Not Alone

Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. - Genesis 2:22-24

When God put Adam in the Garden of Eden, He gave him everything he needed. Adam was in charge of the plants and the animals. He would never get hungry or thirsty. He never had to worry about bad weather or shelter from the elements. Best of all, Adam had a personal relationship with God, one can only imagine how wonderful that must have been. But even with all of his needs being met, God knew that Adam was alone. None of the animals served as a comparable mate, even though Adam knew them and named them. God loved Adam so much that He made a mate just for him – a woman.

In society today, there is much debate about the roles of man and woman, especially related to marriage issues. There are those who disagree with the biblical account of what God intended in creating man and woman and why He put them together in the first place. We get hung up on the concepts, duties and rights of marriage to the point that the true meaning of it is lost. The most basic element of marriage is companionship, to never have to be alone. God's heart for us is that we never feel alone. Whether married or not, we need friends and relationships that encourage and edify us. Loneliness can be debilitating and depressing to the point of death.

Where are you today? Most of us are living in the Garden, where our basic needs are met, but what about true companionship? If you are lonely and feeling isolated, start praying to the Lord for His help. The enemy will keep you isolated as long as he can. Take the steps to get involved in a Bible study with small groups and fellowship opportunities. Volunteer and get involved to help others. In helping others, you also help yourself. You never know what God has in store for you. One thing you can be sure of – He does not want you to be alone.

~Daily Disciples Devotional~

All Are Recipients

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not." (Lamentations 3:22)

All men are recipients of God's mercy. Don't think for a minute that when you repented and came back from the swine pen to the Father's house that mercy then began to operate. No, mercy had been operating all the time. So, remember that if you hadn't had the mercy of God all the time, stooping in pity withholding judgment, you'd have perished long ago. The cruel dictator is a recipient of the mercy of God. The wicked murderer a recipient of the mercy of God.  And the blackest heart that lies in the lowest wallow in the country is a recipient of the mercy of God.

All men are recipients of the mercy of God, but God has postponed the execution, that is all. When the justice of God confronts human guilt then there is a sentence of death, but the mercy of God - because that also is an attribute of God, not contradicting the other but working with it - postpones the execution.

Mercy cannot cancel judgment apart from atonement. When justice sees iniquity, there must be judgment. But mercy brought Christ to the Cross. I don't claim to understand that. I'm so happy about the things I do know and so delightedly happy about things I don't know.

Lord, when I realize how much we deserve Your judgment, I am once again in awe of Your great mercy. Thank You for the message of the Cross. Amen

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The Sweetest String of Our Harp

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead to sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved). (Ephesians 2:4-5)

When through the blood of the everlasting covenant we children of the shadows reach at last our home in the light, we shall have a thousand strings to our harps, but the sweetest may well be the one tuned to sound forth most perfectly the mercy of God.

For what right will we have to be there? Did we not by our sins take part in that unholy rebellion which rashly sought to dethrone the glorious King of creation? And did we not in times past walk according to the course of this world, according to the evil prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience? And did we not all at once live in the lusts of our flesh? And were we not by nature the children of wrath, even as others? But we who were one time enemies and alienated in our minds through wicked works shall then see God face-to-face and His name shall be in our foreheads. We who earned banishment shall enjoy communion; we who deserve the pains of hell shall know the bliss of heaven. And all through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us.

Lord, let me begin even now to sing of Your great mercy. My voice may be poor and my earthly instrument rusty, but my heart is full. Amen

~A. W. Tozer~

Affirming Divine Sovereighty

Our God remains incomprehensible and retains His simplicity. He tells us in His Word that He is not a God of confusion but of order. He is not at war with Himself. He is altogether good, altogether holy, and altogether sovereign. This we must affirm to maintain a biblical concept of divine sovereignty. Yet we must always balance this understanding with a clear understanding that God always exercises His power and authority according to His holy character.

He chooses what He chooses according to His own good pleasure. It is His pleasure that He does.

He chooses what is pleasing to Himself. But that pleasure is always His good pleasure, for God is never pleased to will or to do anything that is evil or contrary to His own goodness.

In this we can rest, knowing that He wishes for, and has the power to bring about, all good things for us His children.

Coram Deo: Living in the Presence of God

What difficulties are you currently facing? Reaffirm your trust in the sovereignty of God, who is working all things together for His good pleasure.

For Further Study

Psalm 103:19: "The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all."

Psalm 66:7: "He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; do not let the rebellious exalt themselves."

1 Chronicles 29:12: "Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all."

~R. C. Sproul~

Infinite Mercy

"But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children." (Psalm 103:17)

There is an old story about the Jewish rabbi centuries ago who consented to take a weary traveler into his house for a night's rest.

After they had eaten together, the rabbi said, "You are a very old man, are you not?"

"Yes," the traveler replied, "I am almost a century old."

As they talked, the rabbi brought up the matter of religion and asked the visitor about his faith, and about his relation to God.

"Oh, I do not believe in God," the aged man replied. "I am an atheist."

The rabbi was infuriated. He arose and opened the door and ordered the man from his house.

"I cannot keep an atheist in my house overnight," he reasoned.

But then the voice of God said, "Son, I have endured him for almost 100 years - don't you think you could endure him for one night?"

It was the mercy of God that had endured the atheist for nearly 100 years.

Lord, You have endured and continue to endure so much from Your creation. Your mercy is indeed from everlasting to everlasting. Amen

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A Boundless and Fathomless Flood

"And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy." (Exodus 33:19)

There has been a lot of careless teaching that implies that the Old Testament is a book of severity and law, and the New Testament is a book of tenderness and grace. But do you know that while both the Old Testament and the New Testament declare the mercy of God, the word mercy appears in the Old Testament over four times more often than in the New?

God's infinite goodness is taught throughout the entire Bible. Goodness is that in God which desires the happiness of His creatures and that irresistible urge in God to bestow blessedness. The goodness of God takes pleasure in the pleasure of His people. i wish I could teach the children of God to know this. For a long time it has been drummed into us that if we are happy, God is worried about us. We believe He's never quite pleased if we are happy. But the strict, true teaching of the Word is that God takes pleasure in the pleasure of His people, provided His people take pleasure in God.

"The mercy of God is an ocean divine, a boundless and fathomless flood." Let us plunge out into the mercy of God and come to know it.

Thank You, Lord, for your mercy, that out of Your goodness You delight in the happiness of Your children. Amen

~A. W. Tozer~

For Just A Little While

Today's Scripture will start with the very last word of 1 Peter 1:4, just so you know who it is talking about, and go through verse 7,

…you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Notice in verse 6 it says, Though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials.  That phrase "a little while" literally means a season.  The King James Version says, Though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.

I like the phrase "a little while".  That tells me the season is going to end.  It is not forever.  Every season ends.  Winter ends.  Spring ends.  Summer ends.  Fall ends.  Every season has a beginning, and every season has an end.

If you are in a trial right now and feeling the weight of it, you are grieved because of it,  I have good news.  It will not be forever.  Things are going to change.  It may not seem like it, but that season will come to an end.

Even if you are not experiencing a trial today, I am confident you have gone through such a season, and it is likely that you will probably experience such a season again.

When you do, or if you are today, be encouraged.  God's Word wants you—and me—to remember it is for just a little while.

~Bayless Conley~

I Hate the Sin You Love

"O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy." (Habakkuk 3:2)

God's wrath is His utter intolerance of whatever degrades and destroys. He hates iniquity as a mother hates the diphtheria or polio that would destroy the life of her child.

God's wrath is the antisepsis by which moral putrefaction is checked and the health of the creation maintained. When God warns of His impending wrath and exhorts men to repent and avoid it, He puts it in a language they can understand: He tells them to "flee from the wrath to come" (Luke 3:7). He says in effect, "Your life is evil, and because it is evil you are an enemy to the moral health of My creation. I must extirpate whatever would destroy the world I love. Turn from evil before I rise up in wrath against you. I love you, but I hate the sin you love. Separate yourself from your evil ways before I send judgment upon you."

O LORD ... in wrath remember mercy" (Habbakuk 3:2).

Lord, I'm grieved to see the evil in the world all around me. Help me to be a light today to lead someone away from Your wrath and into an experience of Your mercy. Amen

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The Ocean of His Grace

"And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." (John 1:16)

I dare to ask in this context: What have you received of His grace and mercy?

Even though you may still be unconverted and going your own way, you have received much out of the ocean of His fullness. You have received the pulsing life that beats in your bosom. You have received the brilliant mind and brain within the protective coverage of your skull. You have received a memory that strings the events you cherish and love as a jeweler strings pearls into a necklace and keeps them for you as long as you live and beyond.

All that you have is out of His grace. Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, who became flesh and dwelt among us, is the open channel through which God moves to provide all the benefits He gives to saints and sinners.

And what about the years, the rest of your existence?

You cannot believe that you have earned it.

You cannot believe that it has something to do with whether you are good or bad.

Confess that it is out of His grace, for the entire universe is the beneficiary of God's grace and goodness.

Lord, I so often forget how totally dependant I am on Your grace for everything in life. I confess that today, and thank You for Your mercy. Amen

~A. W. Tozer~

Grounded In Truth

Psalms 25:4-10

If we'll let the truths of Scripture fill our minds, guard our emotions, and influence our conduct, God will richly reward us. I'm talking about spiritual blessings here (though He at times chooses to bless materially as well). By reading and meditating on His Word, you'll learn to understand His ways. This isn't something we can figure out on our own, because His ways are unlike ours—they are higher, bigger, and eternal.

Also, your relationship with the Lord will grow increasingly more intimate because He chooses to reveal Himself to those who seek Him and obey His instructions. When you see that God always keeps His promises, your confidence in His faithfulness will soar. No matter what the situation, you'll know you can trust Him. Then He'll transform your worries into joyful anticipation about what He's going to do next in your life. Even if hard times await, you'll be convinced that the Lord will work them out for good.

A life grounded in truth is powerful. Those who live by the Word develop spiritual discernment, which guides their choices and guards against deception. Because they demonstrate wisdom and godliness, the Lord enables them to impact others greatly. Since He knows they can be trusted, He also gives them greater responsibilities and opportunities for service in His kingdom.

With all this available to us, wouldn't it be wise to invest our time and energy in building the truth of God's Word into our lives? The other activities which clamor for our attention seem so important or pleasurable, but none of them can offer us the spiritual riches of a life grounded in truth.

~Dr. Charles F. Stanley~