The Perfect Gift

Zephaniah 3:17

"The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

The Lord will rejoice in gladness over His people in whom He delights.  His love and mercy have nothing to do with any merit that we may possess in ourselves, but simply come from the fact that we are His creation and, as Christians, are also His beloved children.  Despite our innate wickedness and constant rebellion against His Word, He has made it possible for us to be in union with Him once more.  By our sin, we were separated from our loving Creator, but by His own blood, we can be brought back into fellowship with Him.

Every good and wonderful thing that we experience in this life and the life to come is a direct gift from our Heavenly Father, and not only are His gifts freely given if we ask, but they are also eternal.  Never do we need to worry that He will take away His love, salvation, or help in our day of trouble.  Although we truly deserve punishment and eternal separation from Him because of our defiling sin, the Lord has such great love and compassion for us that He has provided a way that we may come to Him, for He desires fellowship with His people and delights in caring for His children.  His love truly is inexpressible, and His mercy is unsurpassed.  Therefore, let us praise Him for His everlasting grace and compassion!

James 1:17

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

He Supplies Every Need

Proverbs 13:12

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life."

How often do we get bogged down with our own desires and become impatient, angry, or depressed when they take so long in coming?  Likewise, how often do we forget to thank God and repent over our own selfish lack of faith once our prayers are answered?  Although it is natural to feel anxious about matters that we wish to come to fruition as soon as possible, we must learn to leave all those matters to the Lord in prayer for He is the One who makes all things come to pass.  Ecclesiastes 3:1,11 - "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven... He has made everything beautiful in its time..."

Furthermore, when our prayers are answered or if another opportunity presents itself, we must always remember to thank the Lord for He has made all things come together at the perfect time.  Often we may become so caught up in the joy of finally obtaining what we had so long desired that we may forget that it was by God's grace that we attained it.  He is loving to those who serve Him out of a pure and faithful heart and desires to bless us according to His perfect will.  So let us truly take to heart the phrase "according to Your will, O Lord" and realize it not only refers to God's way of bringing it to pass but His timing as well.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Wisdom - Knowing God's Will

Ephesians 5:15-17

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

Do you ever wonder what the will of the Lord is for your life? Although it varies from person to person, there are a few standards that apply to every born-again believer, such as salvation through the blood of Christ, being filled with the Holy Spirit, sanctification (literally meaning to be set apart from this world unto God), submission first to God and then authority, suffering for the sake of Christ, being thankful for all that God has provided, etc.  All these are commanded of God's people, and He desires that we follow in them.

While God has given us many abilities to carry out His commands in our daily life and wishes for us to use them wisely, He also desires that we bring every matter, concern, and request before Him. Only through Him are we able to live, breathe, accomplish His will, and persevere through the Christian life as we are daily tempted by the powerful adversary of God. Our strength is not sufficient to compete in the spiritual warfare surrounding us, but with the shield of faith and sword of the Spirit, we will be prepared to meet our foe.

Therefore, come before His throne! Be bold in your salvation through the blood of Christ. Lay your burdens at the feet of the most high God, and let Him lift you up. He is our provider, our hope, our salvation, our rock, our shepherd, our fortress, and our God.  He is the Lord of lords, the King of kings, and the Ruler over all that is in earth and in heaven. He will always provide the perfect way for those who love Him.

James 4:10

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

My Psalm of Praise

I will bless the Lord in this day.  I will sing His praises from on high.  His holy name shall be declared to the peoples and His mighty works demonstrated amongst the generations.  His salvation comes to all races; it spans the ages of time.  From everlasting to everlasting, His power and grace abound.

From the beginning, His creation has forgotten Him; in sin and shame do they delight.  But ever still, His love remains constant for any who come in humble repentance.  We are no more than fallen creatures with no hope in ourselves, but God in His patient mercy has reached down from on high to make us into His children by the blood of His precious Son.

I will bless the Lord with all my soul.  His glory shines bright in this age of grace.  Amidst the chaos and emptiness of this world, He is working all out unto a triumphant end.  All we see are troubles and sorrows, but God sees the glorious end result - The mature faith of His unified people and the completion of His perfect will.  By the name of Jesus Christ, only Son of the living God, ever knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord alone!

Romans 11:36

"For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.  Amen."