Delightful Love Letters

Psalm 37:4-5. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 

Over fifty-two years ago I received my engagement ring in the mail, which was the result of a one-month courtship before the Air Force parted us.

The word “Delight” in the text reminds me of the eight months Gale and I wrote love letters. I delighted in  reading and writing them, always anxious to receive and write the next one. I even left a lipstick kiss on mine.
 
God wants us to delight ourselves in Him, even in our troubles. As we read the Bible and praise Him, it should came natural to commit our ways to Him.

The relationship of the believer with  Jesus Christ should be as intimate as a love letter. His love was written in red on a cruel cross for our sins. No greater love has ever been displayed but that of the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior for our Salvation.

Give  all that is wrong in your life to Jesus. Delight, commit, and trust Him to give you the desires of your heart. He loves you. If you don't know Him ask Him to forgive your sins and come into your heart. Trust Him.

Promises And Trust

When God called Joshua to lead the Isrealites He promised to be with Him. The Lord promised to give victory over every enemy.  He reminds him again.

Joshua 1:9  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

To receive these promises Joshua only had to trust God. The same promises are for believers today. We only have to trust God.

• He still gives victory over all our enemies (1 John 5:4-5)
• He is still ever-present (Heb. 13:5) and all-powerful (Matt. 28:18)
• He is still faithful (Matt. 28:20)

The God-Blessed Christian

How do we measure up to God’s standard for a successful Christian life? Usually, the amount of external evidence we produce is the result of internal activity in our hearts and lives. We find insight to our question in the following scripture.

Psalm 1:1-2  “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

God blesses Christians who don’t live like the ungodly of this world, but rather a life separated unto Him.

God blesses Christians who delight in His Word, knowing it is inspired - God-breathed - and the complete revelation of God to man.

2 Timothy 3:16-17  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Strength For The Inner Man

Ephesians 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Oh how our inner man needs to be strengthened.  The Apostle Paul is praying for the Ephesian Christians, but God preserved this scripture for future generations.

God’s power and glory are limitless, and our access to His riches are only hindered by our ability to yield to Him and His will.

Everything we do in life results from the decisions we make within the “inner man”.  When the “inner man” is weak, we are subject to be controlled by our flesh.

But the Spirit of God strengthens our “inner man” as we feed on the Word of God, as we pray,  as we hear Spirit-led  preaching,  and as we  worship.

God's Good Pleasure

Philippians 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

I have learned over the years that many coincidences in my life are actually God working  His “good pleasure".  I know it’s Him because He leaves a. sweet flavor in my heart---peaceful.

Time and again He planted the right person to show me the way---sometimes a stranger. He often changed my plan or situation for me to perform His will.

God coaxes  us to adopt His will as our own. I can always trust The Lord to show me His will and empower me to follow.

The Eye Of The Lord

Psalm 33:18-20  Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.

God watches those who fear Him---not so much afraid of Him but worshiping Him in awe with reverence and hope in His mercy---for salvation.

How often we need to rest in the arms of divine sovereignty, knowing that the “eye” of Almighty God is upon us?

It’s comforting to know that the Lord cares for His own. He sees our pain, our problem, our hurt, our fear. He won’t desert us because He loves us. Praise Him.

Hope, Tribulation, And Prayer

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” Romans 12:12

The believer should be the happiest person on the face of the earth. We are saved, forgiven and heaven bound. We have a hope that the world knows nothing about.

When the pressures of life hurt, we can lean on Jesus and trust His promises.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”Romans 8:28

We should be involved in a prayer life that is vibrant and consistent.

 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  James 5:16.