maturity

Psalm 129-131

 ^130:5 I am counting on the Lord;
      yes, I am counting on him.
      I have put my hope in his word.
 ⁶ I long for the Lord
      more than sentries long for the dawn,
      yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.

 ^131:2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,
      like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother's milk.
      Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

There are two aspects of spiritual maturity here that I see that I need.  First, I need to desire to know God.  It seems pretty simple, but I want to consistently (moment by moment) desire to know Him.  Not just do a bunch of religious stuff.

Second, I need to set my mind on the Spirit and take control of my emotions.  I need to know the promises of the Lord and His character so that I will not be a spiritual baby anymore.  I think that a deep, abiding joy will begin to flow out of me as I faithfully stay my mind and emotions on the Lord's goodness.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your kindness and love towards me.  I want to desire you more than the sentries long for the dawn.  Please help me focus on you and knowing you so that my mind and emotions will be stable.  Please use me to lead others to know your love and kindness.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

help

Psalm 120-122

^121:2 My help comes from the Lord,
      who made heaven and earth! ...
 ⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
      The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. ...
 ⁷ The Lord keeps you from all harm
      and watches over your life.
 ⁸ The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
      both now and forever.

He doesn't keep anything bad from ever happening, but He measures everything so that He knows that we can handle it with His strength.  This morning, I was listening to praise music on the drive to the office, and I realized that the fact that Jesus conquered the grave is HUGE!  Every other conflict is trivial.  If only I could walk in His Victory every moment.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your kindness and love.  Lord, thank you for Life and Victory in Christ Jesus.  Lord, please draw me close to you.  Thank you for watching over me and my family.  Lord, may we be used for your Kingdom.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

finite perfection

Psalm 119:89-176

 ¹⁴⁸ I stay awake through the night,
      thinking about your promise.

OK, honestly, I wasn't thinking about His promise.  I was thinking about why He wouldn't let my son just GO TO SLEEP!

This one is pretty sweet:

 ⁹⁶ Even perfection has its limits,
      but your commands have no limit.

As I thought about it, the perfection of any finite thing is finite.  That is, theoretically, perfection of any finite thing could eventually be accomplished.  I used to describe God's holiness by saying that "God is completely perfect".  However, "perfection has its limits", but the holiness of God is apparently infinite. 

How is it that we can spend FOREVER in ETERNITY worshiping Him and celebrating all of His amazing attributes (holiness, goodness, kindness, love, etc.)?  How can a two-dimensional object ever enjoy all of a three-dimensional space?  I think we will be perpetually swimming in the sustained, peaceful joy of His radiant Light.

Heavenly Father, please purify me and draw me into you.  Lord, may I gain more of you today, and may you gain more of me.  Lord, I can't do everything that is expected of me, and certainly not everything that is asked of me.  Please give me wisdom to know how to follow you, and may I keep in step with your Spirit.  Lord Jesus, I pray that you will be the Goal and the Prize that I pursue, and I pray that you will be the Way for me.  I love you, and I need you.  Please use my life for your glory and honor.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

integrity

Psalm 119:1-88, Acts 22

  ⁹ How can a young person stay pure?
      By obeying your word.
 ¹⁰ I have tried hard to find you—
      don't let me wander from your commands.
 ¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart,
      that I might not sin against you.
 ¹² I praise you, O Lord;
      teach me your decrees. ...
 ⁵⁷ Lord, you are mine!
      I promise to obey your words! ...
 ⁶⁷ I used to wander off until you disciplined me;
      but now I closely follow your word. ...
 ⁷¹ My suffering was good for me,
      for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees. ...
 ⁷⁹ Let me be united with all who fear you,
      with those who know your laws.
 ⁸⁰ May I be blameless in keeping your decrees;
      then I will never be ashamed.

Heavenly Father, please purify me with your Word.  Lord, I pray that I will meditate on your Word and experience your Word.  I believe that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Word, and am His disciple.  Lord, please cleanse me and use me for your perfect Will.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

walking in His presence

Psalm 116-118

 ^116:3 Death wrapped its ropes around me;
      the terrors of the grave overtook me.
      I saw only trouble and sorrow.
 ⁴ Then I called on the name of the Lord:
      "Please, Lord, save me!"
 ⁵ How kind the Lord is! How good he is!
      So merciful, this God of ours!
 ⁶ The Lord protects those of childlike faith;
      I was facing death, and he saved me.
 ⁷ Let my soul be at rest again,
      for the Lord has been good to me.
 ⁸ He has saved me from death,
      my eyes from tears,
      my feet from stumbling.
 ⁹ And so I walk in the Lord's presence
      as I live here on earth!

This reminds me of Galatians 5:

 ¹⁶ So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. ... ²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.

I don't know how to make this a measurable goal, but my goal is to better listen to the Holy Spirit every day.  I want to be consciously aware of His presence and guidance every day.  I want to ask, listen, and obey - daily, hourly, minute-by-minute!

Heavenly Father, please draw me close to you.  Thank you for saving me from death and destruction, and thank you for giving me the Victory in Christ Jesus.  I pray that I will faithfully serve you and that you will be pleased and honored by my life.  Please purify the attitudes of my heart and the thoughts of my mind to dwell on you and be filled with you so that I will overflow your very Life!  I pray that others will sense your presence in my life and be drawn to you because "your faithful love endures forever".  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

first day of school

Psalm 113-115

Today is the first day of school for me as a professor.  As I was getting nervous last night, Brandi started telling me about some of her first days of school as a student and as a teacher.  I realized that most people are nervous on the first day.  But I also realized that the Lord has taken care of me at every step along the way, and I know that He will continue to carry me on. 

^115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us
       but to your name be the glory,
       because of your love and faithfulness.

Last night, I was praying that the Lord would pour His Living Water through me, and that I would be a blessing to my students and the faculty with whom I work.  I believe that the Scripture that I read this morning was a confirmation:

 ^114:7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
      at the presence of the God of Jacob.
 ⁸ He turned the rock into a pool of water;
      yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock.

Heavenly Father, you have been so kind to me in so many ways.  Thank you for grace and mercy through Christ Jesus.  Thank you for giving me an education and a job to use that education.  Thank you for my supportive wife and family.  Thank you for the opportunity to be used by you to bless others.  May your Living Water flow through me.  I praise you, Lord, and I love you.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

faithfulness and unfaithfulness

Psalm 105-106

 ^105:1 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
       make known among the nations what he has done.

 ² Sing to him, sing praise to him;
       tell of all his wonderful acts.

 ³ Glory in his holy name;
       let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

 ⁴ Look to the LORD and his strength;
       seek his face always.

 ⁵ Remember the wonders he has done,
       his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

 ⁶ O descendants of Abraham his servant,
       O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.

 ⁷ He is the LORD our God;
       his judgments are in all the earth.

 ⁸ He remembers his covenant forever,
       the word he commanded, for a thousand generations,

 ⁹ the covenant he made with Abraham,
       the oath he swore to Isaac.

The Lord is so faithful, but we are so unfaithful:

^106:6 We have sinned, even as our fathers did;
       we have done wrong and acted wickedly. ...
¹⁹ At Horeb they made a calf
       and worshiped an idol cast from metal.

 ²⁰ They exchanged their Glory
       for an image of a bull, which eats grass.

 ²¹ They forgot the God who saved them,
       who had done great things in Egypt, ...

 ³⁹ They defiled themselves by what they did;
       by their deeds they prostituted themselves.

But, the Lord is still faithful:

 ⁴³ Many times he delivered them,
       but they were bent on rebellion
       and they wasted away in their sin.

 ⁴⁴ But he took note of their distress
       when he heard their cry;

 ⁴⁵ for their sake he remembered his covenant
       and out of his great love he relented.

 ⁴⁶ He caused them to be pitied
       by all who held them captive.

 ⁴⁷ Save us, O LORD our God,
       and gather us from the nations,
       that we may give thanks to your holy name
       and glory in your praise.

Heavenly Father, you are so faithful!  Your love for us is amazing.  Lord, I am so sorry for trading my relationship with you for worthless things this world tempts us with.  Lord, please purify me and my desires so that I will desire you and seek your face always.  Lord, I want to know you and love you with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.