Verse of the Week- via JFarese

Written by Keith Beauchemin via JFarese
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Psalm 34:19

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all."

 We need to remember that many are the afflictions of the righteous.  We wish 
that there were no afflictions, or maybe just a few.  But this is the way is has 
been for the saints throughout the ages.  When we are in the midst of 
afflictions, especially long term afflictions, we can begin to have doubts.  
Does God care?  Am I really a Christian?  Does God really love me?  There is 
real comfort and assurance in these words: "Many are the afflictions of the 
righteous."  

You see, it is those God loves that He afflicts.  He has shown great love and 
grace by making us righteous in Christ.  Then he conforms us to the image of 
Christ.  He works in our lives to purify us, and one of the ways He does that is 
through afflictions.  He weans us from self-confidence, love of ourselves and 
the things of this world.  Our afflictions are not enjoyable, but they are a 
blessing.  When we look back upon our afflictions and see God's hand and purpose 
in sanctifying us, we will be able to say, "It is good for me that I have been 
afflicted."  (Psalm 119:70)

Verse of the Week: JFarese

From Keith Beauchemin via Johnny Farese

Phil. 1:6

"...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you 
will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"

Paul wrote this to the believers at the church in Philippi, but by the 
inspiration of the Holy Spirit these words are to you and me.

There is not much we can be confident in in this world.  The stock market and 
oil prices go up and down, entire countries are on the brink of bankfuptcy, and 
promises and relationships are broken all the time.

But this you can be absolutely confident in, that God who has begun a good work 
in you will bring it to completion.  Why can we be so confident?  Because it is 
God whom we are confident in.  We could not have any confidence if it was up to 
us to complete our sanctification.  God completes whatever he starts, and 
nothing can stop him - not Satan, not our sin, nothing.  you can always count on 
God.  No matter how much you struggle, how many temptations you face or how many 
times you seem to take one step forward and two steps backward.  You can count 
on God.  He has begun the work of salvation in you, and he shall bring you to 
full glorification on that day when you see Christ face to face.

Verse of the Week

from Keith Beauchemin, via JFarese

Psalm 84:1,2

How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD:
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Do you long for the presence of the LORD?  Do you cry out for the true and living God with your heart and body?

In the Old Testament there was only one place in the whole world where God promised His special presence.  First it was the tabernacle, then the temple in Jerusalem.  Now we have the privilege to enter into His special presence anywhere His people meet to worship Him.  We often forget what a privilege and blessing we have.  Maybe that's why we don't long for His presence like the psalmist.  When we go to church each week we are not just going to church for our benefit, but we are going to worship the holy, almighty God.  This holy God allows us to come into His presence through the sacrifice of the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

The privilege to come into the presence of the LORD came at a high price.  So, let us long for it and never take it for granted or neglect it.

Verse of the Week- from Keith Beauchemin

Romans 1:7

"To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

How often do you meditate upon the reality that you are a saint? Paul commonly addressed Christians in the letters to various churches as saints. Even the believers in Corinth, with all the serious problems they had, Paul referred to as saints; not "sinners", but "saints."

Paul never addressed Christians as sinners. Paul taught about the great struggle Christians still have with sin in Romans 7, but our identity is no longer "sinners" but "saints." Paul recognizes that God has taken each believer and set him apart from sin and unto himself to be holy. The word saint means to be "set apart."

Yes, we still fall into sin. When we sin we need to quickly repent and seek forgiveness through Christ. But we shouldn't wallow in our sin. Rather, meditate upon this: "God has set me apart from sin and called me to be a holy one, living unto him." Think upon this startling truth, my brothers and sisters in Christ: you are the beloved of God, and called to be saints.

From Keith Beauchemin

Sent by Johnny Farese

Verse of the Week- from Keith Beauchemin

Psalm 70:1

Make haste, O God, to deliver me!

Make haste to help me, O LORD!

We can turn to God with any need and at any time. God is never too busy to listen to our prayers. Whether our needs are small or great our Father wants to hear all of our cares, because He cares for us.

We can come to the Lord with urgent requests. The Lord loves it when we spend our daily time in prayer with Him. But, He also loves the short urgent prayers throughout our day: "Give me wisdom", or "Deliver me from this temptation", or the shortest prayer of all, "Help!"

So, I encourage you, call upon the Lord any time, day or night, for He always has a listening ear.

I have called you by your name

Isaiah 43:1b

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

You are Mine."

Fear often grips our hearts - fear of speaking the truth, fear of what others will think of us, fear of death, fear of our children not coming to Christ, and the list could go on and on.

But wrap your heart in these truths, and your fears will melt away. The Lord himself has redeemed you. He has redeemed you from your sins, from death and the judgment to come. He has paid the price in full.

The God of the universe, the Creator of all things, who rules over the heavens and the earth, has called you personally by your name. He has made you his own dear child and has declared for all to know, "You are Mine."

When you feel fears rising in your heart, meditate on these truths, and tell yourself, "I will not be afraid, for God has redeemed me and has called me by name."

By Keith Beauchemin, from Johnny Farese