Devotional for May 27

O Lord My God, Rejoice in Thy Works

31 The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works.
32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.
33 I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 104:31-35 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Everything is just as it should be. This is hard to accept for the carnal mind that is quick to point out all the suffering and wickedness in this fallen world. The carnal mind has only the shifting sand of circumstance and the cloudiness of current conditions on which to build their belief of reality. The wicked fail to acknowledge that our God reigns now and forevermore. He sees the end from before the beginning, and He ultimately works all things together for good for those who love Him. Things may not yet be as you or God would have them be, but things are as they should be given your minute-to-minute choices of words and deeds. Here is an important understanding: just because we have trusted Jesus Christ as Savior, the fundamental principle of sowing and reaping remains. Don’t like what you are reaping,? With faith and tears change what you are sowing, and the providence of God can then perfect everything that concerns you. You can overdrive the headlights on a car, but you cannot overdrive your belief. The spiritual headlights of the soul are formed by our beliefs. This is why there are so many voices in this world seeking to influence what we believe. To what or whom are you going to listen? The Word of the God is sure, flawless, unchanging, the Rock that can always be trusted. If there is a secret to wellbeing, it’s turning away from everything which speaks contrary to the Word of the God. The true light is the Word. Faith comes by hearing the Word, and hearing comes by the Word of God. Just as no one expects a car to move without first properly starting the engine, faith moves first, then God gives in answer to faith. 

Question

How much faith is necessary?

Answer

Little faith is enough in the beginning (John 20:27-29; Romans 1:17). The Word of God is the seed (Luke 8:4-15; Psalm 126:6). As we give ourselves to prayer and cultivating the Word (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 10:4; Acts 6:4), faith and spiritual fruit grow (Mark 4:26-31; Galatians 5:22-23). Once faith has enlarged to go all in (Psalm 118:27; 1 Timothy 4:15-16), placing all the life on the alter before God (Matthew 16:21-26; Proverbs 16:3), then true fitness for this life and the next begins (1 Timothy 4:5-6; 1 Peter 5:10; 1 Timothy 4:7-8; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Jude 1:21-25).

The Prayer Appointed for This Week from the Book of Common Prayer

Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness keep me, I pray, from all things that may hurt me, that I, being ready both in mind and body, may accomplish with a free heart those things which belong to your purpose; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.