Keeping Things Simple - Big Thoughts In Short Sentences

Genesis

When I was writing these words, I was thinking of some of the stories in the book of Genesis (the book of beginnings). I was thinking about Adam, Abraham and Joseph - and I was thinking about Jesus!

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It was the genesis of my life.
Things were looking so good.
Then, it all went badly wrong.
What could be done about this?
Could things be turned around?
The devil was running the show.
Where was God in all of this?
Was He there? or Had He gone?
The more I thought about this,
The more I came to see,
The Lord was watching me,
Waiting for me to come home.
It was the genesis of my faith.
What must I do to be saved?
Look away from myself.
Put my trust in Jesus Christ.
Things are looking so good.
They're on the up and up.
The sun  is shining in the sky.
It's not just the sun that's in the sky.
It's the Son who's shining on me.
It's the Saviour. He loves me.
It's the Saviour. He changes me.
It's Jesus. All praise to His Name.
It was the genesis of my calling.
The Lord loves every one.
He calls me to show His love,
To show them His love is real
It's not a love for some of us.
It's love for every one.
Let His love show. Let His love flow.
Let it reach out to every one.

Life is never easy.

Egypt's never far away.

In fact, it's all around us.

It rises in our hearts.

Is there something better?

We may never escape.

We're stuck in the place where we are,

But God is there beside us.

He's with us all the way.

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Exodus

What an exodus it was!
Was it really a deliverance?
Was it more than a departure?
Departure? - Yes. it was.
It involved the peoples' choice.
They had to follow God's direction.
Deliverance? - That's what it was.
It required the power of God.
The people made their choice.
The power came from God.
God said, "I will do this."
God said, "Will you follow?"
It came from the people.
It came from the Lord.
They called on Him.
He answered them.
"This is what we want."
"This is what I'll give to you."
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Leviticus

Leviticus - it's such a strange book.
Is it really worth another look?
It speaks of the God who's holy.
It tells us that He loves us.
It points us to the Lamb of God.
He takes away our sin.
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Numbers

Walking around in the desert,
It seems such a waste of time,
Or, was there someting more than that?
Is there a way out of the wasteland?
Yes! There is the promised land.
The Lord is with us in the desert.
He will not leave us there.
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Deuteronomy

These thoughts are based on Deuteronomy 8:3.

Feed us, Lord.
Feed us with Your Word.
Give us hunger,
Real hunger - for Your Word.

Satisfy us, Lord.
Speak to us - Your Word.
Fill our hearts with joy,
The joy of knowing You.
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Jeremiah

These thoughts are based on Jeremiah 1:6-8 and Jeremiah 6:16.

He was just a young boy.
Jeremiah was his name.
He had something to say to the people,
Something that they would not forget.
This was more than the word of man.
This was the Word of the Lord.
They may not respond to the Word of the Lord.
They would never forget that they heard it.
What did Jeremiah say to them?
Did he say something new?
No! He said, "Go back to the beginning.
Get back to the Word of the Lord."
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Amos

These thoughts are based on Amos 7:14.

Amos was a herdsman,
Looking after sheep.
Do we catch a glimpse of Someone else,
the Shepherd of our souls?
Jesus is there, just behind the scenes.
He loves us with the best love -
It's better than all the rest.

Spiritual Growth

Samuel’s spiritual  growth was in stark contrast to the disobedience and downfall of Eli’s sons. This is the context within which we must grow spiritually. We are surrounded by disobedience. We must look away from all of this disobedience. We must keep our eyes on the Lord. We must ask the Lord to give us His grace so that we might go on growing in Christ.

Something For "A Cloudy And Dark Day"

" ... so will I seek out My sheep ... on a cloudy and dark day" (Ezekiel 34:12). 

Our life on earth is " a cloudy and dark day." Left to ourselves, we always lose our way. We cannot find our way back on to the way of the Lord without the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus does not leave us to stumble around on a "cloudy and dark day." He has come "to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10). He is "the Light of the world" (John 8:12). His Light is still shining brightly. The darkness can't put it out (John 1:5). We look to Jesus, and we see beyond "the cloudy and dark day." We look to Him, and we say, "The Lord is my light and my salvation" (Psalm 27:1).

Lord, we want blessing - but we're not so keen on obedience.

Exodus 39:1-43

Lord, we want blessing - but we're not so keen on obedience. Help us to learn from Jesus. For Him, obedience was everything. He was fully obedient. For Him, it meant the Cross (Philippians 2:8). Lord, help us not to be thinking, "What are we going to get out of this?" Help us to be praying, "How can we do Your will? How can we bring glory to You?"

What a difference there is between Jesus giving a sign and the Pharisees demanding a sign!

What a difference there is between Jesus giving a sign and the Pharisees demanding a sign! Miracles are given when the Lord decides - not when we demand: "If these people are given a sign, it will be far different from what they want!" (Mark 8:12). A blind man came to Jesus. His sight Was restored - "He could see everything clearly, even at a distance" (Mark 8:25). The Pharisees couldn't see - "Don't you catch on yet?" (Mark 8:21). 'Open our eyes, Lord. We want to see Jesus.'

Help us, Lord, to be active for You ... and to wait on You.

Joshua 3:1-17

Help us, Lord, to be active for You - "the people who know their God will be strong and take action" (Daniel 11:32) -  and to wait upon You - "those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength" (Isaiah 40:31). We need both - prayer and action, seeking Your will and doing Your will. Give us wisdom to know Your will, and courage to do Your will.

Help us, Lord, to "give a friendly welcome."

Joshua 2:1-24

Help us, Lord, to "give a friendly welcome" (Hebrews 11:31). What a difference the friendly welcome makes! It's the word of encouragement that makes us feel loved. It's the act of kindness that lets us know that love is more than words. Lord, You are our Father. Help us to be like You - "when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). What amazing grace! Before the confession of sin - "Father, I have sinned... " (Luke 15:21), there is the friendly welcome. It's Your grace that inspires our confession of sin. It's Your grace that leads us into the joy of Your forgiveness. It's not only joy for us. It's joy for You - "my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate" (Luke 15:24).

We thank You, Lord, that we have Your wonderful promise - "The Lord your God is with you" - as well as Your clear command - "Be strong."

Joshua 1:1-18

We thank You, Lord, that we have Your wonderful promise - "The Lord your God is with you" - as well as Your clear command - "Be strong" (Joshua 1:9). Without Your promise, the command is no use. Again and again, we fail to keep Your commands. Again and again, we need to be reassured. You are still with us. This is what we need to hear. This is where our strength comes from. It comes from Your promise. It comes from knowing that You never fail us. You have never failed us. You never will fail us.

We thank You, Lord, that You are "the eternal God."

Deuteronomy 33:18-34:12

We thank You, Lord, that You are "the eternal God." You are "our Refuge." You hold us in Your "everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27). This doesn't mean that life will be easy for us - but it does mean that You will be with us -whatever happens, and You'll never let us down. You'll always be there for us. You are "for us" - whatever problems we may have to face, may we learn to say, with triumphant faith, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).

Lord, You speak to us the Word of condemnation ... You also speak to us the Word of compassion.

Deuteronomy 32:19-33:17

Lord, You speak to us the Word of condemnation. You tell us that we are "a perverse generation" You tell us that "You will hide Your face from us" (Deuteronomy 32:20). You also speak to us the Word of compassion - "The Lord will ... have compassion on His servants, when He sees their power is gone" (Deuteronomy 32:26). Help us, Lord, to hear the Word of condemnation - to know that "our power has gone", so that we can hear the Word of compassion, the Word that comes to us in our weakness, the Word that brings us into Your strength - "a new creation in Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

God's people are being called on to maturity.

Numbers 25:1-26:65

God's people are being called on to maturity. This is the significance of the phrase, "at least twenty years old" (Numbers 26:2,4). There are, however, many dangers. We are easily sidetracked - putting other "gods" before the Lord our God (Numbers 25:3). This turning away from the Lord is a serious matter, leading to the withdrawal of God's blessing. We can, however, continue to enjoy the Lord's blessing if, like Caleb and Joshua, we are men and women of faith (Numbers 26:64-65).