One Minute with God

Unless the LORD builds the house, 
those who build it labor in vain. 
Psalm 127:1a ESV

Who is building yours?

If God said He would, He will;
His Word prevaileth still.

“All flesh is like grass 
and all its glory like 
the flower of grass. 
The grass withers, 
and the flower falls, 
but the word of the Lord 
remains forever.” 
And this word is the good news 
that was preached to you. 
1 Peter 1:24-25 ESV

I have a difficult time believing what I can’t see. Do you?
I often pray that God would keep me from sinning in this difficulty. The last thing I want is to be guilty of unbelief! So, in my musings about the wonder of IT all, I always ask God my questions.
I know God is real and reigns and will one day come again. I know He lives in me, and I have no doubt that one day I will live with Him in heaven. But still I wonder, and still I ask Him my questions, and because He is my Father, He answers me with His Word and a heartfelt assurance that His Word is true.

Jesus said to Thomas,
who refused to believe without seeing:
“Have you believed
because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen
and yet have believed.” 
John 20:29 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, 
the conviction of things not seen. 
Hebrews 11:1 ESV

With every struggle against sin,
God gives an opportunity to trust Him.

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:25a ESV

We pray to a God, the only God,
who knows all there is to know.
We will never ask Him a question
to which He doesn’t know the answer.
How good it is to serve an omniscient God.
After hearing our problems, requests,
struggles and concerns, He will never say,
“Ah! Let me think on that for a while
and I’ll get back to you.”
Long before we asked,
He already had the answer.

Oh, the depth
of the riches 
and wisdom
and knowledge
of God!
How unsearchable
are his judgments 
and how inscrutable
his ways!
Romans 11:33 ESV

Prayer is difficult. There are so many things we can, and feel we should, pray about! Where does a person begin? And how do we decide for whom to pray? The thought of praying for everything and everyone who needs prayer is overwhelming.
One happy afternoon I realized that if I do nothing else but praise God, I have prayed well. In my praise, I’m trusting Him to take care of everything else. For we pray to the One who knows our needs before we say a word.
God invites us to ask. He encourages us to bring our needs before His throne. But during those times when our needs overwhelm, we can praise. If nothing else, we can praise Him!

“For your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
Matthew 6:8 ESV

Also: Psalm 148-150

Sometimes we have to remind ourselves
to do the best things:

Bless the LORD, O my soul, 
and all that is within me, 
bless his holy name! 
Bless the LORD, O my soul, 
and forget not all his benefits. 
Psalm 103:1-2 ESV

It’s not that God
forgets our sins;
He chooses to
not remember them.
He chooses to never
bring them
to His mind again–
thanks to Jesus!

“For I will forgive their iniquity, 
and I will remember their sin no more.”
Jeremiah 31:34 ESV

Also: Isaiah 43:25, Hebrews 8:12

“Was it not necessary
that the Christ 
should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?”
Luke 24:26 ESV

To fulfill Scripture,
to do His Father’s will,
to pay for our sin,
yes, it was necessary.
Thank you, Lord Jesus.

We are free to joyfully serve God
without the fear of failure
or burden to succeed
because we are God’s children,
not His coworkers.

The God who made the world and everything in it, 
being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in 
temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, 
as though he needed anything, since he himself gives 
to all mankind life and breath and everything. 
Acts 17:24-25 ESV

When we make a commitment
to pray more regularly
or study God’s Word more thoroughly,
God blesses our efforts
by giving us an even stronger desire
to pray more regularly and
study more thoroughly.

Delight yourself in the LORD, 
and he will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4 ESV

We can pray as the psalmist prayed
with the assurance of God’s willingness
and desire to do what we have asked.

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Psalm 90:14 ESV

The more we know of the depths of God’s love for His own,
the less we are fazed by the troubles in this life.

Praise the LORD! 
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, 
for his steadfast love endures forever. 
Psalm 106:1 ESV

If you think of something good to do,
hurry up and do it,
before you change your mind.

…rendering service with a good will
as to the Lord and not to man,
knowing that whatever good anyone does,
this he will receive back from the Lord.
Ephesians 6:7-8 ESV

Precious in the sight of the LORD 
is the death of his saints. 
Psalm 116:15 ESV

We need not fear
what is precious
to God.

Our assignment from God, our call,
is to live the life we are living right now
to the glory of God. We may pray for change,
or hope for the better, but our gladness in God,
and our desire to please Him, should rule the day!

Only let each person lead the life that the Lord 
has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. 
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, 
do all to the glory of God. 
1 Corinthians 7:17, 10:31 ESV

It’s best to come to God’s Word humbly,
knowing how little we know.

Teach me your way, O LORD, 
that I may walk in your truth; 
unite my heart to fear your name.
Psalm 86:11 ESV

If any of you lacks wisdom, 
let him ask God, 
who gives generously to all 
without reproach, 
and it will be given to him. 
James 1:5 ESV

Also: Psalm 119:18

We serve an awesome God
who actually concerns Himself
with keeping us from stumbling.
Shall we not depend on Him daily to do so?
May we rely on God to keep us from sin,
as much as we do for every other blessing.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling
and to present you blameless
before the presence of his glory with great joy,
to the only God, our Savior,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority,
before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Jude 24-25 ESV

We can depend on God
to forgive our sins
and to keep us
from sinning.

Who can discern his errors? 
Declare me innocent from hidden faults. 
Keep back your servant also 
from presumptuous sins; 
let them not have dominion over me! 
Then I shall be blameless, 
and innocent of great transgression.
Psalm 19:12-13 ESV

Ours is the joy of telling children
about the wonderful works of God.
If we tell them properly, the experience
is delightful for everyone involved.

We will not hide them from their children, 
but tell to the coming generation 
the glorious deeds of the LORD, 
and his might, and the wonders 
that he has done. 
Psalm 78:4 ESV