Day 54 - Jesus' I Am Statements - Part Three

Numbers In The Bible Series:
Day 54 - Jesus' I Am Statements - Part Three

Brother Jerry asked me to search out the Book of John and the "I am" statements that Jesus made. What a delight to find eight such statements! Eight symbolizes a new beginning and we find this new beginning through Jesus Christ and His requirement that we be born again (John 3:3) - our new beginning! What joy the Word brings us when we take the time to search it out.

Let's look at the verses that make up the eight "I am's":

Bread of Life: And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (Joh 6:35) and The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. (Joh 6:41) and I am that bread of life. (Joh 6:48) and I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (Joh 6:51) Jesus is the Bread of Life. This is the first of the verses that had an "I am" statement. Can you live without eating? Of course not! Neither can we live without the Triune God - neither can we live without the Word of God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Joh 1:1) Jesus is the Word of God and we cannot live without His Word - it is what sustains the believer. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Mat 4:4) Jesus is our Source of nourishment.

Light of the World: Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (Joh 8:12) and As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (Joh 9:5) and I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. (Joh 12:46) Not only is Jesus our very sustenance, but He lights our way - removes our blinders and gives us light to the Truth and through the Truth, the Word of God. I once was blind, but now I see (Amazing Grace)! No longer do we need to walk around in spiritual darkness. Jesus brings the blessed light of the Gospel to us and sheds that light in our cold, dark and sinful hearts. Once we see our sin for what it really is, the way God sees it, we realize we are completely lost - we realize we are in utter darkness and deserving of hell. Jesus is our Source of Light.

Good Shepherd: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (Joh 10:11) and I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (Joh 10:14) These two beautiful verses give us insight to the compassion of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour! Not only does a Shepherd lead, guide and care for his sheep, but this Shepherd gives His life for His sheep and He intimately knows His sheep. His sheep know Him intimately as well when they are born again and growing in Him. If you ever want a blessing in your morning devotions, study out what the job of a shepherd was in biblical times - even in modern day times. It will bless your socks off. Jesus carefully chose His words to be penned, my friend. These analogies are not meaningless. The Lord had every intention of communicating with us clearly. He used our senses to help us to understand the depth of His words. All one has to do is study it out and they will receive a blessing. Without the Shepherd, the sheep will fall off a cliff. They will walk into the path of danger because they do not have the sense to stay away. Does this sound a bit like us? Oh my, it sure does! Jesus is our Source of Care.

The Door: Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (Joh 10:7) and I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (Joh 10:9) Our Good Shepherd leads the lost to a door. But alas, like the old saying "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink," the lost can be led to the door of salvation but they can't be made to walk through. It is a decision only they can make. Jesus is the only door to salvation. He emphatically states in John 10:7 that He is the door of the sheep. Verily, verily - Surely, surely - For certain, for certain ... There is no other way. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (Joh 14:6) Again, the Lord used a wonderful analogy here. You cannot enter your house without going through a door. You cannot open that door without physically turning that door knob. You, my friend, have to do the work. Your front door does not just open itself to allow you in. You physically have to open it. Jesus is our door but we physically have to gain entrance by being born again. Jesus is our Source of entrance.

The Resurrection: Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (Joh 11:25-26) The cross would be nothing without the Resurrection of Christ. Had Jesus not risen from the dead, He would not be God and the whole account would be fiction. However, Jesus did rise from the dead. This is what separates Him from the world's other gods. Mohammad did not rise from the dead. Confucius did not rise from the dead. Joseph Smith did not rise from the dead. He is the only One who can claim this because He is God. Because He conquered death, He has the keys to hell and death and provides us with the opportunity to live for all eternity with Him. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Rev 1:18) Jesus is our Source of eternal life.

The Way: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (Joh 14:6) Praise the Lord for this road map, the Word of God, our Bible! It is the Word of God that leads us to Him. The Word of God, breathed by the Holy Spirit of God, draws us to salvation and builds our faith after salvation. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom 10:17) The Word guides us and instructs us as we walk the pilgrim's path here on earth. There is only one way to Heaven and once we are saved and are walking the pilgrim's pathway, Jesus is our Guide along the way. His Word provides us with a clear map - clear instructions - of everything we will need along the way. He provides stop signs - He provides green lights - He provides cautions - everything we need is found in His Word until we reach Heaven. Jesus is our Source of direction.

The Vine: I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (Joh 15:1) and I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (Joh 15:5) Anyone who has grown anything knows that a leaf apart from the tree lives temporarily and then withers away. We are the same. Without daily walking with Christ, we become weak. Without daily nourishment in the Word of God, we are easily led astray and begin to wither. As long as we are attached in and through the Word, we abide in Him. The Word cleanses us and the Holy Spirit is able to take our yielded vessel and mold us into the image of Christ. If we detach ourselves from the Word and cease to grow spiritually, we leave ourselves open to the devil and his temptations. It is then that we see ourselves droop and then wither away. Jesus is our Source of life.

Son of God: Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? (Joh 10:36) Only Jesus could say that He is the Son of God. The other gods of this world have claimed this but none have been able to prove it. Their lies and deception eventually came to light. In the end, these antichrists will be made known to all the earth. There is only One Son of God, the Christ. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Mat 16:16) This is the very foundation of Christianity, my friend. Jesus is God. Jesus is our Source - period.

Chief of Sinners
William McComb

Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me;
Died that I might live on high,
Died that I might never die;
As the branch is to the vine,
I am His, and He is mine.

O the height of Jesus’ love!
Higher than the Heaven above;
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lasting as eternity;
Love that found me—wondrous thought!
Found me when I sought Him not!

Jesus only can impart
Balm to heal the smitten heart;
Peace that flows from sin forgiven,
Joy that lifts the soul to Heaven;
Faith and hope to walk with God
In the way that Enoch trod.

Chief of sinners though I be,
Christ is all in all to me;
All my wants to Him are known,
All my sorrows are His own;
Safe with Him from earthly strife,
He sustains the hidden life.

O my Savior, help afford
By Thy Spirit and Thy Word!
When my wayward heart would stray,
Keep me in the narrow way;
Grace in time of need supply
While I live and when I die.

Devotional by Kate Plourde

Jesus' I Am Statements - Part One
Jesus' I Am Statements - Part Two

60 Day Devotional Series: Numbers In The Bible

Day 46 - The Gift Of God

Numbers In The Bible Series:
Day 46 - The Gift Of God

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Th 4:17)

What a day it will be when the Rapture takes place and we meet our Saviour in the clouds forever to be with Him! I long for the day, don't you? I feel that the Rapture is one of Christ's gift to the born-again believer! How precious a gift it is indeed! This picture was taken in Monticello, Virginia, at Thomas Jefferson's home. A storm was coming and the clouds were rolling in. What a beautiful view we had. Mr. Jefferson's home sits on a hill and we had a panoramic view of the valley as we watched the storm come in. My son, Adam, took this picture of the clouds as the sun's rays came through. He commented how he believed the clouds would look this way at the time of the Rapture! Oh what a gift! A grateful heart always takes our eyes off ourselves and our circumstances and places them on the Lord. We are able to thank Him for our blessings even while in the midst of a storm!

I recently celebrated my birthday and received several wonderful gifts which were so appreciated. I meditated on the absolute and Perfect gift - God's gift to me through the giving of His Son, Jesus Christ, so I may be saved! Praise the Lord for this wonderful gift from our Heavenly Father. I did a search for the phrase gift of God and was delighted to see that there were eight verses with this phrase in the Word! The number eight symbolizes "new beginnings" and Christ gives us a new beginning through the new birth! Praise His Holy Name!!

In reviewing the eight verses, I noticed that they could be broken down into seven categories.

1. The fruit of our labour: And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. (Ecc 3:13) and Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. (Ecc 5:19) Why should we consider the fruit of our labour a gift? If it weren't for the health God has given us and the ability to work, we would not be able to enjoy the fruit of our labour. I also think of the precious fruit of saved souls as a result of the labour of our work at soulwinning.

2. Jesus is our gift: Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. (Joh 4:10) There is no greater gift in the world than to give your life for a friend. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (Joh 15:13) I think of those who give their lives every day in defense of freedom for our country and they die for those they don't even know! Praise God!

3. The Power of the Holy Spirit: But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. (Act 8:20) To think that the power of God could be purchased is ridiculous. However, there are religions today who practice this very belief. There is nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1:9). Buy indulgences and buy your way out of purgatory - buy masses for those who are dead and their time in purgatory will be greatly reduced!

4. Eternal life: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 6:23) What a gift indeed! To be forever with our Saviour in Heaven is indeed a gift!

5. God's spiritual gifts to Christians: For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. (1 Co 7:7) We've all been blessed with one or more gifts from the Holy Spirit. These gifts are a whole other study unto themselves but the fact of the matter remains that we all have at least one. The gift is not for our glory or benefit but for the glory of God and for the cause of His work. All the gifts put together through the various members of a church make up a whole body of unified believers who are producing a beautiful work unto God.

6. Grace: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Eph 2:8) Grace, unmerited favor, is most certainly a gift! God shows us His agape love by giving us His undeserved kindness! We are putrid sinners, my friend. It only takes one sin to keep us out of heaven. A Holy and Righteous God cannot allow even one sin into His presence. To do so would infest a perfect place. Look at the Garden of Eden - it was perfect until Adam and Eve's sin entered. They were cast out of the Garden. Lucifer and his band of angels were cast out of heaven when they sinned. Praise God for His grace in our lives and giving us His only Son so we can have eternal life in His heaven!

7. Preaching: Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. (2 Tim. 1:6) What a gift indeed. Our Pastor is our gift from God. How do you treat a gift which has been given to you? Do you discard it? Do you mistreat it? No, you cherish it and you make sure that it is well cared for because it is precious to you. So should our Pastor be to us. So should any preacher of the Word, an evangelist, a missionary, or a street preacher! If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Pe 4:11) Treat your Preacher as a precious gift and let Christ's name be praised in so doing!

It amazes me that this phrase, gift of God, can be categorized into seven types! Seven symbolizes perfection and completeness! Doesn't this totally bless you? God's perfect and complete gift to us is through His Son, who gives us a new life!

How can one not be blessed by the Word when you pick it up apart and see that God has given us more to glean from! What people miss when they don't spend time in the Word!

Father, God, We Glorify
Charles and John Wesley

Father, God, we glorify
Thy love to Adam’s seed;
Love that gave Thy Son to die,
And raised Him from the dead:
Him, for our offenses slain,
That we all might pardon find,
Thou hast brought to life again,
The Savior of mankind.

By Thy own right hand of power
Thou hast exalted Him,
Sent the mighty Conqueror
Thy people to redeem:
King of Saints, and Prince of Peace,
Him Thou hast for sinners giv’n,
Sinners from their sins to bless,
And lift them up to Heav’n.

Father, God, to us impart
The gift unspeakable;
Now in every waiting heart
Thy glorious Son reveal:
Quickened with our living Lord,
Let us in Thy Spirit rise,
Rise to all Thy life restored,
And bless Thee in the skies.

Devotional by Kate Plourde

60 Day Devotional Series: Numbers In The Bible

Day 41 - Given By The Father To The Son

Numbers In The Bible Series:
Day 41 - Given By The Father To The Son

I was blessed these last few days by meditating on John 17 and Jesus' High Priestly prayer, being reminded again of the seven times that Jesus states that the Father gave all true believers to Him, the Son. There are 17 references to gave(st) and give(n) altogether in this chapter. Each verse says something slightly different, and it is edifying to look at what they encompass. These seven references to us being given to the Son are contained in six separate verses:

1) John 17:1-2 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

Seven times in the Gospel of John Jesus refers to His hour, the hour He would be glorified by the Father through His death upon the cross for our sins, His burial, and His physical resurrection: 2:4; 7:30; 8:20; 12:23 (see also vs. 24), 27; 13:1; and 17:1. There are eight times in this chapter that Jesus uses the word glory or a form thereof (glorify, glorified).

We might say about verse 2, "This one's a given," meaning that we already are familiar with this truth: all that have received the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour have been given the gift of eternal life in Him. I love how the next verse expresses exactly what that eternal life is - fellowship with the Father and the Son:

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Salvation is eternal life - fellowship with the Lord our God - life, living in the presence of God for eternity.

2) John 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

Many times the Scriptures refer to the "name" of the Son, but here Jesus refers to the name of the Father. He declares that He has manifested (made plain) the Father's name to His disciples. The main name for God (the Godhead, not just the Father) used throughout the Bible is Lord (or LORD), Jehovah, I Am - and we can see Jesus identifying Himself as the great I Am throughout His ministry. He and the Father are one (see John 10:30) - one in essence, and one in unity. When we see Jesus, we see the Father through Him (John 14:9); in Jesus, we truly see God manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16) as He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Hebrews 1:1-3 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Notice the seven-fold description here of the Son - seven statements that assert His divinity.

Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

In Jesus, we see everything God is. Knowing this, the next verse contains tremendous assurance for those who have trusted in Jesus for salvation:

Colossians 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Verse 6 mentions how Jesus' disciples have kept His Word. The word kept here means "to guard (from loss or injury, properly, by keeping the eye upon." True believers will cling to the Word of God, hold to its teachings, and not let the Devil or the world snatch these doctrinal truths from their hearts.

John 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

John 14:23-24 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

3) John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

In Jesus' High Priestly prayer, we don't just see the Son fellowshipping with the Father, but we see Him also praying for His own - in fact, this is the primary ministry He is currently occupied with in Heaven.

Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Hebrews 7:24-25 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Romans 8 is one of my favourite chapters of the whole Bible. Notice how it teaches that if you are a born again child of God, all three members of the Godhead are for you: Romans 8:26-27, and 31-32.

4) John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

In this portion of Jesus' prayer, we hear Him petitioning the Father to keep us safe so that we may be one with Him and in Him. This is a unity based on the true God and on truth (see verses 3, 17, and 19). Too many in our day are striving for a man-made ecumenical unity - but Jesus' prayer was for a unity of fellowship and purpose among the true children of God, not among apostate Christendom. (For the sake of clarification, I believe the primary unity the New Testament teaches is unity within each local church - not unity among all believers worldwide; though even among true believers there should be a unity among the fundamentals of the faith.)

John 17:21-23 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Romans 15:5-6 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Ephesians 4:3-6 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

In this passage, there is a seven-fold unity that God has established. This is one of two places in the New Testament where the Trinity is expressed in this fashion: Spirit, Lord, and God (the Father). The other reference is 1 Corinthians 12:4-6.

The word fellowship basically means "a sharing in what we have in common together." There is not much in the way of fellowship between professing believers who are not likeminded, who do not hold to the same doctrines, the same general Bible principles and standards, the same Saviour (and, of course, there is no fellowship between a true believer and an unbeliever). Whether on a message board or in a local church, in a church potluck or in a coffee shop, fellowship must be based on what we have in common in the Lord Jesus Christ and the faith we share in Him and in the precious Word of God.

Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Philippians 2:1-2 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Philippians 3:9-10 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:5-7 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

It is interesting to note that in John 17:11, Jesus refers to His Father as Holy Father (the only time this name is used in the whole Bible) in the context of keeping us safe in this world - keeping us in His name will involve separation from ungodliness and sin, will involve holiness in His children, will involve true believers being set apart (sanctified, holy) from the world. Verse 25 also contains the only reference to the name Righteous Father.

5) John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Jesus states that He has kept all those that the Father has given Him - He has not lost a single one, except the one that He never had to begin with! Judas was never saved, had never trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation; therefore he was still lost. A careful studying out of all the passages relating to Judas (especially in the Gospel of John) will bear out this fact. Judas never repented of his sin, nor placed his faith personally in the Saviour. After his betrayal of Jesus Christ, he regretted the consequences of his betrayal (ie. Jesus being led to death), but he did not turn to God for forgiveness of his sins. For further study, consider John 2:23-25; 6:64-71 (devil means slanderer, accuser); 12:4-6; 13:2 (notice that Judas is possessed by Satan himself in verse 27), 10-11, 18-30, plus the accounts of the betrayal. The phrase, the son of perdition, is the same term used for the Antichrist in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, of whom, no doubt, Judas was a type. In Matthew 27:3, it states that Judas repented himself, which is a different word in Greek indicating remorse or regret for what happened, not repentance toward God.

I covered all that to re-emphasize the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ keeps His own! He never loses anyone who truly repents of their sins and receives Him as their Saviour. No one can be separated from His love (see Romans 8:35, 37-39), and no one can be taken from His hands or the Father's hands - we are doubly held! (see John 10:27-30).

The Greek word for keep and kept in verses 11-12, and 15 is the same as that used in verse 6, in regards to the disciples keeping Jesus' Word (see definition above). However, the Greek word is different the second time kept is used in verse 12 (those that thou gavest me I have kept), and means "through the idea of isolation; to watch, i.e. be on guard (literally of figuratively); by implication, to preserve, obey, avoid." Our Lord is watching over us, watching over our souls, He is guarding us and keeping us by His power - and no true believer will ever be lost! He will keep and preserve us until He takes us home to live with Him forever in Heaven!

John 17:14-16 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

It was Jesus' prayer that the Father would keep us (ie. guard and protect us) from evil - that He would keep us safe while we are in this world, safe from the evil influences of this world. The above passage is where we get our phrase from, "We are to be in the world, but not of the world." The word world is used 19 times in this chapter. Some passages that also speak of God's same protection for His children are:

Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

This last verse contains the wonderful promise to the Philadephian church (the Missionary church, the church of brotherly love) that the Lord will rapture them out before the time of Tribulation comes to test the whole world. True believers have already made their choice, have already received (and kept) the Word of God, already received the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, and therefore will be removed from the time of trouble that will come upon all the world. We do not need to be tried or proven to see what we will do with Jesus, as that decision has already been made by those who have trusted in Christ.

One point worth mentioning in a day of ecumenicism: the word for all the world is used three times in the book of Revelation - and is a reference to the lost world opposed against the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the Greek word oikoumene, where we get our word "ecumenical" from! And there are naive or deliberately deceptive people today pushing the ecumenical movement on us! That will only lead to the one-world church and one-world government of the Antichrist in Revelation 13. We need to beware! Beware when the whole world is running after the same thing, when the whole world is running after the same "Christian" leader, when the whole world is running after the same movements or philosophies! The "whole world" does not love the things of God, does not love the Word of God - beware!

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Revelation 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

6) John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

This last statement in our study is Jesus' prayer that all true believers would be with Jesus in Heaven forever, and that we would behold His glory. I believe Peter, James, and John were given a glimpse of that glory on the Mount of Transfiguration, and John saw the glorified Christ when he was imprisoned on the island of Patmos - and one day we will see Him totally glorified and transfigured before our eyes, because then our sin nature will have been removed, and there will be nothing hindering us from beholding Him as He truly is. Like the Lord told Moses, when he asked to see God's glory:

Exodus 33:19-23 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

In order to see God's glory, we must be hidden in Christ, hidden in the Rock!

Matthew 17:1-2 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Mark 9:2-3 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

As an added study, it is also interesting to note the various other things that Jesus said the Father has given Him:

a) power over all flesh - vs. 2
b) the work which thou gavest me to do - vs. 4
c) whatsoever thou hast given me - vs. 7
d) the words which thou gavest me - vs. 8
e) the glory which thou gavest me - vs. 22
f) my glory, which thou hast given me - vs. 24

And what He has given His disciples:

a) I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me - vs. 8
b) I have given them thy word - vs. 14
c) the glory which thou gavest me I have given them - vs. 22

The last verse of this chapter contains an amazing statement:

John 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

God the Father loves His children with the same love He loves the Son! He wants us to be filled with that love, and dwell in us, working through us. This verse exposes the Devil's lie that God doesn't care for us or that His love is conditioned on our own worthiness - He loves us as much as He loves the Son because we are in the Son! Is that love evident in your life, evident in you and through you?

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

July 26th/07
Jerry Bouey

60 Day Devotional Series: Numbers In The Bible

Day 33 - Jesus' I Am Statements - Part One

Numbers In The Bible Series:
Day 33 - Jesus' I Am Statements - Part One

The seven popular "I Am" statements in the book of John are some of believers' favourite sayings in the whole Word of God. In them, Jesus reveals much about Himself and what He wants to do or be in each of our lives. By declaring Himself the "I Am", Jesus was clearly identifying Himself as God, the God of Israel, the God of the whole earth, the Creator of the universe. The Old Testament name "LORD" (with all caps) is Jehovah, "I Am", the self-existent God. Consider the following passages:

Exodus 3:13-15 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

Exodus 6:2-3 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

I.) It is quite interesting to note that the name Jehovah is in our King James Bible seven times (including the above passage):

Genesis 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

Exodus 17:15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:

Judges 6:24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

There are nine compound names of the LORD in the Old Testament (ie. Jehovahjireh, etc.) - though only three of them are transliterated into English. I will cover these nine names in Friday's devotional.

Psalms 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Isaiah 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

II.) There are eight "I Am He" statements made in the book of Isaiah, clearly indicating that the speaker was God Himself:

(In various places in the OT, "I am" and "I am He" were equivalent statements.)

1) Isaiah 41:4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

Notice that here the LORD refers to Himself as "the first, and with the last." Very similar to Jesus' own statements in the book of Revelation. (See next section.)

2) Isaiah 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

There is only one true God! He is the LORD, Jehovah, the I Am.

Isaiah 43:11-12 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.

We are to be His witnesses that He is the true God, the only Saviour!

3) Isaiah 43:13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?

Only the LORD God has all power, all authority - He is omnipotent! No one can hinder the work that the LORD is doing!

4) Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Only the LORD has the power to blot out our sins - this He did by shedding His precious blood and dying for us on the cross. I love how this verse says He did it for His own sake.

The LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake - 1 Samuel 12:22.
For thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them - Nehemiah 9:30-31.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake - Psalm 23:3.
He saved them for his name's sake - Psalm 106:8.
His righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable - Isaiah 42:21.
For my name's sake will I defer mine anger - Isaiah 48:9-11.
Even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you - Ephesians 4:32.
Your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake - 1 John 2:12.

Many times in the Psalms and the Prophets, God is appealed to for the sake of His mercy, His righteousness, His goodness, His name, His truth.

5) Isaiah 46:4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

The LORD Himself is the one watching over His children, carrying them, bearing them, and delivering them from the trials they face in life. Everytime I read statements like this, I am reminded of the Footprints poem - when I falter, He is the one who lifts me up and carries me!

Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

6) Isaiah 48:12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

The LORD is the one we are to hearken to; we are to heed His Word. He is the one who has called us into fellowship with Him. The LORD foreknew who would respond to His call of salvation - those that will, He promised to predestine, to call, to justify, and to glorify them. Praise the LORD for His grace and for all those things He has done for us, even when we didn't know Him yet!

7) Isaiah 51:12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;

What a tremendous verse! It is the LORD that comforts us! It is the LORD that gives us freedom from fear. It is the LORD that redeemed us, and gives us His gladness and joy!

Isaiah 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

8) Isaiah 52:6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

When Biblical prophecies are fulfilled, God's people will know that it was the LORD fulfilling His Word. What assurance that the LORD will always keep His Word and fulfill every one of His precious promises!

III.) Jesus' seven names/titles in Revelation chapter one:

Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Revelation 1:17-18 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

a) Alpha and Omega - Jesus is everything we need in life. Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last. This is similar to "the first and the last."

Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

b) The beginning and the ending - All creation finds its beginning and its ending in Him.

c) Which is, and which was, and which is to come - A comparison of Revelation 1 verses 4 and 8 will reveal the Deity of Jesus Christ. In verse 4, God the Father is called "Him which is, and which was, and which is to come." In verse 8, Jesus is called by this same name, thereby giving Jesus equality with the Father.

d) The Lord - obviously equating Himself with the LORD of the Old Testament.

e) The Almighty - Only God is almighty.

f) The first and the last - This is a direct claim to Jesus' Deity - and there is only one true God - one God in three persons, the Trinity or Tri-une God.

Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Many cults deny the deity of Christ and will twist or change Bible passages (or even make their own corrupt version!) to suit their devilish doctrines. A comparison between Revelation 1:8, 11, 17-18; and 22:13 clearly prove that "the first and the last" is Jehovah, the Almighty God, AND He is the one who died and rose again! Jesus is God - not a god, but THE GOD, the God of the Bible, the true and living God!

g) He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore

Praise the LORD our Saviour died for our sins, and rose again!

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

IV.) Seven other less well-known "I Am" statements Jesus made in the book of John:

1) John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

Here Jesus declares to the Samaritan woman that He is the Messiah, He is the Saviour that was prophesied since the fall of man.

2) John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Unless we believe that Jesus is the "I Am", the LORD, the eternal self-existent God, then we will die in our sins! That makes the deity of Christ one of the fundamentals of the faith, that we must believe in order to be saved.

3) John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Since Jesus was lifted up on the cross, many throughout history have come to realize who He truly is - the LORD God coming down from Heaven to save us from our sins.

4) John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

He didn't say "I was", but "I Am" - declaring Himself God manifest in the flesh - stating that it was He Himself who spoke to Abraham all those years before!

5) John 13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

The context here is Jesus' quotation of an Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah being betrayed:

John 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

Various other OT passages teach that the Messiah would be the Mighty God, God with us, the Everlasting Father, the Saviour whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (ie. indicating that He is eternal). Jesus was saying that when those prophecies about the Messiah were completely fulfilled in His life, His ministry, His death, burial and resurrection, then many would come to believe that He IS that prophesied Messiah, the LORD God Himself.

6) John 18:5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

Jesus knew the time for Him to be betrayed, falsely slandered, then led to the cross was at hand. He was the one Judas was seeking to turn over to the mob. He went forward to head them off, and show that He was in control - that even though evil men were seeking to kill Him, He was the one who was laying down His life of His own free will. He was not a martyr, but the sacrificial Lamb, the Lamb of God, dying for the sins of the whole world!

John 10:17-18 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

John 18:4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

Notice their response to Jesus' identification of Himself - a declaration spoken with true power, a declaration that showed who He truly was to these trembling men who sought Him:

John 18:6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

7) John 18:8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

Taking control of the situation, Jesus put the focus of the armed mob upon Himself, and gave His apostles opportunity to flee unharmed, while He was led away to be crucified (the end result of the mock trials that took place all that night).

Acts 2:22-24 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Acts 4:27-28 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

Even in what would be our Saviour's darkest day, God was still in complete control of the events - only allowing what fulfilled and suited His ultimate purpose. Praise the LORD for providing for our salvation!

In parts Two and Three, I will cover the compound names of the LORD in the Old Testament and Jesus' seven "I Am" statements in the Gospel of John. I am sure you will be blessed, as I always am whenever meditating on who our Saviour truly is, and what He has done and has promised to do in our lives.

July 11th/07
Jerry Bouey

Jesus' I Am Statements - Part Two
Jesus' I Am Statements - Part Three

60 Day Devotional Series: Numbers In The Bible

Day 28 - Eight Things God Requires Of Man

Numbers In The Bible Series:

Day 28 - Eight Things God Requires Of Man

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

Micah 6:6-8 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The numbers two and three in the Bible are indicative of witness, testimony (see Deuteronomy 19:15). When God repeats Himself in the Scriptures, it is important to pay attention to what is being emphasized. Here we have the testimony of two passages that have a very similar message: What does God require of us? The conclusion of Ecclesiastes also contains an exhortation that fits in line with the testimony of the first two passages.

What does God require of man?

1) To fear the LORD thy God... Fear God.

The fear of the Lord is a reverence for God. Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines reverence as "Fear mingled with respect and esteem; veneration... The fear acceptable to God, is a filial fear, an awful reverence of the divine nature, proceeding from a just esteem of his perfections, which produces in us an inclination to his service and an unwillingness to offend him. Reverence is nearly equivalent to veneration, but expresses something less of the same emotion. It differs from awe, which is an emotion compounded of fear, dread or terror, with admiration of something great, but not necessarily implying love or affection." Reverence therefore implies love and affection - it is not just a holy fear of God, but love mingled with admiration. Webster also defines revere as "To regard with fear mingled with respect and affection; to venerate; to reverence; to honor in estimation."

We can only fear the Lord our God in this manner if we are saved, if we have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, and now have God as our Heavenly Father. This fear will prompt us to do what is right in His sight, and prompt us to make it right when we have done wrong. There is a saying, "We should always keep short accounts with God," stating that we should never continue on in sin, but when we are convicted we should always repent and confess that sin to quickly restore our fellowship with God. I believe the more reverence we have for our Saviour, the less desire we will have to backslide or take our eyes off of Him, and the greater our desire will be to turn from those sins that we have allowed to temporarily come back into our lives.

2) To walk in all his ways.

Ways here means "a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action." We are to walk in the road that the Lord has already trodden out for us - our way of life is to walk according to the paths we see laid down for us in the Word of God. We are not merely to walk in some of His ways - picking and choosing what we want to follow - but to walk in all His ways. Of course, we can only do that in the strength and wisdom that the Lord provides. Are you walking in His ways, or in your own?

3) To love him.

Is your heart set upon the Lord? Are your affections set upon the things of God? Do you delight in doing the will of God? We honestly can't say we love the Lord when we don't cleave to Him in faith and obedience! We can't truly say we love the Lord when we do not hate evil!

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Psalms 97:10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

The greatest commandment in the Bible is to love the Lord our God with all that we are and all that we have.

Mark 12:28-30 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Joshua 23:11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.

Psalms 31:23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

4) To serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

How many professing Christians today are going through the motions in their service to the Lord? Too many! The Lord wants us to serve Him with all our heart and with all our soul - that means with everything that is in us, with all our being. A hypocrite is someone that puts on a show outwardly when there is something different going on in the inside. The Lord wants our outsides to match up with our insides - for our walk to line up with our talk (ie. our living to line up with our profession of faith). We need to be honest and sincere with God, and make sure our sincerity is in line with the truth. It is no good to have a sincerity and zeal that is based on falsehood!

Psalms 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Joshua 24:14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

1 Corinthians 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Too many in Christendom today are claiming to worship God, but they are not doing His will!

Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

2 Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

Ephesians 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Philippians 1:9-11 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

May we never go through the motions!

Here is a statement that I coined several years ago about our profession lining up with our walk:

"The Final Proof of our Love is in the Faithful Pattern of our Living."

Do your walk and your talk line up together?

5) To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes... Keep his commandments.

Love and obedience go hand in hand. We do not keep the commandments to go to Heaven - salvation is a free gift, and must be all of grace, because none of us have ever kept all of God's commandments without failing. Sin is the transgression of the Law (1 John 3:4), and the only sinless person who ever lived was the Lord Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh. But once we turn to Him for salvation, we receive His righteousness credited to our account, and are given a desire to obey Him. Now we obey the Lord out of love for Him, and our obedience shows our love to Him!

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Our love is perfected (made complete) when we keep His Word and obey His commandments:

1 John 2:3-6 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

6) To do justly.

According to Webster's, this phrase means in part: "In conformity to law, justice or propriety; by right... Honestly; fairly; with integrity." Webster also defines integrity as "The entire, unimpaired state of any thing, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty. Integrity comprehends the whole moral character, but has a special reference to uprightness in mutual dealings, transfers of property, and agencies for others." Doing right to all, not showing favoritism, but treating all with equity. "In practice, equity is the impartial distribution of justice, or the doing that to another which the laws of God and man, and of reason, give him a right to claim. It is the treating of a person according to justice and reason."

How many people in our day and age favour those who are rich, those who are part of their inner circle or clique, those who love them in return?

The three moral duties required by God in Micah 6:8 are summed up by our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament:

Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

In the context, judgment means "justice and equity." Faith (and the love of God - see Luke 11:42) being the equivalent of the phrase, to walk humbly with thy God.

James 2:1-4 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Leviticus 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Proverbs 24:23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

1 Timothy 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

It is interesting that when we are impartial, we are doing what God Himself does; however, when we are partial, then we are walking in the steps of the wicked!

2 Chronicles 19:7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

Matthew 22:16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.

Matthew 5:43-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Jude 1:16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

7) To love mercy.

Webster's gives this powerful definition of mercy: "That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant. In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy. That which comes nearest to it is grace. It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders. Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being."

Not much more I can add to that! We are to love mercy. In order to do so, I truly believe we must experience and know God's mercy towards ourselves. The more I see God's mercies at work in my own life, the more I want to pass that mercy on to others! As the story of the woman in Luke 7:36-50 illustrates forgiveness and love reciprocated, even so I think there is a definite parallel between our receiving mercy by the Lord and our showing of it to others.

Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Luke 6:32-36 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Romans 12:6-10, 14-17 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another... Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

We are saved and forgiven by God's mercy (and grace); therefore we should likewise be showing this same mercy, grace, and forgiveness to others.

Titus 3:4-6 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Colossians 3:12-14 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

James 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

8) To walk humbly with thy God.

We can't walk with God unless we are humble before Him! As the saying goes, "Sheep follow; Goats butt." If you are reading the Word of God or hearing it being spoken by others, and your reaction is, "Yes, but...", then you are not walking humbly before God! In your response, you are acting more like a goat, and less like a sheep! The Lord wants humble servants, servants who will walk in faith before Him, walk in simple love and trust toward Him - like a little child (with childlike faith), who simply accepts the Word because it is God who has spoken, who simply obeys because it is his Lord and King that commands him, who simply trusts God fully in all things because, after all, it is his Heavenly Father at work in his life!

The simplest illustration I can think of regarding faith and trusting is that of a little child standing on a table and the father telling him to jump into his arms. The child says, "I love you, Daddy, and I trust you." But if the child never takes that jump into their father's arms, do they really trust? If you hold back from committing yourself to those everlasting arms that are underneath you, are you really walking in faith, are you really trusting in your Heavenly Father? I think the answer is obvious. The solution is to get into the Word of God and build your faith (see Romans 10:17), then act upon that faith - take and apply!

Matthew 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

There is a simplicity that is in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 11:3). It is man that complicates things!

Colossians 2:6-10 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

James 4:6-10 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

1 Peter 5:5-7 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

It is interesting to note that this last passage quoted above links humbling ourselves with casting our cares upon the Lord! Pride says, "I can do it all on my own." Humility says, "I will place all I am, all I have, and all that I plan to do in the hands of my Heavenly Father, and trust Him with it." Humility is walking according to the will of God, not our own way. It takes humility to acknowledge that God owns you, that He has bought you with a price (the precious blood of Christ), and therefore He has the complete right and authority to tell you how to live. We also know that God loves us and is working out His perfect will in our lives, according to His wisdom and sovereign power - humility can live with that, and prefers it (yea, even wholly desires it) above any of our own plans!

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 23:26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

Proverbs 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

Jeremiah 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

I believe that if we follow these eight things that the Lord requires of us, our walk with him will be fruitful and our faith greatly strengthened. These are not presented as some kind of ultimate formula, or as some list indicating that this is all we are accountable for - but are merely an attempt to dig into and apply some basic requirements of a walk with the Lord that He is pleased with and will bless.

Do you fear God? Are you walking in His ways? Do you love Him and are you serving Him with all your heart and soul? Are you obeying His Word? Are you treating others justly? Do you love mercy? And lastly, are you walking humbly with your God?

May the Lord richly bless you as you apply these passages of Scripture to your life.

July 4th/07
Jerry Bouey

60 Day Devotional Series: Numbers In The Bible

Day 26 - Eight Daily Blessings

Numbers In The Bible Series:
Day 26 - Eight Daily Blessings

Psalms 145:1-5 (David's Psalm of praise.) I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

The following eight blessings are not presented in order of importance, but in the order the main passages used appear in the Word of God. All the promises of God in the Bible depend upon a personal relationship with Him. If you have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, the promises in His Word are yours to claim - including these eight daily blessings:

1) Daily Guidance And Teaching From The Lord (From His Word)

Exodus 13:21-22 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Numbers 9:15-17 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.

Look up and consider the next six verses in this passage (Numbers 9:18-23), and notice the seven times the phrase at (according to) the commandment of the LORD is used.

Nehemiah 9:12, 19 Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go... Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.

Every day the Lord God led the nation of Israel in their march through the wilderness - all they had to do was follow His clear guiding, whether it was by night or by day that the pillar moved before them.

Luke 21:38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

John 8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

Every morning Jesus was in the temple teaching the people the Word of God. Now we do not have Jesus physically teaching in our midst, but we have the Word of God before us to read and study and the Holy Spirit working through us to teach us God's will for our lives each day.

Psalms 25:4-5 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Are you waiting upon the Lord? Are you seeking His will and determined to follow it as it is revealed step by step to you?

2) Daily Strength

Physical Strength:

Deuteronomy 33:25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

The Lord promises strength for each day - strength to do His will, whatever He has called us to do.

Spiritual Strength: Psalms 138:3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

I like this promise found in the Psalms. When we are in need of spiritual strength, that strength is ours when we cry out to the Lord and seek Him for it. Day by day. Are you relying upon the Lord's strength today?

3) Daily Wisdom

Proverbs 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

The Lord promises to freely provide us wisdom each day - and then blesses us as we heed that wisdom from Him! What grace!

Proverbs 8:12-20 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

When we seek our Heavenly Father for His wisdom early and diligently, when we seek Him in faith and trust Him to give us the wisdom needed for each day, He will provide. Proverbs eight is a neat chapter in which we see the Lord Jesus Christ pictured as wisdom. He loves those that love Him, and those that seek Him early will find Him - will both find His wisdom each day, as well as find the Lord Himself in personal fellowship. What a promise!

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Wisdom is available for the asking - have you asked the Lord to give you His wisdom today?

4) Daily Benefits

Psalms 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Daily our Lord loads us with benefits and blessings - daily He showers His grace upon us, blessings we could never earn or deserve - and those blessings all start with repenting of our sins and placing our faith in the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, and in His finished work upon the cross of Calvary (salvation from our sins, and from the penalty and guilt of them; as we walk with the Lord, He also delivers us from the power of those sins; and one glorious day in the future from the very presence of them). Then we need to be seeking Him daily and trusting in Him to meet our daily needs (more on this in part 7 below).

Psalms 103:1-2 (A Psalm of David.) Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Have you praised and thanked the Lord today for the blessings He has given to you and your loved ones?

5) Daily Lovingkindness

Psalms 143:8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Webster's 1828 Dictionary gives this simple definition of lovingkindness: "Tender regard; mercy; favor." When you break down the English words into its two root words, you get loving and kindness. Webster's also defines kindness as "1. Good will; benevolence; that temper or disposition which delights in contributing to the happiness of others, which is exercised cheerfully in gratifying their wishes, supplying their wants or alleviating their distresses; benignity of nature. Kindness ever accompanies love. 2. Act of good will; beneficence; any act of benevolence which promotes the happiness or welfare of others. Charity, hospitality, attentions to the wants of others, &c., are deemed acts of kindness, or kindnesses." I'm certain all of us could use that assurance that the Lord loves with an everlasting love us and showers His kindness upon us every day!

Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

In regards to "alleviating [our] distresses," I am encouraged by David's steadfast desire to seek the Lord each morning in prayer - every morning he would cry out to God, and then look to the Lord expectantly for His answers!

Psalms 5:1-3 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Here are some wonderful declarations and promises about God's lovingkindness towards us:

Psalms 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

Psalms 42:8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

Psalms 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

Are you glorying in the fact that you know the Lord? Are you rejoicing in His lovingkindness to you?

6) Daily Mercies

Lamentations 3:21-26 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

One of the basic truths of the Christian life is that the Lord has shown us His mercy - He has not given us what we deserve because of our sins and our many failures and falterings. He gives us new mercies everyday! So even if you fell flat on your face yesterday, if you look to the Lord in repentance today, He will give you His new mercies and a new beginning today! That new beginning will also include forgiveness and cleansing from our sins - oh, how we need that everyday!

Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalms 40:11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

Psalms 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Because of the Lord's lovingkindness and tender mercy shown to them every morning, the Psalmists chose to declare and sing about their Lord every day, as a testimony to others - we should do likewise!

Psalms 92:1-2 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

Psalms 59:16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

Psalms 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

What's new with you? Have you claimed those new mercies today - that new beginning - and are you singing a new song?

7) Daily Provision

Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

Luke 11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:33-34 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

We are not to worry or fret about our daily needs - we are instead to seek the Lord, seek His will and do it daily, and then He promises to meet all our daily needs. If you have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you, which was your greatest need, then your Heavenly Father promises to meet all the rest of them as you walk with Him.

Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Psalms 34:9-10 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Psalms 145:15-16 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

The Lord will give daily provision. It is interesting that the words provide and provision mean (as defined by Webster's) "literally to see before. To procure beforehand; to get, collect or make ready for future use; to prepare." The Lord has seen all your needs ahead of time, and has set things into motion so that those needs would be met in their proper timing. I would encourage you to read a biography on a great man of prayer named George Mueller, and be amazed at all the ways the Lord had provided for the needs of his orphanages throughout the years. The Lord changes not! He is still the same, and able to meet our needs just the same!

Whether the Lord has to drop manna from the sky to feed His people in the wilderness (see Numbers 11:7-9; Exodus 16:35), bring ravens by to feed His prophet Elijah, or bring neighbours by with extra food from their gardens, God is not limited, and can still meet all our needs today!

Nehemiah 9:20-21 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst. Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

1 Kings 17:3-6 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

Are you seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness today?

8) Daily Renewal

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Sometimes this world wears us down - whether it be physical and mental struggles of living in a sin-cursed world, spiritual battles and learning how to die to ourselves daily, or being oppressed and distressed over the sins of others - and we just need to get away from all the hustle and bustle of this weary world, and spend some much needed time with our Saviour. Jesus promises rest for those who are heavy laden; promises refreshing to those who take time out from their busy schedules, come away from the world, and learn from Him.

Psalms 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Song of Solomon 2:10-13 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Let's follow Jesus' example, and spend some time with our Heavenly Father in prayer:

Matthew 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. Mark 6:31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

Have you spent time today with your Saviour? Spent time in His Word? Spent time in prayer and fellowship with Him? Has your soul been refreshed and renewed today? If not, He is still waiting to spend time with you!

Great is Thy Faithfulness

(Words by Thomas O. Chisholm)

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my father!

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not:

As thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth.

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Chorus:

Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness,

Morning by morning new mercies I see:

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Praise the Lord for all His daily benefits unto us!

July 1st/07

Jerry Bouey

60 Day Devotional Series: Numbers In The Bible