Coffee With The Lord

I LOVE THE BIBLE – GOD’S WORD! (You guessed that, huh?)

Since beginning a daily time with the Lord in His word every day as a teenager, I’ve discovered that it gives me Spiritual nourishment, reliable guidance, therapeutic encouragement, direct correction (when I need it), protection against temptation and sin, and a strong anchor in all that life brings my way. (I probably could come up with more benefits – and so could you. But those were the ones that came to mind this morning.)

As a result, when I read these words during “Coffee with the Lord” today I found myself saying a hearty “AMEN!” to the words of the Psalmist in the longest chapter (and Psalm) of the Bible…

“My heart stands in awe of Your words! I rejoice at Your word like one who finds great spoil. I love Your law! … Great peace have those who love Your law – nothing can make them stumble! … My soul keeps Your testimonies; I love them exceedingly! I keep Your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before You.” (From Psalm 119:161-168)

With my Bible on my lap this morning I paused to express my thanksgiving and gratitude to God for His wonderful word! Hope you feel that way about the Bible as well!

Hey, here’s good news!!! “You who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deed, He [Jesus] has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death [what He accomplished by dying on the cross for our sin!] in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel!” (From Colossians 1:21-23 ESV)

You may have heard someone say this about another person:  “THEY HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION – THEY’RE AS GOOD AS THEIR WORD.”  What a compliment!

Several things in my Bible reading this morning reinforced the truth of that statement… especially as it relates to God.  He has a great reputation – HE IS TRUE TO HIS WORD!

This morning I read these words… “The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.” (Luke 16:10)  The context is Jesus giving His disciples instructions regarding how they should steward material things or handle “mammon” (money).  But it applies to God… He is the One who is the personification of faithfulness – He is faithful in much and little!

The clincher for me today though was reading Psalm 119:140… “Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it!”

Joshua reminded God’s people, Israel as they were about to enter the Promised Land, “Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord has made to the house of Israel has failed; all have come to pass!” (Joshua 21:45)

Apostle Paul declared, “All the promises of God find their ‘Yes!’ in Him (i.e. Christ).  That is why it is through Him that we utter our ‘Amen!’ (‘Yes! Let it be so!’) to God for His glory!” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

God is faithful!  He keeps His promises!  My grandfather, Bede LeRoy Shirley, once told me… “God is faithful, LeRoy!  He’s as good as His word!  He keeps His promises!”  My mother, Vera Constance Shirley Bartel, told me the same thing (and my dad, Ewalt Bartel, reaffirmed it with his heavy German brogue … ‘Ya, das is true – das is goot!”).  They found it to be true in every aspect of their lives!  I’ve personally found it to be true in my life, as well!  God is faithful!  He’s as good as His word!  He keeps His promises!  I’ve affirmed this truth to my children… and I’m depending on them to tell their children, and their children to tell their children…

So this morning this is what I said personally to God…“Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it!” (Psalm 119:140)