delight

March 1, 2022

“Who Meditates on His Law…”

1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. — Psalm 1:1-2 NIV

Psalm 1 NIV

How do we show Jesus that we love Him? To love someone, it is necessary to get to know that person, to get to know a person requires us to spend time with that person. When you love someone, you want to spend as much time as possible with them. How much time do you spend with Jesus each day? He has written a book full of love letters to us, have you read them? When we love someone, we think about them most of the time. How much time do you spend meditating and thinking about Jesus? If we examine our lifestyles and find out where our heart is, what treasures would we find? Don’t hang onto temporary, worldly “treasures”, fix your thoughts on eternity and Jesus. Nothing can separate us from God’s love and those treasures we lay up in heaven.

Matt. 6:19-21 NIV

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Advertisement
December 22, 2020

“Delight in the Law of the Lord”

even-smaller-bug-light1

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.  Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.– Psalm 1:1-3 NLT

There are thousands of books written in an attempt to make us feel better about ourselves. Do this and get rich, do this and influence people, do this and look better. Money, power and good looks do not come with bags of joy that can be opened at any time we need to feel good. All of these things are external and have nothing to do with the real problems of today.The changes we need are from the inside out. It isn’t our natural diet that makes us who we are, contrary to what we have been told, we are not what we eat. The diet that determines whether we will be full of peace and joy is our Spiritual diet. Be filled with the Holy Spirit! The third person of the Trinity really is a person. He abides inside us to give us all the peace, joy and hope we need or desire. He knows our every need and is waiting patiently to give it to each of us. He weeps with us and when our hearts are broken, so is His. He feels the pain that we feel and He wants to restore our joy and hope when we are down and out. We need to learn to praise God and tell others what He has done for us. While we are praising Him, we will find that our joy will start to flow out from us to those around us. Praise and pray! God hears the praises and the prayers. He will not reject our prayers or withdraw His love from us. Eat your fill of Spiritual food each day, it is non-fattening, fulfilling and it purges us, pushing out all the sadness, worry and fears. Start with a taste and soon you will find that it takes a lot of Spiritual goodness to keep you satisfied!

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. —​Psalm 34:8

 “The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

August 31, 2018

“Are You Dressed For the Wedding?”

even-smaller-bug-light1

24 and to clothe yourselves with the new nature, which was created according to God’s image in righteousness and true holiness. – Eph. 4:23 ISV
Jesus laid aside His glory, came to earth and clothed Himself in flesh for one purpose.  That purpose was to redeem the earth and its inhabitants from their fallen state. He lived a life here to set an example of how we should live. He died and rose again to fulfill His purpose of redeeming us.  We remain in the flesh, but we now have the opportunity to be clothed in His righteousness.

 

10  I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. — Isaiah 61:10 NIV

Think of the time the couple spends together getting to know each other and planning their wedding. Think of the hours, effort and money that earthly brides spend in preparation for their wedding.  Consider the excitement of the wedding party, the family, friends and acquaintances as the big day approaches. Then compare that to how much time we spend in preparing ourselves spiritually to meet our Bridegroom. Not only has our Bridegroom paid for the wedding, He has furnished us with the wedding clothes, prepared the wedding feast and has the home all ready to move into. That kind of love should behoove us to spend time every day getting dressed for the wedding. Spend some time each day with the Groom, get to know Him and put on the wedding garments He has given to each of us. You can’t wear them out, they will always be clean and ready.

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 08-31-2018

August 27, 2018

A Never-Ending Gift

even-smaller-bug-light1

2  The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him, ​- Isaiah 11:2a ISV​
This passage from Isaiah is one of the many prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament.  It gives us several of the characteristics of Jesus; wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord.  Notice that not only did He have the “fear of the Lord”, but He delighted in that fear.  Though, He was God, He came to us as all man.  As a man, His access to divine knowledge was limited.  He did this voluntarily so that He might live as all man so that He might be an example to us.  

 

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.– Phil 2:6, 7 ESV

​We, as humans, have access to that same Spirit.  In fact, that Spirit lives inside each of us.  He gave us this Spirit as a gift.  So, our lives should exhibit those same characteristics, at least to some degree.  To what degree depends completely on our commitment to spend time in His presence praying, meditating on His Word, and listening to His voice.  The reason we need to do this is that there is so much more Jesus wants to give us but He will not force it upon us, we have to ask Him for it and delight in receiving it.  How can we know that He will give us more?
 

32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? — Romans 8:32 NIV

4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. — Psalm 37:4 NIV

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

 

Post 08-27-2018

May 27, 2018

“Taste And See”

even-smaller-bug-light1

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
 or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.– Psalm 1:1-3 NLT
 
There are thousands of books written in an attempt to make us feel better about ourselves. Do this and get rich, do this and influence people, do this and look better. Money, power and good looks do not come with bags of joy that can be opened at any time we need to feel good. All of these things are external and have nothing to do with the real problems of today.
The changes we need are from the inside out. It isn’t our natural diet that makes us who we are, contrary to what we have been told, we are not what we eat. The diet that determines whether we will be full of peace and joy is our Spiritual diet. Be filled with the Holy Spirit! The third person of the Trinity really is a person. He abides inside us to give us all the peace, joy and hope we need or desire. He knows our every need and is waiting patiently to give it to each of us. He weeps with us and when our hearts are broken, so is His. He feels the pain that we feel and He wants to restore our joy and hope when we are down and out. We need to learn to praise God and tell others what He has done for us. While we are praising Him, we will find that our joy will start to flow out from us to those around us. Praise and pray! God hears the praises and the prayers. He will not reject our prayers or withdraw His love from us. Eat your fill of Spiritual food each day, it is non-fattening, fulfilling and it purges us, pushing out all the sadness, worry and fears. Start with a taste and soon you will find that it takes a lot of Spiritual goodness to keep you satisfied!8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. —​Psalm 34:8

 

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 05-27-2018

June 11, 2017

The Desires of Our Heart

even-smaller-bug-light1

17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! ​ – James 5:17 NLT

James 5:13- 18 NLT​


Of course, we know that God already knows our needs and our situation, but He has instructed us to ask and keep on asking. Jesus told the story of the persistent woman and the unjust judge. She kept pestering the judge until he gave her what she was requesting. God does not always give us what we ask, because sometimes we ask for things that we don’t need. Psalm 37:4 tells us that if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our hearts. Have you ever noticed that sometimes, when you pray fervently that what you end up asking from God is not what you were thinking about when you first started praying? That is when you can know that “the desires of your heart” have aligned with God’s Word and His will. Then the answer is always yes. But, if our desires don’t line up, then we often get a “no” or “wait”. Some people say that it is a cop out to pray “nevertheless not my will, but Yours be done”. But that is what Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. So, if He set the example, it is a good pattern to follow.


“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous

Post 06-11-2017

November 18, 2016

As You Go

even-smaller-bug-light1

2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,  meditating on it day and night. — Psalm 1:2 NLT
 
Psalm 1 NLT

As Christians, we are so blessed to be able to meditate on God’s Word and have a conversation with God any time of the day or night. If we love Him then we will delight in obeying Him and pleasing Him. From the times that we spend with Him, we will receive Joy and grow stronger in His word. As long as we continue in this lifestyle, we will be able to draw strength, wisdom, and boldness from the Lord. then we will truly become like strong trees planted by the water and we will bear fruit each season. We will not wither, but prosper. But if we choose not to delight in God and meditate on His Word, we will become weak and bear no fruit. Does this mean that we should avoid unbelievers? Absolutely not. Jesus spent time with them in their homes and along the roads as He traveled. That is the example we should follow, witnessing as we go about our daily tasks.

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous
Post 11-18-2016
April 29, 2016

A Love Song From Jesus

even-smaller-bug-light1

23   But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.  If you keep to my path,
    I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”   — Psalm 50-23 NLT
 
Psalm 50:16-23
 

God tells us that giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors Him. We are also told to offer a continual sacrifice of praise to God, to do good and to share with those in need.

15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.  — Hebrews 13:15, 16 NLT
We need to take time each day to praise God.  It not only pleases God, but it is uplifiting to our spirits as well.  Praise and thanksgiving feed the spirit and the soul.  After we have read His Word and prayed, we still need to just rest in His arms and give Him glory for all that He does for us each day.  Jesus loves to sing over us and He loves to hear us sing to Him.
17 For the Lord your God is living among you.  He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
    With his love, he will calm all your fears.
    He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”   — Zephaniah 3:17 NLT
A part of doing good to others is encouraging them and cheering them up.  Nothing can cheer us up like hearing a great song of praise.  Rest and let Jesus sing you a love song.
 Post 04-29-2016
December 18, 2015

He Just Keeps On Giving!

even-smaller-bug-light11  A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2  The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3  and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. — Isaiah 11:1-3 NIV

 ​This passage from Isaiah is one of the many prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament.​  It gives us several of the characteristics of Jesus; wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord.  Notice that not only did He have the “fear of the Lord”, but He delighted in that fear.  Though, He was God, He came to us as all man.  As a man, His access to divine knowledge was limited.  He did this voluntarily so that He might live as all man so that He might be an example to us.  
 

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.– Phil 2:6, 7 ESV

​We, as humans, have access to that same Spirit.  In fact, that Spirit lives inside each of us. ​ He gave us this Spirit as a gift.  So, our lives should exhibit those same characteristics, at least to some degree.  To what degree depends completely on our commitment to spend time in His presence praying, meditating on His Word, and listening to His voice.  The reason we need to do this is that there is so much more Jesus wants to give us but He will not force it upon us, we have to ask Him for it and delight in receiving it.  How can we know that He will give us more?
 

32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? — Romans 8:32 NIV

4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. — Psalm 37:4 NIV

Post 12-18-2015

November 12, 2013

Propsering and Bearing Fruit

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.


1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. Psalm 1:1-3 (NLT)
As Christians, we are so blessed to be able to meditate on God’s Word and have a conversation with God any time of the day or night. If we love Him then we will delight in obeying Him and pleasing Him. From the times that we spend with Him, we will receive Joy and grow stronger in His word. As long as we continue in this lifestyle, we will be able to draw strength, wisdom, and boldness from the Lord. then we will truly become like strong trees planted by the water and we will bear fruit each season. We will not wither, but prosper. But if we choose not to delight in God and meditate on His Word, we will become weak and bear no fruit. Does this mean that we should avoid unbelievers? Absolutely not. Jesus spent time with them in their homes and along the roads as He traveled. That is the example we should follow, witnessing as we go about our daily tasks.
Post 11/12