I Am Resolved
1. Resolutions For A New Year
Happy New Year! I am so happy to put 2021 behind me, with all it's pain and sorrow, and start 2022, going forward with my Lord. Michael says there is only one song in our Hymnal for the New Year, and that is "I Am Resolved". So many times we make resolutions about our health, or other areas in our lives that need improvement and we resolve within ourselves to do better. As I was driving, and singing this song to myself, I looked up and there was a break in the gray clouds with the sun shining on each cloud level which made it look like a staircase to heaven. I was singing, "Things that are higher, things that are nobler, these have allured my sight... I will hasten to Him..." and the Lord showed me that our best resolutions are those that will lead us higher, and closer to our Lord. Let's begin the year with this old song and see where the Lord leads.
2. "I Am Resolved" by Palmer Hartsough
A quick search showed me that Palmer Hartsough wrote over 1,000 songs. The copyright for "I Am Resolved" in our hymnal is 1924. We will begin with the first verse. As we make our New Year's resolutions for 2022 let's set our goals to a higher standard. I don't mean making the goals more intense, but let's focus on goals that will raise us up to be more like our Lord. Now is the time to turn away from the things of the world and look to the things of Christ.
1. "I am resolved no longer to linger,
Charmed by the world's delight;
Things that are higher, things that are nobler,
These have allured my sight."
"15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (I John 2:15-17)
3. "I Will Hasten To Him"
With the quarantines and sickness, and basically the stress of it all, I feel like I have been stalled out for two years. I am ready to get something done this year. I bought a composition book and created a cover that says, "Things To Do In 2022". Also, on the cover I put a smiling sloth, lying on a tree branch. I have already started on the pages, writing a prayer list, and making a list of things I want to try to do daily. Then, there is the main reason for my little journal, and that's to get as much accomplished as I can towards purging and cleaning, space by space. I am starting in the kitchen emptying and cleaning each cabinet and drawer, and trying to put back less than I take out. This will be a long process, but I am prepared to take my time and do it well, and that's the reason for the sloth. This is not something I can rush through and get done in a week or two. I am okay with feeling like a sloth in tackling this great task, because my pace has slowed with my age. But, there are times we should not be as a sloth. Hebrews 6:12 tells us, "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." The chorus to "I Am Resolved" tells us to hasten to Him! Be quick in turning to the Lord. Don't put off salvation. The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians, "... behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (II Corinthians 6:2) The shepherds "came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. " (Luke 2:16) I also think of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:5-6. "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully."
"I will hasten to Him,
hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest,
I will come to Thee."
4. "Leaving My Sin And Strife"
Today, let's look at verse 2 of that great old song, "I Am Resolved."
"I am resolved to go to the Savior,
Leaving my sin and strife;
He is the true one, He is the just one,
He hath the words of life."
We saw in the chorus that we should make haste to go to the Savior. When we go forward there are often things that we leave behind. As we go forward into the New Year, I am ready to leave all the trouble and trials behind and look to the Lord in hope, for brighter days. The song says, "Leaving my sin and strife." When we turn to Jesus for salvation, we turn away from our sin and strife. Paul told the church at Ephesus, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:31-32) Pastor Tripp's text Sunday morning was Hebrews 12:1-2. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." As he read the scriptures I thought of how perfect they were for our song. We lay aside every weight, and leaving our sin and strife, we go forward "looking unto Jesus". "He is the true one, He is the just one, He hath the words of life." "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
5. "I Am Resolved To Follow The Savior"
I told Michael that I had never realized what a great song this was for New Year's resolutions. Look at the third verse.
"I am resolved to follow the Savior,
Faithful and true each day;
Heed what He sayeth, do what He willeth,
He is the living way."
We need to resolve to follow the Savior. The song writer adds, "Faithful and true each day;" Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:27-29) James 1:22 sums up the next line in the verse, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." And for the last line my mind goes back to the Old Testament... "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:" (Deuteronomy 30:19) Choose to follow Jesus, He is the only way to have life eternal!
6. "Who Will Go With Me?"
Michael told me that the last verse of, "I Am Resolved" is his favorite. Trying to lead our family and friends to the saving knowledge of the Lord should be another one of our resolutions for the New Year. I started reading in Genesis again the first of the year and I always feel sad for Noah. We read in II Peter 2:5, "And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;" Noah was a preacher of righteousness. But only his immediate family escaped the judgment of God and got on the ark. "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." (I Peter 3:20) People back then lived hundreds of years, so they had many, many relatives. Noah had aunts and uncles. He had brothers and sisters. He had cousins and neighbors. But, no one would listen and believe, and they all perished in the flood. Noah may have wanted to wait a little longer... before closing the door. But, God shut him in. And it was too late for anyone else to enter into the safety of the ark. Are we calling to our loved ones, "Come, friends, without delay"? The Bible teaches us to tell others about Jesus. The Spirit leads us in the heavenly way. I pray that this old song has given you some Godly resolutions to carry you through 2022, if the Lord leaves us here that long.
"I am resolved, and who will go with me?
Come, friends, without delay;
Taught by the Bible, led by the Spirit,
We'll walk the heavenly way.
7. I Am Resolved To Serve The Lord
I am doing some New Year cleaning, beginning with my kitchen. I took down a plaque and wiped off the dust that had gathered. It has been hanging in my kitchen for many years. It has been there so long I don't really see it when I walk by. I don't notice the little things that have become part of my home. It is the last part of Joshua 24:15. "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." A friend gave us the decoration when we were much younger and we hung it up because we decided long ago, "...as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." That is a wonderful resolution to make for the New Year. But, many times our resolutions and promises are forgotten, just like that little plaque on my wall. Joshua was old when he made this statement. This is in the last chapter of the book of Joshua, and he died when he was 110 years old. This stands out to me because Joshua had served the Lord, and he was determined to continue serving the Lord. You might not remember to keep all the resolutions you make, but don't let this one fall by the way side. Serve the Lord today. Serve the Lord tomorrow. And make up your mind to keep serving the Lord.
8. Keep Trusting The Lord
I got so blessed reading my Bible Thursday morning. I had so much else to do I thought about cutting my reading time short, but decided to continue with the next chapter. God had a special thought for me and I want to share it with you today. Genesis 24 is about Abraham sending his servant to get a bride for Issac. The servant is praying... "And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master." This would have been a big task, to carry water for ten camels, using a pitcher. Now look at the next verse. "And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder." (Genesis 24:14-15) "Before he had done speaking..." God was answering his prayer before he even finished praying. This impressed the servant so much he tells Laban about it. "And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee. And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also." (Genesis 24:45-46) My resolution today is, "Keep Trusting The Lord." He may already be working things out before you even finish asking Him to. Michael Key wrote this song three years ago and it reminds us that God is already there.
He's Already There
"The child is born, and then it cries,
And far above, beyond the skies,
The Father smiles, for He already has His plan.
The child grows on, until one day,
Amazing Grace has its sweet way,
And now the child is guided by an unseen hand.
Chorus
We know that all things work for our good,
Though not the way we think they should,
And so we ask, in our confusion, "Does God care?"
We see the curve, but around the bend,
Oh, there's a place we've never been,
And then we find that God is already there.
Now from this night, your life you know,
Will have ups and downs, and as you go,
The doubts and fears, they can take away your smile.
Just walk by faith, and not by sight,
Through both the day, and through the night,
'Cause He's already there, and He's been there all the while.
He's already there, your need He will supply.
He's already there, with His ever watchful eye.
Yes, there'll be storms, you'll have your share,
And your path will wind, but God knows where,
So rest assured, He is already there
We see the curve, but around the bend,
Oh, there's a place we've never been,
And then we find that God is already there."
9. Keep Thanking The Lord
It hasn't been long since we celebrated Thanksgiving and set aside time to give thanks to our God. Have we continued to give thanks since that Thursday? We are continuing with the story of Abraham's servant on his journey to find a bride for Isaac.
"And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.
And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son." (Genesis 24:27 & 48)
We teach our children to ask the blessing at the table, and we should continue to be grateful for our food and for everything the Lord provides for us. The servant was thankful for the Lord giving him a profitable journey. We read of the terrible state of mankind in the last days, but have you ever noticed that being "unthankful" is listed along with all the other sins? We need to continue our thankfulness to the Lord every day. It can be a witness to those around us and bless the Lord our God.
"1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (II Timothy 3:1-5)
10. Some Things To Do The Whole Year Through
Pastor Jack Tripp preached a sermon the first Sunday in the New Year on "Some Things To Do The Whole Year Through". His text was Hebrews 12:1-2. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." I want to share his outline from this encouraging sermon. The first point of the sermon was to "Remember These Witnesses." The Bible has given us examples of people who were faithful and it can help us and encourage us to remember them.
1. Remember These Witnesses
Looking back to the faithful witnesses in Hebrews 11.A. These were people who were purchased by the blood of the Lamb. 11:4 Abel, 11:28 The Passover, and 11:31, Rahab and the scarlet cord (We are redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb of God.)
B. These were people that pleased God. 11:5-6 Enoch (It pleases the Lord when we believe and trust Him and walk with Him in faith.)
C. They were prepared people. 11:7 Noah
D. They were pilgrims and strangers. 11:13 Like Abraham and Sarah
E. They had experienced the power of God. 11:33-35 Examples like Daniel in the den of lions and his friends in the fiery furnace.
F. They were persecuted by the world. 11:36-39
11. Remove The Hindrances
We are on the second part of Preacher Tripp's sermon from Hebrews 12:1-2. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us,..." "Remove The Hindrances." Runners may add weights when they train, but during the race they lay aside every weight. In our Christian life there may be things that aren't sin, but they hinder us from our daily walk with God. These things slow us down. We can ask ourselves if something is going to help us, or slow us down. The Apostle Paul wrote, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not." (I Corinthians 10:23) The next part of our text reads, "and the sin which doth so easily beset us..." We are not all tempted by the same sin. There are sins that don't tempt us at all, but there are other sins which are a constant source of struggle. None of us is perfect, we all have failures. We need to remove those things that hinder us.
12. Run The Race
As we continue with Pastor Tripp's New Year's Sermon with, "Run The Race," we are still in Hebrews 12:1-2. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." We each have our own race to run. You can't run in my lane and I can't run in yours. We are not in competition. We are all on the same team, running in the same direction, running for the same One. We are laborers together. We are not to try to outrun each other, but we are to run the best we can. This year let's run the race that God has set for us to run.
13. Reflect On Jesus
We finish Pastor Tripp's New Year's sermon with Hebrews 12:2, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Reflect on Jesus. Keep your eyes on the Lord. "For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." (verse 3)
Consider His Race. Jesus had a hard race. He set the perfect example of how a race should be run, for He never faulted or stumbled. Jesus never lost sight of His goal and He didn't quit until He finished. Some of His followers wanted to make Him king. "When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone." (John 6:15)
Consider His Reason. But Jesus kept to His race. "...for the joy that was set before him..." What joy? There would be salvation for all who would believe. Sin would be defeated. The devil would be banished. He looked at the joy of the people who were transformed and changed.
Consider His Reward. He sat down with the Father. We know where we are headed. God has a plan and purpose for our lives.
14. Be Kind
As we continue with our "I Am Resolved" devotions, I want to say that we need more people to resolve to be kind. I see people fussing at one another out in public. I read cruel and unnecessary comments on simple online posts. And these are mild compared to the fighting and attacks we see on the news. Proverbs 31:26 gives us an example we should strive to follow. "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." Do we open our mouths with the law of kindness? Another great reminder is found in Ephesians 4:32. "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." As I finished reading the book of Genesis today the words of Joseph inspired these devotional thoughts. Joseph's older brothers sold him into slavery when he was 17 years old. But, in the end, Joseph "comforted them, and spake kindly unto them."
"15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them." (Genesis 50:15-21)
15. "Did I Mention?"
I know that there was rejoicing in heaven, but I was so saddened to hear that Kyla Rowland had passed on. I read that she wrote over 2,000 songs. God used her in a mighty way. I want to share a few lines from some of her songs that I have enjoyed through the years. As we go through this year let's try to make it a practice to mention Jesus.
Did I Mention?
"Did I mention that I love Him, how I worship and adore Him?
When I can see no way he makes a way
And did I mention He's been faithful to every promise He ever made me?
I love him that's all I want to say."
A Wall Of Prayer
"Sometimes a wall of grace sometimes a wall of faith
Other times it's sweet mercy that I need.
But the one for which I long it makes all the others strong.
I need a wall of prayer surrounding me."
God Saves Old Sinners
"I am so glad God saves old sinners
I’m thrilled and amazed how He sets them free
But the biggest surprise in redeeming old sinners
Is that He could save an old sinner like me"
I Rest My Case At The Cross
"There's a covenant sweet, it was written for me,
It's a promise that I could be healed..
From all my sin and my shame,
Even heartache and pain,
It was signed and confirmed on a hill."
Safe Thus Far
"Oh I am safe thus far, He's brought me safe thus far
I'm in the ship with one who made the moon and the stars
I praise Him for mercy that can't fail
I love that old grace that still prevails
This is my story, I'll give Him the glory, safe thus far"
One Scarred Hand
"And when I can't stand, I have to lean
And when I can't see, I must believe
The Great Physician's touch is a balm that can
Mend broken hearts with one scarred hand"
Between Me And The Storm
"He walked out on the water
Facing the wind.
How it roared and it thundered
'Til He raised His hand.
Then the waves that were raging
Were suddenly calm.
When He stepped between me and the storm."
I Think I'll Just Go With God
"I think I'll just go with God
For looking back my way I don't see a lot
With Him there is joy
And blessings untold
So, I think I'll just go with God."
16. I Am Resolved To Use My Gifts And Talents For The Lord
I have read so many wonderful things about the testimony that Kyla Rowland had. She had gifts of song writing, and speaking, and even her prayer life was a blessing to others. God blessed her with gifts and talents and she used them for the Lord. Michael has a cousin, Jeremy Sams, who has a gift of painting beautiful pictures. He came to our Youth Jubilee one year and gave out the gospel message as he painted an amazing picture of a lighthouse shining out over the troubled sea. He uses his God given gift for the Lord.
How great it would be if we all used our talents and gifts for the Lord! Some may feel like they don't have a special gift, but look at these verses to the church at Corinth.
"7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit;...
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." (I Corinthians 12:7-11)
In verse 7 Paul says, "given to every man" and in verse 11 he repeats, "dividing to every man severally as he will." I believe these verses tell us that every person has a gift. Later in the chapter Paul speaks of some of the gifts in the church, and the one that speaks to me is the gift of "helps". (I Corinthians 12:28) You may not be able to play the piano for your church, or sing in the choir. You may not feel capable of teaching a Sunday School class. Maybe God gave you the gift of "helps". When we were having our Youth Jubilee, before the days of Covid, the members of our church were faithful to help anywhere they were needed. Cooking meals, serving the people, and even taking away the trash were all jobs that our people were so helpful to do. I often feel like my gifts are small, but I am resolved to give my all to the Lord!
17. Don't Neglect The House Of The Lord
It is hard to believe that we are half way through January. Did you make New Year's resolutions? Are you sticking with them? I really wanted to cut out sugar, but I am having a hard time with that one. I was keeping kids Thursday and little Lici likes to help me cook, she especially likes to crack eggs for me, so we made cup cakes. It is really hard for me to bake sweets and not eat them, so... oh well, maybe I will do better this week. Since it is the Lord's Day I thought a good resolution would be, "Don't Neglect The House Of The Lord." I know that there are times when we can't go to church, like today with the big storm coming in. It is also best for us not to go when we are sick so that we don't spread our sickness. David said, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." (Psalm 122:1) We also read in the New Testament, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25) The danger of missing church, is that after a while you won't miss it. I want to encourage you today to be faithful to the house of the Lord.
18. Let Your Sins Be Washed White As Snow
We didn't get much snow, but it was beautiful. As it falls it covers all the dirt, or trash, and gives everything a fresh clean look. Look at Isaiah 1:18, "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." We have sin in our heart and only Jesus can wash us white as snow. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23) Jesus, God's only begotten Son, died on the cross to pay for our sin. He is the only way to be saved and have a home in heaven. He wants to save you. Believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven, and trust Him to save you. Ask Him to forgive you of your sin, and He will wash your heart as white as snow. The perfect New Year's resolution for you would be to trust Jesus as your Savior. You can do it today. The Apostle Paul said, "behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (II Corinthians 6:2) We have no promise of tomorrow. Won't you ask Jesus to save you today?
19. I Want To Follow The Lord's Will
I am reading in the book of Exodus where God is guiding the Israelites with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. I have often commented that it would be easy to know the way God wanted us to go if we had a pillar leading us along. But, today I reconsidered those comments. We have a Bible. God has given us His Word and we can own one and read it and pray for guidance and understanding. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105) We also have the Holy Spirit living within when we ask the Lord to save us. "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16:13) These are two very important benefits that the men and women of the Old Testament didn't have. We also can call on God in prayer any time and He is always there to hear us.
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
20. Think On These Things
Several times during 2021 I said, "I need to hear some good news." It seemed as though everything I saw or heard kept pulling me down. When December 31st finally rolled into January 1st, 2022, I left all the bad news behind me. I am trying to trust the Lord more and keep my eyes on Him. Now, less than three weeks into the year I know more people with Covid, especially little children, than before, and I am keeping them in my prayers. I am trying to remember to pray for our leaders because things don't seem to be getting any better. Prices are going up and shelves are getting bare, but I am thanking God for providing our needs. If we allow our minds to be filled with all the bad, then we will be discouraged and down hearted. We need to focus on God and His goodness. Our verse today is Philippians 4:8. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
21. Focus On The Glory Of God
Moses must have been really discouraged after he saw the sin of the people. He may have even felt like he failed God when he threw down the tables of stone written by the finger of God. In his low estate he cried out to God and said, "...shew me thy glory." He was brought low by the vision of sin and he knew if he could get his eyes focused on the glory of God, that would lift him up.
"18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen." (Exodus 33:18-23)
God is so good! He told Moses, "Behold, there is a place by me..." When we get discouraged by the sin of this old wicked world, there is a place by Him! James tells us, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." (James 4:8) When we feel like we have failed the Lord, we can go to Him and find mercy and grace. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16) These are such precious promises from our loving Lord and Savior.
22. I Want To Be Wise Hearted
We remember Moses, and Elijah, and Daniel, and the great things they did for the Lord. But, do you remember Bezaleel and Aholiab? They also did great things for God. When God was instructing Moses about the work for the tabernacle He called the "wise hearted" to do the work. Seven times between Exodus 28:3 and Exodus 36:8 God speaks of men and women as "wise hearted". God told Moses that He gave them wisdom, but I believe that the "hearted" part comes in because they did it with all their heart. It is good that we do things for the Lord, but it is even better when we do it with all our heart! I want to be "wise hearted".
"1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;
7 The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,...
10 And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office,
11 And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do." (Exodus 31:1-11)
23. We Need To Be Ready To Meet Our Lord
When we saw the forecast calling for snow and ice early in the week, we went to the store and bought what food we could to be ready. We carried wood from the wood pile and stacked it in the garage where it would stay dry. We did all we could to be ready for the storm. As I was reading my Bible this morning, the Lord gave me another verse for our devotional. "And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount." (Exodus 34:2) People filled the grocery store buying milk and bread to be ready, but many don't think about being ready to meet God. God told Moses to "be ready" and come up and "present thyself there to me." God has also told us to be ready to meet Him. It could be in the morning, we just don't know when. God used the prophets and John the Baptist to tell people to prepare for the Lord. "As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." (Mark 1:2-3) The Apostle Paul tells us, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (II Corinthians 5:10) We are all going to present ourselves to God and we better be ready! "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:11-12) That day is surely coming, and we better be ready!
