Dear LORD and Savior, thank You so much for putting Your hands in the fire and snatching us out of the flames, and saving our souls. We praise Your most holy name, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

For the past two days we have been seeing Jesus Christ at the right hand of David; first to save him from condemnation, and then to keep him from being moved. Our devotional today presents a drastic shift. In the place where Jesus Christ alone has a right to stand, is the Adversary, in a role which is diametrically opposed to that of the Savior!

Before we look at all that this scene represents in the life of believers, let me just insert a word of warning to our readers:  “Beware of some of the whispering that goes on in your ears! Some of the advice that you may be attributing to the Angel of the LORD, may well be the voice of the Adversary! So, Caveat lector!

What a good thing that Jesus showed up when He did! I believe that this statement stands true not only for Joshua (representing the people of Israel), but for the entire human race! We were all condemned to die! We had no merits of our own! We had been auctioned off, and were “going once, going twice, going, and almost gone,” (Myra Brooks Welsh), but thank God, Jesus came! Chapter three of Zechariah is a beautiful depiction of where the human race was when Jesus found us. The last part of our Scripture for today, in the NIV, reads as follows:   Is not this man [woman] a burning stick snatched from the fire?”We had already been identified as “Ready for the flames.” But “Mercy said No” (Cece Winans).

The next three verses describe what Jesus does for us when we make good use of the salvation that He has provided:

“Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, ‘ “Take away the filthy garments from him.” ‘ And to him He said, ‘ “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.” ‘ And I said, ‘ “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” ‘ So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the LORD stood by” (3-5, emphasis provided).

Jesus will free us from our own human-made methods of salvation. He will also free us from our fallen nature, “Take away the filthy garments from him [her].” Then He will forgive us, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1: 9), “See, I have removed your iniquity from you,” Only then, will we be ready to receive His robe of righteousness “and I will clothe you with rich robes.” Next, He will write His law upon our hearts (minds), and enable us to walk in His ways, “So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. Hallelujah! But the best is yet to come,

“And the Angel of the LORD stood by.“ He will never leave you (Matthew 28: 20)! He who began the work in you, will “stand by” until it is completed (Philippians 1: 6)! He knows that we can do nothing without Him, He remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103: 14)! So He will remain with us until the work is done! Praise His holy name!

So do not be afraid when the Accuser of the believers (Revelation 12: 10c) stands at your right hand to accuse you. When the Savior came, he had to get out of the way and make space for the only One who could claim that right, by virtue of His death, burial, and resurrection, on behalf of His creatures, “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10: 12), where He intercedes on our behalf!

And He will take His place at our right hand, and save us!

Merciful God, we are blessed indeed to have a God so close to us, that no matter how the world around us is in turmoil, we can remain unmoved, untouched! We give You thanks for this immense privilege in the mighty name of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen!

Yesterday, David bore testimony to the fact that with God at his right hand, he would be saved from condemnation. Today, he will once again make his “boast in the LORD,” for keeping him from being moved - by standing at his right hand.

We live in a day of much uncertainty. We can appreciate this in the physical world, the political world, and sad to say, even in the religious world. Is it any wonder so many people are unhappy with their religious experience, and have set out to find alternatives? While I do not believe that we can find alternatives for what is a unique encounter, I can certainly understand why they would become disenchanted with much of what they see happening in the world of religion.

David had tasted and seen for himself how good the LORD was, so, from the very beginning of the psalm, he declares, “Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the LORD, ‘ “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing” (1, 2, emphasis provided). You will notice that this psalm is called a Michtam. I am not completely sure what the word means, but it is suggested that it is probably from a root word which means to “hide” implying a mystery or secret (The Spurgeon Archive). When applied to this psalm, I would say that that definition is quite appropriate. To know the LORD at the level expressed in this psalm is a mystery that is experienced only by those who have had a close encounter with the Almighty!

For David, God was the portion of his inheritance. In God, He had all he would ever need. All the riches that “fade not away,” and the right to eternal life, were his, because God was his portion! We have read stories of birthrights and the blessings that are included in them. They have spiritual and material components, and they are highly esteemed for different reasons, by different people. For David, the reason he considered himself so blessed, was because the LORD was his portion, and his cup. The line which divided his inheritance from that of others, had fallen in pleasant places. He considered that he had been given a good parcel of land! The best!

God was also his counselor. The fact that he had received a good inheritance, did not exclude the night seasons in his experience. There would be moments of weeping and sadness that He would have to face; but in those dark moments, God would be there! Therefore, he could conclude, that with God at his right hand, he would not be moved!

As Christians we too, need to be aware that our inheritance is the best! The lines have indeed fallen unto us in pleasant places! The One who made us heirs to this inheritance is none other than Jesus Christ the Lord of all – “Who Is, and Who Was, and Who Is to come” (Revelation 1: 8)! He is the great I AM! When He conquered death, He did it on our behalf! Therefore, our inheritance is “eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5: 1)! Nothing can move us; not even death!

Most Gracious God, how blessed we are that You are our defender! Please stay at our right hand in whatever situation we may find ourselves, and rescue us! This we ask in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today we are looking at one of those psalms that cause  you to exclaim, “Wow! Where did all of that come from!” This is a psalm of David where he is asking God to avenge him of his accusers. I am not sure when this psalm was written. Perhaps it was written during the time he was in exile, running from his son Absalom; or perhaps it was during his days as a refugee, running from Saul and his men. Whenever it was, David is obviously in a state of anguish that is almost impossible for him to bear, and he is asking God to defend him from those who he believes, are accusing him unfairly. His language is very strong!

Perhaps some can identify with the way David was feeling at the time he wrote this psalm. Most of us are not as brave or as honest about our feelings when talking to the LORD, as David was. I personally find it very strong language, which means that the feelings which inspired them, were even stronger! How comforting to know that God understands what we are feeling, therefore, He can rightly interpret our words!

In this psalm, David identifies with the poor, whom God will “save from those who condemn [them].” Where did this feeling of poverty come from? Did it come as a result of being in exile, having to step down from his throne as king and flee for his life, barefooted (2 Samuel 15: 30)?

Was it the result of the humiliation he felt as one of his former subjects cursed him and threw stones at him as he left the palace (16: 13)?

Or, perhaps it was when he had to hide in “strong holds” in the wilderness, while Saul sought him, like a dog going after its prey (1 Samuel 23: 14), that he experienced this feeling. Whatever the situation was that produced this feeling of physical, emotional, and spiritual hardship, and brought him to this poverty of soul – by faith, he knew, that God was at his side, to deliver him from those who condemned him.

Because the LORD is at our right hand, you and I, can also have this assurance!

Our LORD and our God, we worship You today in the beauty of holiness. We ask that Your mercies will not depart from us, but that You will enable us during this week to walk as You walked and to dwell under Your shadow, in peace and safety! In Your holy name we pray. Amen.

The theme of God’s righteousness and justice rings clear throughout this psalm. What caught my attention was the fact that this psalm speaks of a time when Israel was a Theocracy. God alone was King. There was no earthly king in Israel. The reason this stood out in my mind, is because when God sits on the throne, whether it is upon the throne of our individual hearts, or when He rules over a people, justice is promoted, and “executed;” because He is a “lover of justice” (4). Equity will bear sway, and become a way of life, because He “established equity” (4)!

Israel thought that it was a good thing to have an earthly king in order to be “like all the nations”  (1 Samuel 8: 5). It is true that the ungodly behavior of Samuel’s sons may have made the request urgent (3), but the words of the LORD to Samuel, makes it clear that, sooner or later, they would have asked for a king, anyway. Listen to the following :  “And the LORD said to Samuel, ‘ “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also” (7, 8). They would now become a monarchy.

The children of Israel and we have more in common than we care to admit. They wanted to be “like all the nations,” and so do we. But, also like the children of Israel, we want to “eat our cake” and still have have it, too. We want to be God’s special people, while living like everyone else (Exodus 19: 5, 6; 1 Peter 2: 9). We also want to ignore the injustice in the world, while claiming God’s justice. Our argument is that the two concerns are alien one to another. We claim that the Christian has no say in the things that take place in the world. That was not what Jesus said. His words were, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one” (John 17: 15). The caution is against loving “the world or the things of the world” (1 John 2: 15).

Many Christians are silent in the face of injustice when it is being done to others, but we speak out against it when we become the target. Like Israel of old, we just want to, “fit in.” That caused Peter some grave problems (Matthew 26: 69-75). We need to take a stand for what we believe. Jesus was never silent in the face of injustice, neither were His prophets of old!

Our Scripture for today makes it very clear that when Jesus is King of our lives, justice and equity will be as important to us, as it is to Him. Even though Moses stood in God’s place before the people, and Aaron was God’s high priest, Sacred Scripture informs us, that their wrongdoing did not go  unpunished. The reason, my friends, that justice and equity is so important to God is because God is holy! The psalmist goes on to say that these men of God kept His decrees and statues. God answered them when they called upon Him. He forgave their sins. But one thing did not nullify the other. When they did wrong, the wrong deed was punished, because God’s holiness and His justice go hand in hand!

In the previous psalm the psalmist makes it clear that God is King over the whole earth (98: 2), and that He will judge the world and the people (9). He is also King over His people, and all the “peoples” (99: 1, 2), and judges them (8). Wherever God sits enthroned, justice and equity will reign. When we speak out against injustice we make people aware that unrighteousness will not go unpunished, and we give them an opportunity to consider their ways and make wrongs right. Injustice is wrong wherever it is found, because it is contrary to the holy character of God!

Merciful LORD, we are grateful to You for Your protection and Your care! May we rest this day and every day in You. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.

Many of us have witnessed great injustice in this world, in our day. Perhaps some of you have even been victims of injustice. Whether we have suffered personally, or have only heard of, or witnessed, injustice, it is not a pretty sight; and it certainly does not feel good. The natural reaction for one who has been treated unjustly, is to “get even.” We usually want to “pay back” those who have done us wrong.

Our Scripture for today offers us some good advice, “Do not say, ‘ “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” ‘ Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.” In other words, do not take matters into your own hands, instead, leave things in God’s hands. There are times that we give people a word of advice because it is the right thing to tell them; not because we have tried it and proven that it works. In this case, I can tell you, from personal experience, that leaving things in the hands of a just God, is the very best thing that we can do!

Several times in Scripture we find this counsel repeated:  “Wait on the LORD.” It is said in many different ways, but the idea is the same:

“And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”” (Exodus 14: 13-15, emphasis provided).

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah” (Psalm 46: 10a, emphasis provided). 

“Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD” (Psalm 27: 14, emphasis provided)!

“But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40: 31).

When Moses and the children of Israel stood still, they witnessed the salvation of the LORD. They did not have to lift a finger! The LORD fought and won their battle for them. Pharaoh and his army were no more a threat to them.  Oftentimes it is in our stillness, that God can be exalted, and receive the glory that He alone deserves.

As we wait on God, we receive strength for the rest of the journey! Trying to fight against foes who are usually very versatile in their warfare, can make us weary. Not so, if we wait on the LORD. We are constantly renewed in His presence. And as we observe Him in warfare against our enemies, we are restored!

Whenever war rise up against us, let us remember that, “in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me” (Psalm 27: 5, 6).

Remember when God allowed his prophet Elijah, to rest under a broom tree, when Jezebel threatened his life? Then the LORD took him on the mountain and revealed His glory to his servant (1 Kings 19: 5-12). Oftentimes the LORD Himself will hide us from our enemies (Be sure to read Exodus 14: 19, 20). He takes us to the high places of the rocks like He did David, and allowed him to look down on his enemy, king Saul (1 Samuel 26: 13-17). When we try to pay people back for the injustices done to us, as mere mortals, we tend to descend to their level. But if we wait on the LORD, He will “lift our heads above our enemies all around us.” In other words, we will always have the advantage over our enemies, if we are willing to wait for the LORD, and not run ahead of Him, and take things in our own hands!

So the next time you are tempted to “pay” someone back for the wrong they did to you, remember the words of the apostle, as he reminds us of the Words of the LORD:  “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘ “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” ‘ says the Lord” (Romans 12: 19).

Dear LORD, please help us never to forget, that “though the wrong seems oft’ so strong, God is the Ruler yet” (Maltbie D. Babcock). In the name of Jesus Christ we humbly pray! Amen. 

Because of the uncertainty that prevails in our society today, it is very reassuring to know that, God is still in control! We are not at the mercy of our circumstances (I am sure that I have said this before)! It is a healthy practice to keep this reality always before us.

At first glance it may appear that what the text is saying is that no matter what plans we have for our lives, God’s purpose is what is going to eventually come to pass. If that were the case, it would cast to the ground the principle of free will. Yet the Word of God gives evidence that He does allow human beings to decide what they are going to do with their lives. Here are two examples in the Hebrew Scriptures (OT), and one in the New Testament:

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live” (Deuteronomy 30: 19, emphasis provided). Encouraging us to make right choices is not the same as imposing His choice upon us.

” .  .  .  But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” ‘ ” (Joshua 24: 15, emphasis provided).

“Then Peter said, ‘ “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God” (Acts 5: 3, 4, emphasis provided).

So what could our text be referring to when it affirms, “but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails[?]” Permit me to submit, for your consideration the following thoughts: 

1) God is Sovereign over the whole creation, and as such, can do whatever He chooses. He chose to give us the gift of free will. However, as Sovereign, He also has made Himself responsible for the well-being of His creatures, and can, will, and does, intervene when the decision of one of His creatures, or, a group of His creatures, will affect adversely, the life of the others. Especially the lives of those that have accepted Him as their personal Savior! (See Psalm 91).

2) Even though God created us with free will, if we ask Him to become the Lord of our lives, and take over our decisions, and rule over us, He will. And when we belong to Him, He makes the plans for our lives, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29: 11).

Aren’t you glad, that it is these purposes that prevail? God is a God of love and incomparable compassion. When He decides to overrule the decision of mortals, it is always for the good of all of His creatures; even those whose plans he is counteracting! What a God!

Dear LORD, please help us to see the blessing in Your leading; and help us to make Your way, our way. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

From time to time, I like to talk about the blessing that obedience brings. We live in a world that seem to believe that obedience and grace are at odds. I disagree. I believe that they are best friends. It all depends on what we expect of each. So that we can be on the same sheet of music, let me share with you what both concepts mean to me. Please feel free to disagree. And if you do, please share your point of view with me.

Grace is our passport to heaven. We cannot live a victorious life without it, nor can we receive eternal life without it. It is God’s free, undeserved, gift, to the human race! We can only receive it by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is the power that takes control when we recognize that we can do nothing to save ourselves. It is the means of our salvation.

Obedience is one of the surest ways of growth. It is the way we show our love to the Lord (John 14: 15). It is also our way of acknowledging that God knows best! It is surrendering our desires to God’s will, and allowing Him to lead us in the way we ought to go. It is a sign that we are saved by grace, through faith; that we are connected to the vine!

These are, in summary my definitions of grace and obedience. They are by no means intended to be conclusive. In the life of a Christian, there is always room for growth. Therefore with these thoughts in mind, let us take another look at our Scripture for today:

He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die. It would seem to me that obedience to God, which is the result of our love to Him, leads to life. As we grow in grace and in a knowledge of the Savior (2 Peter 3: 18), we are protected against being led away in error (17)! Remember we said that obedience is a way of growth? God gives us laws and rules, not for His benefit, but for ours; that we might grow!

When Jesus was in the temple discussing with the teachers of the law at the age of twelve, and his mother gently showed her disapproval of His remaining behind (he was left behind, is more accurate); Scripture informs us that after that day, “He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them .  .  .  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2: 51a, 52, emphasis provided). He informed them of His mission, but subjected Himself (obeyed) to their guidance. The result was growth (He “increased”), “in wisdom  .  .  .  and in favor with God and men”

On the other hand, the proverb concludes:  ”But he who is careless of his ways will die.” To the wise man the opposite of obedience is carelessness, and the opposite of life is death! If obedience is a sign that we are connected to the vine, we all know what happens to the branch that becomes disconnected from the vine, it dies. I believe it is therefore safe to conclude, that disobedience produces death.

How inspiring to know that grace and obedience are good friends and can be found together, in the lives of those who love the Lord! Therefore my friend, keep your soul!

Dear God, “some golden daybreak” You will return. We shall see You coming in the clouds of heaven, and all our battles will be over, forever!  We are longing for that day! Please come quickly Lord Jesus! We pray in Your holy name. Amen.

Our study for today is about what the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to the earth will represent for the human race. I have attempted to talk about what heaven is going to be like, in the past, and have never been able to even begin to describe what that is going to be like. Today, I am simply going to share some of what is in my heart with You. My heart is somewhat heavy today. Just yesterday, I became aware of a very sick little girl,whose condition had been brought to our attention at the Prayer Request page. Along with a prayer partner I prayed for her healing, and then this morning I published a prayer on her behalf. Immediately after I published the prayer, I went to the link that had been left at the Prayer Request Chapel, and to my sadness, I discovered that little Kayla Grace, had fallen asleep in the Lord. My heart aches. She was only two years old!

That is one of the things we will never have to deal with when Jesus returns. Death will be a thing of the past! Glory to God! Hallelujah! I long to live in a world where life is going to prevail over death (1 Corinthians 15: 54, 55)! The first order of things will be restored! That is what heaven is going to be about – restoration! But it will not be a restoration of the old, but of what God had intended, “in the beginning,” before the entrance of sin into our universe. Because of this, God is able to say, “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21: 5a). God will once again look at His restored creation and declare it “very good” (Genesis 1: 31).

The tree of life will be there. The river of life will be there. Life will be restored to the full! Above and beyond all of this, God and the Lamb, will be there (Revelation 22: 1-3)! Just to be in their presence will be heaven for me! God will then remove every cause for tears. When I think of “crying” in heaven, it just does not fit in with the concept of heaven. If “the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21: 4c), then there will be no place for tears! For this reason I have chosen to paraphrase the first part of verse 4, in the following manner:  “And God will wipe away every cause for tears from their hearts[.]” There will be no need to fear, and there will be no need for tears. The old order of things is forever gone.

There will be no broken homes in heaven. I do not quite understand the concept that “they shall be as the angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22: 30). I believe, that, when by God’s grace, members of a family are saved, God will not separate them in heaven. Heaven is about restoration, remember? Not separation! All of the devastating effects that broken homes have had have on the different members of the family, and especially, on the children, here on earth, will not come to mind. Praise God!

We will not need any health insurance in heaven. Another text that I am not quite sure what it means, is, “.  .  . And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22: 2c). No one will be sick in heaven! Everything has been made new! We will have new bodies, new minds, new hearts! Why will we need “healing?” If this mortal is going to put on immortality, and this corrupt,  incorruption, why will we need to be healed? Could it be that the effects of sin are so damaging that even after we receive our glorified bodies, some healing will be necessary, throughout eternity? Perhaps this is one of the mysteries, that I will have to wait until I get to heaven, to understand.

Praise God, that life as we know it, will not last forever. I can hardly wait for heaven to begin. Seeing Jesus, and living with Him forever, will be worth whatever we are suffering in the here and now. May God help us to be faithful until we see Him face to face!

Merciful God, please stay with us, as we seek to know Your will so that we may worship You in Spirit and in truth. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Today we will be talking about another attitude that will be prevalent in the days just before Jesus returns. An attitude of, “I have time, I can wait until all the signs have been fulfilled, then I will begin to get ready.” This was the problem with the servant (steward) in our Scripture. Although our Scripture calls him a servant, he was really doing the work of a steward. He had been “put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time.” It will do all of us good to see ourselves as stewards. Indeed we are all stewards of some part of God’s creation, and His work, here on earth. Several of the parables taught by the Savior dealt with the subject of stewardship (Matthew 25: 14-46). Part of the duties of a good steward includes caring for the “least of these.” Today, we will try to identify ways that will help us not to become  ”wicked” servants, or stewards.

If we observe the way our text begins, it would seem that there was a time when the servant or steward was considered “faithful and wise.” That is obviously why his Master left him in charge of the other servants. He knew that He could depend on him to get the work done. Perhaps that was during the period of his ”first love” (Revelation 2: 4). Many of us come to Jesus full of love to Him, and zeal for His cause. But when the going gets rough, and “lawlessness abounds, “the love of many grow cold” (Matthew 24: 12). The years come and go, and the Savior has not returned as soon as we expected. We begin to think that the Savior may not be coming back in a hurry after all. We start rationalizing about what we should, or should not, be doing. Pretty soon, our actions are based on what feels right, versus what is right.  We may even begin to doubt if Jesus is ever going to return after all. “Could it be that we have believed a lie all these years?” Therefore, we begin to fall back into many of our former behaviors. The old man [woman] of sin is resurrected, and we begin to live as we please. After all, “there is no heaven to gain or hell to shun.” Why not eat, drink, and be “merry;” and “mean” to those around us. We fail to realize that the Master did not tell us the day and the hour that He would return, but He did promise that He will return!

This scenario brings to mind a story I may, or may not, have shared with you before, of a lady who lived in a small village. One day a herald rode through the village blowing his trumpet and announcing that the queen was going to visit the village, and that the town folk should get ready for her visit. There was a lot of excitement in the village. People were seen painting their houses, and throwing out old furniture and bringing in new. They mowed their lawns and pruned their trees and raked their leaves faithfully, for the first year. By the second year, the lawns did not look as tidy; and here and there, you could see a house or two where the paint had begun to peel. The conversation had changed from, “what we are going to do during the visit of the queen,” to “what are the plans for today?” They were back to their routine activities; back to “business as usual,” with some exceptions. By the third year, you could count the homes that were “keeping up” their appearance. And by the seventh year, there was only one fine looking house in the entire village. People would pass by and smile and shake their heads at the owner of the little yellow house on the corner. Some would even dare to shout as they went by, “Still waiting for the queen, Mrs. Jones?” To which Mrs. Jones would reply, “Yes I am! Your Majesty said she would come, and I know that she will come!”

One evening, as the sun was beginning to set in the West, the sound of a trumpet was heard. It was the herald who was riding his white horse, leading the entourage that was accompanying her Majesty! Mrs. Jones was seated on her porch, adequately dressed, and with her surroundings nicely kept. As the queen and her entourage came to her home, the herald stopped and announced:  “Your Majesty, here is someone who is expecting you.” Her majesty was helped out of her carriage, and was given a warm welcome into the home of Mrs. Jones. Needless to say, from that day forward, when people passed by the home of Mrs. Jones, there was no snickering. The topic was, “this is the home the queen visited when she came to our village.”

One fine day, the King will visit our village – Planet Earth. By His grace, let us be ready to look up and welcome Him as He descends. On that occasion, it is He who will welcome us into ‘the joy of [our] Lord!” May God grant that on that day, we might be found, not doing our own pleasure, but in a state of readiness!

NOTE:  My regrets that this devotional is coming to you one day late. Inadvertently, it was not published yesterday.

Gracious God, in the midst of everything taking place around us, please help us to realize that You are still in control. And with that knowledge may we be set free from all our fears. In the blessed name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

The sign that we will be looking at, is found in the very heart of our Scripture for today:  “men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth[.]” We are living in a world that is almost entirely, held captive by fear. We fear others; we fear “what might happen;” we are afraid that our needs might not be supplied ; we are afraid of the unknown. Because of this, more people suffer from depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, and a long list of fear-related infirmities, which only serves to increase their fearfulness.

From Jesus’ comments on more than one occasion (see Matthew 6: 30; 16: 8), it would appear that He saw fear as a lack of faith. Listen to what He said to the disciples when they became fearful during the storm:  “And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘ “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” ‘ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘ “Peace, be still!” ‘ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, ‘ “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” ‘ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘ “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him” ‘ ” (Mark 4: 37-41)?

“How is it that you have no faith,” sounds as if He is saying, “If you had faith, you would not be so fearful.” What makes their fear so deserving of reproof, is the fact that Jesus was in the boat! But before we criticize them for their fearfulness, let us not overlook the fact that even though we say that Jesus is the Sovereign of this world and its inhabitants (Psalm 24: 1), our hearts oftentimes “[fail us] from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth[.]!

At least the disciples were in the storm. We have become fearful over expected calamities! And oftentimes, we are fearful over things which never come to pass. But there is another aspect of fear that we should not overlook, and it is equally, the result of a lack of faith! Let us look once more at Mark 4: 41, “And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” Emphasis supplied.

Sometimes we are even fearful of the results of answered prayer! They cried to Jesus for help. I do not know what kind of help they expected, but when they received help, Scripture informs us that they were “exceedingly” afraid, and asked one another, “Who is this that can answer prayers in this manner” (my paraphrase of the disciples question)? We want natural answers to supernatural problems! Perhaps that is because we have created gods in our own image. So, we do not expect them to do more for us than we can do for ourselves! Therefore, we become fearful!

Something similar occurred when the church was praying for Peter to be released from prison. God answered their prayer and this is what happened:  “Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished” (Acts 12: 16). Standing before them was the answer to their prayers, and they were shocked! “Could it be that we have actually received what we asked for?” “Did God really answer our prayers?”

Indeed, Jesus identified the reason for all our fears – A lack of faith. Yet it is “grace, by faith” that is going to get us to the finish line, because “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11: 6).May God increase our faith, that we might not be among those who become fearful, as we witness the signs of His coming being fulfilled. Instead, may we “rejoice” as we see our “redemption drawing near” (Luke 21: 28)!

I just thought that an annex to this devotional would be in order:  I too, become very fearful over different situations. So these words are as much for me, as well as for you who are reading. May God help us to learn, together, how to cast out “cares” and “fears” upon Him, knowing that He cares for us (1 Peter 5: 7)!