Day Fifty-Eight

Psalm 136, Numbers 18‐19, Isaiah 56‐57,1 Thessalonians 4:1‐12

Psalm 136

Ps. 136 - The theme of this Psalm is obvious. The psalmist wanted those who sang this song to remember that no matter what the steadfast love of the lord endures forever. There are many times in my life that this Psalm has been particularly special to me. I remember a time in my childhood when my parents gathered their children in their living room for a family devotion time. My Dad read this Psalm and like a worship leader. He'd read the first half of the verse and then we would respond with the words: His love endures forever.

I also remember a time a few years back when I took a group of students to Guatemala for a mission trip. It wasn't the best trip. We'd had some problems with team unity and sickness. One night during our team devotions I read this chapter. Like my Dad I had our students respond with the words His love endures forever. For the rest of the trip this chapter became our theme. We looked for places where we saw the truth of these words on that trip. By the end of the trip we had many examples of the steadfast love of the Lord.

Take some time this week to look for God's steadfast love. If you seek, you will find.

Numbers 18-19

I did not add any notes to this section of my Bible. These chapters deal with the duties of the priests and Levites and the laws for purification.

Isaiah 56-57

Is. 56:1 - Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. - Justice and righteousness are themes that are repeated throughout all of Scripture. God is passionate about His children pursuing justice and righteousness. He cares about those who are oppressed. He cares about the way that we live our lives. He cares about us pursuing those things that He is passionate about.

Is. 57:20-21 - But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” - A stern warning is given by God to those who are wicked. There is no peace for the wicked. Sometimes it seems like those who walk with God are living it up here on earth without a care in the world. But, if the truth was known, all men and women who walk without God experience a life with no real peace. They place their faith in things or circumstances or people that will fail them, and therein have no lasting peace. Rejoice, those of you who walk with Christ. While you may face hardship in this world, you can do it with God's peace and joy.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

1 Thess. 4:7-8 - For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. - 1 Thessalonians 4 deals with a life that pleases God. Paul begins by challenging the Thessalonian Christians to live a life of purity. I love these two verses. God has called us to live holy lives. It's simple. And, if we don't we disregard God. That is a serious thing. Why is it that sometimes we think we know better than God? Why is it that we think that our ways are better than God's ways? He is ALWAYS worth following. His ways are ALWAYS worth trusting. His ways will NEVER fail you. Don't fall for Satan's lies.