God guides us by His standard of perfection

Saturday, May 24, 2014 Devotions: Ps 55, 138, 139:1-17; Ex 40:18-38; 1 Th 4:1-12; Mt 5:38-48 Lord God, here's my prayer: please hear and answer me. I am overcome by my trouble, sickened by the dissonance from the enemy, oppressed by the wicked. I face enmity and pressure all the time. My hear is burning in me, Lord; I am weakened and afraid; sometimes, I'd like to take flight and find a hiding place, and just rest. But I stay here, God; so I pray: destroy their plans, confuse their communications. Deliver me from the cynical resistance and scorn of my colleagues; You are my only Friend—and You Are enough, Lord. I cast my burden upon YHWH, and He will sustain me. I will trust You, Lord; show me Your mercy and might, I pray! I bow to Your temple and thank You for Your steadfast love and faithfulness; You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life. YHWH will fulfill His purpose for me; Lord, Your steadfast love endures forever; do not forsake me, the work of Your hands! You search me and know me intimately; nothing I am and nothing I do is hidden from You. That knowledge is too much for me, higher than I can sustain, my God! I cannot escape You, and don't really want to—but I am exhausted by the tension Your holiness and my sinful tendencies create. Your thoughts are precious to me, Lord God; and when I notice, in moments of lucidity, I am still with You. YHWH gave Moses full instructions about the assembly of His tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and all its furnishings, and the commissioning and apparel of the priests to serve there. And on the first day of the first month, beginning the second year after the Israelites left Egypt, Moses erected the tabernacle just as God had directed, and the court surrounding the tabernacle and the altar, and the screen of the gate of the court. When Moses finished the work, the cloud of YHWH's Presence covered the tent, and YHWH's glory filled the tent so that Moses was not able to enter. And so, throughout the journeys of the Israelites, whenever the cloud rose up from over the tabernacle, the people would break camp and follow the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. And if the cloud was not taken up, they would remain encamped—so all Israel, at a glance, could confirm the presence of YHWH their God with them. Paul wrote to the Christians at Thessalonika: Brothers and sisters, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus: as you learned from us how you ought to live to please God, do so more and more. Your sanctification is God's will for you—abstain from unchastity; be faithful in marriage, in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the heathens who don't know God. Let no one transgress and sin against his brother in this matter, for the Lord is an Avenger in these matters, as we have already warned you. God has called us to holiness, not to uncleanness. Whoever disregards this is ignoring God, not mortals; for He gives us His Holy Spirit! God has taught you to love the brothers and sisters—you show that you love all the believers in Macedonia. So I exhort you, do so more and more! Aspire to live quietly, mind your own affairs, work with your hands, as we taught you, so that you command the respect of outsiders and need depend on no one but God. Jesus was teaching His followers: You have heard it said, 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist anyone who is evil. If someone strikes your right cheek, turn the left to him; if someone sues to take your coat, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go with him one mile, go a second mile voluntarily. Give to the one who begs from you; don't refuse those who seek to borrow from you. You have heard, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you can be children of your Father Who Is in heaven. He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good alike; He sends rain on the just and the unjust. There is no reward for loving those who love you; even tax collectors do that! If you greet only your brothers and sisters, you're doing only what all people do, including the Gentiles. You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect!