Stand fast and witness God's victory

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching the blog archives for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog. As you read, I encourage you to record any reflections or comments you may have, for the entries here serve best as the first remarks in a conversation.

Blessings and best wishes,
Dr. Will

Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Devotions: Ps 5, 6, 10, 11; Exod 15:1-21; 1 Pet 1:13-25; Jn 14:18-31

Lord, hear me! I come before You in worship; lead me in Your righteousness, and make my path straight. Let the wicked bear their guilt if they rebel against You. And let those who take refuge in You rejoice and sing for joy. Do not rebuke me in Your anger; deliver me for the sake of Your steadfast love. I know YHWH has heard my prayers and accepts them. I know God answers! All my enemies will be ashamed and sorely troubled, as God judges them. Help me be patient, Lord; I know that You are in charge, but I am still jittery. Sorry! The wicked prey on the hapless; You have been the Helper of the powerless and fatherless, so that the man of the earth my strike terror no more. God is my Foundation, and I will abide in Him.

Moses and all the people sang before YHWH: ‘I will sing to YHWH, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider God has thrown into the sea. YHWH is my Strength and my Song, and He has become my Salvation. This is my God and I will praise Him, my fathers’ God, and I will exalt Him. Our God is a Warrior, and YHWH is His name. He cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the Red Sea, where the waters covered them and they sank like a stone. YHWH, Your glorious right hand shatters the enemy, and You crush Your adversaries; Your burning wrath consumes them like dry stubble. Your breath piled up the sea waters, and opened a path for Israel. The enemy resolved to pursue and overtake us, and destroy us. But You covered them with sea waters and they sank like lead. There is none like You, YHWH, majestic in holiness, awesome in deeds and wonders. With steadfast love and sovereign strength, You have guided us home. The Gentiles quake before us—Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, Canaanites! Terror and dread overtake them, and they are frozen in fear, till You and Your people pass by. You will bring us into Your land and plant us on Your mountain, near Your sanctuary. YHWH will reign for ever!’ Miriam took up the song, and led the women of Israel in celebration before the Lord.

Peter writes to the Diaspora: Gird up your minds, be sober, and set your hope fully upon the grace that is coming to you when Jesus the Messiah is revealed. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance; since He Who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct—just as scripture states: ‘Be holy as I Am holy.’ If you invoke as Father Him Who judges each person impartially by that person’s works, conduct yourselves with holy fear throughout your exile in this flesh and this world. You know you were ransomed from the futile ways passed along by your ancestors; and your ransom was not with perishables like silver or gold; you were ransomed with the priceless blood of the Messiah, a sacrifice without spot or blemish. Jesus was destined before the foundation of the cosmos but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. Through Him you have confidence in God, Who raised Jesus from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. First purify your souls by obeying the truth commanding sincere love of your brothers and sisters in Christ; then love one another earnestly from your heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through God’s living and abiding word. Recall the gospel declared to you: ‘All flesh is like grass and its glory like the grass’s flower. The grass withers and the flower falls; but the word of the Lord abides for ever.’

On the night before He was crucified, Jesus consoled His disciples: ‘I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. In a little while, the world will no longer see Me; but because I live, you also will live. In that day, you will know that I Am in My Father and you are in Me, and I Am in you. Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me; he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and will show Myself to him.’ The other Judas, not Iscariot, said: ‘Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus answered, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will obey My word, and My Father will love him and We will come and make Our home with him. Whoever does not love Me does not obey My words; and the words you hear from Me are not mine, but those of the Father Who sent Me. All these things I have said while I Am still with you. But the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit Whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you—not as the world gives—My gift is eternal and will not be taken back. Don’t let your hearts be troubled, and don’t be afraid. You have heard Me say I Am going away and I will come back to you. If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced to hear this, because I Am going to the Father, Who is greater than I. Now I have told you before all this comes to pass, so that you may believe when it takes place. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over Me; but I do as the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Get up! Let us go forth.’