Pocket Thoughts - 8/1/25

God * keeps His children from disgrace * gives joy and gladness, thanksgiving and the sound of singing in the midst of His people * sends instruction and justice as a light to the nations – His righteousness and salvation are on the way!

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The true purpose of a test from God isn’t to watch you struggle and fail. Rather, it’s an opportunity for discovery. You’ll learn where your weaknesses are, but you’ll also recognize where your strengths lie. Most importantly, you’ll become aware of areas for growth and development. When God led the Israelites into the desert, He tested them. After seeing all of the miracles required to free them from slavery, would they trust Him? This experience would reveal to them that there was still room to grow in their faith. While it’s certainly difficult to be grateful for times of testing, we can rejoice in the process of refinement the Lord is leading us through, knowing He’s intentionally shaping our character so that we look more and more like our Savior Jesus. – TV

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Revelation 5 contains three songs of worship to the Lord. The first song praises the One declared worthy to open the scroll containing God’s plans for redemption and judgment. The second song reveals all that Jesus is worthy of receiving – power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise. The final song declares that the Father and the Lamb are to be rightly worshiped for all of eternity. The first song is delivered by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. The multitudes of heaven’s angels join in the second song. Finally, all of creation adds its voice for the third song. Clearly, worship is the “work” of heaven! Creation and mankind – freed from the devastating effects of sin – join with all of heaven and rejoice with songs of praise. Friends, you don’t have to wait until heaven to praise God! His redeemed children have the privilege of living lives of worship through the many avenues our King provides for us to joyfully and faithfully serve Him. His great rescue gives us an endless number of reasons to praise His Name in worship and wonder here and now! Dwell on God’s beautiful character, His holiness, the sacrificial love of Jesus, and the amazing story of your own salvation. Praise. The. Lord! – TV

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To fear God is to recognize His holiness and to clearly see that we fall woefully short of meeting His perfect standard. When we arrive at that humbling conclusion, only then are we pliable in His hands – to be joyfully used by our good Master. Only then are we able to offer Him our unfiltered worship. Only then are we able to walk along paths lit by His glory. May we seek with grateful hearts to know Him more fully, follow Him more closely, and grow in our sense of awe at Who He is! – TV

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My King, Your declarations are true. What You say about who I am is true. Though almost incomprehensible to me, Your great rescue and love for me are true. Your Word says that You, the Lover of my soul, are enthralled by my beauty. You respond to my needs in ways greater than I could ever ask or imagine. In You is fullness of joy. Your banner over me is love, and You give me rest. You pour healing grace over the wounds of my soul, restoring me. You tend to my life so that I’m fruitful to Your glory. You claim me as Your own, and You delight in me. Lord, don’t let me live even one day as less than who You say I am! May I walk confidently in the identity You’ve given me. All because of His work on the cross and in the beautiful Name of Jesus, amen.

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“God is God. If He is God, He is worthy of my worship and my service. I will find rest nowhere but in His will, and that will is infinitely, immeasurably, unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to…God is the God of human history, and He is at work continuously, mysteriously, accomplishing His eternal purposes in us, through us, for us, and in spite of us.” – Elisabeth Elliot

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“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11-13