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Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!  And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates!  Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory.

The Temple gates swinging open, symbolize the people’s desire to have God’s presence among them.

This Psalm is not only a battle cry for the church, but it also looks forward to Christ’s future entry into the new Jerusalem to reign forever. (Revelation 19:11-21).

“And because of Him  you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption. so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 ESV

… That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.”  MSG

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.

Proverbs 21:2

 People can find an excuse for doing almost anything, but God looks behind the excuse to the motives of the heart. We often have to make choices in areas where the right action is difficult to discern.

We can help ourselves make such decisions by trying to identify our motives first and then asking, “Would God be pleased with my real reasons for doing this?”

 God is not pleased when we do good deeds only to receive something in return. One must do good deeds out of divine selfless love.

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inner depths of his heart.

Proverbs 20:27

God has given each of us a conscience to tell us right from wrong. Without it, we would be unaware of the harm caused by certain actions, and we would not know how to do good either.

The conscience searches us and exposes our hidden motives. Because our consciences are not perfect, we need the additional light of God’s Word (see Psalm 119:105).

 The best way to stay on God’s path is to use both lights at once—our conscience exposing our motives and the Bible directing our steps.

Now here He comes

Now here He comes

Now here He comes

And when He comes

A change is going to come

 

A new heaven and earth

A life of no more pain

No more tears

No more suffering

No more evil

 

Just a life of perfect peace

The Day we enter God’s Rest

Face to face in God’s presence

Worshiping and praising king Jesus

  

After Jesus healed the man with with leprosy, the man fell down on his face at Jesus feet, giving Him thanks. Luke 17:16

Believers are grateful to God for His personal concern, mercy, and help. Not only does Abba, Father, forgive, protect, and guide us, everything we need He provides through His creation.

 Recognizing the advantages of knowing God enables us to appropriately convey our gratitude towards Him. By thanking God often, we develop spontaneity in our prayer life. Grateful Christians deepen their understanding of God’s grace.

 While God does not demand gratitude, He is pleased by gratitude and uses gratefulness to teach us about himself.

In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good (Ecclesiastes 11:6).

Solomon in Ecclesiastes 9:10 says “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.”

We reflect God’s character through faithfulness, forgiveness, patience, and kindness. One’s self-worth comes from being made in God’s image, not from possessions, achievements, looks, or fame.

As His image bearers we share some of His characteristics thus we can appreciate our self-worth and know He values us. Knowing that we are valuable to our Heavenly Father, helps us love and connect personally with Him and serve others.

Some say that as His image bearers the people of God can reflect His glory, with their creativity, speech, self- determination, and reason. God is our Creator therefore we will never be fully like Him.

Thank you, Father, for creating us in your image and giving us the Holy Spirit to reflect your character.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8

Only Christ not man-made approaches or solutions that disregard God is the answer to the problems in life. In resisting heresy study God’s words and keep your eyes on Christ.