"Nothing Compares"
By Zach Wood
Psalm 86:8-10
Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.
Each of us have times when we discover something that becomes a favorite to us. Each of us has a favorite pizza. Each of us has a favorite flavor of ice cream. Each of us has a favorite place to go and shop for clothes. Each of us has a favorite place to vacation. Each of us has a favorite restaurant we enjoy making repeated visits to. Each of us has a favorite CD we like to listen to. Each of us has a favorite beverage.
These things are special to us. We remember them. No matter what other pizza, ice cream, CD or store we go to, nothing seems to compare to what our favorite is. There is just nothing like our favorite.
When I read this passage in Psalm, I cannot help but think how there is no other god except the true Living God Who gives us the best life we could ever hope to live. Many of us have tried so many different ways of living. We try to live this way or that way and we just want to live a life that is like no other. We try following people and how they live, but the truth is, once we discover Who God is and learn of His marvelous deeds, nothing quite compares to anyone else. There are no other gods we could live for and experience what we do when we follow and live for the One True God.
There is only One True God. Nothing can compare to Him. I am so thankful that I can worship a God Who loves me unconditionally, Who gives me another chance when I mess up again and again, Who comforts me when I am falling apart in my life. This is a God Whom I want to serve. I do not desire to serve anyone else. There is no other god who could love me, guide me and direct me. Bottom line, there is no other true and living God. There is only One who came to die on a Cross and is real and living. I am so thankful I serve a God who is the Real Thing.
Nothing compares to the One True Living God.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
I Will, Lord, I Will
"I Will, Lord, I Will"
By Zach Wood
Psalm 9:1-2
I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
I remember as a child being told to clean my room, take out the garbage and wash dishes. These were the main chores among others I had to do. I did not really enjoy my chores and would have rather done many other things. What kid really enjoys chores and wants to do them? We want to play as kids and do not feel like doing things we consider hard work. Most of the time I did my chores with a "have to do this" attitude thinking "just want to get this over with and done". I know my parents are reading this devotional and can remember those times when I did my chores.
There are many things we do in life that we do not enjoy. Things at work, at home and at church. That is a part of life. We are not going to like every single thing we are asked to do. Sometimes in our minds we are thinking, "If I just hurry and get this done, I can do the other things I REALLY want to do". It happens to all of us. It is normal to like some things we do and not like some things we are asked to do and need to do.
I cannot help but think we treat our relationship with God in this way at time. God desires us to praise His name, tell of His wonders and rejoice in Him. But so many times the way we live our lives does not show any desire in glorifying Him or exalting Him. We must make the choice in our hearts to desire Him and and live for Him. If our hearts are truly desiring Him and we want to live for Him, then this passage in Psalms will come to life in us! If we are sold out and dedicated in our lives to worship Him, we will praise Him. We will rejoice in Him! We will sing His praises!
Do you find yourself living to praise Him? Do you find yourself hungry and desiring Him above anything else? Is He your priority? Will you stop at nothing to glorify His name? These are questions to take to heart and pray about.
By Zach Wood
Psalm 9:1-2
I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
I remember as a child being told to clean my room, take out the garbage and wash dishes. These were the main chores among others I had to do. I did not really enjoy my chores and would have rather done many other things. What kid really enjoys chores and wants to do them? We want to play as kids and do not feel like doing things we consider hard work. Most of the time I did my chores with a "have to do this" attitude thinking "just want to get this over with and done". I know my parents are reading this devotional and can remember those times when I did my chores.
There are many things we do in life that we do not enjoy. Things at work, at home and at church. That is a part of life. We are not going to like every single thing we are asked to do. Sometimes in our minds we are thinking, "If I just hurry and get this done, I can do the other things I REALLY want to do". It happens to all of us. It is normal to like some things we do and not like some things we are asked to do and need to do.
I cannot help but think we treat our relationship with God in this way at time. God desires us to praise His name, tell of His wonders and rejoice in Him. But so many times the way we live our lives does not show any desire in glorifying Him or exalting Him. We must make the choice in our hearts to desire Him and and live for Him. If our hearts are truly desiring Him and we want to live for Him, then this passage in Psalms will come to life in us! If we are sold out and dedicated in our lives to worship Him, we will praise Him. We will rejoice in Him! We will sing His praises!
Do you find yourself living to praise Him? Do you find yourself hungry and desiring Him above anything else? Is He your priority? Will you stop at nothing to glorify His name? These are questions to take to heart and pray about.
Monday, October 3, 2011
He Is
"He Is"
By Zach Wood
Psalm 18:1-2
I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
There are some things in life that we wish were for sure and guaranteed. We wish our health was guaranteed good for as long as we live. We wish people could all get along all the time. We wish our finances would always remain constant and cover the bills each month. So many things we wish could be constant and for sure. However, that is just not the way life is.
When I think of all the things in this life that are not guaranteed or are guaranteed, but bring major disappointment, I am reminded that I can look to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for constant, unchanging love and protection. This verse is powerful and should be on our hearts each day. HE IS our strength. HE IS our rock. HI IS our fortress. HE IS our deliverer. HE IS the rock in whom we take refuge. HE IS our shield and salvation and our stronghold. Those statements ring with proclamation!
The question is, do we truly believe God is our everything? Do we truly believe He is our ultimate source of strength? Do we truly love Him and trust in Him enough to follow Him and give Him all we are and are not and let Him direct us?
Could you imagine if this verse read, "The Lord might be our rock, could be our fortress and deliverer. He might be someone in whom we could take refuge and possibly be our stronghold"? If we read that, we would completely fall apart! There would be no trusting totally in God for what He could do. Aren't you glad you don't serve a God who "might" be there for us and who "possibly" can save and protect us?
HE IS the only One we can fully rely on! HE IS the only risen Son of Man! HE IS the only begotten Son of God! Wow! Aren't you thankful HE IS our sufficiency???
Amen.
By Zach Wood
Psalm 18:1-2
I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
There are some things in life that we wish were for sure and guaranteed. We wish our health was guaranteed good for as long as we live. We wish people could all get along all the time. We wish our finances would always remain constant and cover the bills each month. So many things we wish could be constant and for sure. However, that is just not the way life is.
When I think of all the things in this life that are not guaranteed or are guaranteed, but bring major disappointment, I am reminded that I can look to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for constant, unchanging love and protection. This verse is powerful and should be on our hearts each day. HE IS our strength. HE IS our rock. HI IS our fortress. HE IS our deliverer. HE IS the rock in whom we take refuge. HE IS our shield and salvation and our stronghold. Those statements ring with proclamation!
The question is, do we truly believe God is our everything? Do we truly believe He is our ultimate source of strength? Do we truly love Him and trust in Him enough to follow Him and give Him all we are and are not and let Him direct us?
Could you imagine if this verse read, "The Lord might be our rock, could be our fortress and deliverer. He might be someone in whom we could take refuge and possibly be our stronghold"? If we read that, we would completely fall apart! There would be no trusting totally in God for what He could do. Aren't you glad you don't serve a God who "might" be there for us and who "possibly" can save and protect us?
HE IS the only One we can fully rely on! HE IS the only risen Son of Man! HE IS the only begotten Son of God! Wow! Aren't you thankful HE IS our sufficiency???
Amen.
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