God singing with joy

 

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

There are many verses in the Bible where God's people are commanded to sing joyfully to God. But here's a delighful news: God rejoices over His people with singing!

The redeemed people rejoice in the salvation they have received, the Redeemer rejoices seeing the result of His work of redemption. Both are singing!

Let God's redeemed sing for joy, for the Almighty rejoices over them with singing.

From my diary,

January 30, 2023

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD

 

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17,18

Such is the contented heart, free complaining spirit. Even if expectations are not met, even if there is lack in different areas, the one with a contented heart has no lack of joy. If I have such a heart, I will say. "If my hopes do not come true, if my dreams remain dreams, if my prayers are not answered in the way I want, I will still rejoice in the God of my salvation." He is the God of my salvation. that's enough to rejoice.

From my diary,

January 29, 2023

All things work together for the good of those who love God

 

My God will hear me

 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

There is faith, trust, expectation in the prophet's words. He waits for the Lord, and while waiting, he does not look elsewhere, but looks to the Lord. My God will hear me. He is not just a distant, unknown God, but HIS God. He will hear me because he is MY God, not a stranger to me. He will hear me because He likes to hear prayers. He will hear me, because He has heard me many times before. He will hear me because He promised to hear.

I will look unto my Lord, wait for my Lord, and I know that my God will hear me.

From my diary,

January 27, 2023

All reactions:

77

Praying for God's mercy

 Have mercy on me Lord, for I call on you all day long. Psalm 86.3

David longs for the most precious thing; God's mercy.

Therefore he does the most necessary thing; he calls on the Lord.

The frequency of his prayer; all day long!

I need the same thing; God’s mercy. I will do the same thing; I will call on the Lord all day long.

From my diary,

January 26, 2023

The Lord will withhold no good thing

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11

Here is the wonderful promise: the Lord will withhold no good thing.

 Here is the condition of receiving that promise: walking uprightly.

It is not written that the Lord will withhold  "no pleasant thing", or "no desired thing’’, but "no good thing".

God gives me what He sees as good, not the things that I see as good.  Just because I think something is good doesn't mean it is good. There are things that I know are good, therefore  the Lord will surely give. If I  ask for sanctification, victory over sin, the fruit of the Spirit, understanding of God's Word,  peace, wisdom, the Lord will surely give them. I just need to walk uprightly and trust  in Him who withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly.

From my diary,

January 25, 2023

The day of trouble - a day of prayer

 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord… (Psalm 77:2).

The day of trouble should be a day of prayer. The day of trouble is a day of seeking. When trouble comes, I should go to the throne of grace. I will seek the Lord, not other consolations.Asaph sought the Lord, that's why he was able to testify. " You are the God who does wonders" (Psalm 77:14).

From my diary,

January 24, 2023

My strong refuge

 Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my Rock and my Fortress. Psalm 71:3

My faith may not be strong, I am not strong myself, but my refuge is strong, where I am not a guest, but a permanent resident.

There may be dangers and storms outside, but in my strong refuge there is peace, serenity, safety.

My Lord, You are my Fortress, I will dwell in You for ever.

From my diary,

January 23, 2023

Barnabas, a good man

 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. Acts 11:23, 24

The Bible calls Barnabas good. He is one of my favorite biblical characters of the New Testament.

1. He was filled with the good Spirit; the Holy Spirit.

2. He was filled with a good thing; faith.

3. He rejoiced over a good thing: when he saw God's grace, God's work in people.

4. He gave the Christians a good exhortation; to cleave unto the Lord, with purpose of heart.

Here is my heart’s desire; to cleave unto the Lord with purpose of heart.

From my diary,

January 22, 2023

Hold fast what you have

Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. Revelation 3:11

I will hold fast the things that the Lord has given me , because what I have received is valuable, because the enemy wants to take it away, and because Jesus is coming soon. People hold on to things that are precious to them, things that they can’t afford to lose. If they are indifferent, if they don't care if they lose or not, they will not hold fast I should not be indifferent, I should realize the value of things given by the Lord.Then I'll hold fast on what I have.

From my diary,

January 21, 2023

 

Bottled in heaven

 

You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? Psalm 56:8

David knew that God does not ignore the sorrow, suffering, and tears of His people. Our Lord has a collection! He collects the tears of His people; tears of repentance, tears that are shed fighting against sin, tears of those who say: ‘’O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?’’ (Romans 7:24). He collects the tears of those who say: ‘’Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law’’. (Psalm 119:136)

Our Lord has a diary where He writes about the sorrows and tears of His children. The tears of God's children are not forgotten. they are bottled in heaven, written in God's book.

From my diary,

January 20, 2023

How can I?

 “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred. Hosea 11:8

How can these questions not melt the frozen heart, not break the stony heart? These questions of God express His amazing mercy, His willingness to forgive, His reluctance to punish. He does not want to abandon His people, even though they do not deserve His forgiveness, His mercy.

When He says: " How can I give you up?" my heart’s response should be. "How can I leave You?" When He says: " My heart churns within Me;", my heart should say. "How can I grieve Your heart with my sins?" When He says. " My sympathy is stirred ", my heart should say. "How can I be ungrateful, and not appreciate Your great lovingkindness?"

These questions of God cause in us repentance, thankfulness, and hatred for our own sins.

From my diary,

January 19, 2023

No room for other desires

 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1Peter 2:2,3

Only those who have truly tasted the Lord's goodness can long for the pure spiritual milk of God’s Word, Lack of desire for God's Word shows that a person has not tasted the sweetness of God. Let the longing for the Word of God completely occupy my heart and mind, so that there is no room for other longings. When other desires come and try to find a place in my heart, let them see that all the rooms are occupied, and those rooms will never be available to them.

From my diary,

January 18, 2023

So many reasons to pray

 Yet you do not have because you do not ask ... (James 4:7)

The reason for not having it is simple: you don't ask. Here are some reasons for not asking: you don't believe God will give, you don't have the patience to wait for God's answer, you rely on yourself, you ask others instead of God, you don't realize the privilege of prayer.

As long as people consider prayer a duty and a task, not a privilege, and a means of receiving comfort, strength, victory, they cannot pray truly.

They may say words of prayer, but not ask for anything concrete. And they don’t find anything to ask for, because they don’t know God's promises; therefore they don’t ask for their fulfillment, they do not know the commandments of God, therefore they do not pray that they may keep them, they do not know that they are subject to temptation, so they do not feel the need to pray that they may not enter into temptation, they don’t know how dangerous are the devices of the devil, therefore they don’t pray to resist them, they don’t know what gifts they have, therefore they don’t ask for strength and opportunities to use them for God’s glory.

Those who know all these things, always have many reasons to pray, always have something to ask for.

From my diary,

January 17, 2023

The Master is here!

 The Master is come, and calleth for thee. John 11:28

Martha's words were the best news for Mary. Their brother had departed this life, but the Source of Life had come to them. The Jews had come to comfort the sisters, but the true Comforter was calling them. The Jews thought that Mary was going to the grave to weep, but she was going to the grave to meet the One who has the power to call out of the grave. Mary did not weep there for long, the reason for her weeping was removed by Him who wept with them.

From my diary,

January 16, 2023

Being like Bible women

 Being like Bible women

Lord, give me the diligence of Rebekah,

Though I don't need to draw water for camels

I want to show everyone the Source of the living water.

Give me the meekness and the zeal of Ruth,

Though I don't need to glean among the ears of grain,

I want to work in Your field with humility.

Make me wise like Abigail was

And help me to be a peace-maker

In difficult situations.

I want You to make me like Esther,

Though I am not a queen nor a beauty,

I want to be selfless like her.

Give me a heart of worship and thirst for Your Word,

I want to sit at Your feet and give You the most precious thing I have

Like Mary of Bethany did.

I want to be like Tabitha,

Though I am not skilled in her handiwork,

I want to help people like she did.

I want so much to be like Priscilla,

Though there is no Aquila in my life,

I want to serve You whole-heartedly like she did.

Lord, make me what You want me to be,

Though I don't know and don't understand many things,

I'm so happy to be Your daughter.

2008