Author: Jayne Lawson

Scripture: “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.” (5:21)

Observation: In this chapter, Solomon is cautioning his son about promiscuity. He explains the allure of fleshly lusts and the consequences. Near the chapter’s end, he writes about the blessings of being faithful to one’s wife. Then Solomon reminds his son that God is always aware of what His creation is doing.

Application: The world we live in sees no wrong in indulging in every carnal desire. There is no shame in behaviors that once were spoken of only in whispers or behind closed doors. Today, adultery, same-sex relationships, abortion, greed, and so many other sins are spoken of without reservation. These sins have even been glorified and applauded, while the biblical aspects of marriage, purity, and godly living are ridiculed by today’s culture.

There is no possibility that such sins can be hidden from God. He sees everything I do. In fact, because I am saved and have the Spirit of God within me, wherever I go and whatever I do, I take God with me! There is nowhere I can go where God cannot see me or know what I am doing. David stated, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Psalm 139:7-8).

It is important to remember that even after becoming a Christian, I am still a sinner… just a saved and forgiven one! Sin is still present in my life, but God is gracious and ready to forgive. I am His work in progress (Philippians 1:6). He knows there will be times when I will stumble and sin, but He is always waiting to forgive me when I repent and restore my soul by cleansing it of all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Through the study of His Word, I draw closer to the Lord by learning what is good and right in His sight. As I learn more and more about Him, I become more sensitive to His leading and that empowers me to live a life more pleasing to Him. God only wants the best for me. He doesn’t want to make my life miserable; He desires for me to follow Him, and in doing so, He blesses my life. Even now, I still suffer the consequences of past sins in my life, but I am reminded quite often (through His Word) that I have been forgiven. Jesus has taken the punishment I deserved for my sin on the cross. Through Him, I have forgiveness of sins and the promise of an eternity with Him. And while I wait to be in His presence, I know that His Spirit is with me, and like the sparrow in Matthew 10:29, God always watches over me!

Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your ever-presence in my life. Thank You for your mercies. Your Word tells me they are new every morning, and I am so grateful for that. Your compassions never fail. Thank You for forgiving me again and again. I am so sorry for those times when I choose to sin… I don’t take your way of escape, and I willfully sin against You. Please make my heart sensitive to Your Spirit, that I would pay attention when you warn and convict me of sin. Help me to say “no” and chose to walk the paths of righteousness, following in the steps of Jesus. In Your precious name, I pray. Amen.

Sweetly, Lord, have we heard Thee calling, “Come, follow Me!”
And we see where Thy footprints falling, lead us to Thee.
Footprints of Jesus that make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus where’er they go.

(from “Footsteps of Jesus” by M.B.C. Slade)

**********

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” – Psalm 86:5

Scripture: “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.” (4:26)

Observation: In this chapter, Solomon instruct his son to choose wisely the path he follows. He warns against straying from that which he knows is good and right as Solomon has taught him. He promises that if the son follows the advice of his father, his life will be better for it.

Application: Impulsive behavior is never conducive to wise actions. The allure of sin in the world is great and very attractive. Satan knows exactly how to appeal to our carnal nature, and if we give any attention to worldly temptations, we risk falling completely into the darkness of sin. When a person “dabbles with sin”, the consequences can be devastating. Solomon writes in this chapter, “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” (v. 14-15). To think we can avoid sin ourselves or stand up to Satan alone is extreme foolishness. We have a formidable enemy who knows how to present sin in ways that feed on our weaknesses and fleshly lusts. It is so easy to believe the lie that we can “handle it”. We can’t. Not without the power of God.

Ephesians 6:11 instructs us to be fully clothed in the armor of God. “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  Why? Because, as I Peter 5:8 states, “… your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” Satan doesn’t want to make us stumble; he wants to completely destroy us, our relationship with God, and our Christian testimony, thereby being ineffective in showing Christ to others who need Jesus.

Therefore, I must always consider the path I choose to walk and establish by asking myself the following questions in order to choose wisely.

• Have I prayed about this, seeking God’s guidance?
• Do my choices align with God’s Word?
• Will my choices help or hurt my testimony?
• Will my behavior bring me nearer to or farther from God?
• Will my choices glorify God?
• How will my choices impact others for Christ?
• Do I have peace about the choices I make?

Prayer: Father God, thank You for your ever-present Spirit in my life. Thank You for the Bible and its truths. Help me, O God, to make choices that delight You, that are in agreement with Your Word, and that help me to become more like Your precious Son, Jesus. May I bring You honor and glory through my choices and actions each day, being led by You in every path I take. Order my steps, Father, and empower me to walk in obedience to what You have called me to do each day. In Jesus’ precious and holy name, amen.

’Tis so sweet to walk with Jesus, step by step and day by day;
Stepping in His very footprints, walking with Him all the way.
Step by step, step by step, I would walk with Jesus,
All the day, all the way, keeping step with Jesus.

(from "Tis So Sweet to Walk With Jesus” by Albert Benjamin Simpson)

**********

“He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” – Psalm 23:3

Scripture: “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:” (3:3)

Observation: Solomon writes about following the laws of God and the wonderful things that happen to those who do. He also mentions that even the chastening of the Lord is a good thing because that happens when God loves the person (v. 11-12). Lastly, Solomon cautions about God’s actions against the wicked.

Application: Keeping mercy and truth in one’s heart comes from repeatedly studying the Word of God. As I get older, I find memorization of Scripture more difficult than I thought it would be, but not impossible! Perhaps I just got out of practice, so I am challenging myself with memorizing short sections of the Bible. My first two attempts have been very encouraging… Psalm 23 and 100. It’s taking quite a bit of time to commit these passages to memory, but hopefully by exercising my brain, I’ll get better at it.

Why is this so important to me? According to Proverbs 3:3, I need to commit Scripture to memory and “let thine heart keep my commandments…” (3:1). If I don’t know the Scriptures, I can’t keep them in my heart. It is vital for me to read the Bible for remembrance… not as simply a daily chore to check off my “to do” list. One of the benefits of memorizing verses is that it will help me refrain from sinning against God as stated in Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” It doesn’t make me less of a sinner, but it helps me recognize sin when it rears its ugly head and empowers me to fight against it.

This chapter also reminds me that God’s ways are infinitely higher than mine, and He knows what is good and right. Keeping God’s precepts is the application of godly wisdom in my life, and it comes with amazing benefits! It helps me recognize and avoid sin (v. 7), maintain a healthier lifestyle (v. 8), and receive the blessings of God (v. 10, 33-35). Lastly, when I think of the infinite mercy and grace God gives to me, my heart is filled to overflowing with unspeakable joy and eternal gratitude! Thank You, Jesus!!

Prayer: Dearest Lord, how great Thou art! How wonderful to have Your Word available to me for teaching, correction, and most importantly, introducing me to my precious Saviour, Jesus! Help me to never take the Bible for granted. It is so precious to me! Help me to memorize more and more of it, hiding it in my heart, and helping me to become more aligned with that which is good and right in Your sight. Thank You for Philippians 4:13 that tells me that “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”! In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life;
Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty, teach me faith and duty.
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

(from “Wonderful Words of Life” by P.P. Bliss)

**********

“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” – Psalm 12:6

Scripture: “Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:” (2:11)

Observation: Solomon is writing here about the benefits of having wisdom. He reiterates that wisdom and knowledge come from God, and then goes on to describe the rewards of one who has sound godly wisdom and lives accordingly.

Application: As I read through this chapter, I noticed the benefits of having God’s wisdom as a compass in my life’s journey.

1. God protects those who “walk uprightly”. (v. 7)
2. God preserves the way of His children. (v. 8)
3. I will understand every good path: righteousness, judgment and equity. (v. 9)
4. I will have discretion, which will preserve me. (v. 11)
5. I will be delivered from evil distortions of the truth. (v. 12)
6. I will not be deceived by the world. (v. 16)
7. I will be led in the way of good men and keep the paths of the righteous. (v. 20)
8. I will dwell in the place God has prepared for me. (v. 21)

What a wonderful list of benefits that come from embracing godly wisdom! Even the smallest steps in the acquisition of biblical knowledge will lead to amazing rewards! The journey for me is not the easiest, but I am not walking alone. Jesus is always with me!

Prayer: O gracious God in heaven! How great is Your love for me and I rejoice in it! Jeremiah says You love me with an everlasting love! O how my heart sings Your praises and exalts Your holy name! Thank You for loving me and desiring a relationship with me enough to die for me and then forgive me of all my sins. I am so sorry to have failed You so many times, even after being saved, but I am so grateful that Your forgiveness is unlimited. I pray for more of Your divine wisdom that I may walk uprightly and on the paths of righteousness to Your glory! Give me understanding as I read each verse in Your Word and the ability to apply them to my life to honor and serve You better. In Jesus’ precious and most name, I pray. Amen.

All that I am I owe to Thee, thy wis­dom, Lord, has fa­shioned me;
I give my mak­er thank­ful praise, whose won­drous works my soul am­aze.
Search me, O God, my heart dis­cern, try me, my in­most thought to learn;
And lead me, if in sin I stray, to choose the ev­er­last­ing way.

(from "All That I am I owe to Thee" by Henry K. Oliver)

**********
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,” - Ephesians 5:15

Scripture: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (1:7)

Observation: King Solomon is the main author of the book of Proverbs, and he writes his sayings, along with the other authors, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Chapter 1 begins with a personification of wisdom and the need for it in our lives.

Application: As a nursing student learning about medicine and the human body, I took classes taught by those who knew the content material well, so I could gain as much knowledge as possible in patient care. As a Christian seeking to know God and His ways, I must again seek out the One who has the authority to best teach it – God Himself! To learn of God, I must begin with a deep reverential understanding of who He is, and that happens through a relationship with Him. That relationship begins at the cross of Christ. Accepting Jesus’s forgiveness of my sins and choosing Him to be my Lord and Saviour is the first step in my quest for godly knowledge. Why? Because at the moment of my salvation, God’s Holy Spirit comes to dwell within me and begins to teach me godly precepts through His Word.

Learning anything new takes time, and learning about God is no exception. It is a lifelong quest for godly knowledge. Philippians 1:6 states, “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:” As a new Christian, the Spirit of God begins to teach immediately through the truth of God’s Word, continuing this process until God takes me home to heaven. I am truly a “work in progress”.

Fortunately, the Spirit teaches me wisely… in small increments… bite-sized pieces of Scripture that I can comprehend, apply to my life, and cause my faith to grow. As my faith is cultivated, my ability to understand deeper things of the Bible are revealed to me. Sometimes, the process of gaining a particular understanding of a biblical concept takes years due to my level of faith, but God is faithful and promises to continue the work in me. A deep respect for God is the beginning of wisdom because it drives me to worship Him for who He is, regardless of circumstances or feelings. To “fear the Lord” is to honor Him, respect Him, and acknowledge Him as the author of all wisdom and the best teacher I could have. God is the foundation to ALL knowledge as Colossians 2:3 states, “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” If I desire wisdom and knowledge, I simply need to sit down, pray for guidance, open my Bible, read it, and listen as the greatest Teacher speaks to my heart.

Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word and the wisdom it contains. Help me to desire Your wisdom and seek it by spending quality time with You every day. Give me understanding as You speak to my heart, and empower me to apply Your precepts to my life. Thank You for Your promise – that You will continue the work You began in me when You saved me. In Your precious name and with thanksgiving, I pray. Amen.

O bound­less Wis­dom, God most high, O Mak­er of the earth and sky,
Who bid’st the part­ed wa­ters flow in Heav­en ab­ove, on earth be­low.

O Fa­ther, that we ask be done, through Je­sus Christ, Thine on­ly Son;
Who, with the Ho­ly Ghost and Thee, doth live and reign eter­nal­ly.

(from "O Boundless Wisom, God Most High" - author unknown)

**********
“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” - Colossians 4:5

“Why hasn’t God answered my prayer yet?”

This is a common lament I’ve said over the years especially when I’ve wanted an immediate response from the Lord. I’ve had times when I’ve tried to bargain with God to get my prayer answered in my way or rationalize with Him as to why He should answer me right away! To say I’ve struggled with prayer is a huge understatement, but God, in His great mercy, has forgiven me for my presumptive nature, and He has been teaching me a great deal about prayer.

As I learn more about God and how He desires to communicate with me, I am gaining a better understanding about prayer. The apostle John wrote in 1 John 5:14-15, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” I have learned that there are specific requirements to remember about prayer if I want them answered.

First and foremost, answered prayers are those that align with the will of God. How do I know if my prayer is in agreement with God’s desires? His will is all throughout the Bible. For example, I know that God wants people to be saved. 2 Peter 3:9 states, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” and John affirms that salvation is for everyone in 1 John 4:14, “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.”

Another example in Scripture that I know is God’s will is that I am to love others.  John 15:12 records Jesus saying, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” I know without a doubt that loving family, friends, and even those “hard-to-love” folks is something God wants me to do.

One last example of knowing God’s will is in Matthew 28:19, when Jesus gives us what has come to be known as the “great commission”: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” I know it is the will of God that I share Christ with others whenever I have the opportunity to do so.

When I know the will of God and pray according to it, I can approach His throne boldly with my requests, and have the assurance that He will pay attention to my prayer and answer it in His time.

But what if I don’t know His will? How do I pray then? Sometimes we don’t know the will of God regarding a specific issue, but we are still to pray. The Bible tells us that we are to bring all of our burdens, cares, worries to Him, and He will take care of them. Philippians 4:6 instructs me, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” My responsibility is to share my heart with God, and then trust Him for the outcome. I am not to pray and tell God what to do. I am not the omniscient One; He is. Psalm 62:8 states, “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” Giving my burdens, cares, troubles to God, and then trusting Him to provide the answers for me requires me to “let go and let God” as the old saying goes. As a “control freak”, this is not easy for me, but when I choose to trust Him to work in the best interest for me and those for whom I pray, He gives me peace… His wonderful peace that truly passes all understanding… as I wait for Him to answer.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells me to “Pray without ceasing.”  I am not promised that I will understand how God works all the time, or that His answer will be what I wanted, but I am promised that when I trust Him, He will work all things to my good (Romans 8:28), and that’s what brings my heart peace in the midst of a life that’s not always so peaceful.

Pray on, pray on, believing ones, God’s promised word is sure,
That they shall overcome by faith who to the end endure;
Pray on, pray on, O weary not; the cross with patience bear,
And tho’ its burden weigh us down, the Lord will answer prayer.

His eye foresees our greatest good, while we at best are weak,
And thus in wisdom He withholds the boon that oft we seek;
And yet His all-sufficient grace, He bids us freely share,
And in a way we little know the Lord will answer prayer.

With anxious thoughts for those we love, how oft our hearts are filled,
But soon the clouds are rolled away, the troubles waves are stilled;
Then murmur not, but trust in Him, Who knows our every care,
And better for than we can ask, the Lord will answer prayer.

(from “The Lord Will Answer Prayer” by Fanny Crosby)

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;” – Colossians 4:2

**********

Never forget what James 5:16 states: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

“He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” – Psalm 40:2

Today, when I went out to fill my bird bath with water, I noticed that sitting on the fountain mechanism was a swallowtail butterfly. Its wing tips were in the water, and it wasn’t moving. I thought that perhaps its life cycle had been completed, and it had landed there to die. However, since I wasn’t too sure, I gently reached under it and lifted it up. Its tiny little feet moved slightly, so I knew it was still living. Its wings were too wet for flight, so  I carried it to my butterfly plant and set it upon one of the blooms. After a few moments, it adjusted itself slightly, but seemed unsteady on the plant. I left it there, hoping it would regain some strength.

A few minutes later, to be sure it didn’t fall off due to its weakness, I quietly returned to see if the butterfly was still on the bloom. It was, but it had positioned itself differently, spreading its wings, perhaps to avail itself of the sun’s warmth. After another few minutes, I returned once again and saw that it was now feeding from one of the tiny blossoms on the large bloom! I was elated and gave thanks to the Lord for allowing me to help one of His creatures!

This whole event reminded me that when I accepted the gift of salvation that God’s precious Son, Jesus, provided for me when He died on the cross, God lifted me from the miry clay of sin that threatened to destroy my life. Then, like the butterfly who was renewed after feeding off the bloom, after I accepted Christ as my Saviour, I was fed from His Word which gave me new life in Him! Now I can spread my spiritual wings and fly for Him, sharing the gospel… the good news of God’s plan for mankind’s redemption… whenever He provides an opportunity for me to do so!

My heart was distressed ’neath Jehovah’s dread frown,
And low in the pit where my sins dragged me down;
I cried to the Lord from the deep miry clay,
Who tenderly brought me out to golden day.
He brought me out of the miry clay,
He set my feet on the Rock to stay;
He puts a song in my soul today,
A song of praise, hallelujah!

(from “He Brought Me Out” by Henry J. Zelley and H.L. Gilmour)

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31

**********

Oh, to be a butterfly in the hand of God! What joy divine!

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” – Hebrews 13:15

To “worship” means to show feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for someone or something. Some people worship nature, their ancestors or material things, while others worship power, fame, or money. However, the Bible tell us our worship belongs only to GOD, and it also tells us why only God deserves our worship.

Revelation 4:11 states, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

2 Samuel 22:4 gives us David’s words, “I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.”

Revelation 5:12 records the voices of thousands of angels as they proclaim, “…Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

Simply put, we need no other reason to worship God other than the fact that He is God. However, the Bible provides us with insight into the character of God, which explain why He alone should be the object of our worship. Here are just a few of those reasons.

W –

• Wisdom – the right use of knowledge, discernment – “Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.” (Job 36:5)

• Wonderful Counselor – One who strengthens and supports; “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

• The Way – road, passing area for men, direction; “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

O –

• Omnipotent – all-powerful; “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:”  (Jeremiah 32:17)

• Omniscient – all-knowing; “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.”  (Psalm 147:5)

• Omnipresent – everywhere; “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139:7-10)

R –

• Refuge – shelter or protection from danger; “The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” (Psalm 9:9)

• Righteous –  just, holy in heart, according to the divine law; “For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” (Psalm 11:7)

• Rock – immovable foundation; “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4)

• Redeemer – restores rights and/or position by paying a ransom; “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

S –

• Son of God – “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)

• Saviour – One who saves from any form of evil; “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” (1 John 4:14)

• Shepherd of the sheep – “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) 

• Spirit of God – “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;” (Isaiah 11:2

• Sustainer – One who upholds; “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” (Psalm 55:22)

H –

• Holy – sinless, pure; “Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.” (Psalm 99:9)

• Heart – seat of one’s affections and passions; “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

• Hope – Having the belief in that something is obtainable; “For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.” (Psalm 71:5)

I –

• Intercessor – One who pleads on behalf of another; “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25))

• Immanuel – God with us; “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

P –

• Pardoner – One who forgives or absolves an offender; “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” (Micah 7:18)

• Protector – A defender or guardian; “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

• Peace – a state of quiet and tranquility, absence of conflict; “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)

This not an exhaustive list of why God deserves our worship, but it gives us a glimpse as to why He alone is the One worthy  of it.

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!

(from “How Great Thou Art” by Stuart K. Hine)

“Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.” – Psalm 99:5

**********

Take a moment to reflect on who God is, why He alone is worthy of our worship, and then lift your voice in praise to Him!

(photo courtesy of Samantha Campbell)

“For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.” – Hebrews 2:16-18

Sometimes when I am studying a specific passage in the Bible, the Spirit of God opens my eyes to new meaning, and it totally amazes me. Today, as I focused on Hebrews 2, I was drawn to the last 3 verses.

Jesus chose to leave heaven and become flesh (John 1:14) to experience everything that humanity would face, things that He would not experience as God. For example, the temptation to sin is not in God’s nature. God is sinless; He is perfect; He is holy. He makes no mistakes. It is not a hard decision for Him to do what is right, but He wanted to understand everything that we would go through so He could be empathetic with us as He interceded for us to God the Father.

Often, we focus only on the sacrifice that Jesus made at Calvary. He suffered horrific agony and an unimaginable death as He took our sin upon Himself, and that truly was the greatest sacrifice He made, but it was not the first sacrifice He made for us. Jesus’ sacrifices began before He ever went to the cross.

When Jesus willingly left heaven, He sacrificed perfection for imperfection. He sacrificed a sinless, temptation-free environment of peace and harmony and adoration for God to come to one that was sinful and temptation-laden, filled with evil and wickedness, unrest and violence, and a hatred for God and all things holy. Why did He make this sacrifice? To provide redemption for us and to intercede for us. According to Hebrews 2:17, He did this “… that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” Jesus did this to become our Saviour.

There is nothing Jesus would not have done to reconcile us to Him. He sacrificed everything – His home, His riches, His glory, His life. Everything!

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown, when Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room for Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for Thee.

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word ghat should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn, they bore Thee to Calvary.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for Thee.

(from “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne” by E. S. Elliot)

“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” – John 6:38

**********

Jesus truly sacrificed everything for you and me. What are we willing to sacrifice for Him?

In a few days, it will be July 4th, the birthday of our country. There will be parades, family picnics, and of course, fireworks. Some of the freedoms we cherish today are freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to vote for elected officials, freedom to a fair trial, and freedom to gather together. These physical freedoms were gained through the sacrifices of those we now call our founding fathers and the colonists who followed them into the War for Independence in 1774.

The American colonists lived in oppression from the British monarchy. They were taxed unfairly, exploited economically, and prohibited from governing themselves. The British crown imposed many intolerable acts on the colonies which contributed to the growing desire for independence. It was only when the “founding fathers” took action that the 13 colonies banded together to eventually become the United States of America.

Once Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence, 56 men stepped up to sign their names on behalf of their respective colonies. Some of the more famous signers included John Hancock (MA), Benjamin Franklin (PA), and of course, Thomas Jefferson (VA).

Each of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were risking everything when they signed their names to this document as it was considered an act of treason against Great Britain. Here are the possible consequences faced by the signers:

• loss of property – forced displacements (abandoning their homes and lands) to avoid capture
• economic hardships – many were wealthy landowners who died penniless
• arrest and imprisonment – taken into captivity, mistreated, and tortured
• labeled as a traitor – immediate execution by hanging

It is clear that the founding fathers sacrificed everything to obtain the freedoms that we enjoy today. It is due to their dedication to and determination for freedom that we are able to celebrate the birthday of America on the 4th of July!

The American colonists secured our independence from Great Britain, enabling us to live in a free country today. However, the freedom promised in the Declaration – that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – is not the only freedom we can enjoy in our lives. While the Declaration of Independence ultimately resulted in religious freedom in America, it cannot procure spiritual freedom for any individual.

Spiritual freedom is freedom from sin and its consequences. The greatest consequence of sin is that it creates a barrier between us and God because with sin comes guilt, shame, and fear. It corrupts our way of thinking, making it impossible to please God, and there isn’t any way we can remedy this for ourselves. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23) and deserve eternal punishment for our sins, but God loved us so much that He chose to have His beloved Son, Jesus, take the punishment for our sins on the cross (Romans 5:8).

Jesus is a lot like our founding fathers in that He made similar sacrifices to ensure we could have spiritual freedom. Like them, He experienced the following:

• Loss of property – “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” – John 6:38
  • Jesus left the glory of heaven with all its beauty, joy, peace, adoration and praise to come to dwell among men (John 1:14), but unlike the founding fathers, He willingly gave up heaven to become our Saviour.
• Economic hardships – “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” -2 Corinthians 8:9
  • As the Creator of the universe, everything belongs to God, but Jesus gave up everything and lived here without a home (Luke 9:58), frequently depending upon the charity of others for His needs during His 3 years of ministry on earth. Again, He endured this willingly.
• Arrest and Imprisonment – “And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.” – Matthew 27:2
  • Jesus was falsely accused, unjustly arrested, and given a mock trial (Luke 22:63). Although He could have called thousands of angels to free Him, He chose not to do so (Matthew 26:53).
• Labeled as a Traitor – “And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.” – Luke 23:2
  • The religious leaders accused Jesus as proclaiming Himself as King and being a political threat to the emperor (Matthew 27:11-12).

Unlike America’s Declaration of Independence, our spiritual declaration of independence was only signed by one individual, and it was signed in His precious blood that He shed for you and me on the cross of Calvary. Jesus was crucified to take our punishment upon Himself. He was then buried and rose from the grave three days later to prove He was who He claimed to be… the Son of God. Jesus conquered sin and death, and He is the only One qualified to be the Saviour of the world (1 John 4:14)!

There is only one way to have spiritual freedom, and that is by repenting of your sins (being sorry for them) and asking Jesus to forgive you and save you from the bondage of those sins! You’ll be immediately forgiven, and your name will be written down in God’s Book of Life, guaranteeing you a home in heaven one day.

As Americans, on July 4th we’ll be celebrating the freedoms we received when America was first born.

As a Christian, every day you can celebrate the spiritual freedom you receive from Jesus when you are born again!

Long ago in a far-away place,
Rough rugged timbers were raised to the sky
There hung a man suspended in space,
And though He was blameless, they left Him to die
Just to think of the cross moves me now
The nails in His hands, His bleeding brow
To think of the cross moves me now
It should have been me, It should have been me,
Instead I am free, I am free!

(from “When I Think of the Cross” by Ralph Carmichael)

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” – Galatians 5:1

**********

Are you free from the burden of your sins? If not, today can be your independence day! Just call on Jesus to save you, and He will!