In the Beginning

Posted on 2020-10-23 by Mirjam Fels

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

LORD Jesus, we praise You for You are the everlasting God. You are the image of the invisible God. By You all things were created — all things in heaven and all things on earth, all things visible and all things invisible. No matter if they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by You and for You. You are the One who is before all things and by You all things consist. You are the Head of the Church — the Body of Christ — and in all things You have the preeminence. Enable us to stand in awe of You — the God who is mighty to save. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.

We read Psalm 95 today. It’s an amazing Psalm that stirs up to praise God Almighty. It also reminds us that we need to listen to the LORD our Shepherd. How can we hear Him? How do we get to know His Voice? By reading what He tells us in His Word.

One of the things His Word tells us that He is the everlasting God who was in the beginning — the One by whom all things were created. As the Gospel of John reads:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:1-2

The LORD laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the Work of His Hands (Hebrews 1:10)

It is day two of lockdown in Ireland. Still no use moping! We need to shift our focus to the One who is above all people, places, things, and situations.

Whenever we find ourselves in a desperate situation we tend to draw back and be miserable. Surely, we will fight against our misery for a while, but how long until we start sulking in our own little world?

Psalm 95 begins by telling us to sing to the LORD, to shout joyfully to Him, and to come before His presence with thanksgiving.

Joy? In a time like this? Yes! Praising God is such a powerful weapon — a weapon the enemy neither wants us to know about nor wants us to have. The devil does not want us to know what God says in His Word and how mighty God is. That’s why he will bend over backwards to keep us from praising God and from reading the Bible.

It’s so important to open the Bible and read about God and His mighty acts today.

Posted in Christ Our Victor | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on In the Beginning

What Do You Know

Posted on 2020-10-22 by Mirjam Fels

Know that the LORD, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Psalm 100:3

LORD Jesus, we praise You for You are the Word of God the Father. Open our eyes to see what mighty acts You have done. Open our ears to hear what the Spirit says to His people. Search us, O God we pray, and know our hearts; and see if there be any wicked way in us; and lead us in the way that is everlasting. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray. Amen.

Today is the first day of a planned six weeks lockdown in Ireland. Looking at it from this point of view we could despair: Day one of many, many more to come.

Let’s look at it in a different way: This is the first day of slowing down, a new chance for us to adjust our focus.

What is it that we really know? Does it matter? Do we know who God is? Are we taking the time to know Him? What is it that He wants us to know? Is He asking us to do some things differently?

Let’s move on to the coming of the LORD’s Day.

Before attending church on Sunday how do you prepare? Do you seek answers to your questions? With what kind of an attitude are you entering the worship service? Do you expect the preacher to read the Scripture, interpret the Bible for you, and tell you what you ought to do in the coming week?

It matters how we prepare for church on Sundays. Having the right attitude toward the worship service is very important. What we are expecting to hear from the preacher could make all the difference.

Know that the sovereign LORD is God and remains in control.

Posted in Christ Our Victor | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on What Do You Know

Bad News and Good News

Posted on 2020-10-20 by Mirjam Fels

The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The LORD is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength.
Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved.

Psalm 93:1

LORD Jesus, we praise You for You reign and remain in control. You are the everlasting and great God and above all. Forgive us whenever we are only looking to men for answers. Help our unbelief and make our faith in You grow. Enable us, O God we ask, to share and declare Your mighty works. Reveal to us in what ways we could possibly spread the Word — even in midst of this pandemic that has been going on for so long now. In Jesus’ powerful name we pray. Amen.

Starting tomorrow night, Ireland is moving to Level 5. The people on this isle are pretty much back to “lockdown” like it used to be at the beginning of the year.

Many people, in other parts of this world, are facing similar restrictions. Throughout 2020 we have been continually exposed to the statistics of Covid-19. Most of us know the symptoms and what we ought to do to protect ourselves. The social distancing is getting to us and we are feeling very much isolated. All of this seems so much out of control by now.

That’s the bad news. How can you not despair? It is high time to shift the focus.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

Psalm 34:3

You see, it is a matter of (willingly) keeping our focus, our eyes fixed on the LORD because:

The LORD on high is mightier
Than the noise of many waters,
Than the mighty waves of the sea.

Psalm 93:4

We don’t have to ignore the bad news, of course not; but if we will constantly dwell on them, keep on magnifying them, then they will eventually crush us. Collect only the very basic of information. Make a note of it and then move on.

We have to exalt the LORD Jesus and think on good things. As God’s Word says in Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Remember: God is good all the time; and, all the time God is good.

Posted in Christ Our Victor | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bad News and Good News