Trust In the Lord

37 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Psalm 37:1-7, 23-24 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

The body is magnificently efficient and its only priority is to ensure its survival. The self must learn to work with the body, otherwise it will struggle against the body and lose. This is why so many people fail to lose weight, because the body doesn’t care what we want. It only reacts to what we do. Working with the body to lose weight requires denying the animal like desire of the flesh to eat an overabundance of sugar, fat, and salt. Do this, and over time the body will react by getting leaner. Don’t do this, and in time the body will only get fatter. Either way we consistently go, the body always reacts with ruthless efficiency. How then can we overcome this natural desire to eat all easy to get, very cheap, and super delicious things that we want? God spoke the answer more than 2,000 years ago for all who are willing to come to the light. Our Lord and God commands us, “deny self, pick up your cross, and follow me.” Self-denial is not as much about giving something up as it is about gaining the opportunity to have something better. Denying self is the turning away from lessor things for the purpose of achieving something greater. The “picking up of our cross” is the way. It is the dying to the bondage to the desires of the flesh, and becoming alive with spiritual affections set on the things above. Hard to describe, but easy to do if we just follow Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. (Psalm 69:22; 2 Corinthians 6:17; Colossians 3:2; Luke 9:23; Luke 6:46; Romans 7:24, 8:3-13; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:11-14; Hebrews 11:6; Galatians 5:16-17; Romans 14:23; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 5:6-11)

Read, lift your heart to God, and pray.

Better than fine Gold

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Psalm 19:7-11 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Love is a many splendid thing. Love is the ultimate motivator. The love of parents, the love of children, the love of family, the love of friends, and the love of God are the common needs of every heart. Such loves constrain us, define us, and sustain us. Without any of these essential loves we are forced to substitute lesser things. Set an idol on the throne of the heart and the whole life will suffer desolation from the abomination. No amount of money, sex, drugs, or any other flavor of rock and roll will make up for a lack of love for and from God and other people. The will to love others is like a power switch that completes the circuit. The boundaries of the narrow way are easily identified by the love.  Choose to make God your first love and it will flow out through you to others. (Matthew 22:36-40; Jeremiah 17:10; Matthew 6:19-24; Colossians 3:2-7; Hebrews 13:5; 1 John 2:16; Ecclesiastes 5:10; Luke 12:15; 1 Timothy 6:6-10; 2 Timothy 3:1-7; Matthew 24:15; Luke 12:16-21; Psalm 100:4, 92:1-2, 18:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 Peter 4:7-10; 1 Corinthians 13:13; 1 John 5:20-21)

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

Integrity is consistency between what we believe and what we do. By design we are created to be true to self and others. Two ways we can miss the integrity mark. First, we can confess we believe one thing and in practice do quite another. Second, we can believe what is not true, therefore what we do ends up being equally wrong with the follow-through. The first is a hypocrite. The second is either ignorant of the truth or willfully wicked. Hypocrisy must be guarded against and ignorance must be eliminated. Happy is the person who knows the truth and does it. Faith takes hold of the out stretched hand of God with its right hand. This putting our hand in God’s doesn’t depend on our reach or the strength of our grip. Being a believer requires our knowledge of the truth and a willingness to trust Almighty God to grasp and hold on to us. (Proverbs 4:23 ; Habakkuk 3:17-18; Job 2:9-10, 13:15-16; Romans 2:21-24; Matthew 24:50-51; Hebrews 6:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, 3:5; Romans 14:22; James 1:2-4; James 5:10-11; Hebrews 10:23; Isaiah 41:13; Psalm 32:8-9; Mark 9:24; Ephesians 3:20-21)

Bearing Fruit Takes Time

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

Get unstuck. Change doesn’t come from things remaining the same. Something must change for things to be different. Go back to the basics and then be willing to try something new. The longer it takes to start moving in the right direction, the longer it will take to reach the destination. It’s normal to take some hits when you’re in a fight, and only drunks and fools feel good when taking licks. It is just as normal to sometimes get hit with bad feelings in the good fight of the faith. Complaining, grumbling, and fault-finding can only lead us to where we don’t want to go. When the mind is occupied with its own bad feelings, it effectively pushes us out of the peace of God. It is in thanksgiving rather than complaining, praise rather than grumbling, and prayer rather than fault-finding which keeps us in the peace of God that surpasses understanding. All circumstances are temporary and God is in control of all things. 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. Faith in God changes what cannot be changed otherwise. (Deuteronomy 2:1-3; Matthew 23:37; Proverbs 31:1-2, 10:16-26, 26:14, 23:29-35, 31:3; 2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Timothy 6:12; James 1:2-8; Matthew 17:21; Ephesians 6:10-12; Colossians 3:2; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 6:13-18; 1 Peter 5:6-10; Philippians 4:8-9; John 14:13; 1 Peter 5:11)

Be Prosperous, Happy, and Free

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

There are beautiful women, there are rich men, there are smart women, and there are powerful men. The prosperous soul will be happier than them all. A prosperous soul is adorned with the beatitudes, is rich in good works, is wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove, full of the fruit of the Spirit, happy with much or little, and totally given up to trust in the love of God. Build up the soul in the love of God to be prosperous, happy, and free. (Proverbs 11:22, 23:1-3; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; Proverbs 10:22; 1 Timothy 6:10; Proverbs 6:23-26; Revelation 2:18-29; Galatians 5:19-26; 3 John 2; 1 Peter 3:3-4; Matthew 5:1-16; 2 Corinthians 3:5; Matthew 10:16; Romans 8:35-39; Isaiah 28:10; 2 Peter 1:3-11; 2 Timothy 4:1-4; Jude 1:20-25)

Rejoice!

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

Life is full of mystery. Science is limited to reasoning based on physical realities, intellectual opinions, and statistical probabilities that cannot pass beyond the second heaven let alone reach into the third. Faith is the only faculty given to man that is capable of penetrating the cloud of unknowing that surrounds life on earth. The only needful thing to get right is to believe in God and choose to trust Him, or the awful day will come when all who don’t will be counted among all those who believe in God and tremble. Empirical knowledge enlightened by knowledge of the Scriptures and the power of God makes for great faith. From here, just as it is written, nothing will be impossible for us. (2 Corinthians 12:2-5; Colossians 1:9-29; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 6:12; Matthew 17:19-21; 2 Corinthians 10:4-6; James 2:19; Matthew 22:29; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Matthew 8:5-13; Jeremiah 17:7-8; Psalm 18:1-3; Philippians 4:13; 1 Peter 5:6-10; Ephesians 3:14-20; 1 Peter 5:11)

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

Freedom doesn’t come from having unlimited choices. Having 10,000 wrong choices only creates 10,000 bad consequences, not freedom. True freedom comes from a willing heart that chooses what is right. Habitual right choices cultivate godly character, and godly character shares abundantly in the fruit of the Spirit. We come to know that we are holding to the narrow way by the fruit. Sometimes through fatigue or loss of focus we stray. Rest when you must, repent when necessary, and return to following the first principles to get the train back on the track of freedom and firmly attached to the empowering third rail of the Spirit of liberty. (Revelation 2:1-7; Proverbs 24:30-34; Luke 6:46; Proverbs 30:20, 20:11; Matthew 7:16-21, 22:29, 7:13-14; John 8:31-36, 20:24-29; Galatians 5:1; 2 Timothy 1:7; Matthew 5:28-30; John 6:63; Luke 17:20-21; Galatians 5:16-25; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; 1 John 1:9-10; Philippians 2:13; 1 Timothy 6:3-21)

Maker of Heaven and Earth is Our Help

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

Just like beauty, big is in the eye of the beholder. Big and small are useful labels for comparison between things that differ in size. At least two things must be in view to make a comparison. Our problems in life are not the problem. The problem is in the reference used to make the determination of it as a big or small problem. If we compare our problems with the problems of other people, our problems can easily be seen as bigger or smaller. If we compare our problems with our ability, they will be as big or as small as our ability to handle them. The problem is not in the comparison, but in our frame of reference used for the comparison. Nothing is bigger than God and all problems are small in comparison to Him. The universe is bigger than we can imagine, yet God is bigger still. It is easy for our problems to be too big for us, yet everything is small when compared to the infinite God. Remember God in all things. Lean not on your own limited understanding and ability. Trust God and rely on His love. (Acts 17:16-34; Isaiah 53:1; Hebrews 11:6; Mark 16:9-14; Hebrews 12:1-2; Matthew 7:7-8; Romans 8:32-39; Matthew 11:28-30; Luke 21:34; 1 Timothy 4:16; Acts 20:28; Psalm 92:1-2, 18:1-3, 30:12, 89:52)

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

To be human is to be born swimming in a sea of error with truth being our only life preserver. Errors of opinion, errors of thought, and errors of speech surround us like blood thirsty sharks ready to attack. Knowledge of the truth is the first essential, and following the truth is the next equally essential action. Without the first the second cannot be taken, and without the second, hypocrisy rushes in to devour. Truth is a life preserver. It cannot be grasped without simultaneously letting go of error. Righteousness comes from ordering life in accordance with the book of Truth and the righteous increase strength. This book, the Holy Bible, is it from God or from man? Answering this question correctly is the first stroke toward wisdom. (Matthew 13:18-23, 44-51; Luke 6:46; Luke 20:1-8; Psalm 33:13-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Job 28:28; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; John 8:31-32; John 15:16; James 1:21; Proverbs 24:5; Romans 13:7-14; 2 Peter 1:21, 1:3-11; Revelation 22:21)

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

Muscles and faith both become stronger only after they are exercised. 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. Faith grows to match the level of our trust in God. When you can say with complete confidence like Job, “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” your faith will be strong enough to do the greater works Jesus promised. (John 14:12-14; John 11:40; Matthew 17:19-20; Luke 17:5-8; James 4:3; Hebrews 4:9-16; 1 John 5:14-15; 1 Corinthians 9:7-10; Hebrews 11:1-6; John 14:12517; 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:2-4; Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Habakkuk 3:17-18; Job 13:15;Philippians 4:4-7; 1 Peter 5:6-10; Philippians 4:8; Philippians 2:13; 1 Peter 5:11).