today's meditation (Dan.1) Remaining Focused on God

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Daniel 1:1-21) In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord handed Jehoiakim king of Judah over to him, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.

3 Then the king told Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom there was no impairment, who were good-looking, suitable for instruction in every kind of expertise, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability to serve in the king’s court; and he ordered Ashpenaz to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king also allotted for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and ordered that they be educated for three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach, and to Azariah Abed-nego.

8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials. 10 The commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has allotted your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking gaunt in comparison to the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please put your servants to the test for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be examined in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

14 So he listened to them in this matter, and put them to the test for ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their appearance seemed better, and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. 16 So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables.

17 And as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every kind of literature and expertise; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.

18 Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they entered the king’s personal service. 20 As for every matter of expertise and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the soothsayer priests and conjurers who were in all his realm. 21 And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

This scripture is not saying that we are to eat a diet of only vegetables and water.  And as I was thinking about everything that is written here, something even more important just jumped out at me.  It is found in the bright blue highlights!  God allowed Daniel and his friends to go into captivity.  And because Daniel and his friends had a desire to only honor God, God blessed them and their efforts!

God might allow us to go through tests, trials and temptations, but no matter what we are going through, as we remain focused on Him and striving to live in His will, in His strength and guidance, God will bless us and our efforts... all to His glory!

today's meditation (Jer.17) Trusting in the Lord

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Jeremiah 17:1-27) 

1   The sin of Judah is written with an iron stylus;
     With a diamond point it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts 
     And on the horns of their altars,
2   As they remember their children,
     So they remember their altars and their Asherim 
     By green trees on the high hills.
3   Mountain of Mine in the countryside,
     I will turn over your wealth and all your treasures as plunder,
     Your high places for sin throughout your borders.
4   And you will, even of yourself, let go of your inheritance
     That I gave you;
     And I will make you serve your enemies 
     In the land which you do not know;
     For you have kindled a fire in My anger 
     Which will burn forever.

5   This is what the Lord says:
     “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind 
     And makes flesh his strength,
     And whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6   For he will be like a bush in the desert,
     And will not see when prosperity comes,
     But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
     A land of salt that is not inhabited.
7   Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
     And whose trust is the Lord.
8   For he will be like a tree planted by the water 
     That extends its roots by a stream,
     And does not fear when the heat comes;
     But its leaves will be green,
     And it will not be anxious in a year of drought,
     Nor cease to yield fruit.

9   “The heart is more deceitful than all else 
     And is desperately sick;
     Who can understand it?
10 I, the Lord, search the heart,
     I test the mind,
     To give to each person according to his ways,
     According to the results of his deeds.
11 As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid,
     So is a person who makes a fortune, but unjustly;
     In the middle of his days it will abandon him,
     And in the end he will be a fool.”

12 A glorious throne on high from the beginning
     Is the place of our sanctuary.
13 Lord, the hope of Israel,
     All who abandon You will be put to shame.
     Those who turn away on earth will be written down,
     Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, that is the Lord.
14 Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;
     Save me and I will be saved,
     For You are my praise.
15 Look, they keep saying to me,
     “Where is the word of the Lord?
     Let it come now!”
16 But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd following after You,
     Nor have I longed for the disastrous day;
     You Yourself know that the utterance of my lips 
     Was in Your presence.
17 Do not be a terror to me;
     You are my refuge in a day of disaster.
18 Let those who persecute me be put to shame, but as for me, let me not be put to shame;
     Let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed.
     Bring on them a day of disaster,
     And crush them with double destruction!

19 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and stand at the public gate, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, as well as at all the gates of Jerusalem; 20 and say to them, ‘Listen to the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates. 21 This is what the Lord says: “Take care for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the Sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your forefathers. 23 Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks so as not to listen or accept discipline.

24 “But it will come about, if you give your attention to Me,” declares the Lord, “to bring no load in through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but to keep the Sabbath day holy by doing no work on it, 25 then there will come in through the gates of this city kings and officials sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever. 26 They will come in from the cities of Judah and from the areas surrounding Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country, and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of the Lord. 27 But if you do not listen to Me, to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will set fire to its gates, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not go out.”’”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Cursed are those who trust and rely on mankind and their own strength.  And blessed are those who trust and rely on the Lord.  It all comes down to what is in one's heart.  And only the Lord can look into our hearts to examine and judge our motives.  

To pass the Lord's test, our hearts must be pure and holy.  Only the Lord can purify our hearts and make us holy.  Our good deeds must be done with God's love and strength.  Only the Lord can fill our hearts with His love and strength.  This might sound like God is controlling, but He has given us a free will, and even as believers, we must decide for each step - to do things on our own and in our own way - or - to do things God's way and in His love and strength.  

It just makes sense... just like when we have a best friend and/or a loving spouse, we want to get closer to that person and do things with that person and give wonderful, thoughtful gifts to that person...  God wants to bless all of us because He loves us and wants to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us.  If we think we want His blessings, it should be because we love Him in return and want to keep serving Him and growing closer in our personal relationship with Him.  

today's meditation (Is.32) Gleaning Knowledge

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Isaiah 32:1-20)

1   Behold, a king will reign righteously,
     And officials will rule justly.
2   Each will be like a refuge from the wind 
     And a shelter from the storm,
     Like streams of water in a dry country,
     Like the shade of a huge rock in an exhausted land.
3   Then the eyes of those who see will not be blinded,
     And the ears of those who hear will listen.
4   The mind of the rash will discern the truth,
     And the tongue of the stammerers will hurry to speak clearly.
5   No longer will the fool be called noble,
     Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.
6   For a fool speaks nonsense,
     And his heart inclines toward wickedness:
     To practice ungodliness and to speak error against the Lord,
     To keep the hungry person unsatisfied 
     And to withhold drink from the thirsty.
7   As for a rogue, his weapons are evil;
     He devises wicked schemes 
     To destroy the poor with slander,
     Even though the needy one speaks what is right.
8   But the noble person devises noble plans;
     And by noble plans he stands.

9   Rise up, you women who are at ease,
     And hear my voice;
     Listen to my word,
     You complacent daughters.
10 Within a year and a few days 
     You will be troubled, you complacent daughters;
     For the vintage is ended,
     And the fruit gathering will not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease;
     Be troubled, you complacent daughters;
     Strip, undress, and put sackcloth on your waist,
12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine,
13 For the land of my people in which thorns and briars will come up;
     Indeed, for all the joyful houses and for the jubilant city.
14 For the palace has been neglected, the populated city abandoned.
     Hill and watch-tower have become caves forever,
     A delight for wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks,
15 Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high,
     And the wilderness becomes a fertile field,
     And the fertile field is considered as a forest.
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
     And righteousness will remain in the fertile field.
17 And the work of righteousness will be peace,
     And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
18 Then my people will live in a peaceful settlement,
     In secure dwellings, and in undisturbed resting places;
19 And it will hail when the forest comes down,
     And the city will be utterly laid low.
20 How blessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters,
     Who let the ox and the donkey out freely.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Although this passage is prophetic, from it we can glean knowledge of the Lord.  For those who give their hearts to Jesus, we know that He will bless us as we live in His will.  His will and our blessings include: 

- seeing, hearing and discerning truth

- speaking clearly what is right

- knowing how to make and support noble plans

- rising up to work, serve and sow (both physically and spiritually)

- and living in productivity and peace 

today's meditation (Pr.13) Understanding Wealth

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Proverbs 13:1-25)
1   A wise son accepts his father’s discipline,
     But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2   From the fruit of a person’s mouth he enjoys good,
     But the desire of the treacherous is violence.
3   One who guards his mouth protects his life;
     One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
4   The soul of the lazy one craves and gets nothing,
     But the soul of the diligent is made prosperous.
5   A righteous person hates a false statement,
     But a wicked person acts disgustingly and shamefully.
6   Righteousness guards the one whose way is blameless,
     But wickedness brings the sinner to ruin.
7   There is one who pretends to be rich but has nothing;
     Another pretends to be poor, but has great wealth.
8   The ransom of a person’s life is his wealth,
     But the poor hears no rebuke.
9   The light of the righteous rejoices,
     But the lamp of the wicked goes out.
10 Through overconfidence comes nothing but strife,
     But wisdom is with those who receive counsel.
11 Wealth obtained from nothing dwindles,
     But one who gathers by labor increases it.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
     But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 One who despises the word will do badly,
     But one who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
     To turn aside from the snares of death.
15 Good understanding produces favor,
     But the way of the treacherous is their own disaster.
16 Every prudent person acts with knowledge,
     But a fool displays foolishness.
17 A wicked messenger falls into adversity,
     But a faithful messenger brings healing.
18 Poverty and shame will come to one who neglects discipline,
     But one who complies with rebuke will be honored.
19 Desire realized is sweet to the soul,
     But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.
20 One who walks with wise people will be wise,
     But a companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 Adversity pursues sinners,
     But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.
22 A good person leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren,
     And the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.
23 Abundant food is in the uncultivated ground of the poor,
     But it is swept away by injustice.
24 He who withholds his rod hates his son,
     But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
     But the stomach of the wicked is in need.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

The person who relies on their own means to get rich, and relies on their own righteousness to save themselves, will lose everything after they die.  The person who is lazy and wants other people to do everything for them will be poor, physically and/or spiritually.  But the person who humbles themselves (who becomes poor in spirit), realizing their need for Jesus and His salvation and His righteousness, has riches waiting for them in heaven.  

Meanwhile, God blesses the righteous here on earth.  It may or may not be with monetary wealth, but the person who has given everything to God to manage will understand that life is not about having physical wealth.  That person will be very thankful and content with whatever God does give them, because they understand - as they trust Him - God will see to their every need!

today's meditation (Ps.133) Living in Unity

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 133:1-3) 

1   Behold, how good and how pleasant it is 
     For brothers to live together in unity!

2   It is like the precious oil on the head,
     Running down upon the beard,
     As on Aaron’s beard,
     The oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes.
3   It is like the dew of Hermon 
     Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
     For the Lord commanded the blessing there—life forever.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

It is a blessing when fellow believers experience deep fellowship and godly unity, encouragement and support.  The key to achieving this is when we all seek and live in God's will.  The closer we all grow to God, the closer we grow to each other.