THE LORD WILL FINISH IT!

 

Saturday, April 18, 2026

 

THE LORD WILL FINISH IT!

 

Ps 138:8

8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me:

 

Comfortingly, the Hebrew word translated “perfect” here is the word gamar (gaw-mar') and means “to end.” The idea is that God will bring all that concerns us to a successful completion. The New Testament confirms this thought in the following verse.

 

Phil 1:6

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

 

The Greek word for “will perform” is epiteleo (ep-ee-tel-eh'-o) and means to fulfill further (or completely), i.e. execute; by implication, to terminate, to bring to a full and satisfying end.

 

God will keep working on me until He is satisfied with the finished product. He will keep on working despite my ignorance until wisdom begins to develop in me. He will keep on working despite my weakness until His strength is made perfect. He will keep on working in spite of my stubbornness until I am humbled because He is a firm but loving heavenly Father. He will bring me to maturity.

 

God will keep on fine tuning His purpose for me. He will bring into my life those who can influence me for good even if the circumstances of these encounters seem bad at the time. He will shut down some of my pet projects because they do not fit His purposes for me. He will lead me through hard paths because they end in the accomplishment of His greater purpose. He will allow pain and restrain pleasure so that I may become mature.

 

Rom 8:28-31

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

 

Dear Lord, thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for seeing value in me that I cannot see in myself. Thank you for changing my good plans for your better plans. AMEN

 

DO YOU REALLY WANT IT?

 

Friday, April 17, 2026

 

DO YOU REALLY WANT IT?

 

James 1:5-8

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

 

Jas 1:5 

If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. 

 

                We need wisdom to deal with some folks who drive us crazy! They do things they should not do and then tell us that we didn’t see what we clearly saw. Sometimes we believe the lie against our own senses. Psychologically, there is a word for it, and we need wisdom to combat it.

 

                James says that, if we ask for wisdom, God will give it to us – generously. But there is a catch. You have to ask without doubting. This is not referring to doubt regarding receiving the wisdom but doubting as to whether we really want it. We doubt whether we really want to know. This is self-doubt.

 

                Double-minded is from the Greek dipsuchos and it means “two-spirited; vacillating in opinion or purpose.” You can’t have two opposing opinions on the same matter, or you will tear yourself apart. Paralysis is the result.

 

                Begin with the attitude that you really WANT God’s wisdom on a matter and that you firmly intend to ACT on the wisdom God gives you even if God disagrees with you. The request for wisdom is set in the context of trials so don’t expect a calm to sweep over you before wisdom appears. Wisdom will sometimes appear within a storm.

 

Isa 30:20 

Though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of oppression, yet your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will [constantly] see your Teacher. 

Isa 30:21 

Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left. 

 

Lord, even during a storm, let me hear Thy voice of wisdom. AMEN

 

THE GIFT OF FELLOWSHIP!

 

Thursday, April 16, 2026

 

THE GIFT OF FELLOWSHIP!

 

Mal 3:13-16

13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord . Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord  of hosts?

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

16 Then they that feared the Lord  spake often one to another: and the Lord  hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord , and that thought upon his name.

 

          Malachi chapter three is about more than money! There have been so many references to verse 10 that it is easy to think that this chapter is all about tithing but it is actually a mirror of our current times. Worship had deteriorated into a series of forms and rituals while the hearts of many were asking if it was vain to serve God. Most saw no benefit in it but a few remained faithful.

 

          Merriam-Webster says that “fellowship” is “the condition of friendly relationship existing among persons; a group with similar interests.’ There are three characteristics given to those who were faithful.

 

          They feared the Lord! The word “fear” suggests a reverence that adjusts one’s morality. It is respect that causes one to change or to be different. It is respect with honor. It caused them to depart from evil and to keep God’s ordinances.

 

          They spoke often to one another! They mutually encouraged one another. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said: “Communion is strength; solitude is weakness. Alone, the fine old beech yields to the blast and lies prone on the meadow. In the forest, supporting each other, the trees laugh at the hurricane. The sheep of Jesus flock together. The social element is the genius of Christianity.”

 

          They thought on His name!  They meditated on the person of God. Much of our thinking is about ourselves; our needs and our comfort but these thought on the various aspects of God. God was in their heart. God listened in! When we are casually having fellowship with other believers God hears and records it.

 

Ps 119:63

63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

 

Dear Lord, thank you for the sweet fellowship of other believers. AMEN