Psalm 113-115
Sometimes when you’re reading the Bible, certain verses may jump out at you. They may be some which you have read many times, without much notice. Suddenly that verse or those verses are for you.
When that happens, God is speaking to you, and He wants you to know about it. He is giving you a promise, and he wants you to believe it. If you pray that promise back to Him and speak it out into the atmosphere, you will see that promise come to pass.
I knew a lady several years ago who had wanted a baby, but who had not been able to get pregnant. She and her husband had prayed about it and they had even seen a doctor about it, but to no avail. One day, as she was reading Psalm 113, the last verse leapt off the page. “He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children.” (113:9)
My friend took that verse to heart and began to pray it back to God. She also began to speak it into the atmosphere and to thank God for the promise. Within a short period of time, my friend was pregnant – and soon the joyful mother of a child.
There is power in the Word of God which He speaks to you. First of all, as you say it, it brings faith to you. Then, as you contend for it, you will see it come to pass.
If there is an area of your life which seems to be causing you some pain, seek God’s Word for something which speaks to you. You will see dramatic turnarounds come to you also as you vie for God’s best in your life.
Through faith and patience we inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:12).
I Corinthians 6
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? You have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (V.20)
As we have already said, Corinth was a liscentious city. (Think the present day concept of Las Vegas, and you start approaching Corinth). In Corinth, the people literally worshiped the goddess of sex and immorality, therefore there were thousands of prostitutes surrounding the temple.
Paul really spared no words, however, when he was trying to straighten our their corrupt thinking. These people had grown up with such sin around, they thought it was normal.
In our present day society, sin is abounding also. According to the movies and TV, if people ever go on a date, they jump into bed with each other. It’s almost as if that is expected. No wonder our young people get so confused and get into so much trouble.
God designed it one way. He designed sex to be between two married people – and nobody else. That means that no two people who aren’t married are ordained for sex. Paul is trying to get that across.
I have something in my possession which is dear to me, and I have used it to give talks to young girls. It’s the most romantic item I have ever encountered. I’ll tell you about it.
My parents were married in their twenties and lived a long and happy life together until my father’s death 50+ years later. They had some battles along the way which they fought together. The hardships of financial lack and sickness raised their heads, but they fought through them together.
At the end of her life, my mother came to live with us, and of course, brought all of the things which were important to her.
After my mother’s death, as I was going through her belongings, I came across her wedding nightgown which she had saved all of those years. Many women save their wedding dress, but my mother saved her nightgown.
This beautiful satin gown with rows of lace spoke volumes to me. You see, their lives had been lived God’s way. They were virgins when they got married, and they had only had sex with each other all of their lives. Her wedding nightgown was a romantic token of their devoted love for each other. A token she even cherished until her death.
To many of you, this may seem far-fetched. However, that’s God’s design. Our society has moved so far beyond God’s plan, that His idea seems far-fetched. (Really our own ideas are the ones which are far-fetched).
The people who live their lives God’s way have a special blessing which only they can understand. It’s there for all of us if we enter in.
Maybe you say today, well it’s too late for me. I’ve already strayed so far from His plan that there is no hope.
There is always hope. When we turn to God sincerely, He washes away all that has gone before and we get to start over. With Him, forgiveness and new starts are part of His routine. He loves you and me and wants to help us get to the next step.
We just have to do it.
