Love and meditation

 

Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97

Love for God’s Word and meditation on God's Word always go together. It is impossible to love something and not think about it. If you love, you start to think, and the opposite is true: if you think about something a lot, you start to love.

I meditate on God's Word because I love it, and the more I meditate, the more I love it;

Those who sincerely say: " Oh, how I love Your law," they will definitely also say. " It is my meditation all the day ".

From my diary,

February 6, 2023

Christ, the Householder of our heart

 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith… (Ephesians 3:17)

Apostle Paul's wish and prayer is also my prayer: that Christ dwells in our hearts, not as a guest, but as a Householder. 

He has the right to evict the previous tenants, throw out the old things, and instead put into our hearts the things He has brought: true holiness, divine love, heavenly joy, humility, strength, victory over sin.

He has the right to enter all rooms, he has the right to deny access to outsiders.

He has the right to ‘’rearrange items in the drawer of priorities’’,  He has the right to erase the desires that are not in accordance with His will. 

We tell the guests: ‘’Make yourself  at home." Jesus doesn't need to be told that because our heart is His home.

From my diary,

February 5, 2023

Countless blessings, countless praises

 

Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant. Psalm 135:3

Singing praises to the Lord can never be too much, nor can reminders to praise Him be too many. His blessings are countless, and our praises and songs must be countless. He doesn’t forget to bless us, we should not forget to praise Him.

He sends so many good things that sometimes we don't notice, we take them for granted. Sometimes we think about the things we asked for and didn't get, and we don't remember the good things that we got without asking, without earning, without deserving.

 Praise will be our constant occupation in heaven, therefore we must learn and practice it here. Every child of God is a singer in God's kingdom.

We don’t need a beautiful voice and a keen musical ear to sing praise to our Lord.  We need  a thankful  heart, ears that hear God’s Word  and open eyes that see His works.

From my diary,

February 4, 2023

Forgiveness of sins and fear of God

 But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared. Psalm 130:4

The forgiveness of sins granted by God doesn’t lead to a careless life, but to the fear of God. Forgiveness is with the Lord, not so that we continue in sin, not so that we carelessly think that He will forgive every time, but so that we fear the Lord.. A person who has received forgiveness of sins will be careful not to sin again.

The heart that has experienced the joy of the forgiveness of sins is filled with the fear of God.

He who heard these words from the Lord: "Your sins are forgiven", he also heard this: "Go and sin no more." He whohears from God: " I will remember your sins no more ", he decides in his heart: " I will sin no more."

From my diary,

February 3, 2023

Talk to Jesus when tempted

 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41

The hour of God's children's sleep is the hour of Satan's activity. Our enemy is waiting for us to sleep to bring his temptations. If we do not speak to our Lord before and during the temptation, we will be defeated by our enemy. If we do not commune with our Lord who loves us, the enemy who hates us will achieve his goal. If I do not pray in times of temptation, I will grieve my Lord, I will make my enemy happy, I will hurt myself.

I should remember this important rule: when tempted by sin, I must not talk to the enemy, and I must talk to Jesus. There is so much to say to Jesus in times of temptation.

I will say that the enemy has set traps everywhere and I will ask the Lord to guide me not to fall into them. I should say that I have never been able to overcome on my own, and I still can't without His help. I will say that my victory will glorify my Lord, will make me happy , and will disappoint the enemy.

The Lord knows all that, but He wants me to tell Him.

From my diary,

February 2, 2023

Apple of His eye

 He who touches you—touches the apple of His eye". Zechariah 2:8

God's care for His people is amazing. It is surprising that His people, knowing this, continue to worry and fear. They have God's constant care, they are as precious to Him as the apple of His eye, and they continue to fear the enemy.

I love James Smith's meditation on this verse.

‘’As the wise physician, He will touch—to cure; but He will not allow others to touch to hurt.

Like the tender mother, He will correct His children Himself—but will not allow others to do so.

How close the union!

How peculiar the affection!

How tender the sympathy!

How kind the care!

How constant the attention!

How merciful the provision!

How safe and how happy they are!’’

From my diary,

February 1, 2023

 

Self-confidence is dangerous!

 

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12

Self-confidence is dangerous, it always leads to failure. Caution and humility are necessary to avoid falling. This verse encourages constant watchfulness.

In order not to fall, I must trust only One; Jesus, and I should not trust someone; Hripsime!

From my diary,

January 31, 2023

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:

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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