Dawn 2 Dusk Joy That Remembers His NameSome days, joy feels like a decision more than a feeling. Psalm 97:12 calls God’s people to do both: to rejoice in the Lord and to turn that joy into thankful praise, especially as we remember who He is—holy, faithful, and near. Rejoicing Is Not Denial—It’s Allegiance Rejoicing doesn’t mean pretending life is easy; it means choosing a Person over your problems. Joy anchors itself in God’s unchanging rule, not in today’s changing headlines or moods. That’s why Scripture can command it without being cruel: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). The joy is “in the Lord”—not in outcomes, not in comfort, not in control. When you rejoice, you’re declaring where your loyalty lives. You’re saying, “God is still God, and I am still His.” And that kind of joy has substance because it grows in His presence: “in Your presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11). Fullness—not scraps. Not borrowed. Not fragile. The Righteous Rejoice Because Grace Rewrote Their Story Psalm 97:12 addresses “you righteous ones,” and that can sound intimidating until you remember how God makes sinners right. We don’t rejoice because we’ve performed our way into goodness; we rejoice because mercy has brought us near and begun to change us. The same God who calls us to holiness also supplies what He commands: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). So yes, righteousness includes a real turning from sin—but it starts with being rescued. That’s why worship and repentance belong together. Gratitude grows when you remember what you’ve been forgiven, what you’ve been spared, and what you’ve been promised. Joy rises when you realize God didn’t just clean up your past; He secured your future. Thankfulness Is Worship With Traction Gratitude isn’t a vague positive attitude; it’s a way of entering God’s presence on purpose. “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and bless His name” (Psalm 100:4). Thankfulness gives worship traction—it moves praise from theory to practice, from church language to daily speech, from “someday” to now. And it’s God’s will that this becomes your rhythm: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Not because every circumstance is good, but because God is, and He never wastes what He allows. Father, thank You for Your holiness and Your mercy; fill my heart with joy in You today—help me to rejoice, to give thanks, and to praise Your name with obedience. Amen. Evening with A.W. Tozer The Danger of Misplaced CommitmentFaith in Jesus is not commitment to your church or denomination. I believe in the local church; I am not a tabernacle man. I believe in the divine assembly. We ought to realize that we are, as a group of Christians, a divine assembly, a cell in the body of Christ, alive with His life. But not for one second would I try to create in you a faith that would lead you to commit yourself irrevocably to a local church or to your church leaders. You are not asked to follow your church leaders. You are not asked like a little robin on the nest to open your innocent little mouth and just take anything I put in. If what I put in is not biblical food, regurgitate and do not be afraid to do it. Call me or come see me or write me an anonymous letter. But do something about it. Do not, by any means, swallow what your leaders give you. Here is the book, the Bible; go to it. Faith is faith in Jesus Christ, Gods Son. It is total faith in Christ and not in a denomination or church, though you may love the church and respect and love your leaders and your denomination. But your commitment is to Christ. Music For the Soul The Perfection of HopeEvery one that hath this hope set on Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. - 1 John 3:3. What constitutes perfect hope? First, that it shall be certain; and no earthly hope is so. For we all know that there blends with, and shadows the brightness of, every such anticipation an opposite possibility. "It may be; it may not be.’ And when thus " hopes and fears that kindle hope" are blended as "an indistinguishable throng," and we are tossed from one to the other as a shuttlecock between two battledores, there can be no perfection of hope. If my anticipations are set upon contingent things, they must vary with their objects. You cannot build a solid house on a quagmire; you must have rock for that. So, the only perfect hope is that which grasps a perfect certainty. Christian hope ought to be, if I might so say, screwed up to the level of that on which it is fastened. It is a shame that Christian people should be wavering in their anticipations of that which in itself is certain. A sure and steadfast hope is the only perfect hope. Again, the perfection of hope lies in its being patient, persistent through discouragement, burning bright in the darkness, like a pillar of fire by night; and most of all in its being operative upon life, and contributing to steadfastness of endurance and to energy of effort. This is exactly what the feeble and fluctuating hopes of earth never do. For the more a man is living in anticipation of an uncertain good, the less is he able to fling himself with wholeness of purpose and effort into the duties and enjoyments of the present. But a perfect hope will be the ally and not the darkener of the brightness of the present. And if we hope as we should for that we see not, then shall we with patience wait for it. I fancy that the experience of most men is that the more they indulge in the pleasant, but profitless, amusement of forecasting to themselves future earthly good, the less are they fit for the strenuous work of to-day. To-morrow deceives us when it is an earthly to-morrow. But " every man that hath this hope in Christ," and only the man who has, " purifies himself even as He is pure." Here, then, is the sort of hope which it is laid upon us Christian people consciously to try to cherish, one which is fixed and certain, one which is the mother of patience and endurance, one which persists through and triumphs over all trouble and sorrow, one which nerves us for effort and opens our eyes to appreciate the blessings of the present, and one which wars against all uncleanness and lifts us up in aspiration and aim towards the purity of Jesus Christ. Think of the blessedness of living thus, lifted up above all the uncertainties that rack men when they think about to-morrow. Try to realise the blessedness of escaping from the disappointments which come from all earthward-turned expectations, when the radiant bubble bursts, and there is nothing left in our hands but a little dirty soap-suds, as is the case with so many of our fulfilled anticipations of good. Try to realise the blessedness of escaping from that despairing hopelessness that creeps over men as life ebbs away and the years diminish. And remember the buoyant words of the Psalmist, who, because God was his hope, therefore, though he was "old and grey-headed," sang, "I shall hope continually." The brightest blaze of Christian hope may be on the verge of the darkness of the grave. Spurgeon: Morning and Evening John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me. This declaration involves the doctrine of election: there are some whom the Father gave to Christ. It involves the doctrine of effectual calling: these who are given must and shall come; however stoutly they may set themselves against it, yet they shall be brought out of darkness into God's marvellous light. It teaches us the indispensable necessity of faith; for even those who are given to Christ are not saved except they come to Jesus. Even they must come, for there is no other way to heaven but by the door, Christ Jesus. All that the Father gives to our Redeemer must come to him, therefore none can come to heaven except they come to Christ. Oh! the power and majesty which rest in the words "shall come." He does not say they have power to come, nor they may come if they will, but they "shall come." The Lord Jesus doth by his messengers, his word, and his Spirit, sweetly and graciously compel men to come in that they may eat of his marriage supper; and this he does, not by any violation of the free agency of man, but by the power of his grace. I may exercise power over another man's will, and yet that other man's will may be perfectly free, because the constraint is exercised in a manner accordant with the laws of the human mind. Jehovah Jesus knows how, by irresistible arguments addressed to the understanding, by mighty reasons appealing to the affections, and by the mysterious influence of his Holy Spirit operating upon all the powers and passions of the soul, so to subdue the whole man, that whereas he was once rebellious, he yields cheerfully to his government, subdued by sovereign love. But how shall those be known whom God hath chosen? By this result: that they do willingly and joyfully accept Christ, and come to him with simple and unfeigned faith, resting upon him as all their salvation and all their desire. Reader, have you thus come to Jesus? Spurgeon: Faith’s Checkbook He Routs Our EnemyWhat a casting out was that! Satan has lost his throne in our nature even as he lost his seat in heaven. Our LORD Jesus has destroyed the enemy’s reigning power over us. He may worry us, but he cannot claim us as his own. His bonds are no longer upon our spirits: the Son has made us free, and we are free indeed. Still is the archenemy the accuser of the brethren; but even from this position our LORD has driven him. Our Advocate silences our accuser. The LORD rebukes our enemies and pleads the causes of our soul, so that no harm comes of all the devil’s revilings. As a tempter, the evil spirit still assails us and insinuates himself into our minds; but thence also is he cast out as to his former preeminence. He wriggles about like a serpent, but he cannot rule like a sovereign. He hurls in blasphemous thoughts when he has opportunity; but what a relief it is when he is told to be quiet and is made to slink off like a whipped cur! LORD, do this for any who are at this time worried and wearied by his barkings. Cast out their enemy, and be Thou glorious in their eyes. Thou hast cast him down; LORD, cast him out. Oh, that Thou wouldst banish him from the world! The Believer’s Daily Remembrancer I Am a Stranger in the EarthBELOVED, we are strangers and pilgrims in the earth, as all our fathers were; our days are as a shadow, and there is no abiding. We are born from above and are bound for glory. We are distant from home, where our kindred, our treasure, and our hearts are found. Here we have no fixed residence; nor should we have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. We are called to submit to many inconveniences. The Bible is our light, our food, our joy, and our directory. We want a guide, a guard, a companion, a comforter; but Jesus has engaged to fill each of these offices. We should pray for the peace of the country where we sojourn; we should not be meddlers with its concerns, but keep ourselves detached, we should be thankful for every advantage, but set and keep our affections on things above; we should neither be impatient nor reluctant in reference to going home, but submit to our Father’s will; we should consider ill-treatment as permitted to do us good; and contrast the present with our own beloved country and home. There is my house and portion fair, My treasure and my heart are there, And my abiding home; For me my elder brethen stay, And angels beckon me away And Jesus bids me come. Bible League: Living His Word "Instruct all the skilled craftsmen whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom. Have them make garments for Aaron that will distinguish him as a priest set apart for my service."— Exodus 28:3 NLT This is God's world over which He rules and reigns. Whether they recognize it or not, human beings live in subjection to Him and are held accountable to God's standard (Romans 14:12). Everyone that does acknowledge Him gets set apart in special ways for His service. When human beings get in line with their true nature, they become servants of the most high God. In what ways do we serve Him? It could be anything. It's not just priests like Aaron who serve. It's not just people set apart for church ministry. Since God rules and reigns over every area of life, He has need for servants in every area. In fact, each of us serves Him in more than one area. He has need for mothers and fathers, farmers and truckers, carpenters and plumbers, preachers and teachers, and on it goes. As our verse for today mentions, He needed skilled craftsman that could make Aaron's priestly garments. Further, when God sets us apart for service, whatever it may be, He doesn't just leave us to it. He helps us to serve Him. He gives us what we need to do the job and do it right. He gives us His Spirit to help us. That's what He did for the skilled craftsman. He gave them the spirit of wisdom necessary to make priestly garments. Aaron's garments needed to be made in a way that would indicate how he had been set apart by God. It took a special gift of the Spirit to do it right. It takes a special gift of the Holy Spirit to be a good mother too, or a father or a carpenter or a nurse. God has given talents to all people, but when a person recognizes where the talent comes from and dedicates himself or herself to kingdom service, the work becomes worship. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 61:5 For You have heard my vows, O God; You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name.Isaiah 54:17 "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD. Psalm 34:7-10 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them. • O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! • O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want. • The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing. Psalm 16:6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. Malachi 4:2 "But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.” Insight It was customary for a mother to bring her children to a rabbi for a blessing, and that is why these mothers gathered around Jesus. The disciples, however, thought the children were unworthy of the Master's time—less important than whatever else he was doing. But Jesus welcomed them because little children have the kind of faith and trust needed to enter God's kingdom. Challenge It is important that we introduce our children to Jesus. Devotional Hours Within the Bible The TransfigurationMatthew 17:1-8 , Matthew 17:14-20 Three men, Peter, James and John were with the Master when He was transfigured. All the disciples belonged to His personal family but these three were taken into the inner circle and enjoyed closest intimacy with Him. On several occasions we find Him choosing the same three for special companionship. In the Garden of Gethsemane these three were chosen to be nearest to Him, that by their sympathy and tenderness, they might strengthen Him and thus help Him to endure His sore agony. We know that the holiest will get nearest to Christ. Faith brings men near, while doubt and unbelief separate from Him. Purity of heart brings us close the pure in heart shall see God. Likeness to Christ fits for close personal friendship with Him. Jesus said that those who serve most self-forgetfully, are first in His kingdom. Selfishness keeps us far off. It is a comfort to find that Peter, though a very faulty disciple was one of those who were admitted to closest friendship with Christ. It is interesting to learn from Luke’s gospel (9:28-36) that Jesus was praying when this wonderful change in His appearance occurred. While He knelt before His Father the change began to come on His face. It is recorded of certain saintly men, that a like change has come upon them when they prayed. We learn thus that prayer has a transfiguring power. Communing with God brings heaven down into our life. It was after Moses had spent forty days on the mountain alone with God that the people saw the dazzling brightness on his face. So it was when Stephen was looking up into heaven, beholding the glory of God, that even his enemies saw his face as if it had been the face of an angel. Only the upward look can give heavenly beauty. Our communings make our character. If we think only of earthly things we shall grow earthly. If we dote on gold, our lives will harden into sordidness. If we look up toward God we shall grow like God. A life of prayer will transform us into spirituality and bring upon us the beauty of the Lord. Not only was the face of Jesus transfigured but His very garments shone. A writer suggests that the garments here may represent the circumstances and experiences of the Christian’s life. When one lives near Christ, everything that concerns him is transfigured for example, care. Every life has its cares, its burdens, its anxieties its experiences that would naturally fret and vex the spirit. Paul tells us that if we make known all our requests to God, the peace of God shall guard our hearts and our thoughts. The same is true of life’s toils and tasks. Many of us find life hard, with its incessant duty and drudgery. But when the secret of the Lord is in the heart we can sing songs of joy, even in the most wearisome way. The same is true of sorrow. Every life has sorrow. But if Christ is ours, we have comfort in sorrow. Thus all the garments of life all life’s experiences and conditions are brightened by peace in the heart. While the disciples were awed by the shining on the face and garments of their Master, they became aware of the presence of heavenly visitors beside Him. “Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus!” How they learned who these men were, we are not told. Perhaps the Master told them afterward. This was something very wonderful. For more than nine hundred years Elijah had been in heaven, and for more than fourteen hundred years Moses had been away from this world; both reappear here on the earth, still living, speaking and working! There are many proofs of immortality; here is an illustration we see two men long centuries after they had lived on earth still alive and busy in God’s service! It will be the same with us and our friends thousands of years after we have vanished from earth we shall still be alive and active. This is a great thought. If we could only get it into our heart how much grander it would make all life for us! We would then form our plans to cover thousands of years not merely the little space which we now call time . The transfiguration was not a purposeless incident in the story of Jesus. Evidently it was intended to prepare Him for what was before Him. It had just been discussed, that He was to die at Jerusalem. He had known long before, that He was going to the cross. Yet as He now set out on His last journey and saw the end, He needed encouragement and cheer, and it was for this that the transfiguration was given, with its embassy from heaven and its confirming voice. When we keep this purpose in mind, the meaning of the several incidents become plain. It is interesting, with this in mind, to think of the talk which these two men had with Jesus. It was about His decease, His exodus from this world, Luke tells us. They had been sent from heaven to comfort and strengthen Him as He set out on His journey to His cross. He would have bitter sorrows and great sufferings, and they came to speak their world of cheer before He entered the experience. No doubt, all the way unto the end, His heart was braver and stronger because of this visitation. Peter could not keep quiet. Even heavenly glory did not silence him. When he became aware of the wonderful splendor which he was witnessing, he proposed to keep it on the earth and not allow it to depart. “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Peter was right it was good to be there. But at this very moment work was waiting for Jesus at the foot of the mountain. There was a poor demoniac there, whom the disciples could not cure. Then, farther off, were Gethsemane and Calvary for Jesus; and for Peter there was Pentecost, with years of earnest apostolic service, and then martyrdom. It is very sweet to commune with God in the closet, at the Lord’s Table but we must not spend all of our time even in these holy exercises. While the raptures fill our soul we must not forget that outside are human needs and needs are crying for help and sympathy. We may not build tabernacles and keep our heavenly visions; we must get the vision into our heart and then go out to be a blessing to the world. Then came the other witnessing. Moses and Elijah had come to talk with Jesus about His death, and the blessed outcome it would have in human redemption. Then, from heaven the Father speaks, witnessing to the Messiahship of Jesus. The disciples had been greatly startled by what Jesus had said a week before that He must suffer and be killed. Their idea of the Messiah had been an earthly one. Their faith must have been strengthened by the words, “This is My beloved Son,” and by the command that they should listen to His voice and to His voice only. Even if they could not understand, and if the things He said seemed to destroy their hopes they were content now to hear. There are times when God’s ways with us seem mysterious when we think disaster is coming to every fair prospect in our life. In all such hours we should remember that He who rules over all, is the Son of God, our Friend and Savior and our trust in Him never should fail. We should listen always quietly and submissively to what He says, and when everything seems strange and dark we should never doubt nor be afraid. What so staggered the disciples then concerning the Messiahship of Jesus we see now to have been the most glorious and loving wisdom. So in our strangest trials there are the truest wisdom and richest love. This voice came out of the cloud; out of the clouds that hang over us come the voices of most divine love. When Jesus and the disciples came down next morning from the Mount of Transfiguration, they found the other disciples in trouble. In the Master’s absence and epileptic boy had been brought to them for healing. They tried to cure him but failed. When Jesus appeared, the distressed father knelt before Him, pleading that He might have mercy on his son. He told his story in all its pathos the boy’s grievous suffering, and his bitter disappointment when the disciples could not cure him. Jesus listened with compassion and then said, “Bring him here to Me.” A word from Him was enough, “The child was cured from that hour!” Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 56, 57, 58 Psalm 56 -- David's Psalm at Gath (1Sa 21) NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 57 -- David's Psalms in the Cave (1Sa 22) NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 58 -- Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 28:1-15 Acts 28 -- Paul Ashore at Malta; Preaches at Rome NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. |
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