Inspiring Christians to be like the Noble Bereans
God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good, right? So what about when things don’t go well? Today I’ll share my own personal experience with four flights, three semis, two rude reps, and a car accident.
James 1:2 (NET) My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
While I was traveling on business this week, I came to a strong realization that all that happens is to glorify Him. We’re just going to begin this topic this week, and next week you’ll hear the rest of the story – something you won’t want to miss.
Our verses today are:
Romans 11:36 (NET) For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.
Psalm 19:1 (NET) The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork.
Proverbs 30:8 (NET) Remove falsehood and lies far from me; do not give me poverty or riches, feed me with my allotted portion of bread, 9 lest I become satisfied and act deceptively and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I become poor and steal and demean the name of my God.
In this week’s episode we are continuing our discussion on prayer that we began last week. We’ll spend time in the following scriptures:
James 4:2b (WEB) You don’t have, because you don’t ask. 3 You ask, and don’t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.
1 John 5:14 (WEB) This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. 15 And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (WEB) Pray without ceasing. 18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.
Does God Answer Prayer? This is a question many Christians ask, and today we’ll start to uncover the answer.
James 5:16b (WEB) The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.
In the podcast this past week, we talked about how it is of greater value to stand at the threshold of the house of the Lord than to live in the tents of the wicked. While this is such a powerful visual, the entire passage I quoted in this podcast, Psalms 84, speaks to the greatness of dwelling in the house of the Lord. Look at the first few verses:
Psalms 84:1 How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. 3 The bird also has found a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, My King and my God. 4 How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You. Selah.
This psalm is not written by David, but the sons of Korah. In it, the author seems to be speaking to the difference of a world without YHWH as our God and world with Him as our God.
Our hearts yearn for Him, even before we know what they are yearning for. Birds find their house and swallows their nest, and in those places they are happy, but for us, there is no true happiness until we find our God. And then, and only then, we are blessed as we will dwell with Him forever.
I am amazed at how much I am getting from this one psalm, and perhaps it is speaking to me because I need to be reading it right now. I’m not sure what God is trying to tell me, but my ears are open and ready to hear Him.