Our Lord Does Not Delay

Reading:  II Peter 3
My Verse:  "The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance" (3:9).

Dear Lord God, how I long to see You, to have You return triumphantly.  I long for the release You will give us - release  and freedom from our sin nature, from all the ugliness that persists here on earth.

Yet, I am so thankful You are "long-suffering."  I am thankful You are "not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance."  So You are giving more time to those that need it.  You are not delaying Your return, You are simply loving us and drawing us to You.

Peter gets across here the all important message that "the day of the Lord will come like a thief."  Because that day is coming, he asks "what kind of person ought you to be?"  He goes on to tell us that if we truly are expecting our Lord's return, if we have this hope in us, then we should "be eager to be found by Him without spot or blemish and at peace [in serene confidence, free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts]" (3:14).  I should be ready every moment of every day.

All of Scripture points to this day - "the day of the Lord."  "For whatever was thus written in former days was written for our instruction, that by [our steadfast and patient] endurance and the encouragement [drawn] from the Scriptures we might hold fast to and cherish hope" (Romans 15:4).
Thank You Lord God for the Word.  Thank You that we are able to read and study and draw sustenance, encouragement, guidance and hope from it.  We may not know the when of Your return, but we do know that this great event will happen because You tell us so in Your Word, the Holy Scriptures.

Yes, Lord, You may seem to delay - You may seem to tarry.  We, because we are limited by time wait impatiently, and our waiting seems overlong.  But thank you for Your great love and patience.  Thank You that You love us so much You are "not desiring that any should perish."  My impatience is mere selfishness, forgive me.

You have given me another day to be a light here on this earth, another day to pray for loved ones that do not know You, another day to glorify You.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Mere Mists

Reading:  II Peter 2
My Verse:  "These are springs without water and mists driven along before a tempest, for whom is reserved forever the gloom of darkness"  (2:17).

Peter is speaking here of the false teachers.  Lord God, You have much teaching on false teaching.  You know us so well. You know how prone we are to choose the counterfeit.  We choose that which does not require us to give ourselves totally to You.  We want to choose that which does not require us to admit our sin and our deep need of You.  We tend to choose only that which will make us feel a bit better about ourselves but allow us to live as we choose.  But this way is only "springs without water and mists driven along before a tempest."

"Springs without water"  signify no true nourishment, nothing to sustain one's soul.  So many religions when traced back to their origin are based on one man's ideas.  I just heard of one such that is based on the writings of one Emmanual Swedenborg, a scientist turned philosopher.  He did not believe salvation comes from faith alone.  He believed that works had to be a part of the equation.  A church grew up out of this teaching.  The church is old and mystical, sounds quite lovely and noble.  Yet according to You Lord God. according to Your word - the one and only thing that saves is belief in, faith in Your finished work, Your sacrifice on the cross.  We can do nothing to add to that.  "not of works lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:9).

Both James and Paul teach that good works should come out of one's salvation.  Becoming one with You should so transform us that we exhibit good works in our lives.  But works do not save, cannot save.  Our works are a pitiful thing compared to what You, Lord God did for us.

No matter how lovely or noble a religion is - if it strays from Your Word, then it is a false teaching.  It is a "mere mist driven along before a tempest."  There is no real substance to it.  We must ever be careful of becoming too enamored with any one person or idea.  We must never let a person or idea replace You and Your Word - for there only is Truth.

"For no prophecy ever originated because some man willed it (to do so - it never came by human impulse), but men spoke from God who were borne along (moved and impelled) by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21).

The "gloom of darkness"  awaits all those who choose to follow false teachings. 

Thank You, Lord God, Jehovah God, for Your Word.  We are able to search for ourselves the fathomless riches within.   You and Your Word are not mere mists that only confuse.  The more one searches the scriptures the more clear things become, the more understanding one reaches.  You and Your Word bring clarity and security.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Cleverly Devised Stories?

Reading:  2 Peter 1
My Verse:  "For we were not following cleverly devised stories when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty (grandeur, authority of sovereign power.)" (1:16).

The is so amazingly wonderful.  I have been thinking much about how we are to be ever ready to give an answer for what we believe.  How many religions require that of their followers?  You Lord God, do not ask us to blindly follow You.  Instead, You tell us to search out the Scriptures - diligently seek the Truth.


"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."  (Jeremiah 29:13)

Peter tells us here that he and the other apostles "were not following cleverly devised stories" but they were eyewitnesses of You!  Peter pointed out that the "prophetic word" was "made firmer still" through You and the work that You did. (1:19).

Man is ever seeking truth.  Here is an interesting quote on that.  "Those who seek truth, seek God, whether they realize it or not." (Edith Stein)  You, Lord, tell us.  "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life." (John 14:6).  You also tell us. "And I tell you, ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Luke 11:9).  I like the context of this verse.  It is basically telling us the whoever is persistent, to him will be given what it is he seeks.

One of my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis said this on the truth of Christianity.  "If Christianity is untrue, then no honest man will want to believe it, however, helpful it might be, if it is true, every honest man will want to believe it even if it gives him no help at all."   I take from this that man, at least those that are honest, seek truth not for what it will give them but simply because it is truth.

Peter closes this passage with, "You will do well to pay close attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dismal place, until the day breaks through [the gloom] and the Morning Star rises (comes into being) in your hearts" (1:19).  The "it" here being the gospel message.

The whole of the Bible is a great collection of stories, but they are not just "cleverly devised stories."  They are the gospel message inspired by You, Lord God.  The whole of the Bible is truth, Your Truth and without it we would be a desperate people indeed.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

My Helicopter God!

Reading:  I Peter 5
My Verse:  "Casting the whole of your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for he cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully" (5:7).

While visiting a college with our son, my husband and I sat in on a parent seminar.  The professor pointed out some characteristics of today's college freshmen.  He then stated that even the parents of today's college kids have a label - helicopter parents.  I know that this tends to have negative connotations - over bearing and overly controlling parents among these.  However, I do not see it that way. I agree some parents may go too far but for the most part,  I see these parents as loving and caring and devoted. These are parents committed to their children's welfare and want the very best for them.  And so You our Lord are to us, your children.  Dare I say Lord that You are like these helicopter parents?

I like that image of You hovering over me - ever vigilant - ever loving.  You constantly watch over me "for He . . . cares about you watchfully."

I like that You watch over us not to catch us in a wrong but to help us out of messes we create for ourselves.  You watch over us to guide us on safe paths.  "He makes me to lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside the still and restful waters.  He refreshes my soul"  (Psalm 23, 1,2).  You love us and watch over us lovingly, Yes, You are a God of love, "for He watches over us affectionately."

I am to cast myself on You - all my anxieties, all my worries, all my concerns.  I am to do this once and for all!  Yet, O Lord, how I struggle with this!  I keep taking things back and worrying over them.  Like Paul I know what I am to do but find myself not doing what I should!  "For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled, bewildered].  I do not practice or accomplish what I wish, but I do the very thing that I loathe ["which my moral instinct condemns]" (Romans 7:15).  You know my struggles here - I entrust them to You. I cast this, too, on You!

Lord, help me each day to cry out to You!  "The Lord is my Shepherd.  I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1).  You are a diligent, living, loving God. You hover over me affectionately and watchfully!  Help me to keep this image of You at the forefront  today!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Culmination of All Things

Reading:  I Peter 4
My Verse:  "But the end and culmination of all things has now come near; keep sound minded and self-restrained and alert therefore for [the practice of ] prayer" (4:7)

I like how the Amplified Bible speaks of the end - "culmination of all things."  The ESV further explains this phrase with "all the major events in God's great salvation plan - culminating in the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ and the outpouring of the spirit at Pentecost - had already taken place."  This had all happened in Peter's lifetime and so he saw Your return as imminent.

There are still a few things that need to occur according to Revelation but rapture could occur at any time couldn't it Lord?  So, yeah, since Peter's day Your return for us can happen at any time.

This causes me to look at the whole of the Bible - it is so complete, Genesis to Revelation.  It is our history.   No other writing is so well documented, so well preserved, so well supported by other writings.
Genesis tells of our beginning and Revelation of our end.

"In the beginning,  God created the heavens and the earth"  (Genesis 1:1).

"He Who gives this warning and affirms and testifies to these things says, Yes, (it is true).  I am coming quickly.  Amen!  Yes, come, Lord Jesus!"  (Revelation 22:20)

Peter is reminding us here of  how You Lord God, have nearly completed all things here on earth.
Peter then cautions us to "keep sound-minded and self-restrained."  So many have caused You, Lord, to be ridiculed by their erratic, ill-conceived and irrational behavior supposedly in Your Blessed name!  Yes, You are truth.  You are sound minded and orderly.  You tell us to be so.  Those that truly seek Truth will see past the crazies!

Peter also admonishes us to be "alert therefore for [the practice of] prayer."  Oh, Lord, so many do not know You yet.  So many keep putting You off.  Help me to be more prayerful.  Help me to be a light that points to You!

Yes, Lord, Your return is imminent for the "culmination of all things has come near."  I pray that we might all be able to say with John.  "Yes, come, Lord Jesus!"

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

A Logical Defense

Reading:  1 Peter 3
My Verse:  "But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy [and acknowledge Him] as Lord.  Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully"  (3:15).

I tend to get nervous when I think about this "Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone for the hope that is in you."  Lord, forgive me because I forget You in this.  Peter points out that I must "in (my) heart set Christ apart as holy."  This must come first - always!

Only then will I be able to through You "give a logical defense."

But I feel nervous and doubtful of my ability to give a good rationale for my belief.  I have never been very good at speaking - at being forcefully convincing.  I feel like I tend to lose my way.  I know this is because I forget You in the process!  I am in awe of those with the great skill of oratory.  I do not have that and so I can empathize with Moses when You, God, called on him to speak for his people.

Again I know, Lord, You provide us what we need when we need it.  You have shown us this throughout Your Word - in the life of Moses and so many others.  Thank You for the many examples of Your provision here - how I need reminding!

You created us with fantastic, rational, intelligent minds.  You expect us as this scripture states to use our minds intelligently, "but . . . courteously and respectfully."

Help me to continually renew my mind with You as Paul calls on us to do in Romans 12:2.  "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind , so that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. '

Help me to place You always at the forefront of my mind, to dwell on You.  "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8).  By thinking on "these things"  I will be studying You.  I will be preparing my mind.

Only You and  Your Word can  correct my wrong thinking and shape my mind to think and speak after Your most logical thoughts with courtesy and respect!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

By His Wounds

Reading:  I Peter 2
My Verse:  "He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered  Himself on it], that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.  
                   By His wounds you have been healed" (2:24).

Just out of curiosity I looked up a couple reports on antidepressant drug usage in the USA.  According to these reports usage doubled between the years 1996 - 2005, and continues to rise.  People are hurting and having trouble dealing with all that their lives demand of them.  And these sre just the documented doctor prescriptions!  There are many who use either alcohol or illicit drugs to ease their misery.

Tozer in We Travel An Appointed Way says this.  "Unnecessary burdens are crushing the life out of people every day . . . Civilization has not made our lot easier except in things pertaining to the body; the burdens of the heart are growing more numerous, and science has found no remedy."  The only aid science has come up with are drugs that dull the pain and senses, so that we become a society numb to our world.

Life is hard - no question about that.  But, You, Lord God knew the awful burden of sin.  You knew how it would crush us.  Try as we may, and many do try, we cannot live a truly free, normal, unburdened life.

Lord God, You paid the terrible debt for " . . . without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins"  (Hebrews 9:22 ESV).   You personally "bore our sins."

No, I cannot get by without admitting I am a sinner.  I cannot fix things on my own.  I must admit You died on that cross for me, to save me.

You only, Lord, are the "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6).   When  You asked Simon Peter, if he and the other disciples would also leave Him as so many did when they realized You wanted not just their works but their whole selves, Peter responded in his characteristic emphatic way!  "Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life"  (John 6:68).  So do I respond, Lord Jesus.  I see no other truth, no other way.  I cannot live without believing that You saved me by Your wounds.

There is a wonderful song "By His Wounds" performed by Littrel, Powell, Hall, and Chapman. It can be viewed on YouTube. I truly enjoy this song whenever we sing it during our worship service at church. 

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Easter - this special time that we celebrate that amazing thing You did for us.  For it is "By His wounds you have been healed."  And I continue to be healed.  Thank You.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

He Guards Us!

Reading:  I Peter 1
My Verse:  "Who are being guarded by God's power through [your] faith [till you fully inherit that final salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time" (1:5).

How wonderful is that!  What a blessed assurance.  Lord, throughout scripture You remind us that You do not expect us to walk in the Way alone.  You know we are too susceptible to distractions, to backsliding.

All You ask of us is that we keep our eyes on You.  Seek You out day by day.  Admit our need. Cry out to You in our need.  Yes, I need to cry out to You in my need as did David.

"Listen to my words, O Lord, give heed to my sighing and groaning.  Hear the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You do I pray"  (Psalm 5:1,2).

"Have mercy on me and be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am weak. . . "  (Psalm 6:2).

"Have mercy upon me, o God, according to Your steadfast love, according to the multitude of Your tender mercy and loving tenderness blot out my transgressions"  (Psalm 51:1).

Yes, if I cry out to You, for You promise to guard me!

"You will keep them and preserve them, O Lord; You will guard and keep us from this [evil] generation forever"  (Psalm 12:7).

"Keep and guard me as the pupil of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings"  (Psalm 17:8).

And finally that most wonderful of verses! 

"And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ, developing and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you" (Philippians 1:6)

I am truly blessed to belong to the One and Only True God - the God that is personal and caring - the God that guards me every step of the Way!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Tyranny of the Urgent

Reading:  James 5
My Verse:  "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.  See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains.  You also, be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand"  (5:7,8).

Our society today seems to have succumbed to the tyranny of the urgent.  We rush, rush, rush.  Even when seated we cannot be quiet -  cell phones, computers come out.  We must be constantly busy.  We strive to keep our minds ever engaged in something.  The busyness seems to be what we need to make us feel like "Yeah I have a life!"  We want to be responding to the seemingly ever urgent matters in our life.

I just saw a news report on our need for 'white space.'  In other words we need to learn how to quiet our minds, to let our minds rest.  We seem to have forgotten how to be still - to enjoy a quiet moment.  This is something You told us in Your Word.  "Be still, and know that I am God"  (Psalm 46:10 NIV).  Is this why we keep so busy?  Is it to avoid thinking of You?

James paints a lovely picture here of the farmer waiting "for the precious fruit of the earth." He tells us we need to learn to be as patient.  For as surely as the harvest will come for that patient farmer so You will one day return for us, Your followers.

James goes on to tell us to "establish your hearts."  The Amplified Bible explains this - "strengthen and confirm them in the final certainty."  That final certainty is the fact that You are coming back!

"Let not your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.  And you know the way to where I am going" (John14:1-4 ESV).

So, yes, Your return is imminent.  I am to look forward to that with the patience of a farmer - full of hope and anticipation.

Dear Lord, I pray I do not succumb to the tyranny of the urgent - that keeps me from looking up - that keeps me from being still - that keeps me from patiently waiting for You!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

A Yearning God!

Reading: James 4
My Verse:  "Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?" (4:5)

What a poignant thought - my Lord God yearning for me!  It is almost too great for me to think on.

Dear, Lord, that You love me in a most personal way is a fact I so often miss or forget.  Because I get caught up in the immediacy of my daily life You become distant to me.  But You are ever there, ever yearning after me.

You long for me to turn my eyes upon You as I go about my day.  "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, . . ."  (Isaiah 26:3).  You long for me to rest in Your loving arms. "Come to Me, all you who are labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest" (Matthew 11:28).

Lord, I think of the Shulamite maiden in the Song of Solomon when she questions her own love for her shepherd.  "Tell me, O You Whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon.  For why should I be as a veiled one straying beside the flocks of your companions?" (1:7)  Do I truly love You, Lord God, with all my heart in spirit and in truth?  Does my spirit crave You even in the presence of all that this world offers me?

Am I always aware of Your divine presence?  You are omnipresent.  This I know.  You are ever loving.  That, too, I know.  But, dear Lord God, I cannot say I am always aware of Your ever present yearning for me.  It is so personal. so intimate.

Again I think of You walking and talking with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Somehow this picture shows me Your personal love and caring for us, Your created beings. It shows You as a real, loving, personal God.  I cannot comprehend the heartbreak You knew when they chose to be disobedient.  Neither can I fully comprehend the love -personal intimate love You have for me.  I can only pray, Lord God, that You will bless me, that You will continue to draw me to You, that You will continually open and enlarge my understanding of Your yearning love.

"And I will give you [spiritual] shepherds after My own heart [in the final time], who will feed you with knowledge and understanding and judgement" (Jeremiah 3:15).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Unbridled Tongue

Reading:  James 3
My Verse:  "Even so the tongue is a little member, and it can boast of great things.  See how much wood or how great a forest a tiny spark can set ablaze!" (3:5)

We are amazing beings, indeed!  You, Lord God, created us to be communicators.  You walked in the Garden of Eden to talk with Adam!  Here James addresses this great importance of our speech and the dreadful misuse of this great gift from You.  An unbridled tongue can cause such havoc.

The metaphors used here are wonderful.  Our tongue, though a small member of our body has large consequences.  James likens it to . . .

    "bits in the mouths of horses" (3:3)
   "ships . . though so great . . are steered by a very small rudder" (3:4)
   "a fire" (3:6)

James goes on to speak of the dreadfulness of an unbridled tongue.  He asks how is it possible to bless God and then curse man who is made in God's image.  More wonderful metaphors  illustrate this concept.

   "does a fountain send forth from the same opening fresh water and bitter?" (3:11)
  " Can a fig tree . . . bear olives?" (3:12)
   "...a grapevine figs?"  (3:12)
   "Neither can a salt spring furnish fresh water." (3:12)

Verse 10 states, "These things, my brethren, ought not to be."

The tongue truly exposes our souls for James goes on to teach of the root causes of an unbridled tongue.  They are jealousy, envy, selfish ambition, pride in self and defiance to the Truth.  (3:14)

Lord God, I have uttered words I would so like to take back. Forgive me for the hurt, pain, confusion I have caused others.  I cry out to You to put a guard over my tongue this day.  Put a guard over my heart that sin would not have its way in my life.  I pray for the "harvest of righteousness."  I pray for a "peaceful mind free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts."

"Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord.  Keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psalms 141:3).

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear"  (Ephesians 4:29 NASB).

Yes, an unbridled tongue is a fearful and dreadful thing.  Only You, Lord God, can keep it in check if we but ask You to do so.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Faith To Be Acted On!

Reading: James 2
My Verse:  "What is the use (profit), my brethren, for anyone to profess to have faith if he has no [good] works [to show for it]?  Can [such] faith save [his soul]?"  (2:14))

The answer to Jame's rhetorical question here is, of course, no.  He continues this theme of our faith being reflected in our lives.  Does my faith shine through me?  Do I act it out in my day to day life?

Faith as defined in Hebrews 11:1 is.  "Now faith is the assurance of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.]."

The dictionary on my ipad says of faith:
    1.  confidence or trust in a person or thing
    2.  belief that is not based on proof
    3.  the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement , etc.
    4.  the observance of this obligation; fidelity to one's promises, oath, allegiance, etc.

I especially like three and four here as they point out my part in faith.  For I do have a part - every day!  I am a professed Christian, a child of You, Lord God.  But each day I need to act on this faith that I have put in You.  Each day I need to make that decision to look to You as my guide in all that I do.

James makes us face up to this daily decision with his question.  "What good is it . . . if someone says he has faith but does not have works?" 

There is a fine line here.  I cannot do 'works' on my own, of my own strength - that is a dead end.  I cannot claim to have 'faith' but have no visible signs of that faith in my life.  I would only be deceiving myself.  I would not be observing my obligation of loyalty as stated in definition number four.

It goes back to being genuine.  I cannot pretend to be something I am not.  If I truly belong to You, Lord God, You will transform me to be all that You mean for me to be.  I must also trust that there are no accidents with You.  As Your child You keep and guard over my every step, every moment of my life.  I really like how Tozer states this.

"The man of faith may live in the absolute assurance that his steps are ordered by the Lord.  For him, misfortune is outside the bounds of possibility.  He cannot be torn from this earth one hour ahead of the time which God has appointed, and he cannot be detained on earth one moment after God is done with him here.  He is not a waif of the wide world, a foundling of time and space, but a saint of the Lord and the darling of His particular care."

Thank You, Lord God.  How I need constant reassurance to build my faith so that I can act (live) it out in my life.  I am so blessed to belong to You.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!