Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Ps 27:14

I pray that you had a wonderful day of worship as you gathered with your local church on this past Lord’s Day. He is worthy to be praised! He is worthy of all worship! He is worthy to be heard! The Bible opens with the Word of God in all creation. The only voice is the voice of God. The only voice that speaks was the voice of God. The only words spoken were the Word of God. The only word heard throughout all the days of creation was the Word of God. His word was the daily delight to all who heard them (Prov 8:30). Creation waited each day to hear the voice, receive the Word of God, and obey His word. In the scripture passage the Spirit of God instructs us to “wait on the Lord.” Wait to hear God speak. Waiting is a time of ceasing. A time of quiet. A time calming. A time of coming into God’s presence to hear Him. The desirous spirit within us wants to take action, anxious to do service, pulled to the right hand and to the left, often filled with despair as to say, “what shall I do?”  Hear the Spirit say, “wait on the Lord.” Wait in prayer. Call upon God. Plead your case and claim His promises. Wait as a child. Humble yourself and sit in His presence to hear from Him. Wait in faith. Look to God’s word, learn of Him, and lean on His understanding. Wait in quiet patience. Receive trials, tribulations, sufferings, and afflictions with great joy that He may have His way to “strengthen thine heart.” He will “strengthen thine heart” to “be strong and of good courage…for the LORD thy God is with thee” (Jos 1:9). My friend, when the noise of the world about you sounds out and calls for you, “be of good courage” to “wait on the Lord” that your heart will fill with His praise and your soul will delight in His presence. Father thank You for word. Help me to delight in You, to fix my eyes on You, to fill my heart with Your word, and wait on You. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him. Col 2:6

We all have known people with so much promise and potential for the future. They are gifted and endowed with talents and abilities that others could only imagine. They are the ones who manage the complexities of academics with little effort, accomplish athletic feats with ease, speak with such eloquence and clarity of thought, or those with great devotion, discipline, and passion for a cause. Some go on to fulfill their destiny, while others fade and fall short. The scripture passage reminds us of the great gift of salvation that “received Christ Jesus the Lord” abides in every believer to work out His great salvation to others. Every believer receives the Holy Spirit the moment they place faith upon Jesus Christ for salvation from sin and in that moment, they become a child of God. The child of God is gifted with and by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God that lives in every child of God and the power of God “that works in us” (Eph 3:20) for His glory. There is one God, one faith, and one Spirit that works in all. He works in us to witness to the world that “all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:14). “So walk ye in Him” that lives and works in you, that others might see the evidence of “Christ Jesus the Lord” through experiences with your life and know that God so loves them and wants them to have everlasting life. Father, thank You for Your abiding presence and the power of Your Holy Spirit to work out salvation to the world. Help me to open my heart to others that they might see the love of Christ that lives in me. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.

For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer thee. Isa 30:19

In the busyness of society, the abundance of activity, where people are always on the go, does anyone truly listen anymore? Are there conversations where people connect on matters of the heart? Too often in conversations one’s attention drifts to thoughts of “what do they want?” or form an action plan of “what should I do?” rather than press beyond the internal noise that stirs with us all, to be fully present, listen and understand. All around us, people are crying out, but who is listening? The scripture passage reminds us that God is listening, and He hears the cries of His children. The passage gives the assurance that He is sympathetic “at the voice of thy cry” and He is not slack nor delayed to respond. “When He shall hear it, He will answer thee.” God is always near and promises to “never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb 13: 5). When the bread of adversity or the water of affliction press mightily upon you, hear the voice of God speak through the present sorrow to remind you that “He will be very gracious unto thee.” He may speak to you by the friendship of another Christian who senses your pain. He may come to you by the fellowship of the Holy Spirit that you may “call to remembrance my song in the night” (Ps 77:6). My friend, God has not forgotten to be gracious to you. His words are tender and gracious to call to us and comfort our hearts in those moments when we need Him most. “The Lord will hear when I call unto Him” (Ps 4:3) and He bids all to “call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jer 33:3). Father, thank You that You hear our cries. Quiet the noise of my heart that I may hear from You and find rest in You. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.