Thy Testimonies Are Very Sure

93 The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.
3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.
4 The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever. Psalm 93 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

We may not all be born with the same advantages, but what does that have to do with being the best you that you can be? Being born beautiful, smart, and rich is less important than what you do with your gifts, talents, and financial resources. The word of God is truth. Faith and trust grow together. The word of God is the only reliable anchor of the soul. Faith comes by hearing the word. Faith grows as trust and commitment increase. We are saved by grace through faith, not by works. When self-righteousness takes root in the heart, sin will be crouching at the door ready to lay waste. Thank God Almighty that He has made the gate straight and the way narrow. We are not left orphans having to figure things out and find our own way. Love the truth and the truth shall set you free. Trust the Lord with all your heart. Deny self and abide in the Heavenly Vine. Pick up your cross and take His yoke upon you. Follow the Lord Jesus Christ our Redeemer.  Do all the will of God as you know it until kingdom come. (Luke 16:19-31; Isaiah 53:1; John 17:17; John 8:31-34; Genesis 4:6-10; 1 John 3:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Jeremiah 17:7-8; John 15:16; Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 9:23-25; Philippians 3:7-10; Matthew 11:28-30; Galatians 3:11; John 14:18-27; Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 11:32-40; Psalm 40:8; Philippians 4:8-13; Ephesians 3:14-21)

Great is Our God

104 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
24 O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.
29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
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 104:1-4, 24-35 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

There is no such thing as a muscle fairy. The only thing you will get from putting an iron plate under your pillow at night is a headache in the morning. We have a God that graciously provides us with all things, including the ability to work. There are no short cuts. Putting in the work is not supposed to be easy, and what comes fast often goes just as fast. Work is a gift from God to be received with thankfulness and executed in faithfulness. Honest work is not to be refused, nor is it to be done half-heartedly with murmuring, grumbling, and complaining. There is honor in all honest work done well. Set your heart on hearing our Lord Jesus Christ say to you, “well done my faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master.” He will strengthen you and make you firm. Trust God always. Flee idolatry! Not just sticks and stones, but anything that is exalted above God is a false idol. Some worship strong muscles, others put their faith in science. There be many who make money their idol and food their god. Purify our hearts, O Lord. That we may know and worship Thee the only true God. Jesus Christ our Lord lives! Let the whole earth be full of His glory. Dare to believe the gospel and grieve not the Holy Spirit. (Exodus 32:1-7; Jeremiah 8:9; Psalm 115:4-8; Romans 1:16-32; Psalm 69:22; Proverbs 30:20; 2 Corinthians 6:17-18; Proverbs 10:5; Matthew 25:14-30; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-13; Philippians 2:14-16; Hebrews 10:36; 1 Corinthians 10:1-14; Matthew 6:24; Revelation 2:18-29; 1 John 5:20-21)

Stand on the Facts of the Lord

111 Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
2 The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. Psalm 111:1-10 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Knowing which feelings to accept and which feelings to reject is an invaluable skill. The wheat must be separated from the chaff. The grass must be fertilized and the weeds pulled up by the roots. The silver must be passed through the fire to eliminate the dross. So too must the right pains be accepted and the wrong pleasures rejected. Those who are thus training in the practice of discerning right from wrong will grow healthy, wealthy, wise, and strong. (Psalm 119:9-16; Luke 8:4-15; Hosea 10:12; Proverbs 25:4-5; Hebrews 5:12-6:3; 1 Corinthians 10:23; Proverbs 14:9-16; Romans 3:13-18; Philippians 3:19; Romans 14:17-23; John 7:24; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Mark 4:26-29; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Jude 1:17-25)

Our Help and Shield

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
13 The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.
16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. Psalm 33:12-22 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Fitness, talent, and beauty make life easier, but we only fool ourselves when we think “easier” by itself makes life happier. Money is the answer for everything, but money alone will never be enough. Keep money, and anything else that would raise itself up as an idol, out of the heart. There is nothing wrong with the prayer to change the stones into bread in itself. The wrong or the right depends on whether the motive behind it is to obey God or merely to satisfy the belly. So, set your affections on the things that are above. Be watchful over your thoughts and deeds in order to keep your conscience tender and clear. Be quick to cast down, put off, and turn away from everything that doesn’t conform to the Word of God. Jesus Christ is the Word. Meditate on the Word of God all day long and rely on the power of God always. This will keep us on the narrow path with inner peace and great joy. (1 King 13:11-24; Ecclesiastes 7:2, 10:19, 5:10; Proverbs 23:5; Colossians 3:2; Hebrews 12:2; James 4:1-3; 1 John 2:15-16; Mathew 6:24; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Hebrews 11:32-12:1; Matthew 7:7-11; Romans 8:32-39; 1 John 5:13-15; Matthew 6:31-33; 2 Corinthians 10:4-6; John 1: 1-3; Hebrews 11:1-6; Matthew 4:1-11; Ephesians 3:14-21)

Praise God For His Everlasting Lovingkindness

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
14 O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.
15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
17 Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me. Psalm 86:11-17 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Worry can sometimes seem like a 2,000 pound gorilla jumping up and down on your back. Self-help is no help at all. It’s like hiring a fox to guard the chickens. Take it to Lord in prayer and be confident in His ability as the Good Shepherd to care for you. Fight the good fight of faith and enforce the victory over anything that would spark unbelief in the heart. Be diligent. It is so easy to become distracted by our current circumstances, and thereby take our eyes off Jesus Christ. Without constantly reminding ourselves of the truth of His word and promises, we are likely to forget them at just the time when we need to abide in Him the most. Only by the grace of Jesus Christ are we more than conquerors, and that takes faith which works by love. (Matthew 6:26-34; Matthew 12:38-45; Ecclesiastes 4:5; Proverbs 14:1-3; Isaiah 50:10-11; Proverbs 3:5-8; Deuteronomy 8:10-18; Psalm 103:2-5; Isaiah 26:3; Proverbs 16:3; Galatians 5:6; Romans 8:35-39; 1 John 2:15-17; John 14:15-27; Psalm 23; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

Remember the Wonderful Works of the Lord

105 O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
Psalm 105:1-5 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

We can transform the physical body with diet and exercise. While our whole life can be transformed by the Word of God and faith. The Word of God, which consists of the very thoughts and verbal expressions of God, is the source of unlimited power. The practice of continually thinking God’s thoughts after Him is life transforming. Prayer is our connection to God. Faith is like the powering on of a television or other appliance. The ON/OFF button enables the device to perform as designed. Faith in God is our ON setting, while unbelief is the OFF mode that hinders the flow of grace. One key to effective prayer is to never pray for anything unless you believe God will do it. Believe first, then pray. Faith comes quickest by hearing yourself speak the Word, and unbelief begins as the mind entertains doubt. A doubting thought taken captive and casted down by faith causes no harm. So, doubt your doubts. Hold fast your confession of faith, and let the grace of God have its full flow. (Proverbs 12:10; 1 Timothy 4:8; Romans 12:1-18; 1 Corinthians 13:13; 1 John 4:10; John 3:16-17; James 1:21; 2 Corinthians 10:4-6; Hebrews 4:12; Hebrews 11:1-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; John 17:17; 1 John 5:4-8; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Hebrews 10:19-23; 1 Peter 5:6-11)

God is Good

107 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. Psalm 107:1-3, 42-43 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Faith comes by hearing. Time and attention given to the Word of God tunes the ears to hear opportunity knocking. Every opportunity to doubt is also an opportunity to exercise faith. Remember the command to consider the fiery darts that attack your faith as pure joy. This is easy to do when you first remember the faithfulness of Him who has promised that through perseverance, you will be made strong and complete. The temptation to complain about our current circumstances is one such fiery dart that often goes unnoticed. The Holy Bible tells us that even something as routine as eating and drinking, and as constant as the flow of our thoughts and attitudes should all be consistent with faith in God. Fix the eyes on Jesus Christ and rejoice! He has won this victory for us. Jesus Christ our Lord, the captain of our salvation, is completely faithful, trustworthy, reliable, and all powerful. Christ is our source of everlasting strength. (Isaiah 26:4; Revelation 3:22; Ephesians 1:1-21; Revelation 3:20; Ezekiel 36:26; John 14:18-26; Hebrews 10:15-17; Galatians 4:19; John 1:12-17; Hebrews 4:2; Hebrews 11:1-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15; John 8:31-32; Hebrews 12:1-3; James 1:21-25; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Ephesians 3:14-21)

The Glory of the Lord Endures Forever

13 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.
23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
24 O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches
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. Psalm 104:1-2, 13-15, 19-24, 31-34 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

We will see little gains from working out if we don’t eat. It takes sufficient protein and adequate time under tension for growing bigger muscles. Likewise, we also need spiritual nutrition and times of testing to increase our faith. The Word of God is spiritual protein and hearing the Word is like weight training. All who come to God through Jesus Christ have faith at least the size of a mustard seed. O ye of little faith, why stay that way? Faith comes by hearing, therefore be quick to speak the Word of God in your thoughts and in your ears. See the wind and the waves with rejoicing. The eyes are easily deceived and feelings are often just lying vanities. Praise and thanksgiving are active expressions of trust in God. Hold fast the confession of your faith and He will bring you through all in perfect peace. (Romans 10:17; Deuteronomy 6:4-7; Joshua 1:8-9; John 8:31-32; Matthew 14:22-31; Mark 11:22-24; 1 Peter 2:2; James 1:2-4; Psalm 42:5; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Peter 3:15; Hebrews 10:23; Isaiah 26:3; 2 Timothy 2:15, 4:1-5, 2:24-25; Jude 1:17-25)

Grace for Joyful Living

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

God never has a need for a plan B at any time. Get quiet and listen. Hear the Lord speak to your soul “Do you believe I can do this? According to your faith be it done unto you.” God works everything out for good for those who love Him. So, be at peace even when your best laid plans fall apart. Nothing surprises God. Absolutely everything is in the hands of God, from the largest galaxy far, far, away, down to the smallest unknown of quantum mechanics, and everything in between. He can completely change your situation in an instant. Trust in His love for you. Is not steel hardened in the fire? Is not a diamond formed under pressure? Does not muscle require resistance to become stronger? Likewise is faith developed…in the fire, under pressure, and with resistance. Trust God our Father. He alone is truly good and infinitely better than the very best of human fathers ever could be. Pray for what you need with the full assurance that comes from knowing that by asking we receive, by seeking we find, and by knocking the door is opened. And if it is delayed, wait for it. Remember the faithfulness of God with thanksgiving even before seeing the requested blessing. Praise Him for His goodness and chase away every fearful and doubting thought. Always ask according to the will of God and the needed grace will come. (Matthew 7:7-11; Mark 9:14-27; Matthew 17:19-21, 9:27-29; Ephesians 1:15-21; Zechariah 3:1-7; Ephesians 2:8-22; 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24; Ephesians 6:10-19; Proverbs 18:21; Matthew 15:15-19; Proverbs 4:18-27; 2 Corinthians 10:4-6; 1 Peter 3:3-4, 4:11)

Delight in The Lord

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. Psalm 104:31-35 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

The beneficial effects of fitness are the fruit of a fit lifestyle. Understand that fitness is a direction, not a destination. To be sure, the fit look different and perform better than the unfit. These things are effects, not causes. Lifestyle is the root from which all the effects of fitness grow. When you consistently walk like the fit and talk like the fit, you will be fit. It’s the picking up of your cross daily that provides the conditions that make you so. Learn to depend on the grace of God. It is always a struggle to change in our own strength. Ask God for His promised grace for the desire and the power to do. It will be done according to His will and your faith. (3 John 1:2; Galatians 6:6-9; Galatians 5:16-25; 1 Peter 3:3-4; Luke 9:23-25; Matthew 11:28-30; Hebrews 4:1-6; Proverbs 4:23; Hebrews 10:38; Hebrews 4:9-13; Matthew 9:27-29; 1 John 5:14-15; Ephesians 2:10; Hebrews 4:16; Revelation 22:21)

What do you think?

Can one go too far in the Christian life?