If you know me, or have read my profile on my www.seekyefirstthekingdom.net site, you know that I am a pilot. One interesting thing about flying, particularly flying an instrument final approach into an airport when the clouds are close to the ground, is transitioning from focusing solely on instruments to navigate to seeing the ground “breaking-out” below the clouds and flying the short remaining seconds or minutes looking outside.

After trusting the instruments to identify where you are for minutes or hours previously, it is always a relief to see the runway out in front of the airplane, just where the instruments said it should be. Every time it is a rewarding feeling to see everything clearly rather than having to rely on the instruments in anticipation of seeing with my own eyes.

In a way I think Psalm 119:18 describes something similar, saying, “Uncover my eyes so that I may see the miraculous things in your teachings.” GW

On occasion God does “uncover our eyes” and makes some Biblical teaching crystal clear to us; We have what some call an “ah ha” moment. It is a very rewarding feeling to recognize when this happens, and hopefully the better understanding helps us act more in line with God’s will.

Dear Lord, thank you for giving us the bible as our guidebook for our lives. Thank you also for revealing the miraculous things in your teachings. Help us use them for your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God uses many people with troubled pasts to tell his story in the Bible, murderers, prostitutes, thieves, tax collectors, and others. This helps us all understand that God doesn’t require us to be “good,” to be saved; He can make us “right” with him no matter where we start. The moment we ask for forgiveness, God grants it. The important thing is that we ask.

Nathan, the prophet, comes to David, the King of Israel, in 2 Samuel 12, and tells David a story illustrating the terrible thing David did by having Bathsheba’s husband killed and taking Bathsheba as his wife. When David realized what a terrible thing he had done, he repents. His words are written in Psalm 51, and may sound familiar to those who attend traditional church services. Verses 10-12, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with your free Spirit.”

The Living Bible writes verse 10, “Create in me a new, clean heart, O god, filled with clean thoughts and right desires.” and verse 12, “Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.”

We all fail in our resistance to temptation. God knows, He and is there waiting to forgive us. Let us give up our pride, and confess our faults, ask for God’s forgiveness, so that we can experience the joy that comes with a “clean heart.”

Dear Lord, we are sorry for our failure to follow your will. Forgive us and give us the desire to obey you. Thank you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I occasionally have tried to describe God to myself in a few words, and what I come down to most often is that God is Power and Love.

Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy, 2 Timothy 1:7, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.”

When we are filled with God’s Spirit we also receive God’s power and love flowing through us. Fortunately, Paul also tells us the Spirit provides “self-discipline” or as some Bible versions translate it, “self-control,” which we men and women often need more of.

With these gifts from the Spirit, it is no wonder that Christians throughout history have done amazing things for their fellow men and women.

Dear Lord, give us your Spirit so that we may be filled with the power, love, and discipline to do your will on earth. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

I like to read Proverbs. It is full of life lessons and guidance. Many of the passages refer to being “Righteous.” For example,…the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous…the Lord delivers them from their troubles…the righteous will inherit the land….the mouths of the righteous utter wisdom….

So what is meant by “the Righteous?” In worldly terms, righteous means “good conduct” or “virtuous”

In the Bible, the apostle Paul clarifies God’s meaning of “righteous” in Romans 1:17 “For in the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed – a righteousness that is by faith from first to last. As it is written “the righteous will live by faith”. NIV

The answer to the question “What is meant by righteous?” is, We are righteous by faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ who saved us. Faith in this Gospel is what makes us righteous, not our good behavior or virtue.

Dear Lord, Thank you that we know that we are righteous, right with You, through our faith in Your gift of Salvation. Help us live by faith to do Your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The old testament law prescribed specific types of sacrifices to be made for different sins, burnt offerings,sin offerings, trespass offerings, different offerings for intentional and unintentional sins, and many other variations. In addition, it specified how each animal was to be prepared for the sacrifice, and what had to be done with all the parts. Many of the details are written in Numbers 15. I imagine the priests in the temple were constantly working on preparing and conducting sacrifices. This was very serious and important activity for people at the time, as they strived to follow the directions God had given them.

We can only imagine how dramatic a change it must have been for the Jews after Jesus’ resurrection. The disciples were preaching and teaching that these sacrifices were no longer necessary. Jesus’ had became the one and only sacrifice for all sins.

Hebrews 10:14-18 says, “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.”

This text references back to prophesies of Jeremiah that there would come a time when the sacrifices would no longer be required. This prophesy was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, you are the sacrifice that takes away the sin of the world. We no longer are required to offer sacrifices, we only need to accept your sacrifice in order to be forgiven and made right with God. Work in our hearts to accept this gift with gratitude and confidence. In Your name we pray. Amen.