desire left unfulfilled that leaves one searching and grasping for straws only to discover that what appeared to have significance was merely a fathom or a pipe dream. It is the god that is imagined that stands in the way of an authentic search. It leads to a manufactured religion that gives temporary relief but wears off as quickly as it came. Paul’s prayer is earnest having tasted and seen the real thing. Because he had experienced Christ to a degree, he wanted more of the same. “…that I may know Him!” He had the satisfaction in being on the right path but anxiously anticipating the arrival in reaching the destination. He was knowable, but daily the whole of his life was absorbed in the pursuit. It is the experience that he sought after, not just a casual introduction. He like us must continue to seek the experience in knowing Christ. Then our lives can be totally absorbed into His purpose and fulfilling the deepest desires of the heart.

Meditation: November 27

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

One of God’s greatest gifts is a true and loving friend and a brother. He is there when others may have abandoned you and moved on. The love of a friend is not always soft and easy. There are occasions when tough love is necessary. An honest friend is not the person that agrees with our wrongdoings. He insists that his brother follow a course of righteousness. He is neither a fatalist nor an eternal optimist. He is acquainted with human frailties, but help to seek a path for recovery and restoration.

The adversity may be external or internal. The troubled soul is in need of someone who will help him take an objective look at what he would otherwise be left unquestioned. There are many who fall off the cliff without warning. Their companions were too afraid to say anything thinking that they may cease walking together. While there are others who do not care enough to speak the truth in love. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” But there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

Meditation: November 25

“What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me? Psalm 116:12

The Lord provides benefits, many times unexpected and often before we are even aware of our need for them. As He looks far down the road of our lives, if we maintain a steadfast faith in Him, He takes our offering of life and leads us on a course directed towards His standard of righteousness. None can imagine the how many benefits we receive along the way as we journey on that path. It is not just arriving at the destination, but being on course with what really matters in life that is fulfilling. The emptiness of vanity is gone and we are left with a pursuit to know the One who loves us most. Love received demands a response. How can we respond to the overwhelming love demonstrated through our Lord, Jesus Christ? All we can possibly do is take advantage of the purpose for which He came to die such a cruel death on the cross for us. We can take Him up on His offer. By receiving His gift we bring the greatest joy to the heart of the Father.

Meditation: November 16

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! Romans 11:33

There is an unfathomable degree of both wisdom and knowledge made available to any who would be willing to seek after it. Paul on other occasions spoke of height, depth, width, and breadth, indicating that there are degrees awaiting exploration by those who would remain discontent at any level. His love is the basis for all that He knows and provides. Simply speaking, Jesus Christ has an abundance of ways to express His love towards us. He clears the path of sin thus revealing His true nature by judging it. He allows the disobedient and misguided to mercifully remain for a while even though their works are counterproductive. His patience is expressed over and over again towards the worst of us. His exceeding goodness and glory extends beyond the limits of the best of us. We cannot explore all there is to understand in millions of lifetimes. Therefore throughout all eternity God will be revealing to us His wisdom and knowledge that we may know what is seen today through tinted mirrors. When He appears, we shall see Him as He is and know dimensions of His wisdom applied to situations that we may have thought were unfair. Yet even today we have the opportunity to consider Him as our Sovereign and submit to His ways.