Serving God -John 12:25-26

I haven't been as good posting lately, (I'm blaming that for a lot of school and being on vacation), but I thought I'd get something in tonight.

"He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor."

A Heart Set on Pilgrimage -Psalms 84:3-7

...and I caught up missing yesterday! In David's poetry, we see the promise given to those who seek and rely on God.

"Even the sparrow has found a home, 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. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; they rain also covers is with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion."

To Live With Him -1 Thessalonians 5:1-2,6-11

This passage is a great reminder/encouragement. Since the day of the Lord is coming, we should continue to seek Him. It ends with the promise that Jesus died for us so we could live with Him.

"But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night....Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing."

Hope of the Afterlife -1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

To Be a Doorkeeper -Psalms 84:10-12

"For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!"

Father to the Fatherless -Psalms 68:4-6

"Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name YAH, and rejoice before Him. A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a dry land."

The Man You Choose -Psalms 65:4-8

"Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of Your holy temple. By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of the far-off seas; Who established the mountains by His strength, Being clothed with power; You who still the noise of the seas, the noise of the waves, and the tumult of the peoples. They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs; You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice."

Pleasing God -Proverbs 16:7

"When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."

He Remains Faithful -2 Timothy 2:11-13

"This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself."

Here we have in Paul's exhortation to Timothy a reminder that God is faithful.

He is faithful in his promises of life to those who follow Him, and He is faithful to keep His Word and deny life to those who deny Him.

So which side are you on? To me this is a convicting passage, as it reminds me that although I claim salvation, I know my life doesn't always look like that...


...because when I sin, I'm really denying Him.

Standing at the Door...Revelation 3:20

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."

God promises fellowship to those who hear Him and let Him come into their hearts.