November 11, 2025 -- Daniel 4:28-27 -- The Temptation of Nations

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Scripture Reading: Daniel 4:28-37
II Chronicles 20:21 And, when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise Him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the LORD, for His steadfast love endures forever.”
 
This devotion was written November 12, 2024. On November 11, 2024, I had several short flights in the United States. Before each flight took off, the cabin crew took a moment to thank the active military men and women for their commitment to their country. There were flags all over the airport. I thought of Nebuchadnezzar and his pride in his country. His achievements. His power. As Christians, we know God sets up kings and thrones and prime ministers and leaders and He also can depose them.
 
Nebuchadnezzar’s pride became his downfall. As soon as he boasted of his prowess and his power he was humbled. Juxtaposed to that is King Jehoshaphat, whose small army was confronted with a vast enemy army. In humility he turned to the LORD of Hosts Who assured Jehoshaphat that he would not even have to fight. The LORD would fight for him. So, with the counsel of Levites and the people, he appointed singers to praise God, going out before the army. It is a beautiful picture. It is stunningly clear that it is not by might, nor by any earthly power, but by the Spirit of the LORD that kings rise and fall, and nations flourish or disappear.
 
What are the lessons for us on this Remembrance Day? God guards the borders of lands and nations. He uses means, like soldiers and weapons, but ultimately the victory belongs to Him alone. The people of God are wise to acclaim Jesus as Head over all, the King Supreme.
 
Suggestions for Prayer: give thanks to God for the freedoms you enjoy; pray for all the branches of the military, that they will know (or be taught by Christian chaplains) their defeat or success is solely because of the LORD of Hosts. Pray also for the leaders of your country, that in every rank, at every level, they will acknowledge the Lord God.
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 10, 2025 -- Isaiah 66:1-2 -- Pride and humility

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“Thus says the LORD; “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things come to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”” – Isaiah 66:1-2 

Scripture reading: Proverbs 28:26

Last year I travelled to Ontario, so that I could celebrate my parents’ anniversary with them. There was light-hearted banter as we sat outside in the beautiful September day sunshine, and waited for the restaurant to open. Note that we were hungry. My mom asked my opinion on creationism versus evolution. I gave a very definitive answer—solidly on the side of creationism. Somewhat surprised, my mom responded, “Do you always have to be right?” A little snide in my response, I replied, “I get that from my maternal genetics.” Dad, unable to conceal his smirk, nevertheless, moved away slightly.

Humility. It is not a trait that is honoured in society today. People gladly give their unsolicited opinions on sports or politics, movies and stars, and so on. Such blather is often encouraged by various media platforms, where the opinionated one is egged on to further extremes of language and opinion by the number of “likes” given.

God alone is most high. He is all-knowing. He is glorious. Upon whom does He cast His eye? Those who are humble. Those who are contrite. Notice that these two traits must go together. To be humble means one is teachable. If one is teachable, and he has, by the Word, by the Spirit, or by others, been made aware of his sin or wrong doing, he must confess it. That is contrition. He who is humble will also tremble at the Word of God. By the Word, the humble-wise one is instructed by God.

Suggestions for prayer

As you read the Word, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas in your life and recent situations where you have not been humble. Having been so instructed, confess it to God and ask to be contrite and learn to tremble at His Word.

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 9, 2025 -- Isaiah 12:1-6 -- Praying Scripture

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor me.” – Psalm 50:15

Scripture reading: Isaiah 12: 1-6

It is common for believers to bring prayer requests to elders and pastors and ask them to include such in the congregational prayer (also known as the pastoral prayer). Psalm 50 reminds believers that our faithful Father invites His people to call on Him, but He also commands His people to thank Him for prayers answered. It seems this is an aspect of prayer that can easily be neglected or overlooked. Today I’ll type out a sample prayer, based on Isaiah 12, that puts into practice some things examined in the last few days.

There are two blank lines where you can insert your reasons for thanking God, for giving Him the glory, and why you would make His Name known.

We give You thanks, O LORD, for though You were angry with us, Your anger has turned away and You have given us comfort in Christ our Lord. With the eyes of faith we see You, God Who is salvation, and we trust You and are not afraid. You, LORD God, are our strength and our song, You have become our salvation. With joy we are drawing water from the wells of salvation. We give thanks, LORD, for ________________________________. Joining Your people through every generation, we make known Your deeds____________________________.

We proclaim that Your Name is exalted. Sing praises to the LORD, for He has done gloriously;

let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Suggestions for prayer

Take a verse or two from your favorite Psalm and turn it into a personal prayer, expressing thanks, or lament, or putting into words what God has placed on your heart.

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 8, 2025 -- Psalm 47:1-9 -- Tempted to Lazy Praying

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” – Hebrews 13:20-21 

Scripture reading: Psalm 47:1-9

Use your imagination for a moment. Imagine your name is Bob. I am your friend asking you for something. “Hi Bob. Well, Bob, I have a favour, Bob, to ask of you Bob.” No doubt, if you were hearing this, you’d be driven to distraction by the repeated use of your name. Listening to some parents, elders, or ministers pray, you’d get the same weird sensation. There is an over-use of a name, like, LORD, or God. It is repeated. Repeated. Repeated, so often like it is a comma.

Now look at Psalm 47 once again. God is addressed as: The great King over all the earth. (What a glorious title!). The psalmist calls Him “Our King” and “The God of Abraham”. He is the One Who is highly exalted”. Now consider Hebrews, where He is the “God of peace”. Jesus is “The great shepherd of the sheep.” Jesus is also called “Jesus Christ” meaning the One anointed by God for holy service.

The Bible is filled with the names of God. Rather than lazy praying, using one name repeatedly, consider Who you are addressing as you bring His people before Him. Call out to the God of peace to help a family who is in marital conflict. Confess Him as “the great King” when seeking forgiveness for the rebelliousness of people who so often strain against His rule. Looking for, and longing for Jesus’ return, name Him the “great King over all the earth” Whose glory will be revealed when He returns with all His holy angels.

Suggestions for prayer

Keep a notebook handy as you read the Bible, personally and as a family, so you can write down names for God. Then try to incorporate those names into your personal and family prayers. He has revealed Himself by His names, so that you can approach His throne of grace and find grace and mercy in your time of need.

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 7, 2025 -- Proverbs 11:41-43 -- Vision and Prayer

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.” – Proverbs 11:20 

Scripture reading: I Kings 8:41-43

At the dedication of Solomon’s temple, the king prayed that foreigners drawn in by the report of the great Name of God and His mighty works would be received by the LORD. Already at that point in Israel’s history, it was clear that the people of God were meant to be a beacon shining into the darkness of this world, shining the glory of God.

As stated in Proverbs 11, believers are to be soul-winners. The prayers of believers are to be persistent, urgent, so filled with love that they are continually imploring God to bring their friends, neighbours, co-workers and people from every tribe and nation and language into the kingdom of God.

Dear fellow believers, is this the urgent prayer of your heart? Do you long for people near and far to know the great Name of Jesus, in Whom salvation is alone found? Therefore, it is a critical matter of prayer that saints call out to God for the work of missionaries and ministers, evangelists and parents, teachers and preachers to be effective, that many will come to Jesus.

Dear fellow ministers, if your congregational prayers don’t reflect this as much as they might, I’d encourage you to broaden your congregational prayer, so that in accord with the command of Scripture, you faithfully, regularly model prayer for missions and for the harvest to come in. Dear fellow believers, examine your personal and family devotions. Are you praying for workers in the harvest field and for many to be brought in?

Suggestions for prayer

Get a prayer card from church, and regularly pray for the missionaries your local congregation supports. Go to the website “The Joshua Project: People Groups of the World” and learn about unreached people groups and tribes, and begin praying in an informed way.

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 6, 2025 -- Luke 6:12-16 -- Tempted to Prayerlessness

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.” – I Thessalonians 5:16-19

Scripture reading: Luke 6:12-16

Let that sink in. Before choosing the disciples, Jesus spent a whole night in prayer, no doubt, imploring His Father in heaven to grant Him the right men. As a man, Jesus needed wisdom and direction from the Father to make right choices. Jesus was given the Holy Spirit without measure (John 3:34). In the strength of the Spirit’s power, Jesus yielded Himself fully to His Father, and asked for the answers He needed. The Gospel of Luke records over a dozen instances of Jesus going away to a desolate place and praying.

You are likely tempted to prayerlessness. Excuses include: No time; too busy; don’t know what to pray for. The reading in I Thessalonians is a helpful guide. Prayer includes rejoicing. Recite Isaiah 12. It is a brief passage that shows what rejoicing looks like. (Go ahead. Read it.) Pray with thanksgiving. Here are some reasons for thanksgiving: life in Christ; new hope; your family in Christ. At different times all day, give thanks to God. Ask the Spirit, as the day progresses, for discernment to make morally right decisions at work, to do what is good in contrast to what is popular or easy at school, to show yourself faithful to God in daily life.

How did Jesus avoid evil? How did Jesus not step into the temptation traps carefully laid out for Him by the devil? He persisted in prayer. Put reminders in your phone to pray at different times in the day. As you pray, you will find talking to God easier.

Suggestions for prayer

Ask the Spirit of God to open your mind and heart so that you don’t stop the Spirit’s work in your life; look for reasons all through the day to give thanks to God, then offer these up to God in prayer; requesting that God give you the motivation to be a believer who prays without ceasing.

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 5, 2025 -- Colossians 4:2-6 -- Banality and Prayer

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Today's devotional was written by me and is posted on the website, Reformed Perspective. The devotional Nearer to God is posted there every day of the year. There are different authors each month.

“The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.” – Psalm 146:7b-9 

Scripture reading: Colossians 4:2-6

The Psalms are the prayer-book of God’s people. They teach believers to pray. The 150 Psalms give topics about which believers can pray. Even the short quotation from Psalm 146 gives a wide variety of prayer topics. Such prayers will help young believers overcome the banalities often spoken in prayer.

Believers use cliches, like, “Bless the hands of those who prepared this meal.” A favorite of mine is “we lift him before the LORD (I won’t reveal my weight, but I can assure you most people praying for me can’t lift me!) You might hear the phrase “be near to” and then the name of the person in prayer is mentioned. God is always near to His people. So, then what is this request?

Paul taught believers to pray for doors to be open to the Gospel. He urged people to petition God that he (and all those who testify to Jesus) would be clear as they testify to Jesus. Believers who follow Jesus need His power to walk in wisdom. There are many things which fill our time; a former prayer partner often prayed, “Lord, help me to make the best use of my time for Your kingdom”. It is tempting to pray sloppy, aimless prayers. Examine yourself relative to how you pray.

Those who belong to God and know Him, will grow in their prayer life. Prayer is the lifeblood of our relationship with the King. The more believers know Him, the more intimate and fuller the scope of the matters they bring to Him will be.

Suggestions for prayer

For the Spirit of God to stir up in you, as believers, a holy awareness of various matters that can be brought to God in prayer; for a deeper intimacy with God.

*Banality means flavorlessness, or staleness

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 4, 2025 -- II Corinthians 12:1-10 -- Tempted by prayer short-cuts

Today’s devotional, which I’ve written, is posted on the Reformed Perspective website. The link is included below, in case you miss a day or want to explore that website.

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.” – Galatians 4:13 

Scripture reading: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

A visitor to a local Reformed or Presbyterian home might be forgiven if he thought the most important matter for prayer is the physical health of the members in the family. It is not unusual to hear family prayers which focus almost exclusively on health matters. Scriptures teach believers something quite different.

Paul had the opportunity to preach to the Galatians precisely because his eyes afflicted him, and he was temporarily stopped from traveling further. In Corinthians, Paul noted he’d asked the Lord to be freed from the thorn in his flesh. Many commentators believe that his thorn was a physical ailment. Paul learned that the grace of God is sufficient even in the hardest times of his life. The goal of prayer is not that everyone be healed, but that God will be glorified. Christians will, by whatever means God chooses to use, train up men and women who are faithful and obedient to Him. Often the instrument God uses for training is suffering and hardship.

Perhaps local church pastors, inspired by the Word, will intentionally transform congregational prayers, so they are clearer models of Biblical prayers. Pray for believers to find the grace of God because of their suffering. Ask the LORD to lead the afflicted to doctors and specialists who through the testimony of the suffering believer may hear the gospel for the first time. And, yes, do in proper proportion, pray for the well-being of those who are ill.

Suggestions for prayer

May the Spirit of the LORD convict preachers and elders, fathers and prayer warriors to be more intentional in their prayers for those who are ill; petition God for those who are ill among us that God’s grace will be sufficient for their needs.

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 3, 2025 -- Psalm 37:1-7 -- Desire and Knowledge

“Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.” – Proverbs 19:2 

Scripture reading: Psalm 37:1-7

A good friend, a marathon runner, will tell you a runner must have both a goal and a finish line. Can you imagine a marathon runner who will set himself up for a run of 42.195 km, and does not know where the finish line is? It would be crazy. A marathon runner will not start a race without knowing his own pace, one he can sustain for the whole run. The rigorous training he’s undergone in the past will guide him.

Psalm 37 teaches the believer to ignore the rising tide of evil which surrounds him. Instead of getting tempted to compromise, or figuring out how closely one can align himself with the world and cross the finish line as a Christian, one must with the Psalmist ask : “Am I delighting myself in the LORD?” Such a devoted believer, having crossed the finish line, longs to hear our Father say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” So, there is no aimless running, or running in circles, instead, there is a direct line of sight to the finish line, eternal delight in the presence of God.

How fast or slow do you run? Proverbs teaches the Christian not to let his feet run faster than his ability to find his footing. Instead, a believer must know the world calls good evil and evil good. Finding your footing in faith requires you to grow in the knowledge of the LORD, which comes by knowing His Word so well that you can make your way in a world filled with troubles.

Suggestions for prayer

Confess your wrongful desires, repent of areas in your life where you have been compromising with sin; ask the Spirit of God to renew your faith so that you can clearly see the finish line—running this life for the glory of God.

For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

October 15, 2025 -- Psalm 89:15-17 -- Blessed people--that's you in Christ

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Today's devotion is a reprint from 2017. I trust it will be a challenge and inspiration.

Please note, I am taking a Sabbatical and these devotions will, Lord willing, continue again in just over a month. Keep reading your bible. Take up the challenge to dig deep into the Word of God and the richest treasures He has in store for you there!

Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.
In Your name they rejoice all day long.
And in Your righteousness they are exalted.
For You are the glory of their strength,
And in Your favor our horn is exalted.
Psalm 89:15-17 NKJV
 
Yesterday I was watching a TV where one of the main characters died. During the series there was no reference to faith or any church involvement, yet when this man died his family had a minister do the funeral. Strange. My question is this: why would a family, who had no comfort in God during their life together with this husband and father, find comfort in the LORD at the time of death? This reading from Psalm 89 offers some insight to this life and eternal life.
 
Those who know God now--not just as a concept, or a theory, but talk to God as Father, find in Jesus their strength and salvation, and are filled with hope and song by the Spirit--will rejoice in eternity in His presence. Why would a sinner who had no use for God in this life suddenly want to be in God's heaven? Heaven is all about the glory and wonder of Who God is. Heaven is the place where the people of God rejoice in the presence of God and find their capacity to find joy in Him ever increases and ever is filled.
 
A man who did not find any comfort or purpose in knowing God in this lifetime will not find eternity a comfort. It will be hell. God's holiness will be a consuming fire that scorches the conscience and torments them. Where Christ and His blood are not interposed the sinner will feel the full effects of God's just anger against sin.
 
The man who in this life finds comfort and purpose in knowing and delighting in God receives these blessings because of Jesus. Read on and review these blessings. The Saviour, also called our shield, stood in our place, taking the punishment of God against sin upon His Person at the cross. All who believe in Him receive His righteousness. Those who are in Christ rejoice in Him, and delight in God Who has become their Father by the accomplished work of Jesus. The believer in Jesus hates sin more in this life and finds joy in knowing God. That is why eternity and heaven are such high and holy expectations for believers because sin will no longer block our view of the glories of God. With our eyes, we shall see God as He is and what joy, what wonder, what blessedness awaits us then.
 
You, O God, are the King of believers and the glory of their strength!
You, O Christ, are the shield protecting and keeping us in the embrace of our Father in heaven.
You, O Spirit of Wisdom, take the precious truth of the Word and the accomplished work of Jesus and apply these to the heart, mind and life of every believer.
Blessed are You, O Living God.
Great is the joy that is ours today.
Greater and more glorious is the hope that is ours for eternity!
Blessed be the LORD, forever and ever! Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/clqdCXxqYvI?si=79xDP_JyWARmCsfd Be Thou My Vision
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 14, 2025 -- Acts 4:32-33 -- The evidence of love

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and one soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
Acts 4:32-33 ESV
 
To me this is one of the most beautiful expressions of what it looks like when the love of God takes hold of men and women. The love of God the Father was so rich, so pure, that folks were bound together in love. They met others, so different from themselves, and said, “my brother” or “my sister”. Think of it. Jews from fifteen different regions, as well as non-Jewish folks who heard Peter’s Pentecost sermon, were so stirred they left their former sinful ways to follow Jesus Christ. Obviously, many of these new Christians instead of returning to far-flung homes, stayed in Jerusalem. So, having left their livelihood and homes they’d be in great need as they hungrily learned about Jesus. No wonder there had to be an open-hearted, tremendous sharing of goods, money, food and lodging.
 
Notice the impact—first the love of God had been fully proved to His people in Jesus. The sacrifice of Jesus, and His righteousness given to all who believed in Him was sealed to their hearts by the Holy Spirit. People drenched in the love of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, shared His goodness among themselves in a self-sacrificing way. Residents of Jerusalem and people who had the means, cared for others around them. No one was needy. Together they blessed one another and in doing so blessed Jesus (see Matthew 25:31-46, whatever we do for others we do so unto Jesus Himself). That is a powerful witness. Such deep and profound love is part of the power of the apostles’ preaching. Ordinary people could see how Christians loved one another. Even at great personal cost to themselves, they were housing strangers, who had become family in Christ. They were feeding people. They were embracing strangers and teaching them of the love of God in very practical ways. This love for others could only be sustained if it were fueled by a divine love—the Love of the Father.
 
The hearts of men and women haven’t changed. People then, and today, are profoundly selfish. Think of various commercials which appeal to one’s sense of entitlement. “I’m worth it”. Or “think of the freedom”. As Voddie Baucham used to say, we live in an age which says, “Get all you can, can all you get and sit on the can”. When people live in a way that is so radically different from the culture all around, and so radically different from the ordinary, sin-fueled impulses of the heart, well, that is a Gospel of power. Does your life reflect the extravagant love of God in the way in which you share with your family in Christ? Do the people at work, in your neighbourhood, in your social circle you see how sacrificially you support your family in Christ? You don’t have to showboat it or boast of it. Such genuine love is evident. It is powerful.
 
Gracious Father, thank You for Jesus, God-incarnate, love-incarnate. As Your Spirit teaches me the wonder of Your unstoppable love, let my heart sing, “Christ lives in me!” Filled to fullest measure of Your love, and then over-flowing with the knowledge of Christ’s great love, let me be a channel of this love to the people around me. Help me to use all the resources and blessings which You have given me so that I will be a blessing and a sign of Your love to fellow believers. Forgive me for the times I have been greedy, tight-fisted and self-focused. With the open-handed generosity You have shown, and still now continually do show me, let me be sacrificially generous so that the Gospel is adorned with the power of love. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/ydBxYBCd4Yg?si=Xyn3PeKyUmKSL3am Christ Liveth in Me
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 13, 2025 -- Philippians 4:5c-6 -- Happy Thanksgiving

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:5c-6 ESV
 
Happy Thanksgiving one and all! What a blessing to have a day to pause and reflect on the fantastic variety of ways in which our glorious God and Father has poured out His blessings on our lives. He blesses us individually, as families, as local churches, as associations of churches, as denominations, as workers, in circles of friends, in municipalities, wards, districts, cities, provinces and countries and in the world and all this moment by moment through-out history. He is at work on so many levels of our lives we can not comprehend His greatness, His goodness, His faithfulness, His love and we certainly can not ascertain His purposes except this: His glory will be made known. One day His glory will cover the earth as the waters cover the seas.
 
Because the Lord is at hand—He is near to each of us and His return with all the saints and holy angels, signaling the end of time is also near—we do not need to be anxious. God is in charge especially when so much in our lives seems chaotic. Yet the scriptures promise life is not chaotic. All the strands of God’s work and mercy and love and purposes are being brought together and Jesus rules over it all. Give thanks to Him.
 
At my family’s thanksgiving table, the eye-rolling moment happens, inevitably, when I get everyone’s attention and say, “Okay, tell everyone what you are thankful for.” Each one will eventually name that for which he or she is thankful. There are beloved standards: family. health. life. friends. good food. nice weather. the harvest. I wonder sometimes, do we thank God for more complicated reasons? Here are some things to consider.
 

1. A good government leads you to praise God. A government that is against God is evidence of His discipline upon a nation. Either way, we are called to pray for our leaders and acknowledge God is fully in charge giving thanks that one day the rule of Christ will be revealed to all.

2. Thank God for the trials you are undergoing. The hardship, which now is so unpleasant, is used by the Father to shape you into the likeness of Christ and the Holy Spirit guards you through-out the process.

3. Thank God for the hardships you are enduring, these lead you to rely on God more than you ever did before. If you find yourself drifting from God, rather than moving closer to Him, the hardship is likely a great warning for to call out to God prayer. God is making you aware of this and inviting you to urgently, persistently, appeal to Him for help. Know that those who ask, receive. Those who seek, find. Those who knock at His throne room will find the door opened. If you hadn’t been drifting and you encounter hardships and trials, like the disciples in past ages, praise God that you are considered worthy to suffer for the glorious Name of Jesus!

 
Almighty and most merciful Father, in whom we live and move and have our being, to whose tender compassion we owe our safety in days past, together with all the comforts of this present life, and the hopes of that which is to come; we praise Thee, O God, our Creator; to Thee do we give thanks, O God our exceeding Joy, who daily pours Thy benefits upon us. Grant, we beseech Thee, that Jesus our Lord, the Hope of glory, may be formed in us, in all humility, meekness, patience, contentedness, and absolute surrender of our souls and bodies to Thy holy will and pleasure. Leave us not, nor forsake us, O Father, but conduct us safe through all changes of our condition here, in an unchangeable love to Thee, and in holy tranquility of mind in Thy love to us, till we come to dwell with Thee, and rejoice in Thee for ever. Amen.
Simon Patrick (1626-1707)
 
https://youtu.be/T9MPUJsEVEM?si=kSrxllfTmycvf1Hv Now Thank We All Our God
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 10, 2025 -- John 10:27-30 -- Held by Jesus

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.
John 10:27-30 ESV
 
Christians face all kinds of upheaval. There are enemies who breathe out violence. There are attacks of one’s own conscience, searing against the Christian when he realizes the sins he has committed and how vile they are in the sight of God. The accuser also throws into your face past iniquitous thoughts, wicked deeds and evil actions. How can a believer stand and feel at all safe with such forces arrayed against him? Dear believer, rush to the word of God.
 

• First Jesus, the Good Shepherd continually speaks to His sheep. The word of God is His voice. The Spirit living within reminds the believer that through the precious blood of Jesus Christ one belongs to Jesus.

• Second, and even more importantly, Jesus knows His sheep. He is fully aware of their failings and their need for a Savior and continuing need for rescue. He willingly gave Himself up for His sheep, the once-for-all sacrifice.

• Third, the sheep follow Jesus. This is a sign of one’s unity in Jesus; for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity (Proverbs 24:16 ESV). Believers can not, in this life, be perfect in their walk with Jesus, but they repent. They turn from sin. They get up every time again and continue to follow Him.

• Fourth, Jesus gives them eternal life. What a beautiful, power concept. So many people are chasing youth, thinking, “O to be forever young.” There are all kinds of make-up products and pills and strategies to stay young. The believer knows that whoever follows Jesus, though he dies, yet shall he live (John 11:25). To lose one’s life, turning away from all the lusts and longings of the world instead turning to Jesus, is to gain life in Christ that begins now and shall never end.

• Finally look at the confidence the believer has in Jesus. He guards His people in His hands. These are the hands that fashioned the universe. These are the hands that took the nails. These are the hands that touched the briar of the dead youth, and he was restored to life (Luke 7:14). What power is in those hands. And if that is not security enough, listen to the words of Jesus, the Father takes the believer into His hand.  Consider that, you are surrounded in the hand of Jesus which is then wrapped in the hand of the Father!

 
Dear fellow believer do not be discouraged, though many enemies are stacked against you and hundreds of thoughts fight against you and the accuser is whispering discouraging poison in your ear—you are safe in the hand of Jesus which is wrapped in the hand of the Father. You are precious to God. You are loved by Jesus. You are guarded by the Holy Spirit. Get up. Follow Jesus with holy boldness.
 
Father in heaven, blessed and glorious is Your Name. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, Who takes the Word and applies Your promises so that every one is “yes” and “amen” in Jesus Christ. Father, thank You for the gift of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Who leads His people, protects them and gives them life everlasting. Thank You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for the great love You have poured out, and continually pour out on your people. Help us this day to comfort those around us who are struggling in their faith. Humble us and make us receptive to the care of those You have appointed to minister to us. Hearing the voice of Jesus, so direct us by Your Spirit that we will follow Him now, continually delighting in His voice, until that day when You have brought us secure through this life, we are ushered into eternity and we hear Jesus and see Him face to face. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/rpYM6Et_hVY?si=lg2wGxcOLERy6iWX He Leadeth Me
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 8, 2025 -- Remembering your New Year's Resolution

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart for you are all partakers with me of grace both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel.   Philippians 1:7 ESV
 
We’re 10 months into the year. Do you even remember your New Year’s resolutions? I reviewed mine. Oh, how optimistic I was. Let’s look back: Perhaps, if you are starting this year off by joining me in memorization, you are finding yourself getting stuck. You are pushing against the laziness of the flesh...or maybe you aren’t fighting your flesh and memorization is left undone. Or, you are fighting against the desires to do something, anything really, rather than memorize. Boy, oh boy, do I get it. However, putting the word of God into your heart helps you:

• to fight temptation. Jesus quoted scripture to defeat Satan’s temptations (Matthew 4:1-11)

• to guide you in the purity that is yours in Christ (Psalm 119:9)

• to teach you the way you should go (Psalm 119:33-35)

• to direct you decision-making (Psalm 119:105)

• to keep you following Jesus when hard trials come to you (Psalm 119:86-88)

 
Note in today’s brief text how Paul emphasizes the deep connection between believers. Even though he is in prison, he writes the Philippians, emphasizing the partnership they have in Christ. He tells them how they share in grace. When one part of the body suffers, everyone suffers. When one part of the body rejoices, the whole body rejoices.
 
Paul’s imprisonment is a reminder to the church at Philippi that there is a cost to believing. They are reminded that their prayers and financial support mean they are bound up with Paul. You know the expression “guilt by association”, right? Paul is facing serious charges. The people of Philippi could be implicated and themselves investigated. But they pray for Paul. They provide financial support. As the letter progresses you learn how their support has impacted Paul so that he was able to continue in his missionary work, even from his imprisonment. They are partakers of grace; they are united with Paul in suffering and in the defense of the Gospel. They will soon hear that though Paul is in chains for the sake of Jesus Christ, the Good News of Jesus and His salvation is reaching into previously unreachable places.
 
Father in heaven thank You for the beauty of Your Word and the effectiveness of it. You promised that Your Word goes out with power and accomplishes all You intend for it. By Your Spirit’s blessed presence in our lives, help us to memorize Your Word so that we will be stronger in our service to You and more equipped to fight every temptation while standing firm for Jesus in every trial. Thank You, Jesus, that wherever You call us to follow You, You will always supply our needs so that the Gospel will go out with power and Your people will be built up, prepared for eternity in Your presence. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/qy_XbGrnTlY?si=OLqnjq6qUJUJuy0c Speak O Lord
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 7, 2025 -- John 12:42-43 -- Are you seeking glory for yourself or the glory that is yours in Jesus?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him [Jesus], but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
John 12:42-43 ESV
 
Yesterday I listened to a Paul Washer sermon. Someone had said to him, excitedly, “Brother, I have a new relationship with Jesus”. Laconically he replied: “But do you have a new relationship with sin?” Following Jesus means you are not seeking your own glory, or your own pleasures. Following Jesus means you gladly leaves sin behind. Washer noted that often the ones who come to him for prayer are Christians, who having become so tender-hearted towards Jesus and His Word, hate their sin so much, they weep over it, they repent of it, they ask for forgiveness seeking prayer with other believers so that they will walk in the light of Christ. Interestingly, many of those who appear to be Christians, who stay back. Those holding back in the pews are those who unlikely to weep of their sins, unlikely to see their great, hourly, intense need for repentance. Even our best works, our most dedicated works for Jesus, are still stained with sin while we still live here on earth.
 
The path to glory is death to self. The newness of life that is yours in Christ means even before you would have something in your life, or not to have it, you look to Jesus and his Word. You ask, “Would this thing, this person, this event, this circumstance, this relationship add to my walk with God or interfere with it?” If it would hinder your walk with God the Father, the source of all good, then throw it as far away from yourself as you can, rather than risk your relationship with God, Whose glory is life and joy and blessedness for all who live for Him.
 
So many people stood near to Jesus, heard His blessed words, and saw His miracles, but refused to give up the praise of the people around them. They could not endure the slightest mocking or insults for the Name. Does that sound familiar? Perhaps you are near to Jesus. you have Christian friends you admire. You have heard powerful preaching. You have seen amazing things in your life. But you realized something. Following Jesus is not easy. It is costly. It will cost you your life, your reputation, your desires, your idolisation of yourself, your finances, your safety, and whatever else He deems needful to strip you of so that you will walk in the light of His glory and grace. Ask yourself today, do you love the glory that comes from your peers or the world, more than you love the glory that comes from God?
 
God our Father, source of all good in life, instruct us by Your Spirit. By the powerful working of the Spirit in us, help us to set aside any weight, any hinderance, any glory, any thing that would interfere with our whole-hearted, humble dedication to Jesus. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/O--n-pU8ArA?si=BjN1vD1IY6C0bJm3 All to Jesus I Surrender
 
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 5, 2025 -- Exodus 20:8-11 -- What's up with Sunday? Why is it important?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Exodus 20:8-11 ESV

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together…
Acts 20:7 ESV

Why do Christians meet on Sundays instead of Saturday, as was the Old Testament practice?
In the Old Testament, the seventh day was the day of rest. It was the Sabbath and God blessed it. The New Testament records that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week, on Sunday. He is what all the Old Testament sacrifices pointed to; His resurrection changed everything. The Old Testament Sabbath and rest informs the New Testament Sunday celebrations.
The Heidelberg Catechism, written in the mid 1500’s to explain the Christian faith to Christians. It was approved by a church gathering, called a synod, in 1563. Included in today’s devotion is the question and the answer which explains the fourth commandment, the one concerning the Sabbath.
 
Q. What is God’s will for you in the fourth commandment?
A. First,
that the gospel ministry and education for it be maintained,1
and that, especially on the festive day of rest,
I diligently attend the assembly of God’s people2
to learn what God’s Word teaches,3
to participate in the sacraments,4
to pray to God publicly,5
and to bring Christian offerings for the poor.6
Second,
that every day of my life
I rest from my evil ways,
let the Lord work in me through his Spirit,
and so begin in this life
the eternal Sabbath.7
1 Deut. 6:4-9, 20-25; 1 Cor. 9:13-14; 2 Tim. 2:2; 3:13-17; Tit. 1:5
2 Deut. 12:5-12; Ps. 40:9-10; 68:26; Acts 2:42-47; Heb. 10:23-25
3 Rom. 10:14-17; 1 Cor. 14:31-32; 1 Tim. 4:13
4 1 Cor. 11:23-25
5 Col. 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:1
6 Ps. 50:14; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 8 & 9
7 Isa. 66:23; Heb. 4:9-11
 
You’ll notice that what we are to do on the first day of the week, on Sunday, is based on the teaching of the bible (when you have some time, I encourage your to look up all bible references which are included.)
 
So, get together with the people of God. Bring your tithes and offerings to God for the support of the church and the care of the poor and the instruction in Gospel ministry. Rest from evil. Ask the Spirit of God to work in you today, and through-out the week. Anticipate the wonderful, eternal Sabbath, when we, together with all God’s people past, present and future, will rejoice in the glorious presence of God Who is the LORD of Hosts.
 
Our Father in heaven, thank You for appointing a day of the week on which Your people can delight in You as we gather for public worship; reflect on all the blessings and benefits You have poured out on us through Jesus Christ. Thank You, glorious Father, for the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we can rest from evil. By the same Spirit we can understand the Word and know we are being guarded now for eternity in Your glorious presence; oh, what a blessed thought to know there, in eternity sin and death are no more. Each Sunday, stir in us a greater anticipation of the glories yet to be, when we shall be all You intend for us in eternity, and we shall be able to love You fully even as we there finally understand how fully we have always been loved by You, our Father, the Source of all Good. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/mYToc2YNyio?si=fAffmUBrrttzTJEh O Day of Rest and Gladness
 
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 4, 2025 -- Isaiah 40:25-26 -- God, Who Created the Starry Hosts

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

To whom then will you compare me,
    that I should be like him? says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:
    who created these?
He who brings out their host by number,
    calling them all by name;
by the greatness of his might
    and because he is strong in power,
    not one is missing.
Isaiah 40:25-26 ESV
 
Magazines, who still subscribes to them? There is one I still do, and I love to receive it in my mailbox! It is called “Creation”. It is a science-based, Christian magazine that emphasizes the fact that God created the universe in six, 24-hour days; and on the seventh day He established the Sabbath. A day of rest. A sanctuary in time.
 
While reading my latest edition of Creation, I read these words: “…consider how many stars there are in the universe. Astronomers currently estimate there are at least 200 sextillion starts—that is 2 followed by 23 zeros! Conveyed differently, there are roughly 10,000 stars for each grain of sand on all the beaches of the earth.” Creation, Vol. 47, No. 4 2025. Let that sink in. The incomprehensible number of stars. Elsewhere in the same article it is noted that ours is an ultraminiscule solar system within the Milky Way Galaxy.
 
The implications are amazing.

• God, Who is greater than all the stars put together, knows each one.

• God, Who created and sustains the outstretched vastness of our cosmos, knows His people living here on this small planet called earth, orbiting the sun, in our ultraminiscule solar system.

• God, Who brings out the starry hosts so that not one of them is missing, counts His people as so profoundly precious, that He would not let a single one of His chosen people be lost for eternity. He sent His Son, His beloved Son, to be the sacrifice for our sins. That Son, of Whom it is written, for by Him all things were created (Colossians 1:16) and He is before all things and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17) willingly set aside the privileges of divinity to walk under the very stars He made and do so as a man, suffering, and die, so that we could be saved. Honestly! To whom will you compare our God?!

• God, Who gives order to the immeasurable universe, invites you to lift your eyes to the starry hosts, not to worship them, instead with the eyes of faith to see beyond them and glorify Him, the One Who made them, the One Who saves you, and the One Who lives in you, guarding you until your salvation is accomplished.

 
Today’s prayer is from the Psalms:
Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant and a song of praise is fitting.
The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding his beyond measure.
The LORD lifts up the humble;
he casts the wicked to the ground.
Psalm 147:1-6 ESV
 
Jerusalem is a reference to God’s own people, and it points to the new heavens and the new earth, when we will live in the New Jerusalem, where sin and death will be no more
 
Outcasts—currently believers suffer for their faith
 
https://youtu.be/o-ImfnUqWxg?si=B1JB3-5wbUvDJxeU All Praise to Him
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 2, 2025 -- Romans 5:8-10 -- Saved right to the end

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Romans 5:8-10 ESV
 
On Wednesday evenings our group has been going through: Study Romans, by Dr. Michael Kruger (President of RTS, Charlotte, NC; this video series is free and available on YouTube.) Today’s text is a portion of what we studied last night. The God Who saved us while we were still sinners, is the one who will complete that salvation. We were not participants in our salvation. We were rescued. We didn’t approach God, He rescued us. Doesn’t it make sense that He who saved us by the death of Jesus while we were His enemies should now save us by the life of Jesus. Jesus, Who lives at the Father’s right hand, and Who is always presenting our case to the Father. The same Father who sent Jesus to rescue us, is the Father Who hears Jesus’ prayers on our behalf. The Father and the Son together have given us the Holy Spirit so that we will be saved right to the end.
 
But many people struggle with doubts. Fears. Questions. Sure, God saved me, but will He complete that work He started in me? Kruger gave a wonderful illustration. Jessica Lynch was a 19-year-old U.S. soldier in Iraq. In March 2003 she was captured by the enemy. In April 2003 she was rescued. It was a dramatic and well-published story. Imagine this—while she is on the plane flying her out of Iraq to a safe location, she asks: “Will you feed me there?” Or if she would ask: “Are you going to take me all the way to the base of will you stop half-way and drop me off somewhere unknown?” The thought is ludicrous. Of course, her rescuers would bring her all the way to safety. They would most certainly make sure she received medical attention. They fed her.
 
Dear people, we were once enemies of God. We were actively engaged in warfare against the LORD of Heaven and Earth. When He rescues us, through the accomplished work of Jesus Christ, and guards us in His love by the in-dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, we have spiritual Post-Traumatic Stress-Disorder. We have confusion. We have questions. We have fears. We remember the brutality of the enemy (even our own wickedness when we formerly used to serve the enemy). The passage today assures us of the never-ending, door-crashing, prison-breaking, love of God. He Who rescued you in Christ, how much more now that you are reconciled, shall you be saved by the life of Jesus. The word of God is your surety; it points to the work of Jesus that is “yes” and “amen”. The Spirit is healing you. Fellow Christians further along in the journey of faith are to you mentors and comforters. The history of God’s faithfulness every generation are constant reminders to you that He is trustworthy to save to the uttermost. Take courage in this. Rejoice and be glad—in Jesus Christ you will be brought all the way home to eternity.
 
Infinite wisdom cast the design of salvation
into the mould of purchase and freedom;
Let wrath deserved be written on the door of hell,
But the free gift of grace on the gate of heaven.
I know that my sufferings are the result of my sinning,
but in heaven both shall cease;
Grant me to attain this haven and be done with sailing,
and may the gales of thy mercy blow me safely into harbour.
Let thy love draw me nearer to thyself,
wean me from sin, mortify me to the world,
and make me ready for my departure hence.
Secure me by thy grace as I sail across this stormy sea.
 
(Today’s prayer is the final paragraphs of the prayer: “The Mover”, from The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions).
 
https://youtu.be/XKOoeTbjSeI?si=tpqeLWKpdSaq8JrH Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 1, 2025 -- Psalm 30:1 -- I will extol You--wait what is that word extol? And why do that?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice.    Psalm 30:1 ESV
 
To extol God is to praise Him enthusiastically. It is heart and hands, mind and mouth all engaged to declare to goodness of God, to speak of His attributes and His saving work. Why will the psalmist extol the LORD?

• First, it is because God has drawn him up, or it can be translated lifted up. God the Father has lifted the psalmist from the pit of despair, from death in sinfulness and given him life. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. Then much later it was translated into Greek, the language of the New Testament. In John 3 Jesus is “drawn up” or “lifted up” on the cross (the Greek word is the same one used in Psalm 30:1). The New Testament Christian realizes he has been united with Christ in His death so he will be united with Christ in His resurrection. That is how the Christian is drawn up from sin.

• Second, to be drawn up means that God has done the work. We can not, we did not, save ourselves, so the appropriate response of one who is saved is to give the honour and the credit to God. One sings hymns and spiritual songs and psalms honouring God. Extoling God keeps the goodness of God front and centre in the life of the believer and in that way closes the door on temptations to go back to old habits and sinful ways.

• Third, the psalmist extols God, notice he calls God the LORD—which is the covenant Name for God. It is the Name by which our God binds Himself to His promises to save us from the wickedness of the world, from the clutches of the Devil and even rescue us from ourselves when we would go back to the Egypt of our sins. Temptations so sin can cause us to forget how bad it was to live in our sins the first go-round. The LORD keeps His promises, He shows grace, even when we are at our weakest.

• Fourth, the LORD will not let our enemies rejoice over us. It is in worship that the sons and daughters of God recognize the glory of eternity. Those who know God now, delighting in Him, will praise Him for all eternity. It is joy that starts now will never end. Those who hate God can not imagine that there is joy in praising God. They will, instead, do all they can to trample on the Christian, hating him or her. Most kindly put they do so, perhaps without even fully realizing they actually are expressing their hatred towards the LORD God Who has saved that person they maliciously rejoice over. Or, it is possible foes hating the Christian, full well know they hate God, they hate Jesus, and they hate the testimony of the Holy Spirit and therefore they will do what they can to make a Christian miserable.

 
Like the followers of Jesus through-out the ages, who filled with the Spirit rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus, so we extol God the LORD when we suffer! The foes and prosecutors will see how we endure, how our hope in Jesus cannot be crushed out of us; it is possible at that moment they will begin to see the blessedness of the LORD, Whom we extol. There is a chance, such witness while we suffer, will bring others to know and serve Jesus as well.
 
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
O LORD, be my helper!
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
Psalm 30:10-12 ESV
https://youtu.be/gdDYeoOzGfA?si=7mqbeDOyFYxMnc3g Psalm 30 Song
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

September 26, 2025 -- Daniel 4:35 -- Worship is the correct response to God

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing.
And he does according to his will among the hosts of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth.
And none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
Daniel 4:35 ESV
 
“God’s creative and upholding sovereignty is the basis for worship. The will of God is ultimate: not man’s will, not the church’s will, but the will of God alone. He creates and upholds to fulfil his own purpose. Appreciating this reduces us to size. ‘To God alone be the glory’ was the watchword of the sixteenth-century Reformation, and that because they had understood that God is sovereign. Heaven will eternally reflect this and earthly worship ought to seek to conform to it.”
Derek Thomas, Let’s Study Revelation, page 49
 
Prayer:
Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God Almighty!
Just and trust are your ways,
O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy,
All nations will come and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.
Revelation 15:3-4 ESV
 
https://youtu.be/zhhYIZJj6rk?si=mQxqWFlqiCDSz4Ap “Glory to God in the Highest” Vivaldi
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.