Loving Jesus Style

  Romans 15:13 13  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. [1]   Devotion             There is in our nation today a mixture of hopefulness and hopelessness. On one hand we have new vaccines on the way to fight this pandemic, while on the other hand we now have over 300,000 dead Americans from the virus. At the current rate of mortality, we have 1 dead American every 30+ seconds. There seems to be no slowing in the current rate of infection. It will be awhile before we can vaccinate enough people to slow the spread of this dread disease. What the Christians response be to this situation?             Paul prays for the Roman church that the God of hope will fill them with all joy and peace. So, they may have hope. “While it is God who provides the joy and peace, it is our continuing confidence and trust in God that enables him to bless us as he does. The joy and peace given by God results

  Zayin 49     Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. 50     This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. 51     The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law. 52     When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O Lord . 53     Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law. 54     Your statutes have been my songs in the house of mysojourning. 55     I remember your name in the night, O Lord , and keep your law. 56     This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts. [1]   Devotion             This portion of the psalm opens up the psalmist’s relationship with God. God’s word is his hope and his trust amidst all derision; and when he burns with indignation at the apostates, God’s word is his solace. [2]               Verse 49 Perhaps some special private message from God to the writer is meant here. The message i

  Psalm Stanza 6 Waw 41     Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord , your salvation according to your promise; 42     then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word. 43     And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules. 44     I will keep your law continually, forever and ever, 45     and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts. 46     I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, 47     for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. 48     I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. [1]   Devotion   Verse 41: The psalmist asks God to grant his steadfast love (Hebrew chesed) and salvation to him. Also, that God would provide salvation to him as God had promised in his word.   Verse 42: A prayer for God to show favor upon the writer so th

  Psalm 119:22-40 He 33    Teach me, O Lord , the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end 34    Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. 35    Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. 36    Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! 37    Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. 38    Confirm to your servant your promise,                 that you may be feared. 39    Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. 40    Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life! [1]   Devotion If verse 33 seems familiar already there is reason for that. “This is the main prayer of the psalm—a prayer for spiritual enlightenment. It occurs eight times (vers. 12, 26, 33, 64, 68, 108, 124, and 135)”. [2] The psalmist then goes on to stay h will keep them to the time of his death.  

  Psalm 119:25-32 Daleth 25    My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! 26    When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes! 27    Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. 28    My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! 29    Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! 30    I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. 31    I cling to your testimonies, O Lord ; let me not be put to shame! 32    I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! [1]   Devotion           Note to Readers: This is the 200 th Blog Post I have been able to do. Thank you for your encouragement and patience with me as I try to be a help to you on your walk with Christ. I am deeply humbled that God has granted me over 3500 readers. I pray you will continue to find this blog an encouragement

  Psalm 119 Stanza 3 Gimel 17     Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. 18     Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. 19     I am a sojourner on the earth;                hide not your commandments from me! 20     My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times. 21     You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments. 22     Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. 23     Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. 24     Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. [1]   Devotion             In this stanza, we find the psalmist references of trials that he was going through. These trials seem to come upon him because of the fact he is trying to follow God’s direction. They seem to be related to the kinds of trials we find Jesus mentioning in his sermon