Tag: pure

God’s Works Are Perfect

God’s Works Are Perfect

The word perfect means being entirely without fault or defect; complete.  We can see how God’s works are rightly described as perfect.  Here are several verses from the Bible:

He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.  A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.  (Deut 32:4 NIV)

As for God, his way is upright; the word of God is pure; he is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.  (Ps 18:30 ISV)

And they will say about you, “The Lord always does right!  God is our mighty rock.”  (Ps 92:15 CEV)

These passages from the Scriptures remind us of how truly awesome and good our God is!  His ways are just, and He is faithful and upright.

God’s actions are perfect, and His character traits exhibit justice and mercy, as well as an ability to forgive repeatedly. When the Bible mentions “works,” it is discussing such things as actions, tasks, activities, and results.

Not only that, but God’s word is PURE—which means free from anything different, inferior or contaminating, free from foreign or inappropriate elements.

When we make the Lord our safe haven, He will shield us from evil and all harm. 

Several Bible verses remind us that God cannot lie.  (Num 23:19; 1 Sam 15:29; Heb 6:18) So in any circumstance or challenge of our lives, we can always rely upon the truth that ‘The Lord always does right!”  Be encouraged, strengthened, and emboldened in your faith in Jesus Christ, dear friend.

Be Careful of the Words You Speak

Be Careful of the Words You Speak

We may not always realize how important our spoken words are.  The Scriptures have a lot to say about our mouths, tongues and lips.  There are too many passages to share with you here, but if this topic interests you, it is a worthwhile study to pursue.

Let’s just look at a few of these verses.

What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.  (Lk 12:3 NIV)

This verse above from Luke 12, is warning us that those things that we believe that we are speaking in secret will eventually be shouted from the rooftops!  If we keep that in mind, we’ll be much more circumspect with what we say and how much we say when we think that “no one else” is listening.

Words from a wise person’s mouth are beneficial, but fools are devoured by their own lips.  13 Fools start out talking foolishness and end up speaking awful nonsense.  (Eccl 10:12-13 CEB)

This Bible passage in Ecclesiastes reminds us that wise words will benefit the hearers, but foolish remarks and comments can damage and destroy.  Foolish conversation, according to this, can devour the very speaker of those words!  God forbid!

Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.  (Mt 10:27 NKJV)

Matthew is admonishing us to share the wise words that he shares.  They are wise because they are about salvation—the gift of God.  Only whatever is things are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable and praiseworthy should be shared. (Phil 4:8)  All of these traits are found in Jesus Christ and in God’s incomparable gift of salvation. 

Share the truth of the Good News, and you shall bring blessings upon not only the hearers but upon yourself, as well.  God bless you!

Jesus—A Fitting High Priest

<strong>Jesus—A Fitting High Priest</strong>

Jesus came to earth to fulfill the will of His Father and to accomplish all of the prophecies concerning Him that had been made in the Bible.  He has satisfied every one of those goals perfectly and completely, praise the Lord!  Thanks to Jesus, all believers are blessed beyond measure.

He, the very one who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.  (Eph 4:10 NET)

Jesus ascended into Heaven after the resurrection, and was seated at the right hand of the Father God.  Jesus has dominion, power and authority over all things; and He is the head of the church.

. . . which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.  22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.  (Eph 1:20-23 NKJV)

The point of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, has not just come to fit into the earthly system of priestly ministry as the best and final human priest, but He has come to fulfill and put an end to that system.  He came to orient all of our attention on His ministering on our behalf in heaven.   Hallelujah!

The Old Testament tabernacle and priests and sacrifices were shadows. They were indications of the truth that was yet to come. Now the reality has come to pass, and the shadows pass away.

For this next verse, we’ll look at two different versions of it:

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.  (Heb 7:26 NIV)

It’s appropriate for us to have this kind of high priest: holy, innocent, incorrupt, separate from sinners, and raised high above the heavens.  (Heb 7:26 CEB)

As a High Priest, Jesus meets all of our needs and fulfills all of His spiritual and supernatural roles throughout eternity.  We serve a living, powerful, and loving God.

Loving God’s Law

Loving God’s Law

Should we really love “God’s law” (synonymous with “God’s Word”)?  Yes, we should be devoted to God’s Word and regard it as precious to us.  This also means that we choose to live according to and in obedience to God’s Word.

Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.  (Ps 119:165)  In this verse, the word stumble means to be offended.  Studying God’s Word and obeying it will mature us spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.  What a beautiful blessing.

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.  (Isa 26:3)  As we focus on the Lord and His love and goodness, He allows His peace to flow into us and to fill us with assurance. 

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.  (Pro 3:17)  This verse is referring to Wisdom, and 1 Corinthians 1:24 reminds us that Christ is the wisdom of God!  The ways of Christ are peace-filled and pleasant.  Praise His Holy Name!

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.  (1 Joh 5:3)  This verse reminds us that when we love God, we obey His Word—and do not consider His Word difficult or oppressive.

The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.  10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  (Ps 19:8-10)  This passage from the Bible points out that God’s Word blesses us in many ways.  It:

  • Gives us joy,
  • Illuminates concepts of faith for us, and
  • Is better than gold and sweeter than honey for us.

The entire 119th Psalm is all about God’s Word and how it is a blessing to all who love it and obey it.  Study this Psalm and seriously meditate upon its riches.  God bless you!

Meditation

Meditation

The Bible has a fair amount to say about meditation and the types of things that we, as followers of Christ, should set our thoughts upon.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  (Josh 1:8)

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.  (Ps 1:2)

I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.  (Ps 119:15)

May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.  (Ps 104:34)

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  (Phil 4:8)

Suggested topics for our meditations:

  • The Scriptures (Book of the Law; law of the Lord; precepts);
  • God’s ways;
  • The Lord; and
  • All things that are truthful, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

The Bible tells us that as we meditate upon and talk about these themes that we will have a successful and prosperous life.  What a blessed promise!

Love Is the Gift of God

Love Is the Gift of God

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  (1 Joh 4:8)

LOVE – the single most important thing in life and in eternity.  There’s no way that we can “love too much”!

Firstly, God is love—as shown in the verse above.  That’s why it was easy to make the statement above that love is the single most important thing in life and in eternity.  This is true simply because God IS love—and HE is the most important Being in life and in eternity.  I believe that without God, mankind would have no concept of love.  God IS love—pure, perfect, unconditional, unending love. 

God chose to create us with a free will.  We can choose to obey Him or not; and we can choose to love God or not.  But when we DO love God and serve Him, He causes amazing things to happen in our lives. 

Here are just some of the wonderful things that God provides and does for those who love and serve Him:

  • Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful . . . (Ps 31:23) He preserves [maintains, upholds, sustains) His people.
  • Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. (Ps 91:14)  God will deliver us when we’re in trouble; and He will set us on high.  God made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus—that is being “set on high.”  (Eph 2:6)
  • I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. (Ps 116:1)  God hears our voices as we pray to Him.  And another verse in the Bible (1 Joh 5:14-15) says that when we know that God has heard us, we know that He has given us the very thing for which we have prayed.  Glory to God!
  • The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous. (Ps 146:8)  The Lord gives sight to the blind; straightens those who are bent over and removes their burden; and He loves us.  The Lord is our healer.  (Ex 15:26; 23:25; Isa 53:4-5; Jer 30:17; Jam 5:14-15)
  • That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries. (Pro 8:21)  Wisdom (represented as a person) is speaking in this verse, and all wisdom comes from God Himself.  So this verse says that God causes those who love Him to inherit wealth, and He fills their bank accounts. 

This list includes verses from the Old Testament only, but there are even better promises in the New Testament for us!  My point in this discussion is that LOVE is a hugely important gift to consider.  And there are even bigger and better indications of God’s love for us in the New Testament.  Search out those hidden treasures for yourself!

We know that God loves each one of us.  But in addition to His love, He has allowed us to love and to be loved by fellow human beings.  That is one of God’s chief gifts to us.  The reason it is so key is because every ounce of love that we either feel for another or receive from another is a reminder and a representation of God Himself—who is love. 

Treasure, cherish and appreciate every single person who loves you and whom you love.  Enjoy the fact that you’re able to love other people, and that you’re able to receive and to experience their love for you.

Love—it’s a gift of God to each one of us.