The Lord Takes Note

Malachi 3:16
Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.

  • What incredible, precious blessing and comfort is promised to those who fear God and fellowship in His presence. It is amazing to think that The Lord takes note of the times we have delighted in recounting His testimonies and promises. He pays attention when we come together and encourage one another in His Word. Not only can we enjoy our hearts burning within us with joy as we fellowship but The Lord is actively listening and sharing in our joy! HALLELUJAH!!
  • They spoke often to each other! They delighted in reminding themselves and each other of the goodness and faithfulness of God. Their conversation was not about their own righteousness or the life of others. They did not give their words to criticism or complaint nor did they glorify a man. Their conversation was not earthly but heavenly, it was not fleshly but spiritual. They spoke together of The Lord and His testimonies, His victories and His provisions! It wasn’t something they only mentioned in church or when they were asked to teach, rather it was the joy of their heart and the outpouring of their personal meditation. They gloried in The Lord! They were looking unto Him, their creator, the author and finisher of their faith!
  • It is precious that we can share our burdens with one another and confess our sins to one another. Confession and transparency are important, hard conversations are absolutely necessary and vital to healthy fellowship. But let the conversation always come to Christ! May we always get to HIM and HIS great Salvation and the beauty of HIS Holiness! It is vitally important to share one another’s burdens… But we do so with hope! We do so with HIS JOY! We talk to one another of JESUS CHRIST! Our Saviour who has forgiven each one of us MUCH!! Hallelujah! Bless His name! Thank you Jesus!

Matthew 12
35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”


  • Oh, may our hearts produce good fruit for our creator. May we pour out in conversation and conduct the good fruits of HIS Life, HIS Spirit and HIS Word! Let us encourage one another brothers and sisters! Share Jesus with each other. Enjoy HIM together! That is where He is most greatly glorified!
  • Oh may we learn to be careful with our tongues. May our conversation be always in God’s presence, with His listening ear in mind. May we speak with JOY and may we speak with reverence.
  • The Lord is listening and He is taking notes!

Why Are You Fearful?

Turner, Joseph Mallord William; Fishermen at Sea; Tate; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/fishermen-at-sea-117749

Psalm 42
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.

  • Twice in this psalm, and once again in Psalm 43, the writer asks his soul, ‘WHY are you cast down? Why is your peace gone?!’ It is an exasperated question. He is not just curious for the answer, but is asking ‘What GOOD reason do you have to feel this frustration, fear, depression?! What has distracted you?’
  • The exasperation is emphasised in that he already knows the remedy to his troubled heart. He chastens his own soul and reminds himself of The Lord! Hallelujah! With the presence and provision of The Lord so close, why is my soul troubled? How can that be? But the solution is not in investigating the trouble of the heart, the solution is to turn all attention and focus on The Lord!

Psalm 42
5 … You hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His presence.

  • You hope in God!! His answer is to tell his soul to remember The Lord and to TRUST in Him! Remember His testimonies and His faithfulness, remember His promises, remember His great Love with which He loves us, remember that He is unchanging and true, and by faith, WAIT EXPECTANTLY on His deliverance and salvation!
  • The psalmist says hope NOW! He will praise NOW! He will rejoice in the victory now! He will wait EXPECTANTLY!! With such an expectant hope we can praise Him NOW for coming victory! Hallelujah! We can rejoice in the victory that’s already won!
  • By FAITH the writer already had the blessing! He would continue to praise and rejoice, despite his circumstance, because he truly trusted in The Lord! He chose to believe God and utterly yielded the outcome of his life to The Lord and surrendered to His will! 
  • His flesh was suffering, his world was turning upside down, his heart was broken, everything was in turmoil… but his heart, his soul would look expectantly to The Lord and rejoice in His presence and Salvation! In the middle of the storm He chose to look to The Lord and rejoice! 

Matthew 8
23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
24 And suddenly a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping.
25 And the disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us, we are going to die!”
26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

  • His disciples followed Him. Notice that detail. Jesus was with them. They were walking with The Lord, following His steps, living in His presence, yet the storm came! A life altering, life-threatening storm! Completely beyond their capability or control. The Good Shepherd will not always lead His sheep to the green pastures and still waters. Sometimes He will lead His sheep the difficult way, because He is the Good Shepherd and He knows how to lead His sheep.
  • The disciples were mostly fishermen. They would have done what they could to steady the boat. They tried… But it was when they came to the end of themselves and simply cried to Jesus that Salvation was realised! Our flesh naturally wants control, order, comfort but LIFE will only ever come from the Life giver! He alone is our EVERYTHING! 
  • Then Jesus asks them, “Why are you fearful?”. The question is a similar tone to the writer in Psalm 42. Why?! What good reason do you have to be afraid? I am with you! It is a powerful lesson to learn that whilst we are going in the way that Jesus leads, we need fear NO evil! Our outward circumstance may seem dire, life-threatening even but Jesus asks “Why are you fearful?”
  • JESUS WAS SLEEPING! HIS LIFE WAS PEACEFULLY RESTING! Jesus is utterly yielded to the Father’s will! Completely trusting in Him! Jesus demonstrates, to His disciples and to us, the life that we can have in Him. There is a peace that passes understanding to be enjoyed when we truly trust our lives to The Father’s will.
  • Cast yourself upon Jesus’ goodness! If we truly trust then like Paul we can truly

1 Thessalonians 5
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

  • These are not commands that we are to obey but liberties that we can enjoy in Christ as we completely surrender ourselves to HIS will and His leading. If we truly trust in our Lord Jesus Christ we will be free to REJOICE ALWAYS!! We will pray ALWAYS! We will be so incredibly grateful for how He proves Himself faithful and true time and time and time again!! Faith ends in sight but it leads to love! Oh how we will love Him when we truly choose to trust Him. Hallelujah!
  • Brother, sister, why are you fearful? Why are you downcast? Why are you frustrated? Why are you without peace? Turn your eyes upon The Lord, look to Jesus! Hope you in God! Christ is in the vessel! His life is at rest! Be utterly yielded and trusting in The Father’s Will for His Will is Life and Life more abundantly for His disciples! Those who follow after Christ can rest as He does no matter how the storm rages! We can rest and rejoice in Him! Hallelujah!

You Are The Light

Matthew 5
13” You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its saltiness, how shall it be salted again? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

  • YOU ARE the salt and light! God the Father, by His Son Jesus Christ, has set His Light, and His Testimony upon His people! This is an incredible truth to meditate on. God Almighty has set HIS Glory on HIS people! Jesus Christ is The Light of the word but now He is that same Light within His people! You are to be a vessel for His Light that the darkness cannot comprehend or overcome! Hallelujah!
  • However, the salt can lose its saltiness, the light can become covered and you can choose to walk in the flesh instead of The Spirit. Just as Jesus is the Light so He is the salt! There is a weighty responsibility upon you to maintain that saltiness and to let that light shine! There is a vital need to abide in Christ, to maintain His abiding in you. We are to maintain His saltiness, we are to LET our light shine. 
  • There is a secret place where we can abide under the shadow and care of The Almighty. NOTHING can harm us there! NO ENEMY, NO DARKNESS can enter that place! We are commanded to abide there! But we can choose to leave. We can be distracted, we can be negligent, we can focus on self… May we be ever so careful to abide; to maintain our saltiness; to let our light shine forth out of our hearts, conversation and conduct! 

Isaiah 60
1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

  • YOUR Light has come, now it is YOU who must arise and shine HIS Light!! The glory of God has risen upon you! Oh give that much thought!! HALLELUJAH!! 
  • Oh may the world look at us and understand that we have been with Jesus!! (Acts 4:13) He is so worthy to be glorified in our conversation and conduct! May we praise Him in our actions, may His testimony be our reputation! May we bear MUCH fruit, shine ever so bright and be a precious flavour of Christ… As we are careful to abide in Him.

“Brethren, the Master will take care of the great lighthouse of salvation, but it is our job to keep the lower lights burning to guide men safely to Him.” – DL Moody

Thirst & Drink

Revelation 21
6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.

Revelation 22
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

  • He that thirsts may drink as much as He desires!! There is no other specification or requirement. However, notice that the invitation is exclusively given to those who THIRST! This water is not given by association, it is not promised to those who call themselves “Christian”, it is not given to church members, good people, or even elders or pastors. The water of Life is ONLY for those who thirst and desire.

Psalm 27
4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple.

  • It is easy to desire. Many desire to go to heaven, many have a desire to be right with God, to know His presence, to be considered good and faithful servants in His Kingdom.
  • But it is not enough to desire only. There must be a seeking after, a searching out, a hunger, and a thirst… There must be an action taken! This is a faithful principle  in scripture.

Matthew 7
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

  • EVERYONE who asks receives but only everyone WHO ASKS!
  • EVERYONE who seeks shall find but only everyone WHO SEEKS!
  • EVERYONE who knocks shall have the door opened for them but the door will only be opened to everyone WHO KNOCKS!
  • Have you asked The Lord for His abundance? Have you sought for His will? Have you knocked on the door of His secret place? Have you thirsted for the waters of His Life and Life more abundantly? Or has your appetite subsided? Have you had enough? You don’t need any more?
  • There is a promise of blessings far more precious than we can ever comprehend if we would simply have the faith to act! Nothing more is required! NOTHING!! Believe The Lord, believe His Word! Hallelujah!

Matthew 7
11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those WHO ASK Him!

  • Brother, sister… If you are thirsty, if you lack, come, drink of HIS water; ask, seek, knock and believe!

Shut Your Door

Matthew 6
6 But you, when youpray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

  • YOU! When YOU pray! Close YOUR door! Pray to YOUR Father! Hallelujah! Oh what an invitation! What an opportunity! To be alone with Our Father in Heaven. YOU, and HIM. Oh how often we despise this invitation! How often we prioritise self. We make time to get ready for work but not to commit the day to The Lord! How often we make sure we have our breakfast and morning coffee but give little to no thought to being alone with The Father, Our Father. We choose to spend hours scrolling worthless things when we could choose to spend time in the presence of Almighty God! Oh how fickle we are! 
  • Jesus speaks plainly here. He speaks directly to you, to me, the individual. Oh give this verse much thought! Do you prioritise your time alone with The Father? Is that the greatest part of your day? What on earth could be better?! Is He where your treasure is?
  • It is a command with a most wonderful and precious promise! Hallelujah! Go to your room, shut your door and pray to YOUR FATHER! When you go, when you shut your door, when you pray… He WILL hear! Hallelujah!

Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

  • There is a secret place where WE are invited to be with The Almighty! Hallelujah! Consider that! Where else would you want to be?! Why would you want to be anywhere else? A place that is to be sought for. It is a private place that no other can enter. It is a place for you and The Father alone! Oh what a precious opportunity and invitation. A private audience with the source of all life, the source of all satisfaction, the source of all peace, hope, strength, joy and provision! Living in HIS presence!
  • It is a place where we can choose to stay! We can LIVE in that place! We need never leave! Nothing and no one can ever harm us there! The flesh life may undergo all kinds of tribulation and trial but our spirit can abide safe and secure from all alarm! Fearless, restful with fullness of Joy and pleasures forevermore! Hallelujah!
  • YOU… GO! Go to YOUR room and shut YOUR door! Find that secret place and shut out the world and all other distractions! Be alone with YOUR Father, THE FATHER! Hallelujah! Go be in HIS presence and when your body gets up to leave that room, let your heart/spirit remain in Him!