Search Me

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!

(Psalm 139:23-24, ESV)

I was recently talking with a group of friends and one of them was talking about Psalm 139. After the conversation, I opened my Bible to read the chapter for myself and was taken back by the simple truth of David’s prayer.

No matter how good we think we are, we all have "stuff" in our hearts and we all have thoughts that need to be removed. We all need to ask God to search us and change us, and give us the mind of Christ.

Have you ever wondered why David would ask God to search Him? David, “the man after God’s own heart”, had many personal failures and shortcomings. He had reached a point in his life where he understood that his heart had a great capacity for insidious evil. David was unable to know his own heart completely, and was unable to make things right in his own strength. So he turned to God and simply asked God to do that which only God could do. He asked God to change his heart and change his thoughts.

Search me O God and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV)

As I look at my own life, I realize that I am a lot like David. I want to do what is right. I want to love God, but I have serious heart issues and wrong thoughts that need to be exposed. There are thoughts that I have to take captive, and heart issues that have to be changed by the power of God.

Even though I know that I am a child of God, I have come to understand that it is only by giving God more and more of my life that I will be able to truly live for Him. It is only when I am willing to face the truth inside of me that I can seek the help I so desperately need. And that help can only be found in the God of all of creation, the very Creator of my heart and mind.

So search me God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts. And lead me in Your way, the everlasting way.

I know God can, I know God will, and even if he doesn’t

I love Chapter 3 of the book of Daniel, it’s a story of a King that thought way to much of himself and three young men that thought much more of their God. You see, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego where unwilling to worship King Nebuchadnezzar as he had ordered. They where unwilling to give to a man, that which belongs only to God, just think how easy it would have been to do what everyone else was doing. Just think how easy it would have been for them to say it’s really not that big of a deal. They had no way of knowing that there story would be come one of the great Bible stories. They did not do it so others would see, or read about it. They did it because they loved their God, and wanted to please Him more that anyone or anything else. Just think these 3 young men standing in front of the most powerful man in the world at the time, and the bible tell us in Daniel chapter 3 what happened. “16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” I have asked myself many times would I have the courage to say these type of words, would I have the Love for God to stand for Him before the leader of the world. I pray that if ever comes a times, that I’m asked to stand, I will stand like these young men stood.

God’s Final Word

Today I was reading the book of Hebrews, chapter one verses 1-4. I was studying this text, as I was going to speak on it later in the day. As I read the text I saw it, God no longer spoke to us, like he did to those in the Old Testament. God no longer spoke to us by prophets, or by the law, or by kings, or by judges. But God speaks to us through His Son Jesus Christ. What an awesome thing. The God of the universe, final word to us was done through Jesus. Yes, God became man, and then he told us from His own lips, how He feels about us. He told us that He loves us, and then He showed us how much He loves us by dying for us. Do you get it, do you see it. When God wanted to give us His final word, He did not leave it to anyone else. He Himself came down to us and spoke the words from His own lips. He said I love you and I will make a way for you to be with me again. Then he went on to accomplish, the things that He told us he would. He saved us, by giving His own life in place of ours. He bought us back, He over came the power of death, and He gave us a chance for victory once and for all. He gave us Jesus Christ. Anyone who calls on the name of Jesus will be saved. (Romans 10:13)

For His name Sake

The more I read the bible, the more I come to understand that all that God has done, He has done for the Glory of His name. Have you ever read Psalm 23, it Strats out saying. The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures He leads me besides still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name sake. Yes the Lord does all these things great things for those who put their trust in Him. And if we are not careful, we can start to think that is all about us. But look again, did you miss it. Why did he do all those good things for us. He did it all for His name sake. You see it is true that we who put our trust in the Lord receive awesome blessing, but God Is always about His glory. Now some people would say that, that seems prideful, but it's not. God fully understand who he is. Just think about it, He is God there is no one or no thing like Him. He alone is worty of worship, so His name alone is above all. It is to be the one name that must always be protected. What would happen if the only name that is always true, alway without and flaw. What would happen if that named failed. There would be no name in all of the creation that people could turn too. No name in all of creation that people put their full trust in. You see God will always be about His name, so men can always has a name that they can turn to when there seems to be no hope. It is in the name of God that alone people can put their trust, because it is His name that tells us, reminds us of who he is. He is the Lord and there is no one like Him.

Just a Thought

Today as I was reading in the book of Zephaniah, I was thinking. One day I’ll be with Jesus, and God one day will make all things right. Yes I know that we read all the time, that Jesus will return, but today I was overwhelmed by this truth. One day I will be with Jesus, I will see him ever day, I will never have to worry again, be fearful again, or be in pain again. My body will never grow old, I will never turn to sin, and he (Jesus) will be more than enough! My hopes will become my realities; I will be will my Lord, my King, my Savior, and my Friend. Just a Thought

Jesus Christ More Than Enough

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 2 Cor 4:7-10

Life often times is just hard, and when you try to love God, often times it seems even harder. I am convinced that the more you try to do for God the more difficult life becomes. IT is as if the powers of the world turn against you. Well your right they do, the ruler of this world hates you. Satan hates everything about those who love God. Satan hates everyone. In John 10: 7-10 the bible state;

( Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.)

Do you get it, the thief, which mean Satan hates everyone and everything. But Jesus has come that we may have life and life to the fullest. Yes this life is hard and we have an enemy that is set on destroying everything God has made, but he will not win, for Jesus Christ has made a way. Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life and anyone that has trusted in Him, or will put their trust in Him will over come Satan. That’s why the Cross of Christ is so important it reminds us that no matter what, we have a savior that is able to save, to rescue, and to bring hope. We have Jesus Christ and He is more than enough!

You Will Be With Me

Have you ever really thought about it? Just think of Jesus's words to the thief on the cross, “I assure you; today you will be with me in paradise. I know so many Christians that often times forget that Jesus saved us so he could one day be with us. How often do you actually think about it, I mean really think about it? This world is not our home; Jesus is preparing a place for us, a home that is beyond our comprehension, a place made just for us. So why do we who have placed our trust in Jesus, try so hard to build our Kingdom in this world, when we could be building for the one to come. Why do we think that this world has more to offer us, than the one to come, the one that will include Jesus, in physical form. Yes Jesus in real life will be with us everyday. How often have you said to yourself, if only He was here right now, if only I could see or touch Him. Well that will be our reality, we will walk and talk with Jesus, seeing Him everyday. No more longing for His presence for He will be there and we will be with Him. Yes we will be with him, so remember always that our home is yet to come , so lets hold loosely to the one we now live in.