Tag: #1Peter2:9

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Make Your Choices

God’s promises are full of life. Evergreen. They invite us to choose life daily (De 30:19, Pr 18:21). And increasingly so, because God is a builder.

King David said in Psalm 119 to “Place your hands of strength and favor upon me, for I’ve made my choice to follow your ways” (verse 173 TPT). “Truth’s shining light guides me in my choices and decisions; the revelation of your Word makes my pathway clear” (verse 105 TPT).

So, we must receive God’s Word and be definitive in our choices to stay on course for destiny purposes. We must firmly decide and stand on God’s faithful promises to deliver (redeem) us. His truth will set us free, and we can move forward joyfully.

Acts 2:28 NIV tells us that “You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.”

God has big plans for us. Plans He made before we were ever born. They are better than we can imagine, and they will happen in ways we do not fully know yet.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 NIV reminds us by saying, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back from captivity…'”

It is joyous to choose our Savior—to exalt Him over sin’s separation (He 12:1). Trust and obedience in our Lord is our best “yes” that will lead to expressions of ultimate victory and honor.

To be sure, God has ways of getting us there when our hearts are inclined toward Him.

For me, an everyday action item turned unusual a few weeks before Christmas. Like countless others, I had made an online purchase, hoping it would be delivered intact and without delay. But about the time I expected the package to arrive, I received a phone call instead. Caller ID revealed the retailer from whom I had made the purchase. I had a sense they were calling because an issue arose. Sure enough, the polite woman on the other end was a supervisor, who explained that the package had taken a different route by mistake. I had prayed over the package from the beginning, as the contents were rare and no longer manufactured. The delay wasn’t a big issue for me, and I realized I had to trust God to help it arrive intact after taking a detour. The supervisor graciously offered to express mail the package to me and also include a $50 gift card toward a future purchase.

Sometimes, the unexpected is part of our total package as we follow Him. Sometimes, God makes situations better than they would have been.

God has taught me that we can settle for the faithful provision of Isaac, or we can expect His unexpected provision through Boaz—an add-on gift that God sees and knows and waits for the right time or season to release.

Sovereign God’s greater blessings are out front, up ahead and right before us. As we choose to do life His way, we will come into His greater blessings. We will receive them when God knows we are ready and when He is ready, according to His timing and way. God’s expressions of increase that were once hidden will be revealed. Until then, He tests our will and our loyalty to Him, even in our thoughts, attitudes and works.

We must be secure in knowing our true riches are found in Christ alone. He is our greatest Treasure, and we are His chosen treasure (1 Pe 2:9). All else is less, including our own ways. Let’s remember this as we go into 2022 with our eyes wide open to Him, seeking Him first as we faithfully step into what’s ahead. Let’s believe Him for all else to be added to us rightly by His Spirit, while we serve Him (Matt 6:33).

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your supernatural serendipity. May I be more like You reflected through Your daughter, Ruth. May I always be led by Your Holy Spirit and glean increasing blessings Your way so that my joy may be full and Your overflow can work through me to bless others. Thank You for growing me in faith, truth and love. Rid me of anything that tries to stand between us. Thank You for perfecting my path (2 Sa 22:33). Thank You for building and expanding me for Your glory. I trust in Your hand that strengthens me as part of Your body of Christ to be the light of the world.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

Note: Ultimately, I did receive the package in record time with the contents intact, along with the $50 gift card, which was emailed to me right away. Praise God!

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Surrounding Wisdom – Part 2

God has been delivering His people out from under clouds of darkness into His marvelous light to declare His praise (Ro 13:11-14, Lk 11:33-36 TPT, Ep 5:8-21, 1 Jn 1:5-7).

Psalm 71:15 AMPC says, “My mouth shall tell of Your righteous acts and of Your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is more than I know.”

God has used the longsuffering many endured in previous seasons to develop wisdom in them, posturing them for longstanding for the benefit of others (Ps 72:17).

1 John 1:7 TPT tells us, “…if we keep living in the pure light that surrounds him, we share unbroken fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, continually cleanses us from all sin.”

God’s chosen will continue to grow in His wisdom as Jesus Himself grew in wisdom (Lk 2:40, 52).

These wise ones can attest to Psalm 84:11 TPT, which says, “For the Lord God is brighter than the brilliance of a sunrise! Wrapping himself around me like a shield, he is so generous with his gifts of grace and glory. Those who walk along his paths with integrity will never lack one thing they need, for he provides it all!”

Drawn to the Spirit of Wisdom, like wise men, God’s chosen get to share His wisdom: their new gift of life, how to live it and its “powerful moral result” (Tyndale Bible Dictionary).

And, as these wise ones go forth, The Spirit of Wisdom shields them, enlightens them and provides for them.

Wisdom can be defined as “the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action;…discernment, or insight” (Dictionary.com). Some synonyms are: good judgment, clear thinking, discernment, solidity, understanding, balance, prudence, knowledge, foresight, intelligence and caution (Thesaurus.com). 

Wisdom is a gift from God. It is protective, powerful and creative as part of the nature of God. Wisdom can come through experience, revelation or both. It equips the saints of God with an advantage. Even the otherwise disadvantaged can be set on high by knowing and acting in The Spirit of Wisdom.

The word “surrounding,” as in surrounding wisdom, means “the act of encircling or enclosing” (Dictionary.com). Some synonyms are: girding up, encompassing, throughout, insolating, protecting and neutralizing (Thesaurus.com).

1 Corinthians 1:24-25 MSG tell us that “Christ is God’s ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. Human wisdom is so tinny…Human strength can’t begin to compete…”

“The gospel of Jesus Christ was both the power of God and the wisdom of God,” since Jesus is the life and the way—God’s truth (Tyndale Bible Dictionary). 

1 Corinthians 1:30 TPT says, “For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now he is our God-given wisdom, our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption.”

Part of God’s good news is that He “will make holiness bloom” (Ps 132:18 TPT)!

The Lord is blooming holiness for those who have humbled themselves in a Job journey, remained faithful in the transformation process and come out as pure gold—full of His glory, shinning brighter than ever, grateful (Jo 23:10).

Psalm 66:10 TPT says, “O Lord, we have passed through your fire; like precious metal made pure, you’ve proved us, perfected us, and made us holy.”

1 Peter 2:9 MSG says, “…you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.”

As the Lord highlights His especially radiant ones, others will see them in a new light. Relationships will be reconciled more deeply, because others will be drawn to Jesus in their hearts with His hand upon them (2 Co 5:20). 

Many will come to The Lord, as He makes everything beautiful in His time (Ec 3:11).

James 3:13, 17-18 TPT offer strategy and truth forward. They say, “If you consider yourself to be wise and one who understands the ways of God, advertise it with a beautiful, fruitful life guided by wisdom’s gentleness. Never brag or boast about what you’ve done and you’ll prove that you’re truly wise…the wisdom from above is always pure, filled with peace, considerate and teachable. It is filled with love and never displays prejudice or hypocrisy in any form and it always bears the beautiful harvest of righteousness! Good seeds of wisdom’s fruit will be planted with peaceful acts by those who cherish making peace.”

1 Corinthians 1:31 TPT reminds us that “…If anyone boasts, let him only boast in all that the Lord has done!”

I believe it’s time for true justice and prosperity to reign and that we will see an increase of wise rulers take their seats in the land (Ps 72).

In Jesus’ Mighty Name. 

To God be the glory. 

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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True Value: Our Intrinsic Worth

Psalm 139:17-18 TPT assure us, “Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought! O God, your desires toward me are more than the grains of sand on every shore! When I awake each morning, you’re still with me.”

Friends, value is intrinsic to God.

Our truest value is God in us and God with us.

The origin of value is worth.

He is worthy.

His inherent worth, which is fixed, inseparable and innate, is sealed in our spirit, where His legal approval, substantiation and confirmation flow congruently.

1 Peter 2:7 TPT tells us, “As believers you know his great worth—indeed, his preciousness is imparted to you…”

But do we know this truth deep in our soul? In our mind, will and emotions? Do we know that Jesus is our validator, our strength, that He is our Treasure, and that we are His (1 Pe. 2:9).

Do we know that He is the Pearl of Great Price? Gold?

Do we know in our soul that, of everything God willed into creation, He values us most?

We were bought by Jesus’ priceless blood, which is worthy beyond measure.

He pursues us with His relentless love.

To reconcile us to His greatest intimacy.

He is a father to the fatherless, a husband to the husbandless.

He is our Creator.

And we are His handiwork.

He loved us while we were still wayward sinners and brought us into His Kingdom full of rich promises by His amazing grace.

A royal inheritance.

Of security and provision.

For us–His beloved sons and daughters.

The sum total of His precious thoughts of us are vast (Ps. 139:17).

He is our gateway to righteousness.

He gives us His understanding and priceless wisdom to triumph over fear and foolishness.

Praising Him is a strategy He gave us to triumph over wickedness that tries to defeat and destroy us, to steal our anointing, to diminish our hope.

God anoints our mind (Matt. 26:6-7) and our walk (Jn. 12:3). He provides Himself as our Anchor of hope–beyond ourselves and beyond others. He, as a trustworthy hope, who cannot be snuffed out.

God puts His own everlasting faith inside of us, so we cannot lose when we cling to it (1 Pe. 1:7). Faith—the great and consistent equalizer of value, honor, and respect—the confidence of our hope for God to produce His promise.

He helps our unbelief, to know Him as strong when we are not.

So, we can value what He values.

He renews our mind and puts a new heart and spirit in us, so we always have a compass of true life when we tap into Him.

We can receive His blessings that are tied to the condition and action of our heart.

“When our faithful obedience, which is the righteous action of the faith God puts in us, meets God’s faithful grace, a synchronicity of blessing occurs. Good fruit is produced. Treasures are discovered and recovered. Much of value is realized.”

We prosper as our soul prospers (3 Jn. 1:2).

Our soul prospers when we value God, above our ways, as our ultimate authority, who exalts us in due time.

With God we cannot lose.

But without Him we will surely fail.

Did you know that poverty is rooted in insecurity, the cracks of our foundation?

A lack of knowledge of God and His ways leads to a lack of trust in God, which leads to a lack of submission to God, which leads to a lack of His blessing.

Feeling insecure in any particular area of life is a red flag to trust God more. But it’s hard to trust God intimately when we don’t know Him specifically in Word, deed or character.

Our path to finding security in God is to repent from holding onto all that makes us feel insecure, all that opposes His truth, such as fear, hurts, injustices, unforgiveness and unbelief.

To honor God’s infinite glory-worth, we must repent from walking on any path of pain instead of His way, which is faith, love and truth.

When God highlights our insecurity to us, we can thank Him for inviting us up higher. We can simply pray and receive His help to overcome:

Psalm 118:5 TPT tells us, “Out of my deep anguish and pain I prayed, and God, you helped me as a father. You came to my rescue and broke open the way into a beautiful and broad place.”

In Psalm 139:24 TPT, David invites God to “See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways—the path that brings me back to you.”

Luke 3:5 NIV reveals God’s will, which is that “Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.”

God’s Glorious Presence with us reveals His infinite, intrinsic worth. His substance. His essence. His true value in us and for us.

His will is to prosper us (Jer. 29:11).

He desires we know this.

Partnering with God, on the narrow path, honors Him as an expression of respect for His worth and the value He extends to us.

Pray with me if you will . . .
Lord, Thank You for Your worthy Presence in me. I renounce all forms of poverty and receive You as my inherent true value. By Your grace, lead me to experience a deeper inner awakening of Your truth, value, love, life and rest for my weary soul. Purge from me any contemptuous false treasure—especially the idol of hopelessness—by overthrowing it. Heal and deliver me from all that does not please You, so I can have a pure heart of honor toward You and others. Make me into a person of valor, determined to trust and obey You. Help me to guard against entering into any type of bondage forward. Enable me to receive Your finest blessings. Thank You, Lord, for doing that which only You can do. And now, I declare Psalm 139:5 TPT over my life: “You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. With your hand of love upon my life, you impart a blessing to me.” Thank You, Lord. I love You. In Jesus’ Mighty Name. Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.