Abide and Trust

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that label.

Saturday, March 14, 2009
Devotions: Ps 23, 27, 75, 76; Jer 5:20-31; Rom 3:19-31; Jn 7:1-13

YHWH shepherds me, so I lack nothing. He gives me rest and peace; He restores my soul. He guides me in righteous pathways, to His glory. Even if I face death, I will fear no evil, for You, my God, are with me. Your rod and staff encourage me. You make a feast for me, right in front of my enemies; You anoint me with oil and with Your Spirit; I am so blessed! Surely goodness and love will pursue me all my mortal days, and I will live among God’s household for ever! YHWH is my Light and my Salvation; I fear no one. When evildoers assail me, they will fail and fall. I remain confident, and ask only to live in God’s house forever—to behold His beauty and to learn His wisdom. God shelters me in times of peril. I offer Him thanks and songs of praise. My Helper, keep me in Your favor; teach me Your way, O Lord, and keep me on level ground. I believe I will see God’s goodness; I will be strong and courageous and wait upon the Lord. God’s judgment will come in His good time; my part is to trust and obey, and I will sing praises to my God forever as He accomplishes His purposes. Lord, You are glorious, more majestic than mountains, awesome in power and terrible in aspect. Let us keep our promises as God keeps His covenants, and worship our God!

Jeremiah warns the children of Judah: ‘You have stubborn, rebellious hearts and turn away from you holy God! Your iniquities bring punishment upon your land and your households. The wicked prosper in your midst, through treachery and godless crimes. And I will punish them—what will you do when I do this?

The law functions to make us aware of our transgressions and jeopardy before the holy God. But God’s righteousness and mercy are manifest to us through grace, by means of faith in Jesus the Messiah. God makes no distinctions in mercy or in judgment; all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory; all face the penalty of death and eternal separation from God. And all, Jew and Gentile alike, may avail ourselves of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ: this expiation is a gift, priceless and purchased by His shed blood, to be received only by faith. How merciful and good is our God! We have nothing to boast about; God alone is to be credited with thanks and praise—for His law and for His salvation!

Jesus’ human brothers chided Him about His reticence to go up to Jerusalem for the feast of Succoth, even though the Jews were plotting to kill Jesus. Jesus told them to go ahead—His time had not yet arrived. After the brothers had departed, however, Jesus also went to the feast, quietly and privately. Both the Jewish authorities and the crowds were looking for Jesus, and there was a lot of gossip and debate about Jesus.