Psalm 27 – heaven today

I’ll contemplate his beauty;

Oh yes! One day when my race is run, when I have suffered all, I will eventually escape from this harsh world and the Lord will take me home. There I will spend eternity with Him. Just looking at him all day long.

That might be your thinking but to me there is just so much more. There is this thing called life. No small matter seeing it is what Jesus died for. Life in His presence. Life with Him. Now!

My bible says it is the gift of God that I received when I believed. It is the new creature I became already. Already I am a son of God. All has already happened the moment I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. So I am already in heaven. In His presence, seated with Him. Living in His house.

So to see Jesus, to contemplate His beauty is not a joy that awaits us but a reality that already exists. We have the perfect picture of Him revealed in His Word. When you read the Word look for Jesus, His character, His loving, graceful attributes are publically and openly displayed. As you search scripture often you at first miss things as they are overshadowed by Him himself.

Take time this morning to let His beauty amaze you. Be reignited in your love and worship of Him as you are reminded of just how wonderful He is.

But let it not just be what is written that you see. Look around you and see His creation. His beauty reflected. His majesty, His power, His attention to every little detail. It is impossible to sit in any place and not somehow see God in your surroundings.

See Him too in the people around you. Look past who they are, what church they go to. Look for Christ in them. Look at love, look at mercy, look at goodness, look at grace and let them show you Jesus.

Gaze upon Him in the Spirit. As you worship, as you pray, as you meditate allow yourself to be cuaght up in Him. Allow the Spirit to open your eyes that you may see him, sense Him and be intimate with Him.

We live in a world messed up by man. A violent, angry, selfish world which more often than not seems hopeless. It is no wonder people buy the thinking that one day we will go to be with Him. Oh friend. He is with you right now. Take time now to be with Him.

Contemplate His beauty, even now, and watch the world receive hope. Gaze upon Him and you will see the very things that will make the world a better place.

Death is no reward for the living, we have been given life. Life in His presence. Now! Look at Him and love being where you are.

Psalm 17 – Because you have promised.

I’m not trying to get my way in the world’s way. I’m trying to get your way, your Word’s way.

My way! From the time man is just a small baby the fight starts to get his own way. He will scream and throw tantrums if he doesn’t. It is not long and he will learn ways to manipulate others, be it with charm or cuteness, or naughty cleverness but he will find ways to force others and force the situation to favour him in order to get his own way.

My way in the world’s way. The world is run by a dog eat dog mentality. Each one trying to get ahead. A lot of scheming. A lot of stepping on others. A lot of  things and most of it selfish. The world’s way is based on me. What I want, what I think is good, my timing. manipulation, demand, take by force, illegal means if I have to. Me me me at all costs.

But you are a child of God. His Spirit dwells in you. Your desires are His desires. Your greatest desire is to see Him glorified. To see that everything is done His way. To see the will of God manifested and fulfilled through your life. You do, don’t you?

When this is true in your life then immediately it can no longer be your way but HIs way. That’s just part of accepting the Lordship of Jesus. Just the reason you needed a saviour. Just the explanation of why man fell in the first place. We are restored and will prosper and succeed. We will grow and expand when we come to realise that His way is the only way. When we seek His will be done.

It is not natural for man to do. Happily accept that your way might not be the best way. But again I say you are a child of God. You are no longer a carnal being seaking the desires of  the flesh. It is no longer a matter of this is my way and this is God’s way so which one is better? It is not a case of having your own opinion and then comparing or laying it down to allow God’s will to be done. The one born again of the Spirit of God is one with God. Having the spirit of God. You think like God and have God’s desires in your heart. You desire what He desires. His way becomes your way. His will is your will. It is, isn’t it?

It is not a case of always stopping and asking what Jesus would do or want. Child of God knows and does the will and way of God without thinking. You are as He is on earth. His ways are higher but you are living in Him manifesting Him on earth. Not a robot programmed to do but you are Christ on earth.

His Word dwells in you. His Word leads you and guides you in His way. By His Word your mind is renewed, not programed. Your heart loves His Word and constantly seeks to see it fulfilled. And so His promises become your desires. His Word tells you His will for your life. His Word promises you exactly what He wants for you. His Word promises you an abundance of life that far surpasses any desire of man and that abundance becomes your desire.

The way you now seek is the way of the living word inside of you. Fed and stirred up by the promises of God. If God promised it you desire it. God’s way. God’s will are yours today.

Thy will be done. My desires be granted because I desire what you desire for me.

Do it for me today Lord because you promised.

Psalm 16 – The LIFE path

Now you’ve got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I’m on the right way.

Now that your ticket to Hell has been cancelled, you have turned and are headed in totally the opposite direction. This way is not the way to somewhere but is the way of LIFE. Not the path to life  but the life path.

Walking in the presence of God starts the moment you turn to Him. He immediately gives you life as a gift. No longer a ticket in your pocket but the Spirit of God, the Christ living in you. Not something awaiting you. A way of life, an abundant life that you walk in from that moment on.

The Bible says we were dead but he has made us live. The Bible teaches that we have come out of darkness into His glorious light. All radiant from the shining of His face.

Two thoughts come to mind as this is meditated on. The life path is lit up by His glory. It is His goodness, His presence, His power, His Word that lights up the path. As we walk in His will glory shines around us. As we follow Him we will always walk in the light. Able to see the obstacles, nothing hidden, no dark bushes for anything to hide behind.

His face shining down on us. Him smiling over us. His joy at us. His delight that we are His. The truth of His word shining on our way. His glory our cover.

And then there is you reflecting His glory. So not only is your path all radiant but you are radiant, reflecting the the shining of His face. As you walk the life path, walking with God, walking in His presence, following His Word, the radiance of His glory is upon you and will reflect off you into your surrounds. You bring Him glory. You cause His name to be glorified

You know that you are on the life path. You know that this is the right way by this radiance, the proof of His presence. You are secure on this path since he has taken you by the hand. God has never forced anyone to turn to Him. Never taken anyone by the hand and forced them against their will. But by His love and grace He has hovered next to you, prompting you to have your ticket to hell cancelled. By His spirit He has worked in your heart that you would know there is a better way and the moment you believed that and turned he took you by the hand and He will never let you go.

He will lead you along the life path. Guiding you and carrying you where necessary. He will see you through safely, leading you into the fulfilment of every promise. You don’t need a ticket. You are there already. Walk the life path into the fullness, the total manifestation of who you are in Christ.

Life is not a destination, it is a journey. Enjoy every moment.

Psalm 14 – It’s what’s inside that comes out

A David psalm. Bilious and bloated, they gas, “God is gone.” Their words are poison gas, fouling the air; they poison Rivers and skies; thistles are their cash crop.

 OH MY GOD! What was that? A shout of triumph? An irrepressible cry of ecsatacy?  A shout of praise? The beginning of a line in worship? A cry for help?

Or is it just a phrase used commonly to express punctuation or some form of feeling?

Everywhere you turn today there is blasphemy. The name of God is not sacred on TV, in public speaking and journalism. People use the names of God as swear words. People mock God, make jokes about Him.

People talk and act as if God were some commoner who may once have existed. Is “God” a word to be used without reference to anyone. Yet surely when You say “MY” God you are talking of something personal?

And you hear it. And you hear it. And you hear it. And what happens?

If you, like me, have a relationship with the one true living real God in person then every time you hear His Name your spirit becomes excited. Hearing the name of your beloved, hearing the lover of your soul being called stirs you deep within, preparing you for his presence. Your love for Him makes you eavesdrop every conversation that mentions His name.

When you hear His name visions of joy and peace and freedom and power and healing and prosperity flood your mind.

But when you hear the blasphemy and the loose usage  your spirit screams out against it. That’s my God! You can’t talk like that. That’s my God! How can you say things like that. But you keep on hearing it and what happens.

You become desensitised. Your ears become dull to it and your spirit become quiet. And next thing you know you are doing it too. You begin to hear other Christians going ‘Oh my God’ for no real reason and begin to do it too.

That’s what foul air does. At first people cannot breath but stick around and you will adapt. That’s what poison does it infiltrates the space and fills the occupants with it’s sickness. That’s what pollution does. It kills and destroys everything it touches.

This foul air, this poison and pollution is being billowed out of the hearts of men. It is what is inside them that flows out of their mouths. Telling you what they are and trying to force their lack of belief into your world. Have you noticed how quickly a group discussion will stamp out talk of our saviour but so freely each mouth will spew forth this poison. Men become angry when faced with talk of Jesus but are happy to use His name as a speech crutch.

Your guard against this revolting practice is to guard His Name within you. Meditate on His name. Meditate on the meaning of His Name. Call on His name, use it to express your self to Him. Be secure in the knowledge of what His name does. Hold His name tight in your heart and soul and mind. Love His Name.

Don’t turn a deaf ear. Don’t pretend it’s not an issue. Let what is inside of you be stirred up. Rebel against it. Speak His Name with reverence and holy pride. Override the blasphemers with praise and testimony of the Name above all names.

Greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world. Don’t let the world belittle Him.

Listen to what is coming out of your own mouth. Is it the casual tossing around of words or is it glorifying God.

It’s what is inside that comes out