Scripture Treasures

Now turn to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen ~ Ephesians 3:20, 21 How do you convince someone that God is not done with them yet, that there is more planned for them, and that who they are now is not who they will yet be? We cannot change ourselves, or, at least what we can do is always limited by what we have within us. God, on the other hand, is able to do immeasurably more with us than we can ever imagine! When God comes into the factor, He is able to do all things! All we may ask or think, every good we have heard, or read, every good promise from God we can imagine and ask for. We can ask even for more than even what God has specified in His word, and beyond our own limited imaginations! God is not only able to bring these about, but He is willing! What we must ask for though, is the good,...

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense, he has become my salvation ~ Isaiah 12:2 God is my source of salvation. I cannot save myself, or redeem myself. Barnes says God is the author or source of our salvation and I think this is very apt. Jesus, our Saviour, and part of the Godhead was sent by God the Father through His covenant promise, to save the whole world. I trust in Him for my salvation, and as such, I can rest secure that I am safe from all His wrath and condemnation, and from every enemy of my soul. I am not afraid of Satan, the world, death, eternal separation from God in hell, for my soul is safe in the power of Christ through the blood of Christ! I need not depend on any other for my salvation; not friend, or spouse, or parent or child, for not one of those can save me. There is no earthly relationship I can trust in to defend me the way the Lord will defend me, or strengthen me the way I...

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness ~ 1 John 1:9 Sin exists in the soul in guilt which requires forgiveness or pardon, and in pollution which requires cleansing. Guilt, to be forgiven, must be confessed, and pollution, to be cleansed, must also be confessed. In the act of confession, we admit we are a sinner, and our acts, whether involving another or not, always involve God. It is not only to the other we must confess and seek forgiveness, but we must confess before God! When we come to Him that is sinless, holy, pure, just and faithful we can apply for pardon just as we would in a court of law before a judge. In order to get a clean heart, we must acknowledge our wickedness before God, we must condemn it before God, so He may purify our soul. How many are not cleansed from their sin because they do not feel they have to confess the sickness which has settled in the heart by sin? Oh, that people wo...

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy ~ Micah 7:18 There is no God like our God! And if you have placed another god above the God of the Bible, you are worshipping the wrong god. There is none like the God who sent his Son, Jesus Christ into the world to take our sin. And for those who take a false view of the true God, here to is a challenge for you. The God I worship pardons my sins when I ask, for Jesus paid my price. The God I worship heals me when I slide back in my faith, and He restores me. The God I worship, though He cannot bear when I sin, will not stay angry with me forever, but will pour out His mercy upon my life, and draw me back to Him. No matter my sin, big or small, He will cast all of them into the depths of the sea, and never more remember them. I read, or heard the other day there is a deep channel in the ocean. Its depth is so great Mou...

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea ~ Habakkuk 2:14 Nature is beautiful, and in it I see God’s handiwork, but it still only gives me a small glimpse into the God I love and worship. Nature can tell me nothing of His mercy and forgiving love. It tells me nothing about the Son sent to take my place on the cross. Nature tells me nothing about how to draw closer to my God in relationship, or in following Him, or in obeying Him. But as nature surrounds us all, so the universality of God will one day be celebrated throughout this whole world. Nature is near me, the universe is around me, and it is here where any and every region will come to know the fullness of the God of heaven. The world now is ever more closer in the state it was when Habakkuk wrote these words: a state in which because of the world’s sins, God was hidden. A time will come when God will again be known, when sin will reap its reward, and when God will ...

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures ~ James 4:3 It sounds a bit like a contradiction from Jesus words which tell us to ask for anything and it will be given (Matthew 7:7). It is not a contradiction, but a deeper explanation. It all comes down to the motive. God does answer prayer, but not all prayer, not when it is a prayer for selfish gain, selfish gratification. Then God will not answer. If one asks without submitting to the will of God, or to do good to your brother or sister, or with thankfulness, you will not receive. If your prayer is for yourself and your own lusts (a better home, a bigger paycheck and you can add what your lusts may be), then you are not desiring to show God’s kingdom, but your own. It isn’t that you should not pray for yourself, but what we pray for is the desired closeness of God, to be more like Him, to show His love to those around us, and that our life might glori...

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken ~ Psalm 55:22 I don’t know what could be simpler, yet so difficult for us as humans. We want to fix it, simple as that! I can do it on my own! One of the worst songs I know is the song, “I did it my way!” but the plain truth is, we cannot fix anything! We plunder our way through life without the God who is the Great Fixer! We stumble in the dark without the Great Light! So, today…whatever care you may have, whatever trial may afflict you, whatever hurdle you have to jump, don’t do it alone! Place your burdens on Jesus and He alone can help you through the muck of it all, He alone will bear both you and your burden! His promise is the righteous will never be shaken, never be moved. You will be as safe as if you were in heaven for He will not allow anything to permanently remove you from your hope! You will not fall away, you will not perish, no matter the trial which will come upon you...

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have receive it, and it will be yours ~ Mark 11:24 Jesus said, “whatever you ask for in prayer,” meaning that we need to ask specifically. “Bless mom and pop” is okay, but how about asking in a definitive way for mom and pop. Are they dealing with cancer? What kind? Where is it located? Can you visualize its spot, what needs to happen for healing to take place? I believe the clearer we pray for something the more direct will be the answer we receive. Be simple and direct with your pleadings, making straight aim at the object of your petitions. Be honest in your desire. If we come before God with half-heartedness, why should He listen? Would you, if your child came and limply asked for something from you? More than likely, you would put the thought aside, believing they were asking for the sake of asking, and not because they truly needed or wanted that thing. Then, you must have faith! Faith in the God who ans...

No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servant of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord ~ Isaiah 54:17 The Lord protects his children. This is not to say we will not go through the fire, but it is to say that no matter what the world throws at us, we will be vindicated by the Lord either in this lifetime, or the next. No weapon forged, not the spear, or sword, or any “modern” weapon the enemy of our soul may create will prosper and have final say. There might be, for a time, affliction permitted, but there will not be complete success which would remain final. And no one will be able to injure you with words of accusation. If you stand in truth, Truth will prevail. The enemy of our soul may have command of the earth’s principalities and powers, he may be skilled in hostility, and he certainly aimed these at Jesus Christ, but he did not win! Jesus has overcome the ene...

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline ~ 2 Timothy 1:7 Human fear binds us, imprisons us, keeps us from the adventure of life! We hide behind the timid demeanour and are afraid of everything and anything, and life passes by. Sometimes this fear, from whatever it may be, keeps people imprisoned in their home, away from friends and family. Some fear they don’t work hard enough to gain God’s favour and love, and thereby do not receive His grace as authentic. This fear is bondage and cowardice. The Christ follower is given a three-fold gift. First, we have the spirit of power. We have the power to teach and speak about the Kingdom of God, to not fear a world which would persecute, but to stand boldly in the name of Jesus and proclaim Him. Second, is the spirit of love. God is love, and all He does toward us stems from His great love. Genuine Christians are kind and caring, looking out for the one for whom life is a struggle. ...

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble ~ Psalm 46:1 When troubles come my way, God is my sanctuary, my strong rock to which I cling; my refuge and my strength! As the word refuge indicates, I flee to Him in prayer, in seeking resources to help me through whatever has befallen me. When all my defences are down, He is the only one who can lift me up. I know that whether the trouble is inside or outside, whether it is in my body or my spirit, the Lord helps me to bear it and He helps me out of it. It may not happen in my time, but when He brings me through it, I know His hand was in my situation and His hand was upon me. This is not for me alone, but for all who believe and come to Him to find refuge, strength, and His ever-present help. Thank you, Jesus, for being my rock, for being my salvation! Devotion by Pastor Julia

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall ~ Proverbs 16:18 Pride and haughtiness go hand in hand, walking down the road to the same destination: destruction. One should be able to see the road sign, but the nose is too high in the air to see what is ahead. Pride is thinking of oneself more highly than one should – it is self-love to the extreme; it is self-flattery! Pride is when one thinks they have what they really do not, or when they expect more respect than what is due them based on what they actually do have. Pride does not care who you are or your social status, for pride is over-confidence in one’s own efficiency. Yet, we are all propelled toward the downfall of pride showing itself within us. We can, however, guard ourselves against pride. The more we know, the more we apt to think little of our self. The arrogant person is usually one whom is superficial and uneducated. One who knows much is conscious then of how much he does not know. Humility lea...

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. I will build you up again, and you…will be rebuilt ~ Jeremiah 31:3, 4 This is a beautiful love song, sung from God to His children, as he declares his everlasting love. This love is love from of old, which means, his love has not changed from its inception. What kind of love is this? We fall in and out of love, we even fall in and out of like! God, in his great mercy, never changes, never falls out of love with us, even in our times of failure! He draws us with loving kindness, the author says. The Lord lengthens out his mercy toward us, giving us more time to come to Him, to love Him back in the way he loves us! How gently and tenderly he calls us back into the fold of his care. Yet this tenderness may be shrouded in the early stages. He does not usually begin by giving us light and peace, and comfort. No, he plagues us with darkness that can be fe...

Greater love has no one that this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends ~ John 15:13 It is hard to think about giving up one’s life to save another’s, for we highly value living! I have watched people in the processes of death, and they fight hard for every breath to keep them alive! We do not give up our life easily! We labour and strive for just one more intake of sustaining air to enter our lungs! We fight death to the end! So, for the one who is so willing to give up his life for another, he is giving up all he has! There are many things I would do for my loved ones, but I have to admit, it would certainly be a process to come to the point of giving up my life. But, perhaps that is because I have never been faced with this scenario. I know I would easily give up a part of my body if it would help another’s life be saved, but, give up my life? We have read of those who have done so…a police officer many years ago comes to my mind. He jumped in a raging river to save a chil...

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God ~ Micah 6:8 If you are new to Christianity, it may not be clear what God has shown us of that which is good, and what He has modeled for us to do. The first thing is to look to both the Ten Commandments, and to Jesus’ reduction of those ten into two: To love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself. If this command is followed, then God is given His due and right from every person, and our neighbour would receive the same respect and care that we give to ourselves. As we should never do harm to our body (though, sadly I know this does happen in the real world), so we would never harm our neighbour. Again, sadly, I know this too happens far too frequently. Our world is fallen, and broken. But I pray that we as Christians stand as a light in this dark world, and follow the words of Micah, an...

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God ~ Ephesians 5:1, 2 Following what is God’s example is found in the verse just before this one – “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you” (4:32). This command is the way of love, this is why Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross – to forgive! To walk in the way of love is to imitate God. It is good to be friends with God, for sure, it is good to be one of His followers, absolutely! The problem I see is that we can become “religious” in our friendship and our following! Religiosity leaves out aspects like forgiveness, compassion, mercy, and instead becomes harsh and judgmental. It fears what is different and rejects based on that fear. It forgets that the one whom has become “religious” was forgiven on the same basis everyone else was and is. But her...

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you ~ Psalm 119:11 The verse today continues on the thought from yesterday’s devotion about our freedom in Christ. To follow Christ fully, and to be free in Him, we must cherish the Scriptures which have been handed down. What is written may sound “old-fashioned” against what culture is saying, but God’s Word is a never changing truth. The problem with the world today is that it does not know, nor does it acknowledge God’s Word. If we do not know or read God’s Word, if we do not hide it in our heart, we will sin against God and against others. We do not desire to be in God’s Word, or know God’s Word, if first, we do not have a love for God above all others. David’s view as he wrote this, should be our view too – not to sin against God. We cannot just memorize the Word, it must be hidden in the heart, for out of the heart come our actions. So, as David treasured God’s Word, so we must do likewise. As it was David’s w...

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery ~ Galatians 5:1 Stand fast, be firm, and unwavering in your freedom! But what is Paul talking about here? To understand this, we have to go back to the previous chapter. When Paul wrote this letter, it was not sectioned off, but when our Bible was put together, verses were formed, and chapters continued that separation of his words. The sense is that they were to be firm and steadfast in the principles of Christian living, to remain free from the rites and ceremonies. Rites, rituals, lock us and bind us. We become fearful that if we do not perform that rite, we will fall out of favour, which leads to works being our way to salvation. Christ died for us and in that we live in His grace, rather than by works. We don’t work to be loved, but we work because we are loved. When we obey a law out of duty and works, however good that law may be, it still carri...

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord ~ Hebrews 12:14 As much as you can, and as far as you can, ensure you have a good understanding with others. It is not always easy, for we most certainly all have differing points of view, but if we take care not to let our passions rise up so that we indulge ourselves, and if we pursue peace with great care, and attention, we can be allowed a safe and clear conscience. Peace and holiness go together, for if we give way for peace and in doing so we end up at peace with sin, then holiness has been forsaken. We cannot be so peaceful that we give way to what is not of God and His principles. The writer says that without holiness we cannot see God. It is not that we are perfect, we are never going to exceed in perfection until Jesus comes for us, but God cannot look upon what is unholy. Holiness in us is revealed through our moral character. Holiness is God’s likeness, it is thi...

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour ~ Exodus 20:16 What we say, or what we pronounce on each other is extremely important! We form judgments as a result of a testimony to which we have listened, whether it is true or false. Just watch the news stations, and you will see great bias in how it is presented! No longer is it objective, but it is all subjective to one’s political, moral, and ethical beliefs. The opinion of society is influenced by this, in all spheres, whether what is heard is on the news, or in our personal lives. There is no force by which we can help or harm one another more than by the words we speak. In one aspect, our words are nothing more than counters, words come, and flow outward, and may mean nothing. On the other side though, the one who thinks that is greatly mistaken, for words can be like children who outgrow parental control and can become a destructive force which is hard to contain. Only when truth is spoken does justice reign....

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity ~ Proverbs 17:17 Many years ago, I had an autograph book and I had several people sign it, one being my eldest sister. She wrote these words on my page. I didn’t really understand their meaning then, but through the years I have certainly come to the realization and significance of these words. The ties of a good friendship are strong, and they love you through the good, the bad and the ugly of life. They stand by you if they are a good friend. A good friend will help you bear your burdens in life, one in whom we can share our deepest selves and be completely honest in their presence. A good friend is one we can hold in high esteem, and we then too are held in their high regard, no matter the day or the hour. But, there is a flip side too, for some troubles can scare your friends away, and troubles are where you find out who your true friends are, and what families are for. A brother will sympathize with y...

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful ~ Luke 6:36 I cry out for mercy! I plead for mercy! Mercy before God is the one great cry which rises up from all humanity, “Be merciful Lord, for I am a sinner!” I look to Him, for justice, yes, but more for mercy upon my soul. And, He has compassion upon me, He helps me and supports me; He forgets my injuries toward Him and pardons me freely. He hears my cry and does good to me, sinner though I am. And this He does for all His children, all who come to Him in truth and repentance. And, if this is what we receive from our God, our Father in heaven, how can we not show mercy and loving-kindness to our fellow human being? How can we ask forgiveness unless we forgive? God most certainly forgives us, and how great a debt is that which we owe? There is a reward in mercy which only mercy can bring. Every act of loving-kindness comes back to us, every kind word, every forgiven injury all returns in its good time. Crittenden wrote the follo...

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it ~ Hebrews 12:11 I always get hung up on the word “discipline” as I was taught it meant punishment, sometimes harsh punishment. Biblically, to discipline means to teach or to train. An athlete disciplines himself to run the marathon, so he puts in time and effort and energy to accomplish his goal to reach the finish line. It is hard work! It is not pleasant! It hurts! It is also those who put in the time and the effort and the energy to their maximum who are made great. We cannot expect to finish if we only put in half time training. So also, God will discipline us, and it hurts! We want to be the spoiled child getting its own way, but God will have none of that. The chastening that will produce pain in us will also bear fruit within us. First, pain teaches us our nothingness. It is the child which holds on to the father...

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans ~ Romans 8:26 Many days, many times, I have the words for prayer. It comes forth and flows fairly naturally as I converse with my Lord God. I hope in the God I worship to hear me, and to receive my words, as I pray in the name of Jesus and believe in Him, my intercessor. He is my Living Saviour, my High Priest, standing at the right hand of God the Father. But there are times when my pain has been so deep that my words will not come. There are times when my agony is so piercing that what words I may speak would not be enough. And so, in my deep, black moments, I come before my God and let my darkest emotions erupt in sounds that only He can understand. The Holy Spirit within me cries out in my stead, and He becomes my second intercessor. It is not that He is not there with me in all my prayers, but there are times wh...

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it ~ Proverbs 4:23 The heart is a precious organ, from which arteries carry blood throughout the whole body. From this organ oxygen is carried to feed the cells, and the waste of the cells is carried away, only to be replenished by the new. Cholesterol can block these arteries, as can a break-down caused by a clotting. When this happens, the life-flow is cut off, or inhibited from its full potential of granting life. So long as the heart can receive and propel the blood, so long is life continued. Care must be taken that nothing can stop that fountain. The proverb is telling us a double watch must be kept for its spiritual safety. The heart, it is said, is the seat of the Lord of life and glory. We must be diligent then, that our heart is not sealed up or the streams be cut off from receiving and giving this glory to God. What we feel goes into our head, and that thought is what we act upon. If my heart feels evil...

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil ~ 1 Peter 3:12 These are words of comfort for those who are followers of Jesus. We are continually under His watchful eye. We are in His line of observation, under His care, and under His protection, at all times. There is nothing happening to us that He does not see, does not attend to, does not hesitate to help us find a way through. His ears are open to our prayers, our words enter His throne room as a heavenly aroma as we attract the Divine attention. We speak not to a dead God, but to a living God! We appeal not to a statue, but to a Being of Divine purpose. And, He hears us, as finite, as insignificant as we are, He listens for our heart’s cries. We have the liberty to go to Him at any time, from any place, in any position. Those who do not follow, who do not believe, who do not come to Him in faith, for them, the matter is very dif...

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me ~ Psalm 51:10 What a beautiful psalm! David appeals to God, not to just mend his heart, or to patch up his heart, but to actually do something new to it – create it afresh! He is asking for new life, for something to exist where it did not exist before! He is asking that God actually cut out the old and replace it with a brand-new organ within his chest. And David recognizes only God can do this for him. Only God can make his heart clean, make it pure, and ensure that his feelings and affections are made right before God. It begins with the acknowledgement that his heart is not now what it should be, could be, without the intervention of God! Next, David asks for a steadfast, or some versions say, a “right spirit” within him. He is praying for a heart that would be firm, or steadfast, in the purposes of virtue, that would not give way to temptations, that would carry out only the holy resolutions, and would ...

You my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love ~ Galatians 5:13 The new converts to Christianity were set free from the rites and rituals of the Mosaic Law, yet some were holding to the Law claiming one could not be a follower of the Way if one did not still lay claim to following all the “rules.” Habits can be strong! Paul is admonishing those people who held to the past. Instead, he said, “You are called to liberty, but it is not liberty for an occasion to the flesh. It is not freedom from virtuous restraints, and from the laws of God. It is liberty from the servitude of sin, and religious rites and ceremonies, not freedom from the necessary restraints of virtue.” We often mistranslate this to think that the Laws set down by God through Moses are now debunked. This is not so. The Ten Commandments, broken down into an easier format by Jesus into Two Commandments are all we need to fo...

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ~ Matthew 6:25 First, Jesus does not say that we should not take care for our lives, but He does say we should not be overly worried about the material of this world. We aren’t to divide our mind by worrying about those things which draw it back and forth, thereby making any important decision about life difficult to attain. To be anxious about the means of sustenance leads us to lose our satisfaction in what God provides. When we work, if we don’t place all our hope in our earnings, but in God’s providence, we are obeying His will. I know that is hard, especially when the costs of life seem overwhelming. We have to be careful about the choices we make, which is far easier to say when one has much, but the aim here is to place our trust in the God who does provide for the needs of His people. One can li...

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands ~ Psalm 19:1 After I had completed my days work yesterday, I had a chance to go sit in my yard with a couple of books to relax and read. After a bit, I tipped my chair back into its reclining position and looked up at the blue sky and the fluffy clouds gently passing by. I looked up into the giant trees where the leaves on the branches were gently swaying with the breeze, and over others which were bouncing up and down from the two or three squirrels who were playing tag with each other. I saw a mother robin feeding her fledgling, and watched her careful attention as her chick balanced on a branch, its mouth open for food, and squawking in between. And I thought of God. I thought of how good He is, and loving. I thought of the beauty of what I was looking at, just in my little small yard, never mind the world around me. I live in a city which was once considered to have one of the seven wonders of the ...

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still ~ Exodus 14:14 This is the great escape story! The Israelites had just fled from Pharaoh and Egypt, and were now being pursued in the desert. Great fear came upon all the people, and they asked, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die”? Moses assures them with these words: “Be calm, be quiet, and let the Lord do His work!” They are words for us today too. Do you have a battle on your hands? Let the Lord fight it! Do you have anxieties about life issues, and you don’t know which way to turn? Be still before the Lord and seek His way. We are so determined to do our own fighting, to find our own way out of a situation. “I can do this,” we say, except that soon we make a minor situation into a major catastrophe! We jump ahead of the Lord. I know that it is hard to wait on the Lord and wait for Him to fight for you! I have experienced the agony of the wait! Trusting in what we cannot ...