This Is the Day the Lord Has Made

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord:
20 This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.
21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
23 This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:19-24 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

To be born again means to be fully alive. Just as we can be here in America and at the same time be present in Thailand with a video chat, so too do we inhabit this physical world while simultaneously being seated spiritually with Christ in the Kingdom of God. The vain dream of the natural man is being able to just sit around all day counting his money without a problem in the world. While being alive spiritually means come rain or come shine, we have learned to trust the Lord. Faith allows us to either be the hammer or the anvil as God commands. And we know and depend on the grace of God to lovingly care for us always. Let His peace rule in the heart. He is the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth, and He is more than willing to provide for all the needs of His children. Nothing is impossible for God and no good thing does He withhold from those who love Him. Take your eyes off the visible and enter His courts with praise and thanksgiving. Sow with tears if need be. God will wipe away every tear and bring you in with a bountiful harvest.

Question

Why obey God?

Answer

Obeying God is the only real proof that we know God (Scripture). To know God is to love God (Scripture), and to love God is to obey God (Scripture). God is absolutely good (Scripture). God is love (1 John 4:7). Every normal human parent will make sure that everything is as good for a beloved child as possible according to the parent’s knowledge, ability, and resources (Scripture). God is far better than the best of human parents could ever be (Scripture). God has perfect knowledge of the past, present, and future (Scripture). God has unlimited ability to speak and create just as easily as we can speak and blink (Scripture). There is no such thing as scarcity for God, as He has unlimited resources far beyond what we can imagine or think (Scripture). God is also just and a consuming fire (Scripture). We either come to see the light of the gospel and participate in God’s great program for salvation (Scripture) or we remain in darkness condemned to be cast away forever (Scripture). Woe to those who refuse the carrot of God’s grace (Scripture), and thereby choose the stick of eternal damnation (Scripture). 

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

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know my necessities before I ask and my ignorance in asking: Have compassion on my weakness, and mercifully give me those things which for my unworthiness I dare not, and for my blindness I cannot ask; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Bearing Fruit In Old Age

12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
15 To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Psalm 92:12-15 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Stuck in a rut or living the dream? One thing is certain. Regardless of your current situation, it is likely that someone somewhere in this world is suffering with more difficulties and in greater pain than you. Somewhere someone would love to be in your shoes. Complaining, grumbling, and fault-finding only serve to blind us. When the mind is occupied with these things, it becomes difficult to see any of the good around us and effectively blocks the way into the rest of God. It is in thanksgiving rather than complaining, praise rather than grumbling, and prayer rather than fault-finding which leads to the promised rest in the Lord. All circumstances are temporary and God is in control of all. When you know that God is faithful, all difficulties can joyfully be accepted as an opportunity to exercise faith in God. You will see the glory of God if you are willing to believe. God has promised it.

Question

Does physical appearance matter?

Answer

Not for its own sake (Scripture), but all healthy things are beautiful (Scripture). Being obsessed with the appearance of self is a vain idolatry that only makes one more unhappy with it every passing year and new wrinkle (Scripture). Appearance is an important minor that is easy to care for once we focus on the major, which is the development of the beatific vision of a Christ-like character of the soul (Scripture). Rightly ordered, all things are done for the glory of God (Scripture).

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

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know my necessities before I ask and my ignorance in asking: Have compassion on my weakness, and mercifully give me those things which for my unworthiness I dare not, and for my blindness I cannot ask; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Lord Shall Reign Forever

5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:
7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:
8 The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:
9 The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
10 The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 146:5-10 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Focusing on the unwanted symptoms rather than focusing on the God that heals you only hinders the prayer of faith. Here is the Great Physician’s prescription for all of mankind’s ills of body, soul, and spirit: be born again, ask according to the will of God, believe that you receive what you ask for, and answer every doubting thought with “this is the time to trust the Lord.” Not every fig tree will wither away immediately. Just as every cut flower appears to still be alive for a time after it is severed, even though it is essentially dead the moment it is cut. Despite still having the appearance of life it is dead, so too may of our symptoms continue for a time even though we have been essentially healed after prayer. Having to see some type of immediate manifestation before believing a prayer is heard and answered, is like the seed falling on the ground by the way side. The birds will swoop down quickly and steal the seed away. Faith doesn’t stand on the relief of symptoms, nor on the improvement of circumstances. Faith stands on looking to God, and not what the eyes can see. There is but one thing needful in this life, and He is merciful, full of compassion, and gracious. Jesus Christ is our heavenly vine. We are His branches. In Him do we have life. To abide in Him, we gladly turn from seeking to live anywhere else. Abiding in Him is our proper home. Yay Lord…in Thee I will abide.

Question

What is the soul?

Answer

The soul is the part of man created in the Divine image (Scripture). The soul is to the spirit what blood is to the body (Scripture). Love is the blood of the soul (Scripture). Love comes from God to us in the form of grace and mercy (Scripture). In turn, God’s grace and mercy works on and through us to other people (Scripture). Just as the health of the body can be determined by the blood, so can the health of the soul be determined by its love (Scripture). Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Scripture).

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

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know my necessities before I ask and my ignorance in asking: Have compassion on my weakness, and mercifully give me those things which for my unworthiness I dare not, and for my blindness I cannot ask; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

My Soul is Content

63 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. Psalm 63:1-8 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Pride is a deadly poison that must be refused. Pride is at the root of the covetousness that causes wars among us. If self is set up as an idol, there will be no end to those who line up to offer an offense and wound one’s pride. Pride seeks to strike back for every offence and will make turning the other cheek impossible. The humble soul has no need to defend self and is quick to let go of anger. How then to be humble? Turn to the Lord and admit the lack of strength to humble self. This is God’s work. Our work is to depend on the Lord to do the work in us. Ask and receive the blessing now by faith. Eagerly expect the seed to be manifested according to our faith: first the blade, then the ear, and then the full corn in the ear. And rest assured that all that is God’s will shall be done in God’s perfect timing. Set your will to cooperate.

Question

How can we live the beatitudes?

Answer

First must come the clear vision of the qualities of those belonging to the Kingdom of Heaven (Scripture). Second, we must realize how far below the standard of God we miss the mark (Scripture). Third, our intentions must be set to obtain the vision (Scripture), and our attention must be given to the God appointed means of grace (Scripture). Thank God for His word that teaches us to deny self and its appetites so that we may participate in His divine nature (Scripture). 

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

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know my necessities before I ask and my ignorance in asking: Have compassion on my weakness, and mercifully give me those things which for my unworthiness I dare not, and for my blindness I cannot ask; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Excellent is the Name of the Lord in All the Earth

3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Psalm 8:3-9 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

A stiff neck will be broken. If you want to eat, earn your keep. If you want to be the boss, pay the cost. If you want to be mature, do what needs to be done without having to be told to do it. If you want to play, get your work done first. If you want to achieve, you have to believe. If you want to win, you have to finish what you begin. In all this, remember the Lord. Accept both success and failure as coming from the hand of your loving heavenly Father. Learn from failure, let success increase your humility, and always trust God. Understand that it is God who gives you both the desire and ability to do His will. Doing the will of God is health to the bones and refreshment to the thirsty soul. Fix your eyes on our Lord Jesus Christ, diligently attend to the Word in order to do it, receive the precious promises of the Word right now, and stand firm in the faith. Do all these things by the grace of God given through Jesus Christ to the glory of God. 

Question

What is the double blessing?

Answer

The double blessing is Christ in you and you in Christ (Scripture).  The double blessing enables us to live the higher life of spiritual righteousness (Scripture), and keep the body under (Scripture). We are inhabitants of two worlds simultaneously (Scripture). First God created our physical body giving us being in the physical world, then our spirit giving us being in the spiritual world, and lastly our soul that is capable of affecting both (Scripture). The major functions of the soul are the will, cognition, and emotional regulation (Scripture). Emotions arise from the touchstones of each of these two worlds: feelings arise from the physical senses of our body and thoughts (Scripture), while affections arise from within our spirit and thoughts (Scripture). The necessary prelude to the double blessing is the God given spiritual rebirth and a clean heart (Scripture).

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

O Lord, receive the prayers of your servant who calls upon you, and grant that I may know and understand what things I ought to do, and that I also may have the grace and power to faithfully accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Maker of Heaven and Earth is Our Help

1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;
2 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
3 Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
4 Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
5 Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
6 Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
7 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:1-8 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

When those who love you, cut you deeply with careless remarks. When those who hate you, viciously wound you with kisses. Forgive them both. Not for their sake, but forgive them for your own sake. The unforgiving heart, regardless of how valid the reason, poisons the soul that refuses to let go of the hurt. It’s like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die. Better to be poor in spirt with forgiveness in the heart, then is a mighty man who can slay 600 men with only a sharp stick. The only way to do as the Lord commands and forgive others, is to realize our inability to do so without first receiving His mercy. Take it to the Cross and it there. Those who falsely believe that they have been hurt so badly that forgiving the hurt is impossible, have not yet been brought to a full understanding of our need for the Lord Jesus Christ to be our all in all. Christ is Jehovah Rapha our divine Physician and Healer of broken hearts. Let His peace rule in your heart and you will find rest for your soul. 

Question

What is the fear of man?

Answer

Peer-pressure, people-pleasing, and people-avoiding (commonly called shyness) all result from the fear of man, which is essentially a fear of judgment and rejection by others (Scripture). It is a dangerous world, and being kicked out of the tribe decreases our chances of survival out there all alone (Scripture). The Christian is never alone though (Scripture). The snare that comes from the fear of man is desiring to please others more than pleasing God (Scripture). Faith wins over each temptation to fear man by fighting with the fear of the Lord (Scripture).

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

O Lord, receive the prayers of your servant who calls upon you, and grant that I may know and understand what things I ought to do, and that I also may have the grace and power to faithfully accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Strong in the Presence of the Lord

15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. Psalm 89:15-17 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Believe the gospel, repent and take the precious from the vile. The fear of the Lord is a precious gift. Without the fear of the Lord: in the place of reverence, there will be mockery; instead of thanksgiving, there will be pride; and instead of praise, there will be scorn. Without the fear of the Lord there will be much pain, suffering, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. The fear of the Lord functions as the guard rails of eternal life, which keeps us from falling off into the ditches on the left and right sides on the narrow way. Be quick to turn from all that is incompatible with the holiness of God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of the blessings that come from wisdom. Know that we are called to rest in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of our heavenly Father, and the comforting fellowship of the Holy Spirit. We enter into that rest by faith made stronger each day by the consistent exercise of trusting in God.

Question

Who are you?

Answer

A man of God (Scripture). Without knowing who we are, life will often beat us up and have us running around like a chicken with its head cut off bruised, bleeding, and stripped down to the bone (Scripture). When we forget who we are, it is easy to be tossed and buffeted by the winds of discouragement (Scripture). Happy is he who takes eyes off self and circumstances (Scripture). Look to Jesus and rest at all times in the comfort that comes from being a humble child trusting in the love of our heavenly Father (Scripture).

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

O Lord, receive the prayers of your servant who calls upon you, and grant that I may know and understand what things I ought to do, and that I also may have the grace and power to faithfully accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Happiness Starts Here

10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.
11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Psalm 34:10-14 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Hope looks forward to something that is expected to happen sometime in the future. While faith receives now, and knows that the confirmation of the physical senses will be manifested at the proper time. Seeing physical evidence before believing that God has granted what is asked for in prayer requires no faith at all. Without faith, hope has no anchor. Faith in self, money, or any other created thing is misplaced, like anchoring the foundation of your house on unstable sand. The commandment of the Lord has made it clear that we are to have faith in God, the maker of heaven and earth from whom all blessings flow. God is able and willing to bestow His grace upon all His children. Ask Him for the grace you need. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The record God has given us in the Holy Scriptures is absolute infallible truth. Believe the gospel. Our earnest prayer to the Father, in the name of the Son, through the Holy Spirit is the special privilege of all those redeemed by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. God alone is the Rock on which we can always depend.

Question

How is faith increased?

Answer

Stop going to the Bible to decide if the Scriptures are true or not (Scripture). Faith comes by accepting the Word as truth, and then acting accordingly (Scripture). Muscles and faith both become stronger only after they are exercised (Scripture). It is easy to overload a barbell with way more weight than you are able to lift safely, but with the Comforter as your personal trainer, He will not allow you to be tested beyond what you are able to handle (Scripture). Faith grows to match the level of our trust in God (Scripture). When you can say with complete confidence like Job, “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” so will your faith be (Scripture).

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

O Lord, receive the prayers of your servant who calls upon you, and grant that I may know and understand what things I ought to do, and that I also may have the grace and power to faithfully accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

My Lips Will Sing with Joy

21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt. Psalm 71:21-24 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

No one ever has enough money, and everybody likes firm butts and flat guts. Such waters are so shallow however, that you will only be left thirster after have drunk your fill of them. Life only makes sense when you place God above all else in His rightful place on the throne of your heart. Drink deeply of this truth and allow the understanding that God alone is worthy of all worship and praise to nourish your soul. There is a way to a higher life set before us, and that way is deeper down into a life given up to Christ Jesus.

Question

Why do we need to learn to think like Christ?

Answer

Youth is wasted on the young who refuse to turn from thinking like the worldly wise (Scripture). We are stewards of the grace and truth given to us in by Christ Jesus (Scripture). To mature into the full measure of Christ, we must first learn to think like Christ (Scripture). We grieve the Spirit by resisting His equipping of our mind to guard our heart (Scripture). The heart consists of the part that thinks, the part that feels, and the part that wills (Scripture). We have been given the mind of Christ, , the desire of Christ, and the peace of Christ so that we may shine as guiding lights in this fallen world (Scripture).

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

O Lord, receive the prayers of your servant who calls upon you, and grant that I may know and understand what things I ought to do, and that I also may have the grace and power to faithfully accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Precious Is the Steadfast Love of the Lord

5 Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
10 O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. Psalm 36:5-10 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Pray like everything depends on God, and work like everything depends on you. Self-effort for a Christian is an oxymoron like a free rental. Absolutely everything depends on God, the only true sovereign. And absolutely everything depends on our response to the grace of God, as moral agents given free will. These are not contradictory statements. They are merely opposite sides of the same profound truth. Knowledge and Will are the Wonder Twins that activate Faith. Faith begins with the knowledge of God that comes from reading and hearing His Word. Both the knowledge of God’s ability and His good will are required to produce a mature faith. God has given us such precious promises and we only need to believe that He will fulfill them. The Holy Bible is full of the countless testimonies of how God has fulfill all of His promises over thousands of years. There is sufficient reason to trust God on the bases of His past performance alone, even though His blessings may sometimes be delayed. So much better than an economic stimulus package from the government, this is a guaranteed life stimulus package from God Almighty! The promises of God are much surer than any human enterprise will ever be. All who repent and come to Christ Jesus are redeemed, all are forgiven in Christ, all are saved by Christ, all are healed by Christ, all are adopted in Christ, and all are given the Holy Spirit in Christ.

Question

What is a proper response to the grace of God?

Answer

Faith in God is the only proper response to grace of God (Scripture). Self is chief among those who would rob and steal glory due to God alone (Scripture). Thus, denying self is essential if we are to run the race set before us (Scripture). The testing of your faith will cause it to grow stronger (Scripture). It has been said by those of old that prayer will end sinning, or sinning will end prayer (Scripture). Temptations and trials are permitted by God in order to mature your faith and increase the fruit of the Spirit in your life to the benefit of this perishing world (Scripture). The choice is yours (Scripture). Believe the gospel, go to our Great Physician, and He will heal all impotent men and women (Scripture).

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

O Lord, receive the prayers of your servant who calls upon you, and grant that I may know and understand what things I ought to do, and that I also may have the grace and power to faithfully accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.