Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. (KJV)
“I had nothin’ to live for, and look like nothing's gonna come my way. So I'm just gonna sit on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away.” Those of a certain age will recognize the lyrics of Otis Redding’s classic “Dock of the Bay.” If it comes on the radio, most people will turn it up, and everyone around will start singing along. It is a catchy tune.
Yet those are the lyrics of despair. They describe why teenagers and those with good jobs, a marriage, and children, and the elderly at times feel led to commit suicide. Despair is the absolute lack of hope. Everything seems bad at the moment, but what is worse, nothing good is on the horizon.
Christians no less than anyone can be attacked by despair. Satan would love us to believe that our situation is hopeless. Yet God, far from offering a greeting card sentimentality, calls us to strong hope. He tells us to be of good courage, to take heart, to live boldly. He promises to strengthen our hearts, hearts that we all know can be breeding grounds for doubts and fears. All this is for those who will risk defying the world and its depressing, despairing message to put their hope in the Lord, Who defied even death itself and rose victoriously to the life to which He now calls us.
O Lord, my God, I have chosen before to follow You wherever You lead, and I boldly make that choice again today. You are my God, my light and my life. I adore You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. I place my hope in Your unfailing love. Amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
February 20 (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. (KJV)
Confusion and chaos surround us. On the world stage, there are violent protests, brutal regimes, and the ever-present threat of nuclear war. On the national front, there are bitter disputes over healthcare, abortion, and the economy. At the local level, families struggle with rising gas prices, job security, and rearing children in a violent, dangerous, and pornographic culture. I have never been so uncertain about just about everything as I am at this time, and uncertainty breeds fear and stress. I simply do not know how to sort through all the issues that surround us. I do not know what to do.
And so it is that the words of this famous Proverb come to mind. I do not need to know how to deal with all that threatens those around me. The only thing about which I must be certain is the Lord my God. What deep comfort these words offer! Trust the Lord with all your heart, ever single fiber of your being. Trust Him with your worries and fears, your struggles and challenges. Stop trying to figure it all out yourself. Acknowledge His sovereignty in your job, your marriage, your family, your finances, your political concerns, your dreams for the future. The God Who is Truth has promised that He will direct your paths.
Lord, in the words of the old hymn, I surrender all to Thee, my blessed Savior. You know the burdens of my heart, even those I do not admit to myself. Take them, Lord. They are Yours. Guide me in the way of truth that I may walk pleasing and acceptable in Your sight. This only do I ask in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
Confusion and chaos surround us. On the world stage, there are violent protests, brutal regimes, and the ever-present threat of nuclear war. On the national front, there are bitter disputes over healthcare, abortion, and the economy. At the local level, families struggle with rising gas prices, job security, and rearing children in a violent, dangerous, and pornographic culture. I have never been so uncertain about just about everything as I am at this time, and uncertainty breeds fear and stress. I simply do not know how to sort through all the issues that surround us. I do not know what to do.
And so it is that the words of this famous Proverb come to mind. I do not need to know how to deal with all that threatens those around me. The only thing about which I must be certain is the Lord my God. What deep comfort these words offer! Trust the Lord with all your heart, ever single fiber of your being. Trust Him with your worries and fears, your struggles and challenges. Stop trying to figure it all out yourself. Acknowledge His sovereignty in your job, your marriage, your family, your finances, your political concerns, your dreams for the future. The God Who is Truth has promised that He will direct your paths.
Lord, in the words of the old hymn, I surrender all to Thee, my blessed Savior. You know the burdens of my heart, even those I do not admit to myself. Take them, Lord. They are Yours. Guide me in the way of truth that I may walk pleasing and acceptable in Your sight. This only do I ask in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
Sunday, February 13, 2011
February 13 (Psalm 24:1)
The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. (KJV)
You belong to God, but not just because of your faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ leads you to eternal life with God, as opposed to living eternally apart from Him, but everything and everyone on the earth belong to Him simply because they are His creatures. Think about that for a moment. President Obama and your next-door neighbor belong to God. Your cousins belong to God, as do Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, and Nelson Mandela. Hugh Hefner and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad belong to God every bit as much as the lady who sits next to you at church and your child’s teacher at school.
You likely nodded your head in affirmation as you thought about some of those people. Of course the lady who sits next to you at church belongs to God. She is always so nice to ask how you are doing each week. At the same time, it might have bothered you to think that violent leaders and pornographers also belong to Him. How could they, given what they do?
We all belong to God by virtue of our having been created by Him. The most devout among us and the greatest of sinners all belong to God. How much, then, must God grieve when His creation goes astray? How much must God want His creation to turn to Him and accept His grace and love? How much must He want those who already have accepted the gift of life to share it with those who have not?
Father, it is too easy for me to look at others and think less of them because of their sinful actions. Forgive me my pride and so fill my heart with Your love that it flows out in word and deed to all around me. May everyone You put in my life come to bow to our Lord Jesus Christ, in Whose name I pray, amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
You belong to God, but not just because of your faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ leads you to eternal life with God, as opposed to living eternally apart from Him, but everything and everyone on the earth belong to Him simply because they are His creatures. Think about that for a moment. President Obama and your next-door neighbor belong to God. Your cousins belong to God, as do Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, and Nelson Mandela. Hugh Hefner and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad belong to God every bit as much as the lady who sits next to you at church and your child’s teacher at school.
You likely nodded your head in affirmation as you thought about some of those people. Of course the lady who sits next to you at church belongs to God. She is always so nice to ask how you are doing each week. At the same time, it might have bothered you to think that violent leaders and pornographers also belong to Him. How could they, given what they do?
We all belong to God by virtue of our having been created by Him. The most devout among us and the greatest of sinners all belong to God. How much, then, must God grieve when His creation goes astray? How much must God want His creation to turn to Him and accept His grace and love? How much must He want those who already have accepted the gift of life to share it with those who have not?
Father, it is too easy for me to look at others and think less of them because of their sinful actions. Forgive me my pride and so fill my heart with Your love that it flows out in word and deed to all around me. May everyone You put in my life come to bow to our Lord Jesus Christ, in Whose name I pray, amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
Sunday, February 6, 2011
February 6 (Deuteronomy 30:6)
And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. (KJV)
We were made to love God, but we all know that we do not. Oh, we go through the motions and may at times even love Him in truth, but it is an effort and, quite frankly, loving God takes a back seat to a busy agenda. It is a nice idea to be Mary, but Martha is the name of the game.
We cannot love God as we were made to with the buildup of sin and daily distractions that gather around our heart. These must be cut away, circumcised, by God Himself before we can hope to love Him as we should. It is not just a matter of our own knuckling down and trying harder to be more disciplined with daily devotions. We must ask God to circumcise our hearts so that we can be free to love Him.
What is blocking your heart? Is it a particular sin that keeps cropping up? Is it the details of life or worries for the future? God already knows what is keeping you from Him. He wants you to ask Him for his help in drawing closer.
Father, there is almost nothing that cannot separate me from you when I let it. I am distracted by the tasks before me, by my desire for pleasure, by worries, by concerns, and by sin. Yet Paul promised that nothing in fact can separate us from Your love through Christ Jesus. Circumcise my heart, Lord, from all that prevents me from loving You as I should. Set me free so that, in You, I may truly live. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord, amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
We were made to love God, but we all know that we do not. Oh, we go through the motions and may at times even love Him in truth, but it is an effort and, quite frankly, loving God takes a back seat to a busy agenda. It is a nice idea to be Mary, but Martha is the name of the game.
We cannot love God as we were made to with the buildup of sin and daily distractions that gather around our heart. These must be cut away, circumcised, by God Himself before we can hope to love Him as we should. It is not just a matter of our own knuckling down and trying harder to be more disciplined with daily devotions. We must ask God to circumcise our hearts so that we can be free to love Him.
What is blocking your heart? Is it a particular sin that keeps cropping up? Is it the details of life or worries for the future? God already knows what is keeping you from Him. He wants you to ask Him for his help in drawing closer.
Father, there is almost nothing that cannot separate me from you when I let it. I am distracted by the tasks before me, by my desire for pleasure, by worries, by concerns, and by sin. Yet Paul promised that nothing in fact can separate us from Your love through Christ Jesus. Circumcise my heart, Lord, from all that prevents me from loving You as I should. Set me free so that, in You, I may truly live. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord, amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
Sunday, January 30, 2011
January 30 (2 Corinthians 4:6)
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (KJV)
This is an amazing verse. The very One Who created the light of the universe, the same God of Genesis 1:3 who spoke light into existence, shines in our hearts so that we may know Him.
So why do we not spend more time in those secret chambers of our hearts, dwelling with our Lord in His radiant grace? Why, when we are tired, do we prefer to dwell in the dimness of so-called reality television? Why, when we are worried, do we prefer to seek avoidance in a flurry of activity, or what is worse, in addictive substances? Why, when the pressures of life are upon us, do we go anywhere other than to our Lord, Who has chosen to dwell within us through the Holy Spirit?
This verse, which can provide incredible comfort, is also a challenge to our faith. We may read the Bible, go to church, and give mental assent to the proposition that Jesus is Lord, but do we really believe it? If we really believe that God has chosen to dwell with and within us, then why would we not want to spend more time in quiet, secluded joy with Him?
Lord, you have given me a birthright through the adoption of my baptism. Forgive me for all the times I have exchanged it for anything less. Restore to me the joy of my salvation, and teach me to dwell in Your courts forever. In the name of Christ Jesus, my Lord, amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
This is an amazing verse. The very One Who created the light of the universe, the same God of Genesis 1:3 who spoke light into existence, shines in our hearts so that we may know Him.
So why do we not spend more time in those secret chambers of our hearts, dwelling with our Lord in His radiant grace? Why, when we are tired, do we prefer to dwell in the dimness of so-called reality television? Why, when we are worried, do we prefer to seek avoidance in a flurry of activity, or what is worse, in addictive substances? Why, when the pressures of life are upon us, do we go anywhere other than to our Lord, Who has chosen to dwell within us through the Holy Spirit?
This verse, which can provide incredible comfort, is also a challenge to our faith. We may read the Bible, go to church, and give mental assent to the proposition that Jesus is Lord, but do we really believe it? If we really believe that God has chosen to dwell with and within us, then why would we not want to spend more time in quiet, secluded joy with Him?
Lord, you have given me a birthright through the adoption of my baptism. Forgive me for all the times I have exchanged it for anything less. Restore to me the joy of my salvation, and teach me to dwell in Your courts forever. In the name of Christ Jesus, my Lord, amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
Sunday, January 23, 2011
January 23 (Psalm 18:43-44)
Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. (KJV)
Many of the Psalms contain a double meaning. A large number come out of the experiences of David, but many also are prophetic about the life of Jesus. It is easy to see the verses for today as among the prophecies obviously fulfilled in Christ. Jesus is indeed the head of all creation, and people who were not alive in His time serve Him today. Indeed, strangers submit themselves to Him, for there was no such thing as an American, an Australian, or a Canadian in the modern sense during the 1st century.
So, if this passage is about Jesus, then do we make our Lord a liar on a daily basis? It also says, “As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me.” How often do we hear a message at church, in the Bible, or from some other source and know that God is calling us to do a particular thing? When that happens, do we obey at once, or do we put it on the back burner? Do we weigh the pros and cons? Do we think about how to get out of it? Do we ignore the call completely?
When Jesus called Matthew from his tax-collecting table, the man left his job at once and followed. When our Lord called James and John, they left their father in the middle of their work and followed. God does not offer us propositions to consider. He makes calls upon our lives. Anything less than immediate acceptance is a refusal.
O Lord, my God, weaken my ties with the world as You strengthen my identity in You. When You speak, may I speak. When I speak, may it be with Your words. May my life be one of such utter obedience that anyone who sees me, sees You. In the name of my Lord, Jesus, Who was obedient even unto death on a cross, amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
Sunday, January 16, 2011
January 16 (Isaiah 5:20)
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (KJV)
Where does one go to know what is right and what is wrong? If you listen to any voice that comes from within our culture, it will tell you to listen to your own voice. Yet if I were honest, I would have to admit that many of the things God calls good, I prefer not to do, and what He calls bad are pleasing to me. Now if, after having listened to my own voice on such matters, I go back to the culture around me, I will find many voices willing to encourage me in my sins. In fact, a quick listen to any of the nightly news shows, a quick glance at the newspaper or Internet, followed by even the briefest of looks at the Bible will reveal that our age proudly calls evil good and good evil.
There can be no switching of one for the other. Good and evil are what God says they are in His eternal word, and no legislation of man or Madison Avenue spin or Hollywood advocacy can make it otherwise. Good and evil, light and darkness, right and wrong are not subjective issues open to interpretation. They are rooted in the unchanging Truth Who is Jesus Christ, communicated through the words of Scripture and taught by the Church, the body of Christ on earth, for two thousand years. Woe, says the prophet Isaiah, to anyone who would try to confuse such matters.
Where are you and I guilty of this? Do we try to excuse our pet sins as really okay based on the false gospel that God wants me to be happy? Do we go along with false ideas in our culture because we do not want to seem intolerant? Just how far have we drifted from our Lord and His teachings?
Father, forgive me when I try to persuade myself or others that good is really bad, or bad is really good. Help me to know deeply the truth of right and wrong and to follow it at all costs, no matter how unpleasant. In the name of my Lord Jesus, Who suffered the evil of the cross for the ultimate good, amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
Where does one go to know what is right and what is wrong? If you listen to any voice that comes from within our culture, it will tell you to listen to your own voice. Yet if I were honest, I would have to admit that many of the things God calls good, I prefer not to do, and what He calls bad are pleasing to me. Now if, after having listened to my own voice on such matters, I go back to the culture around me, I will find many voices willing to encourage me in my sins. In fact, a quick listen to any of the nightly news shows, a quick glance at the newspaper or Internet, followed by even the briefest of looks at the Bible will reveal that our age proudly calls evil good and good evil.
There can be no switching of one for the other. Good and evil are what God says they are in His eternal word, and no legislation of man or Madison Avenue spin or Hollywood advocacy can make it otherwise. Good and evil, light and darkness, right and wrong are not subjective issues open to interpretation. They are rooted in the unchanging Truth Who is Jesus Christ, communicated through the words of Scripture and taught by the Church, the body of Christ on earth, for two thousand years. Woe, says the prophet Isaiah, to anyone who would try to confuse such matters.
Where are you and I guilty of this? Do we try to excuse our pet sins as really okay based on the false gospel that God wants me to be happy? Do we go along with false ideas in our culture because we do not want to seem intolerant? Just how far have we drifted from our Lord and His teachings?
Father, forgive me when I try to persuade myself or others that good is really bad, or bad is really good. Help me to know deeply the truth of right and wrong and to follow it at all costs, no matter how unpleasant. In the name of my Lord Jesus, Who suffered the evil of the cross for the ultimate good, amen.
Copyright © 2011 by Steven R. Perkins
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