We cannot renew ourselves on our own. We can guard ourselves against corrupting influences. We can offer ourselves to God and come to discern His will more fully (Romans 12:1-2). Ultimately, however, God himself must do the renewing, not just when we are saved, but daily. Only God’s grace can sustain, empower, and renew us. Let’s offer ourselves to him. Then, let’s confidently ask for his grace to empower, perfect, and renew us!
I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.
Psalm 104:33-34
Thoughts on Psalm 104:33-34
Do you sing in the shower? What words are on your lips? Singing is such a wonderful gift! First, it is a gift from God to us, to help us express our joy, excitement, sorrow, and victory. Second, it is a gift from us to God, to help us communicate our respect, appreciation, love, and confidence in God. So let’s sing, praising God for what he has done, proclaiming what he will do, and sharing what he is currently doing in our lives!
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Christians, our lives are a gift from Divine, unchallengeable authority.
Omnipotent… He can speak things into being.
Omnipresent… everywhere at the same time and omniscient… knowing all things.
Of all the powers and universes he could have given to us, or all the demands he could have placed on us, instead what he offered us was the opportunity to know him.
He offers us identity, relationship and purpose which bring growth and freedom… if we choose to receive it.
How do we find it? Through Jesus Christ. The tree of life.
Jesus Christ opened a way through the cross for us to know God’s heart for us and to learn His ways.
But how do we find the reality of this?
Simply ask with a sincere heart… Jesus Christ reveal yourself to me.
Find a bible and read it. Start in the book of John in the New Testament.
Find a Christian and talk to them.
Find a Church and go to it.
Seek to know Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. It’s the real deal.
Christians we need each other… it’s impossible to grow in Christian maturity by ourselves.
We’ll stay babies if we remain alone but think that “we’re all grown up.”
The understanding that I need to learn from others is the first step in being “teachable.”
Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains alone.
John 12:24
What does this mean? It means that when we humble ourselves and surrender our lives to Christ we are not our own people.
Our lives are His and His plan, for now, is the Church.
So what’s the Church? It’s not a place. It’s a people… together being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets… to become a habitation for God in the spirit.
