Tag Archives: Christianity

His Tender Mercies are Over You

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Conservatory Photo by Porch of the Lord

“The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.” Psalm 145:9 KJV

“Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; he crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” Psalm 103:4 KJV

“Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.” Psalm 25:6 KJV

And Jesus demonstrated that tender mercy during His life and ministry and still does so today.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 NKJV

Expectation

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Caribbean Photo by Porch of the Lord

Recently, I heard a minister express an important thought–
which was that storms don’t last forever but eventually come to nought.

So if you’ve been walking through a storm, be encouraged by what he said.
As you continue to walk by faith, expect a rainbow to come out instead.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. And while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:1-6 NASB

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.”

“That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.” Ephesians 1:18-23 NIV

the name of Jesus…like the fragrance after rain…

Meditation

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God has given us instruction that’s meant to keep us from being uptight,
which is to meditate upon His Word throughout the day and night.

If you find you’re feeling troubled, with thoughts that need to be curbed,
think, instead, upon His promises, so your peace won’t be disturbed.

Just as Jesus immediately encouraged Jairus when others said his daughter had died, we need to immediately hear His voice–over ones which say victory’s been denied.

People, thoughts, and what is felt and seen may “say” otherwise than what is said in God’s Word. If we’ve meditated upon it, however, other voices won’t discourage what, through God, we’ve already heard.

P. A. Oltrogge

“How blessed is the man…(whose) delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” (from Psalm 1:1-3 NASB)

“Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Psalm 119:165 KJV

“While He (Jesus) was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official (Jairus), saying, ‘Your daughter has died, why trouble the Teacher anymore?’ But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, ‘Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.'” (from Mark 5: 21-24 and 35-43 NASB)
(…and Jesus went on to the home of Jairus and raised his daughter up.)

“…and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!'” (from Matthew 17:1-8 NASB)

Like a Well-Watered Garden

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“Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion,
streaming to the goodness of the Lord–
For wheat and new wine and oil,
For the young of the flock and the herd;
Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden,
and they shall sorrow no more at all.”

Jeremiah 31:12 NKJV

The above portion of scripture made me think
of time spent with Jesus, our Lord and King.
Such time causes the soul to be as a garden–
well-watered from His everlasting spring.

And gardens are always in need of guidance,
or else, they will only run wild.
Look to your life’s divine Gardener,
trusting in Him, for you’re God’s beloved child.

P. A. Oltrogge

“…she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?'”

“Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher).”

John 20:14-16 NASB

Nothing Halfway

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Our Lord Jesus doesn’t do things for us in a manner that’s halfway.
We need to keep that in mind in regard to that for which we pray.

Just as He provided Peter with a net-breaking, miraculous catch,
or made a few fish and loaves into an enough-for-a-multitude batch…

and as He healed the blind man who first saw men as trees that were moving,
Jesus went on to heal the man’s sight totally, His “completion” power proving.

Still today, He’s with us always, not doing things by half-measure;
but He desires to see us whole, for that’s always His will and pleasure.

And for any kind of “answer to prayer” that doesn’t seem quite right,
we wait upon the Lord for His very best, for His is the power and might.

Remember the wedding banquet, where the best wine served was the last.
It was Jesus’ miraculous touch that caused the first wine to be outclassed.

Let’s be assured He will answer our prayers in a way that’s truly complete,
thereby displaying to all, once again, that Jesus secured the devil’s defeat.

P. A. Oltrogge

See Mark 8 for the feeding of thousands and the instance of the blind man receiving full sight.

“But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8 NLT

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you with all joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ….” Philippians 1:3-6 NKJV

And Jesus’ words on the cross, “It is finished!” were words of completion of the will of God and His Father’s calling upon His life.

“But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:25-27 NASB

For more on praying in the spirit: http://www.awmi.net
Look for teaching articles on the Holy Spirit

The Exalted Lord Jesus

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“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty;
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all.”

1 Chronicles 29:11

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

“And He put all things under His (Jesus’) feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church; which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

Ephesians 1:2 and 1:22

“…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”

Acts 10:38

Scriptures NKJV

All Around Us

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“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.” Psalm 34:7 (NASB)

“The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:7-8 (NKJV)

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A Psalm to Take to Heart

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Psalm 91 NASB

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most high will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!”

For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper, and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day;

Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not approach you.

You will only look on with your eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked.

For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.

No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent.

For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.

They will bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down,

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.

“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him, and honor him.

“With a long life I will satisfy him, and let him behold My salvation.”

The Power and Authority of the Creator in the Name of Jesus

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“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners,
spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,
and upholding all things by the word of his power,
when he had by himself purged our sins,
sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
Being made so much better than the angels,
as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”
Hebrews 1:1-4 KJV

How impressive and powerful are these words that we read about God’s Son, who has been “appointed heir of all things,” and “by whom” God’s creation of the worlds was done!

How awesome to think that Jesus is the brightness or reflection of God, the Father’s, glory–and that He is His express image, as was demonstrated in many a true Biblical story.

He upholds all things by the word of His power, yet He humbled Himself to purge us of sin. Then He “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Thus, it’s through faith in Jesus that we win.

Being made so much better than the angels, the greatness of His Name is inherited from the Father, a Name more excellent than theirs. And it’s every believer’s inherited right to use the Name of Jesus, to receive answers to their prayers.

P. A. Oltrogge

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NKJV

Written after reading a devotional on this topic by Kenneth E. Hagin, founder of Rhema Bible College, Tulsa, OK