Author: Servant of the Lord

Psalm 116 (NKJV)

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death

I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.

The pains of death surrounded me,
And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
I will walk before the Lord
In the land of the living.
I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
I said in my haste,
“All men are liars.”

What shall I render to the Lord
For all His benefits toward me?
I will take up the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord
Now in the presence of all His people.

Precious in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of His saints.

O Lord, truly I am Your servant;
I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant;
You have loosed my bonds.
I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the Lord.

I will pay my vows to the Lord
Now in the presence of all His people,
In the courts of the Lord’s house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord!

Be Opportunistic

Colossians 4:5-6 New Living Translation (NLT)

Col. 4:5-6 Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone. NLT

Wisdom would teach us that we must be careful about how we live in the world. We must accept the fact that we are being watched and eternal decisions are being influenced by what others see in us. It matters what we say and do. Often people are just looking for excuses to not make a commitment to Christ.

Wisdom would teach us to take care of our souls before we enter into the world. We know that we will influence people and perhaps for all eternity by how we are in the world. We must understand that without the constant lordship of Christ over us we may very well do far more harm than good to those we meet in the world. We must enter into the world bathed in prayer and the Word. It protects us from the world and prepares us to be witnesses in the world.

men having conversation sitting in a coffee shop

Wisdom would teach us to be alert to opportunities we are given to be witnesses for Christ in the world. We dare not assume that missed opportunities don’t matter. We don’t know the state of someone’s heart. Perhaps the Lord has adequately prepared them for salvation and all they need is our witness to nudge them into the Kingdom.

Wisdom would teach us to be aware of what we say and how we say it. We must take responsibility for words spoken. They do matter to God and others, and they should matter to us. What we say and how we say it originates in the heart.

If you lack wisdom today, before you do anything else, ask the Lord to give you some. All you have to do is ask. He has promised to give it to all who seek it.

Proverbs 30:2‭-‬4 NKJV

Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And do not have the understanding of a man. 

I neither learned wisdom
Nor have knowledge of the Holy One. 

Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,
If you know?

Sow To The Spirit And Reap Life

There’s a natural law that says you reap what you sow. A farmer can’t sow corn and hope to harvest wheat.

Our Christian walk is the same. If we sow to the flesh (our fallen carnal nature) we will reap the fruits of the flesh. We need to rather sow to the Spirit and reap life.

But here’s our dilemma, all of us are flesh… just like Apostle Paul wrote… what I want to do, I don’t. But, what I hate I end up doing. Ever been in that place?

He came to the conclusion that sin dwelt in his flesh and wanted to take him a captive. He knew that wages of sin was death – eternal separation from the love and goodness of God.

He understood he needed a deliverer from the eternal consequences of sin and from his own flesh (sinful nature).

His revelation was that Jesus Christ crucified had not only secured our eternal life when He paid the full price for sin but He had also shown us a way to deal with the present, earthly reality our sinful nature.

The cross needs to deal with our flesh too. God didn’t intend for it to be an event 2,000 odd years ago but a daily reality for a Christian. Unless the cross deals daily with our flesh we will struggle to walk in the spirit.

Romans 8:12-13

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Galatians 6:7-8

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

Galatians 5:24

And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

  • Mark Saunders

We’re Often More Ready To “Be Blessed” Than “To Pay The Price”

Accepting authority can be difficult. There’s something in us that doesn’t like it because it means that we’re not in charge.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given by God to Jesus and that’s where we struggle. It’s easy to accept miracles and blessings but much harder to accept His authority in our lives. Why? Because it costs us.

Truth be told, we’re often more ready to “be blessed” than “to pay the price.”

Jesus confronted a large crowd following him one day with the same thing. Many left him. He turned to his disciples and asked them if they too wanted to go.

A man in silhouette with his arms spread cheering the good news of the gospel

The gospel is good news but it’s piercing – living and active – discerning the thoughts and intents of our hearts.

John 6:67-68

Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

What do you want?

  • Mark Saunders