Witness
Psalm 133:1 Living In Unity
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! Psalm 133:1
Living in unity is something that is not very common. Everyone has their own agenda and goals in life. Each person has their own thoughts as to how things should be.
In the process of having their own thoughts on how things should be, many will fight against anyone who does not agree with them. Most people want everyone to agree with them on everything, or else the other person is wrong.
Disunity comes as a result of selfishness. Each person wants his own way in whatever is being discussed. Families, communities, cities, nations often work and live in disunity. Everyone disagreeing with everyone else.
David knew the value of living in unity. He saw the dangers and struggles that could occur when there was disunity. When people lived in unity it was always a good thing to occur.
Just as it is common to see disunity in the world, it also occurs among believers. There are many who believe that having different beliefs is automatically disunity. This is not necessarily true.
God can guide each and every person on different paths in life and not have disunity. The unity is found in everyone worships God, everyone strives to be like Jesus, and everyone works at building God’s kingdom.
The manner in which these things are carried out may look differently from person to person. One may worship standing up, while the other does it sitting down. This is not disunity, but just differences in manner. The unity is still found in worshipping God.
One should not argue, fight or look down on the other because he does it differently. Focus on God and His kingdom, not the little petty things. People need to agree to disagree on how things can be done, but not to fight about, but be in unity despite it.
There will be things that others do that you do not fully agree with. Do not allow those things to get in the way of worshipping God and building His kingdom with them. Strive to live in unity with them with all the differences.
God is a great God and has allowed many ways to do many different things. The only thing that is only one way is salvation, which is by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Are you living in unity with other believers? Or are you fighting fellow believers?
I pray today that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that God will guide you in living for Him; that you will have God’s grace with those who do things differently; and that God will strengthen you to live in unity with others.
Psalm 67:7 Blessings For A Purpose
May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. Psalm 67:7
People always want good things to happen to them. They want to be successful in what they do. No one wants any trouble or even struggles at all.
When things are going good, they feel that they are blessed. At that point, many feel as if they can relax and enjoy life and do what they want with no fears or worries.
In these types of cases, the blessings are desired for personal gratification. The desires for a blessing are completely selfish and greedy. When this occurs, the purpose of the blessing can be completely missed. Sin begins to reign in the heart of the person.
The author of this psalm talked about people praising God for all the blessings He has already given. Now he prays that God will continue to bless them, but not just to bless them for themselves, but so the world will fear Him.
While blessings help a person out tremendously, they are given for a purpose, and it is for more than just making life easier. Blessings are to be a witness to the rest of the world. They are to allow the world to realize that God is in control and those who follow Him have His hand of favor upon them.
The world believes that a believer in God is weak and living a dead life with no real hope or life. They do not believe in God. Yet, when they see a believer being blessed and pouring that blessing out upon other people, they begin to revere God.
Believers are to take the blessings that God is giving them to help bless others. This is not just blessing other believers, but those in this world. It is to show the world how God loves everyone and is reaching out to them.
You can look at your life and see how God is blessing you in many different ways. Count the number of blessings in your life and be amazed.
Now ask yourself what are you doing with those blessings? Don’t just sit back and enjoy them, but pass them on to others. Allow those blessings to become a witness of God’s great love and control.
Give the world a chance to know who God is because of what He is blessing you with. In this way many can come to know Jesus through your testimony of His blessings.
I pray today that you will know how God is blessing you; that you will see all the blessings God is giving you; that you will share God’s blessings with others in this world; and that you will be a witness of God’s love to this world.
Psalm 39:4 Life Is Short
Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. Psalm 39:4
One thing that people are looking for is a longer life. They want to live longer and longer all the time. Many movies have been made about the holy grail of living forever and never dying.
As a child and up through the early twenties, a person thinks that he will live forever or that he has a long time to live yet. He is young and there is a whole life before him to be lived. In thinking this, he will eat, drink and be merry.
Later, as he grows up, the reality of how short life is begins to hit him. Suddenly he is in his forties, then sixties and then death is knocking on the door. This does not even take into account sickness or disease that brings death faster. As he gets old, time appears to move faster and faster.
David asked God to reveal to him how short his life really is. He wanted a real vision of what his life consists of in light of eternity.
Knowing how long one has to live before dying can bring a reality to his life. It can show him how long he has to accomplish things before he can no longer do anything. For the believer this does two things.
One, it shows him how short the struggles of this life really is in light of eternity. Despite all the struggles in this life, they will be over soon. Very soon one will step into eternity.
Second, it shows him how short of time he has to tell others about Jesus. If his life is short, so is everyone else’s and they need to know the saving message. With life being short, this is very important. He only has a short time to do what God has called him to do.
You may be at an age where you have already realized how short life is, or you may not be there yet. Ask God to reveal it to you. Then seek to know what God wants you to do with the short time you have on this earth.
How are you living your life serving God? Or are you serving yourself?
You only have a few years on this earth to make a difference for Jesus in the lives of other people. Now get out there and live for God and make a difference for eternity.
I pray today that God will show you your days; that God will reveal His plan for you; that you will seek to tell all about Jesus; and that you will live your life in service to God.
Psalm 37:1-2 Do Not Fret Over Evil
Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Psalm 37:1-2
Doing evil and promoting evil is prevalent in society, no matter where one goes. A person cannot get away from seeing evil being done around him, regardless of where he is at. The reason for this is that this is a fallen world. Man has fallen away from God and does his own thing.
The eyes of man has been blinded as to what is good and true. Being blind has caused man to continue to sin and not only sin, but to encourage others to sin even more.
As this has occurred, many believers have begun to worry or fret about it. In their worry over those who sin, some have done things that have not been Christ-like. They strike in anger to stop the sin or speak condemning words with no love attached.
During his life, David had a lot of people doing evil and were against him. He realized that he does not have to worry about it, because those who do evil are there only for a short time. In the end they will die.
While a believer must never accept or promote evil, he also should not get angry and strike because of evil. As soon as he strikes in anger, he is becoming like them. Others will worry and fret over the rise of evil actions going on around them. Jesus said not to worry about anything. Worry is a sin.
Believers must show a loving example of who Jesus is to the world. They must be an example of what the better life is, how life can be fulfilling and full of joy without sin.
You most likely see a lot of sin going on around you. You may see it rising higher and higher all the time. It can cause fear and worry in your life, if your focus is not upon God.
Do not forget that God is in control. Jesus promised that things would get worse as time went along. The world does not know Jesus and does not know how to live life correctly. Do not worry about it, but be His shining light in this world.
Ask God to show you how to touch the lives of the lost. They are here only for a short time. Work to bring them to Jesus, rather than fight them.
I pray today that you will see God in control; that God will remove all fear of evil around you; that you will be a witness of Jesus to this world; and that God will change many lives through you.
Psalm 23:8 Among The Enemy
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 23:8
Very few people really want to be near an enemy. A person attempts to go the other direction when he sees the enemy. Seeing the enemy usually means there is trouble about to happen, or it could happen.
It can also mean that there is danger nearby. No one wants to be in a dangerous situation.
The few that want to be near the enemy are usually there with the plan to destroy the enemy. Those few are doing it out of zeal for whatever they are against.
David talks about how God makes a table for him in the presence of his enemies and in that same process he is anointed and overflowing with life.
There are a couple of things about this table and where it is located. Most people will not eat, unless there is peace and calmness. They will not sit down to eat around the enemy, because there is danger. However, with God making the table and food, there is peace. God is in control. The enemy can do nothing without God’s permission.
Along with this, believers need to be among the ‘enemy’, the world, in order to be a witness of who Jesus is. Sitting down in peace while in a battle, shows that they know something the enemy does not know–God will win the battle. Believers are anointed by God’s Holy Spirit to win.
The believer also needs to be among the enemy in order to be a witness. Many believers run from the enemy or refuse to be among them. How can they be an influence? How can the world hear about Jesus, unless someone goes to them?
You most likely have some people in your life who are the enemy. They make life difficult for you. As like most people, you probably try to avoid being around them.
Instead of avoiding them, allow God to prepare a table among them. Use those times to be His witness, to show His love to them. God has anointed you by His Holy Spirit to be His witness to the world.
Do not fear the enemy and run away, but stand in God’s strength and power. He placed you there for a reason.
You are on the winning side. The enemy cannot win. Are you His witness in the enemy’s territory today?
I pray today that God will anoint you with His Holy Spirit; that God will show you opportunities to be His witness; that God will remove fear of the enemy; and that the world will see Jesus in you.
Job 27:11 Teach Of God’s Power & His Ways
I will teach you about the power of God; the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal. Job 27:11
Currently in the movie industry there have been many movies made recently of superheroes. Each superhero has a different power and ability. People love to talk about each superhero and what his/her power is and how great it is. They like to discuss who has the best power and why it is the best power.
Along with talking about superheroes, people like to talk about the politicians. Many discussions, and arguments, are made as to who is good and who is bad. They argue about which one has the best policies and the worst policies on how to get things done in the government.
After listening to his friends for a while, Job tells them that he will teach them about the power of God and His ways. Job had been following God faithfully for many years and had some experience behind him. He had a understanding of who God is, even though he did not know everything.
First hand experience can tell a lot. It can tell what a person knows from being right there. Believers get to have some experience in getting to know who God is and how He works. Every person has a slightly different experience as to how God works, but each one can talk about it.
Sharing about the power of God and how He works is what believers are supposed to be doing. As Jesus was leaving the earth, He told the disciples to go out into the world to be His witness and make more disciples. This is just telling people about His power and His ways.
For Jesus to be able to rise from the dead and remove all sins, shows extremely great power. Pointing out that God loves a person and wants to forgive them of their sins, show His great love and ways.
You have experience in your life as to who God is, His ways and His power. Be willing to teach others about God. Do not hold back and conceal any thing that you know about God, others need to know Him.
Sharing these truths about God, will give others a chance to get to know God. It will open the doors for others to choose to follow Jesus and be saved.
What are you teaching others today?
Today I pray that you will know the power of God; that you will know the ways of God; that you will tell others about God’s power and ways; that you will not fear being God’s witness; and that you will walk in God’s power and strength.
