Coming And Going
1. Teach Us To Number Our Days
2. Psalm 90
3. The Lord's First Invitation To Come
4. Come And Worship
5. Blessed Coming In And Blessed Going Out
6. The Only Way To Go To Heaven Is To Come To Jesus
7. My Lord Preserves My Going Out And My Coming In
8. He Brought Us Out To Bring Us In
9. Come Unto Me
10. All Of God's Promises Come To Pass
11. Go Weeping And Come Rejoicing
12. To Whom Shall We Go?
13. Every Good Gift Comes Down From The Father
14. Running To And Fro
15. Spring Is Coming
1. Teach Us To Number Our Days
I cannot believe how fast this year is coming and how fast it is going. We are already in mid February. The older I get, the faster the days seem to come and go. Just thinking about it reminds me of a prayer of Moses. “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalm 90:1) This week I want to look at some of the coming and going verses in the Bible.
2. Psalm 90
When the Israelites refused to go into the Promised Land, God told them they would wander in the wilderness 40 years. That’s a long time to go in circles and not get anywhere. I imagine Moses was counting down the days. I have started on a 40 day diet, and I am counting down the days, and days always seem longer when you are counting them down. Moses begins this Psalm telling how God is “from everlasting to everlasting.” In speaking of man, he says, “…we spend our years as a tale that is told.” Our time on earth is short. I like his blessing in the last verse, “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us…”
“1 <<A Prayer of Moses the man of God.>> Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.” (Psalm 90)
3. The Lord's First Invitation To Come
As we begin our theme, "Coming And Going", let's look at the very first invitation to "Come" from the Lord. We have to go all the way back to Genesis 6:18, to the very familiar story of Noah and the ark. “But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.”
“1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
5 And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him." Genesis 7:1-5
God saw the wickedness of mankind and decided to send a flood and destroy the world. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis 6:8 ) Our focus from this account is that the Lord did not say, "Go into the ark", but He said "Come thou and all thy house into the ark..." The Lord was already there, waiting to go with Noah through the storm! Not only was the Lord protecting them from the flood, He was protecting them from the wicked that would destroy them. "And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in." (Genesis 7:16) If you come to the Lord now, you can find grace in the eyes of the Lord just as Noah did. If you choose not to come to the Lord, be aware that one day it will be too late and the doors of God's heavenly eternity will be shut.
“16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18 )
4. Come And Worship
God has given us an invitation to come and worship the Lord our maker. David had a great love for the house of the Lord. We see this in Psalm 122:1, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.” This is our “Coming And Going” today. Psalm 95 tells us how we should come to the Lord. Verse 1 tells us to come singing. Verse 2 reminds us to come with thanksgiving. And verse 6 gives us the heart of the matter, as we come and worship. James Montgomery wrote “Angels From The Realms Of Glory”, on Christmas Eve in 1816. I love the chorus, “Come and worship, Come and worship, Worship Christ the Newborn King.” Christmas was two months ago, but we can continue to come and worship our Lord all through the year.
“1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your heart,… “ (Psalm 95:1-8)
5. Blessed Coming In And Blessed Going Out
In the years that I have been writing these devotionals it never ceases to amaze me how the Lord will show me things from His Word. When I am writing on a certain theme, as I am now on “Coming And Going”, I will notice those words in the chapters and verses that I am reading. The example today is from Deuteronomy 28 where Moses said if they hearkened to God’s Word they would be blessed coming in and going out.
“1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.” (Deuteronomy 28:1,2, & 6)
“15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.” (Deuteronomy 28:15, 16 & 19)
Some of the promises in the Old Testament were to the Israelites, but we are truly blessed who have trusted in Jesus as our Savior. We are blessed to be forgiven! “Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” (Romans 4:7-8) James 1:25 tells us that those who do the work of the Lord will be blessed. “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” And let us not forget the words of our Lord on the mount.
“1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:1-16)
6. The Only Way To Go To Heaven Is To Come To Jesus
When a person wants to get in to a place without a reservation, he or she may offer a bribe to the one at the door. When a person gets caught doing something wrong, he or she might offer a bribe to the officer with money or even by working it off. Another way he or she might try to get out of trouble is to say, “Do you know who I am? Do you know who my Daddy is?” When I was thinking about the ways people think they can go to heaven, I thought about how they are really trying to bribe God. God doesn’t take bribes. We can’t pay our way to go to heaven. We also can’t do enough works to make our sin go away. We can’t go to heaven in the name of our parents or grandparents. The only way we can go to heaven is to come to Jesus! “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Jesus is the only way to be saved from your sins.
“1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:1-6)
7. My Lord Preserves My Going Out And My Coming In
Now that we have had some snow, I am ready for spring. It is getting time for me to start planning my garden. I enjoy being out in the sun, working in the garden, and watching it grow. We are rewarded with fresh vegetables, and now I am enjoying the ones I canned last summer. Let’s look at Psalm 121, which ends, “The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” I looked up the Biblical meaning of preserve and it said to protect, keep, or save. This is a wonderful Psalm that shows how the Lord preserves His people. In verses 1 and 2 the Lord protects us. In verses 3-6 He keeps us. And in the last two verses the Lord saves us. He watches over me whether I am going out or if I’m coming in, “even for evermore”!
“1 <<A Song of degrees.>> I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” (Psalm 121)
8. He Brought Us Out To Bring Us In
God spoke to Moses from the burning bush on the backside of the desert to go and deliver His people out of bondage in Egypt. Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh and God used great miracles to deliver them. They were fearful and refused to go into the Promised Land, and God let them wander in the wilderness 40 years. In the book of Deuteronomy Moses reminded the people, "And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers." (Deuteronomy 6:23) When we accept God's wonderful gift of salvation He brings us out of the awful bondage and life of sin. But, God does not leave us in the middle of nowhere, without purpose or direction. God saves us and brings us out, so that He may bring us in. Here are some verses from the New Testament to tell us a few ways He brings us in.
He brings us into salvation!
"I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." (John 10:9)
He brings us into joy!
"His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matthew 25:21)
He brings us into rest!
"For we which have believed do enter into rest,..." (Hebrews 4:3)
He brings us into the Holy of Holies, clothed in the righteousness of Christ!
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus," (Hebrews 10:19)
9. Come Unto Me
There are several times in the scriptures that we hear the voice of Jesus saying, “Come unto me.” This is the Lord’s Day. Let’s heed the Lord’s invitation and meet Him in the house of the Lord. Then we can leave like the woman at the well saying, “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (John 4:29)
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
“Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.” (John 21:12)
“But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14)
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:17)
10. All Of God's Promises Come To Pass
Today we see that everything God says will come to pass. Just before he died Joshua testified of the faithfulness of God. "There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass." "And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof." (Joshua 21:45 and 23:14) We see this truth from Moses. "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;" (Deuteronomy 7:9) And also in the New Testament. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (Hebrews 10:23) All these scriptures assure us that God is faithful to keep His Word. He is also faithful to forgive us of our sin when we confess to Him. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9) Just as God is faithful to keep His promises for our good, He is also faithful to keep His Word when we turn away from Him. John 3:16 is a very familiar verse to many people. If we keep reading we see the truth about not turning to the Lord for salvation. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God... He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:16-18,36) God is faithful! All that God says shall surely come to pass! This can be a comforting promise to those who believe, but will be a terrible tragedy to those who refuse to turn to the Lord.
11. Go Weeping And Come Rejoicing
When I was just a young girl I remember going to bed weeping over the souls of the kids in our neighborhood. I prayed and cried over them, telling myself that I would be a better witness to them. There have been others that I wept over, but I found it so hard to sow the precious seed in just the right words. Psalms 126:6 has such a beautiful promise. "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." The precious seed is God's Word, as we find in the parable Jesus told of the sower. Are we sowing the seed? When we meet our blessed Savior, will we come with rejoicing?
"5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." (Luke 8:5-15)
12. To Whom Shall We Go?
The sixth chapter of the book of John opens with the feeding of 5,000. Jesus taught the people and then He fed the multitude with 2 small fish and 5 loaves of bread. The next day they looked for Jesus. “And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” (John 6:25-26) Later in the chapter Jesus explained that He was the bread of life.
“46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
48 I am that bread of life.” (John 6:46-48)
The Jews murmured and many turned away from following Jesus, and we get those amazing words from Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” If we don’t go with Jesus, to whom will we go? No one else died to take the punishment for our sin. No one else can speak to our hearts and guide us day by day. No one else is preparing us a home in heaven. If we are not following Jesus, who are we following?
“66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:66-69)
13. Every Good Gift Comes Down From The Father
Our recliner broke down, and we had only had it 2 years. Things just aren’t made as well as they were years ago. Michael and I shopped. Mom and I shopped. I felt like I was in the Goldilocks story. Some were too hard, some were too soft, some were too big, and some were too short and my feet hung too far over the edge. We had a really busy day Tuesday with several errands to run, but we managed to squeeze in a visit to another furniture store, and we found a recliner that was “just right”. My prayers were finally answered. Some may ask, “Did you pray for a recliner?” Yes, I did. I started praying the day that it broke down, that God would help us find the one that was right for us. And He did! And it was on sale, half off. I try to pray about everything, and I try to thank Him for everything, because everything I have comes down from God. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) I have heard some say that they have what they have because they worked hard for it. And that’s good, but God gave them the job, and the ability and knowledge to do the work. I am thankful for each gift that comes down from my heavenly Father, most of all the gift of salvation. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8 ) “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” (II Corinthians 9:15)
14. Running To And Fro
When we think about scriptures that describe the last days, we often think of the New Testament letters. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,” (II Timothy 3:1-3) And the list goes on. We see these signs in the days we are living. There are also scriptures in the Old Testament that describe the last days. God showed Daniel many, many things about the future. He gave Daniel details about the coming kingdoms, which have already been fulfilled. In the last chapter of the book He gives Daniel a description of the end of time. God told Daniel “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” I remembered this “to and fro” description as I was thinking about these “coming and going” verses. In the days of Daniel people probably walked most of the time. They may have ridden donkeys, horses, or even camels. These means of transportation took a lot longer than our modes of travel today. Daniel probably couldn’t have imagined why people would spend their time running to and fro, back and forth. We have examples in the Bible where people ran to deliver messages, and some had chariots, but I don’t know of another time in history when people were running to and fro like they are today. Many have filled their weekly schedules so full they don’t have time to go to church, or worship, or visit with family and friends. The verse also says that “knowledge shall be increased.” Most of the people I know carry smart phones. Smart phones are filled with knowledge, but may be hindering us from becoming smarter. Much of my schooling was memorizing number facts, and spelling, and history. Now that we can look up anything on our phones, and calculate math problems, we don’t have to know as much. Knowledge is increasing, but I don’t think the average person is getting smarter. We would do well to slow down our running to and fro, and “Be still, and know that I am God:…” (Psalm 46:10)
“1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Daniel 12:1-4)
15. Spring Is Coming
Today is the first of March. Last week we had two days of snow. This week, I walked outside and the temperature was 70 degrees, and the daffodils were blooming. This tells me that spring is coming. “The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;” (Song Of Solomon 2:12) These signs of spring show us the faithfulness of God. God made a promise to Noah, and He has always kept His Word. “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22) As the weather gets warmer, and you see the signs of spring, it’s a great time to recognize the faithfulness of our loving God! “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;” (Deuteronomy 7:9)
