Abide in Jesus, and Rejoice!

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might read 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, in the archives.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Devotions: Ps 45, 47, 48; WisSol 3:1-9; Col 1:15-23; Lk 6:12-26

I write to praise the King: You are saturated in grace; take up Your sword, O Mighty One, and ride forth in glory and majesty! Your throne endures forever; You rule with equity. God has anointed You with the oil of gladness. Your queen joins you in joy. Glory to You, my King! Let all peoples shout to God with songs of joy! YHWH is mighty, a terrible and awesome ruler. God reigns, greatly to be praised. Let all other rulers bow before our God. I meditate on Your steadfast love, my God. You are my Guide forever.

The righteous are in God’s hand forever; no torment can touch them. Fools think they die, but God's elect are alive and at peace. We have the assurance of immortality; having been disciplined a little, we receive grace that abounds forever. God refines us and accepts us. In the time of our visitation, we will shine! We will rule under our God’s authority. His wisdom gives us understanding; in faith, we abide in love, because of God’s grace and mercy on His elect. God watches over His holy ones!

Jesus is the icon of the invisible God, firstborn over all creation. In Him and for Him all things were created, in the material and spiritual realms. He Is before all things; in Him all things cohere. He is the Head of the church, His body; He is first-born from death, the Author and Pioneer of resurrection, pre-eminent in all things! In Jesus all God’s fullness is pleased to dwell. Through Jesus, by the blood of His cross, all creation is reconciled to our Creator. Jesus has reconciled us who were estranged from God and hostile in mind, doing evil things. By His expiation, Jesus presents us to the Father holy, blameless, without reproach—provided that we persevere in the faith and hope we have through the gospel of our Lord Jesus the Messiah—of which Paul was a minister.

After a night in solitary prayer to God, Jesus called His disciples and chose twelve to be apostles: Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas son of James and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. With these, Jesus descended from the mountain to a level place, and a great multitude gathered to Him. He taught them and healed their diseases; He cured those troubled by unclean spirits. Power was pouring from Him, and everyone sought to touch Him and be healed.
Jesus blessed and warned His listeners: ‘Blessed are you poor, for yours is God’s kingdom. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed you who weep now; you will laugh! Blessed are you when men hate you, exclude you, revile and exile you and your names, because of the Son of man! Rejoice in such circumstances and leap for joy, because look: great is your reward in heaven! They’re treating you as they treated God’s prophets of old.
‘Woe to you who are rich—you have your consolation now. Woe to you who are full now, for you will hunger! Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you of whom people now speak well, for their ancestors did the same for false prophets!’