CONTEMPLATION
In 1 Samuel 8:6-18 we have the sad commentary when God’s people sought a king for themselves, rejecting God’s rule. Even though the Lord granted them their wish, He was sorely saddened by their action. O my soul! Never let anyone or anything else displace the King of your heart.
The deep flaw
in your nature is your ego-desire for vainglory, power, love, pleasure, status
and importance. That must all go.
Meditation is communion
with Reality. I always want to be in
communion with you, O Eternal Spirit!
Grant me this request, please.
Sealed
my pardon with His blood - “This is my blood of the new covenant that is poured
out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Being
in Christ Jesus – what does it mean?
Clothed
in His righteousness?
The Provider is more
important than what is provided.
The Source is more
precious than the blessings.
So, keep gazing at the Provider & the Source.
"For where a
testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator; for a
testament is of force after men are dead, otherwise it is of no strength at all
while the testator lives."- Heb. 9:16,17.
Here lies the sweetness of Jesus’ will: - he not only made the will, but he himself will see it fully executed; for as he died once, in order that by his death his will might be confirmed, so he ever lives to see the whole of his blessed gifts and legacies paid. Precious, precious Jesus! How sure then is thy will, and the certainty of every bit of it being fulfilled.
By the giving of the
Law, God’s justice and holiness were rendered most glorious; by the giving of
the Son, his grace and mercy are made equally conspicuous. The grace or mercy
of God is peculiarly illustrated and glorified in the plan of redemption by
Christ Jesus.
That
transformation is possible only in the process of denial in which you escape
from the reality that God has created the entire universe-the magic, the
mystery, the marvel, the awe of it-that produces such an overwhelming humbling
in the created being.
The Gospel (good news about Jesus and what He has done for
man’s salvation) IS COMPLETELY NECESSARY AND THAT THERE IS NO WAY UNTO
SALVATION APART FROM IT! The Bible clearly and abundantly teaches us that souls
cannot be saved without obedience to Christ and the Gospel (John 14:6; Acts
Concerning the importance of spiritual waiting, Andrew Murray wrote, “Here is the secret of a life of prayer. Take time in the inner chamber to bow down and worship; and wait on Him until He unveils Himself, and takes possession of you, and goes out with you to show how a man can live and walk in abiding fellowship with an unseen Lord.”
A wise writer reminds, “The one fact we forget is that the saints of old were capable of spiritual silence simply because they had not contracted our modern habit of ceaseless talk in their ordinary life. Their days were days of silence, relieved by periods of conversation, while ours are a wilderness of talk with a rare oasis of silence.”
Oh, that more believers would earnestly seek the power of sacred silence. Scripture declares, “Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of His holy habitation” (Zech.2:13).
Strive to devote the early moments of your devotional hour to a time of silent sharing with the Lord. Wait patiently for a greater glimpse of His infinite glory. May our hearts cry out with the unknown poet,
Oh, to
see our Saviour’s face!
From sin and sorrow to be freed!
To dwell
in His divine embrace-
This will be sweeter far indeed!
The
fairest form of earthly bliss
Is less than naught compared with this.
Lord, teach
me to wait.
Infinite wisdom has arranged the whole with
infinite love; and infinite power enables me—to rest upon that love. I am in a
dear Father's hands—all is secure. When I look to Him, I see nothing but
faithfulness—and immutability—and truth; and I have the sweetest peace—I cannot
have more peace. (Charles Simeon, p. 172)
Are you ready? His everlasting Kingdom is
one in which Righteousess Reigns
I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed
me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a
bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with
her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds
to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before
all nations.
Isaiah 61:10,11 NIV
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I form the light, and create darkness:
I make peace, and create evil:
I the LORD do all these things.
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and
let the skies pour down righteousness:
let the earth open and let them
bring forth salvation,
and let righteousness spring up together;
I the LORD have created it.
Isaiah 45:7,8 KJV
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The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high;
he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness;
and he will be the stability of your times,
abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;
the fear of the LORD is his treasure
Isaiah 33:5,6 RSV
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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.
Read Psalm 27.
©2006
Thomas R. Dohling