- araratchurch
- Mar 26, 2022
- 3 min read
“I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.”
Psalms 9:1 NKJV
“Torn Between Two Lovers,” was a song that hit the top of the charts in 1977. The basic premise of the song is that a woman is explaining to one lover (her first lover), why she has taken on another lover. She doesn’t want to lose lover number one, but is unwilling to give up lover number two. Here are the lyrics to one verse and the chorus of this song:
“Let me hold you close, and say these words as gently as I can, there's been another man that I've needed and I've loved but that doesn't mean I love you less. And he knows he can't possess me, and he knows he never will; there's just this empty place inside of me that only he can fill.
Torn between two lovers, feeling like a fool; loving both of you is breaking all the rules.”
I will have to say that the words to this song basically describe the heart set of many Christians. In “part” of their heart they say they love the Lord; yet, with other “parts” of their heart they long after and seek the things of this world.
At the “battle of the gods” on Mt. Carmel, the prophet Elijah, issued this declaration:
“And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.”
I Kings 18:21 NKJV
There are numerous references throughout the Bible concerning the evil of seeking the Lord “half-heartedly.”
Samuel, spoke these words:
“Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.””
I Samuel 7:3 NKJV
James, in speaking of things from which we need to be cleansed, says this:
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James 4:8 NKJV
Jesus, sums up the issue of seeking the Lord half-heartedly, with these words:
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Matthew 6:24 NKJV
Here, although the Lord is referencing the love of money, the principle would apply to anything that has the focus of our heart rather than the Lord.
I really believe that we are living in a time when the Lord—as never before—is making a distinction between those who are truly His, and those who are not. Those who are truly His, must be seeking after Him with their whole heart.
Now, you might be able to “pivot” between the Lord and some other “god” in your life for a while; but there will come a time you will have to choose. Sadly, that time is often precipitated in the midst of a crisis or tragedy.
In our portion from Psalms today, we see that David begins by expressing that he is worshiping the Lord with his WHOLE heart. He had such a fervent love toward the Lord, that it captivated his heart toward His beloved Shepherd.
We can also see times when David would ask the Lord to make sure that his heart was undivided towards Him.
“Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.”
Psalms 86:11 NKJV
Allowing our affections to be alienated from the Lord by other desires, will eventually lead us into temptation. Let us make sure that we approach the Lord with our whole heart, our soul loving only Him. Otherwise, We might find ourselves not only feeling like a fool, but being one.
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The Lord wants your whole heart.
- araratchurch
- Mar 24, 2022
- 4 min read
“For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, All sheep and oxen— Even the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas.”
Psalms 8:5-8 NKJV
I am an animal lover; I always have been, always will be.
Since I was a child I have thought to be able to communicate with animals. I so desire that they would not be afraid and flee from me.
When I hear stories of the 13th century Italian friar, Saint Francis of Assisi, I must admit that I think longingly about being able to have that sort of interaction with animals. He cared for them, even prayed for them, and according to many accounts, preached to the animals. Now, he was not leading them to salvation; he was leading them to rejoice at the greatness of their Maker. As yet, we do not generally see people operating with that sort of communication and control with animals. What I have personally seen is animals responding to prayer.
As you are probably aware, when man was created, he was given dominion over the earth, over all things in the earth. Man was given the right to name animals because man was the master over them. And we know that our dominion went beyond the animal kingdom into all aspects of this creation.
I have seen the elements responding to the Word of the Lord. I have seen my father command tornadoes to change their path, and, at other times, he spoke words that calmed tremendous storms. Alternately, I have seen him pray down rain onto parched soil and rebuke excessive rain. Before him, his father was known for having the ability to control weather. In my own life, I have seen the Lord respond to words spoken over storms and other types of weather situations. Perhaps you have seen similar things in your own life. But, as great as what we may have seen has been, it pales knowing that taking back total dominion awaits us.
Jesus came and illustrated control over the elements by commanding storms to cease and by walking on water. Food multiplied in His hands and He was able to bypass the whole process whereby water (rain falling upon a vineyard) is turned into wine (the rain is absorbed into the vine where it plumps up grapes and the grapes are then pressed of their juice, etc.). Additionally, He commanded fish to swim into a net! [We have further illustration of the ultimate control we will have with our glorified bodies in seeing that He was able to walk through walls.]
The idea of complete dominion is difficult for us to grasp. Yet, Jesus—all man and all God—illustrated those things that would come to pass. He—through His sacrifice—won back the dominion we had forfeited.
The prophet Daniel saw the One Who would have all power and dominion.
“I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.”
Daniel 7:13-14, 18 NKJV
I really wonder about anyone who can read this prophecy from Daniel without getting very excited about all that God has made available for us through Jesus Christ.
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
Matthew 28:18 NKJV
God—taking on the form of man—reclaimed dominion over all things for our benefit. Understand, God already had dominion over everything; He came in the form of a man to secure that dominion for us.
“For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”
Hebrews 2:5-9 NKJV
In our portion from Psalms today, we see that along with David marveling over God‘s awareness and care for us, he extols the fact that the Lord created man to have dominion over all creation.
Now, you may not be currently ordering tornadoes around or preaching to animals; but never forget what you were created to be. And also understand, in times of need, the Lord gives us access to His dominion—not only for the needs of that moment—but to remind us of what is to come!
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The Lord wants man to rule over His creation.
- araratchurch
- Mar 23, 2022
- 2 min read
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” Psalms 8:3-4 NKJV
When I was a little girl, we used to sing a song titled, “Does Jesus Care?” In the verses, the song considers many different situations such as losing a loved one, personal failure, confusion and heartbreak, questioning whether Jesus cares in these circumstances. The chorus gives this jubilant answer:
“O yes, He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief. When the days are weary, the long night dreary, I know my Savior cares.”
I loved when we (my brother, sister, and I) sang that song. Somehow, thinking about the Lord caring for me always brought me to tears. My father apparently felt the same way as—on more than one occasion—he would have us sing this song for nearly the whole service. I can remember how he would join in with our singing, lifting his large air hand into the air and shaking it, as he sang the words, “O yes He cares; I know He cares.” You see, my father never lost the thrill of the fact that the Lord cared enough for him to call him out of sin, asking him that day on Seal Beach (when he was just a teenager), “Where will you stay in eternity?”
Another person who never lost the awe of God’s care was David.
In our opening selection from Psalms today, we see David expressing awe and wonder that a mighty Creator, such as the Lord, would care for mankind.
“Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.” Psalms 144:3-4 NKJV
In the above psalm, we see that David was again expressing his awe concerning God’s care for mankind, considering the fact that our life seems to be so insignificant.
In another psalm, David marvels at the ignorance of those who dismiss God’s ability to know and care about what people are doing.
““The Lord isn’t looking,” they say, “and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.” Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on? Is he deaf—the one who made your ears? Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes?” Psalms 94:7-9 NLT
If you have times (as many do) when you feel insignificant, take a few moments and look around you at God‘s creation; then, consider the fact that He not only knows and cares about us, He proved it by taking on an envelope of flesh to dwell among us. Additionally, He suffered, died, and rose again, making the way for our freedom from Sin and the ability to be connected to His never ending life!
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The Almighty God cares for us!