Psalm 139:23-24 – “Examine me, O God, and probe my thoughts.  Test me, and know my concerns.  ²⁴ See if there is any idolatrous way in me,and lead me in the everlasting way.”

As I arose and began my daily prayer, reading, and musing on the Word of God, Psalm 139 became my focus.  That one Psalm contains a lifetime of revelation, but I will extract what impressed upon my heart today.

A reality that is incredibly comforting to some and one that robs some of sleep is that God is everywhere and sees everything.   He not only sees but also hears even before we do or say anything.

Let that soak in for a moment.   God knows and sees EVERYTHING!   That is either the greatest source of comfort or the worst nightmare.   We may fool other people and even ourselves, but not God.

God knew us before we were conceived.   He formed us precisely as He desired in the womb.  He wrote the desired destiny of our lives in His book before we were even conceived.  (Psalm 139:13-16).

God gave us the ability to think, the gifts, talents, and natural abilities before we were born to enable us to fulfill His destiny for us.   We were created for a purpose and should never compare ourselves with others or lament our seeming inability to do certain things.  We have the ability to do what we were designed for.

Yes, we hone, sharpen, and develop those abilities, but they make us unique.   I don’t need to be you, and you don’t need to be me, but in the scheme of things, our combined abilities accomplish God’s purposes if we cooperate with Him and learn contentment in our calling and purpose.  Maybe He didn’t design us to be the visible part.  Be content with who you are.  Your role is valuable to the kingdom.

Psalm 139:23-24 should be our continual prayer, desire, and attitude.  “Examine me, O God, and probe my thoughts.  Test me, and know my concerns (cares, fears, desires).  24.  See if there is any idolatrous way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.”

Psalm 141:3-4 – “O LORD, place a guard on my mouth (a muzzle might be needed).  Protect the opening of my lips.  4.  Do not let me have evil desires (accomplished by filling our hearts and minds with Him) or participate in sinful activities (discipline and commitment).”

This is all founded upon the reality that God is everywhere and knows everything.  God has chosen to love us, even seeing and knowing us, because He is love and knows who He created us to be.   Our part is to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in becoming.  That would also include never justifying ourselves or believing we cannot be who He designed us to be.

You are one in a million, unique, and original, and you have a special purpose.   Take what you have and use it for God.   Little is much if God is in it, and remember, the reward is not based on the magnitude but on obedience and faithfulness.  If God didn’t design you to be world-famous, you will live miserably trying to be.   Bloom where you are planted and be the flower you were designed to be; then, you will have peace and impact the kingdom more than you will know in this life.

Knowing that God knows enables us to be at peace in all things!

Matthew 16:13-20 – “When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴ They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷ And Jesus answered him, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven!  ¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.  ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.  Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” ²⁰ Then he instructed his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, something filled my heart that intrigued, challenged, and inspired me.   What was that – “The Door to Demonstrated Authority.”

Jesus told Peter (and, by inference, us), “I give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.”   What are the keys for?  To lock or unlock doors in the natural.  In the spiritual keys are clues that unlock or unveil hidden truths and revelations.

He then said (explaining the usage of those keys of truth), “Whatever (how much is whatever?) You bind on earth Will Have Been Bound in Heaven, AND whatever you release on earth Will Have Been Released in heaven.”

Those keys available for believers were founded upon a particular revelation.  “Who do you say I am?”   Who is Jesus to you?  Peter said, and we must see and confess – “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”   Unless we comprehend the Cross and the Christ of the Cross, we have no spiritual authority.   But if we know who He is.   If we know Him as both Savior and Lord, we have the spiritual keys of Demonstrated Authority to bind and loose.

If we have that authority, why don’t we consistently use it?  Rather than making excuses like “God is Sovereign” or something similar, if we see the Revelation and Victory of the Cross and the Christ of the Cross, we realize that the “keys” of authority granted to us are not intermittent but continuous.

What we bind or loose on earth Has Already been bound or loosed in Heaven.  The Completed Work of the Cross means healing is done.  Deliverance is done.  Provision is done.  Guidance is done.  Wisdom is done.  What was not provided through the Cross?  Therefore, when we see and believe the completed work of the Cross, we know we have authority that is demonstrable in Jesus.  We have access to whatever has been bound or released in heaven.  We can call it into reality in Jesus’ Name.

The fact that we exercise this authority intermittently reveals that we either do not see or do not believe the completed work.  We doubt ourselves and, in that state, doubt God.  So, “Lord, help us to have eyes to see spiritually, ears to hear the divine, and hearts to believe, embrace, and implement the Provision of the Cross.”

We allow the devil to win through our inconsistency.   Peter said, “Such as I have, I give.”   What did he have?   Faith?   Yes, but more than faith.  He had the keys of the kingdom of heaven and knew he could unlock the door that was already unlocked in heaven and release healing to the lame man.

We have the keys.   We need to see it, believe it, and exercise it.  The devil can only win if we fail to exercise our authority.  Let’s exercise it consistently!

May your day be victorious, and may you fully utilize ‘The Keys of the Kingdom.”

Psalm 116:1 –  I love the Lord because…”

As I began reading, praying, and musing on the Word of God today, I heard a question in my spirit that made me shut down and think.  The question was, “Why Do You Love the LORD?” Think about that.

Psalm 116:1 – “I love the LORD because…”   Before reading the Psalmist’s reason, ask yourself, “Why Do I Love the LORD?”   Is it because of what He does?    Is it the blessings we receive?  Is it because of what He does or because He Is?  For me, it is Who He is?

The Psalmist said, “because He heard my plea for mercy, AND listened to me.”   Those are valid reasons, but are they the best reasons?   He is our provider, but the greatest provision was salvation and loving us.

The Psalmist asked in verse 12, “How can I repay the LORD for His acts of kindness to me?”   If that is an action based on gratitude, it is honorable.  If it is action, trying to reach a position of deserving God’s blessings, it is not.

He said, “I will celebrate my deliverance and call on the name of the LORD.”  (Verse 13).   “I will fulfill my vows to the LORD before all His people.” (Verse 14)  In verses 17-19, he listed three places where he will fulfill his vows to God.   

• Before the people (publicly).  
• In the Courts of God’s temple.  (Church). 
• In God’s presence.

If we truly love God, we will seek to do His will, proclaim His Name, extol His acts of blessing, and desire His presence.   We cannot earn His favor.  We do not earn salvation by works or deeds.  It is by grace through faith that we enter the kingdom.  However, our love for God should propel us to be doers, not just hearers.  Rewards come by works, Salvation by grace.

But the original question reveals the true condition of our hearts and can be seen in Satan’s challenge to God about Job.   Is it what God does for us that elicits our service?  Is it the answer to our prayers and giving us our desires?  Is He alone enough?  Is His love for us enough to draw our love?  If He never answered another prayer, would we love Him?

In Psalm 119:15, the Psalmist reveals a key to victory.  “I will meditate on Your precepts and focus on Your behavior.”   Think about that.  The dual focus is on what God says and who God is.   That’s how we become transformed, the Word and Person of God.  The cliché “WWJD?”   It is germane to consider what Jesus would do in any situation!   We learn His precepts and see the application in His behavior, enabling us to always live victoriously.

Why do we love the LORD?   The truly legitimate reason is Who He Is!  What He does is the outflow of who He is.   Who He is in us transforms us, and as He lives His life in us, He enables us to model our behavior after Him.   We love Him because He first loved us, because of who He is, because He is love, and His love gives us life.

I have inadequately addressed the question, but I hope the Holy Spirit will challenge you to consider it personally.  Why Do You Love the LORD?

May the Love of God flood your hearts today and every day.

Psalm 111:10 – “To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight. 
He will receive praise forever.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, two thoughts gripped my heart: obedience and the Fear of the Lord.  I know the modern message is not to fear God because God is love, grace, and mercy.   HE IS!

However, without the reverential awe of the Living Sovereign God, we tend to ignore His precepts and commands, allowing self to surface as the center of our lives.

Sin should shock us and produce a holy anger in our hearts.   We should be crushed when we violate God’s laws because we are breaking His heart and disrespecting the sacrifice of Jesus.   Tolerating sin in the family of God (church) opens the door for deception, disease, demons, and destruction.

Jesus conquered the devil, and if we do not have a healthy awe of God and a reverential fear of Him, we will wink at sin.  That produces a condition where what once made us cringe has no impact.  Words, deeds, and visuals that once made us feel dirty and polluted are now ignored.  Why?  We seem to have replaced the fear of God with an attitude of tolerance.

When Israel sinned and co-mingled (in immoral behavior) with the surrounding nations, God sent a plague, which stopped only when Phinehas acted.  The fear of God produces a desire and willingness to obey God.

We develop attitudes and actions that are entirely different from the heart of Jesus, and excuse them.  God does not say, “Well, they are only human!”   No!   It is Christ in us, living through us and transforming us, that is our gift and our goal.

Psalm 111:10 is a powerful verse we need to read and heed. “To Obey the LORD is THE fundamental principle of wise living; ALL who carry out His precepts acquire good moral insight. He will receive praise forever.”

As I consider the life of Jesus on Earth, I see it was one of purity, complete obedience, and action.  He demonstrated a life of total surrender.  Actions have a greater impact than words.   I long for more of God’s demonstrated power than the ability to orate and preach.  If we allow anything of the flesh to flourish in us, we limit the flow of power.  Power without purity produces pride and creates idols of the heart and mind.

We must never be judgmental, but we must seek purity. Psalm 106:3 – “How blessed are those who promote justice and do what is right ALL THE TIME.”

My cry is, “LORD, help me never to lose the deep reverential fear and awe of You. It will guide, guard, and keep me on the narrow path. It will cause me to be crushed by any sin in me and compel me to the altar of repentance. It will enable me to know You intimately and follow You wholeheartedly.”

The Fear of God and Explicit Obedience are needed and required!

Have a Great Day in Jesus!