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May 14

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THE AUTHOR OF ALL CREATION WRITES IN THE DUST

From: May 14, 2024

‘Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”’ (John 8:6-7 ESV).

When the religious leaders brought a woman accused of adultery before Jesus in order to entrap him, he stooped down and wrote in the dust of the ground with his finger. Finally, he answered, “Let the one without sin cast the first stone.” Then, he stooped down again to write in the dust once more.

Many have speculated as to what Jesus wrote. Did he merely draw doodles in the dust as many a bored student has done in the margin of their notebook? Did he begin to list the sins of each accuser, so that they lost heart and beginning with the oldest, dropped their stones and departed? Truth is, no one knows what he wrote.

Certainly, more words have been penned and books written about Jesus than any other subject. Yet, this is the only record of His writing: “Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust.”

Yet isn’t this what the Author of Life has done for you and I? He “bent down” from heaven to earth to erase our sin and write his righteousness in its place. For we are the dust He has breathed new life into, making us born again and writing our names in the Book of Life.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we don’t know what Jesus wrote in the dust, but we do know that because of Him, our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Because of Him we are no longer condemned, but counted righteous before You. We give You thanks for so great a salvation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

THE HEALING POWER OF WORSHIP MUSIC 

From: May 14, 2023

“And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away” (1 Samuel 16:23 NLT).

After the Lord had rejected Saul as king, His Spirit departed from Saul. And Saul became troubled, going through great bouts of distress. His servants suggested that a musician be found that could play for Saul and calm his nerves. So David, who was skillful on the harp, was brought to Saul. And Saul loved him. For whenever David played, Saul was refreshed.

The reason for Saul’s distress was both spiritual and physical. Without considering its causes, Saul was displaying a kind of disabling melancholy, affecting his mind, body and emotions. Yet when David, who was not only a skilled musician, but a man anointed by the Holy Spirit, played, Saul was both refreshed and made well. God may have sent a spirit to trouble Saul, but He also sent David to comfort him.

The 19th-century Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen, wrote “Where words fail, music speaks.” Saul certainly found this to be true. And so did the apostle Paul. For Paul taught that letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, we should “sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts” (Col. 3:16).

Modern medicine has discovered this powerful link between music and healing. Music therapy has proven to boost our immune system, lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, help decrease depression, lower pain levels, help with certain neurological conditions by reactivating speech centers of the brain, and even improve the memory of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.

I remember visiting my grandmother in the nursing home. She couldn’t remember my name and had nearly lost the ability to speak. But the minute my mother and I would start singing an old hymn, she would join in with us, remembering every word and even remembering her alto part. What healing power the Lord has given us in the gift of music! And all the more when we hear and sing worship music!

PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for the healing power of music. All good gifts are from You. We therefore give You thanks. When we are in distress, help us to sing hymns and spiritual songs, drawing on the peace of Christ. And when we are too weak to sing ourselves, sing over us by Your Spirit as You promised the prophet Zephaniah (Zeph. 3:17). In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, ‘Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?’ ‘No, Lord,’ she said. And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I. Go and sin no more'” (John 8:10-11 NLT).

From: May 14, 2022

JESUS NEITHER CONDEMNS NOR CONDONES OUR SIN

Jesus mediated between the adulteress and her accusers, yet still called her out of her sinful lifestyle. For Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world, but that through Him it might be saved (John 3:17). As the Son of God, He is both the Light and the Life. As Light, our sinfulness is revealed in the brightness of His righteousness. As Life, He lays it down for our sin and is raised up for our justification (Rom. 4:25).
 
Jesus neither condemns nor condones our sin. Instead, He has made provision for it, so that we are set free and enabled by Him to walk in the Spirit and put off the works of the flesh.
 
PRAYER: Dear Father, help us to fix our eyes on Jesus today, so that we are able to walk in the freedom of His grace, knowing that there is no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus. Empower us to bear the fruit of the Spirit in our lives today. We thank You for the victory we have in Christ to have a desire to go and sin no more, and the assurance that when we do sin, Jesus has already paid for it. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Whenever the spirit from God troubled Saul, David would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him” (1 Samuel 16:23 HCSB).

From: May 14, 2021

THE HEALING POWER OF WORSHIP MUSIC

After the Lord had rejected Saul as king, His Spirit departed from Saul. And Saul became troubled, going through great bouts of distress. His servants suggested that a musician be found that could play for Saul and calm his nerves. So David, who was skillful on the harp, was brought to Saul. And Saul loved him. For whenever David played, Saul was refreshed.
 
The reason for Saul’s distress was both spiritual and physical. Without considering its causes, Saul was apparently displaying a kind of disabling melancholy, affecting his mind, body and emotions. Yet when David, who was not only a skilled musician, but a man anointed by the Holy Spirit, played, Saul was both refreshed and made well. God may have sent a spirit to “trouble” Saul, but He also sent David to comfort him.
 
The 19th-century Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen, wrote “Where words fail, music speaks.” Saul certainly found this to be true. And so did the apostle Paul. For Paul taught that letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, we should “sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts” (Col. 3:16).
 
Modern medicine has discovered this powerful link between music and healing. Music therapy has proven to boost our immune system, lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, help decrease depression, lower pain levels, help with certain neurological conditions by reactivating speech centers of the brain, and even improve the memory of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.
 
I still remember visiting my grandmother in the nursing home. She couldn’t remember my name and had nearly lost the ability to speak. But the minute my mother and I would start singing an old hymn, she would join in with us, remembering every word and even remembering her alto part. What healing power the Lord has given us in the gift of music! And all the more when we hear and sing worship music!
 
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for the healing power of music. All good gifts are from You. We therefore give You thanks. When we are in distress, help us to sing hymns and spiritual songs, drawing on the peace of Christ. And when we are too weak to sing ourselves, sing over us by Your Spirit as You promised the prophet Zephaniah (Zeph. 3:17). In Jesus’ name, amen.

“David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him” (1 Samuel 16:23 NKJV).

From: May 14, 2020

THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC

After the Lord had rejected Saul as king, His Spirit departed from Saul. And Saul became troubled, going through great bouts of distress. His servants suggested that a musician be found that could play for Saul and calm his nerves. So David, who was skillful on the harp, was brought to Saul. And Saul loved him. For whenever David played, Saul was refreshed.
 
The reason for Saul’s distress seems to be both spiritual and physical. Without considering its causes, Saul was apparently displaying a kind of disabling melancholy, affecting his mind, body and emotions. Yet, when David, who was not only a skilled musician, but a man anointed by the Holy Spirit, played, Saul was both refreshed and made well.
 
The 19th-century Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen, wrote “Where words fail, music speaks.” Saul certainly found this to be true. And so did the apostle Paul. For Paul taught that letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, we should “sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts” (Col. 3:16).
 
Modern medicine has discovered this powerful link between music and healing. Music therapy has proven to boost our immune system, lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, help decrease depression, lower pain levels, help with certain neurological conditions by reactivating speech centers of the brain, and even improve the memory of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.
 
I still remember visiting my grandmother in the nursing home. She couldn’t remember my name and had nearly lost the ability to speak. But the minute my mother and I would start singing an old hymn, she would join in with us, remembering every word. What healing power the Lord has given us in the gift of music!
 
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for the healing power of music. All good gifts are from You. We therefore give You thanks. When we are in distress, help us to sing hymns and spiritual songs, drawing on the peace of Christ. And when we are too weak to sing, You will “rejoice over us with singing” (Zeph. 3:17). In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, ‘Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?’ ‘No, Lord,’ she said. And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I. Go and sin no more'” (John 8:10-11 NLT).

From: May 14, 2019

JESUS NEITHER CONDEMNS NOR CONDONES OUR SIN

Jesus mediated between the adulteress and her accusers, yet still called her out of her sinful lifestyle. For Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world, but that through Him it might be saved (John 3:17). As the Son of God, He is both the Light and the Life. As Light, our sinfulness is revealed in the brightness of His righteousness. As Life, He lays it down for our sin and is raised up for our justification (Rom. 4:25).
 
Jesus neither condemns nor condones our sin. Instead, He has made provision for it, so that we are set free and enabled by Him to walk in the Spirit and put off the works of the flesh.
 
PRAYER: Dear Father, help us to fix our eyes on Jesus today, so that we are able to walk in the freedom of His grace, knowing that there is no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus. Empower us to bear the fruit of the Spirit in our lives today. We thank You for the victory we have in Christ to have a desire to go and sin no more, and the assurance that when we do sin, Jesus has already paid for it. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust” (John 8:8 NLT).

From: May 14, 2018

THE AUTHOR OF ALL CREATION WRITES IN THE DUST
When the religious leaders brought a woman accused of adultery before Jesus in order to entrap him, he stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. Finally, he answered, “Let the one without sin cast the first stone.” Then, he stooped down again to write in the dust once more.
 
Many have speculated as to what Jesus wrote. Did he merely draw doodles in the dust as many a bored student has done in the margin of their notebook? Did he begin to list the sins of each accuser, so that they lost heart and beginning with the oldest, dropped their stones and departed? Perhaps he was following the test for adultery as found in Numbers 5 and using the dust of the Temple to write the curse for adultery? Truth is, no one knows what he wrote.
 
Certainly, more words have been penned and books written about Jesus than any other subject. Yet, this is the only record of His writing: “Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust.”
 
Isn’t this what the Author of Life has done for you and I? He has “stooped down” to erase our sin and write righteousness in its place. We are the dust He has breathed life into and made us living souls, with our names writ large in the Book of Life.

‘The Lord has sworn and will not relent, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4 NKJV).

From: May 14, 2017

This psalm of David points to the coming Messiah who would be both priest and king. Jesus quoted from this psalm saying that David spoke “in the Spirit” (Matt. 22:43), for truly David’s words were Spirit inspired.
 
Since the offices of priest and king were separated in Israel, David had to look back to Melchizedek, whose name means “king of righteousness,” to find such a one. Melchizedek appears suddenly on the pages of the book of Genesis as the King of “Salem” (“shalom,” meaning “peace”) and “Priest of the God Most High” (Gen. 14:17). He blessed Abraham, who paid him a tithe, and then he is not heard from again until the Spirit brought him to David’s mind.
 
Who is this that would come in the “order of Melchizedek” that the Lord would swear and “not relent” to establish His eternal priesthood? It is Jesus the Christ. For Christ “arises in the likeness of Melchizedek” (Heb. 7:15) becoming both our King and our eternal and Great High Priest!

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)

From: May 14, 2016

Early in the morning, just as the rising sun dispelled the shadows in the temple courts, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” On the day after the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, when the Jews remembered their 40 years in the wilderness and lit huge lamps in the temple for the seven nights of the feast to commemorate the pillar of fire that guided them by night, Jesus said, “I am the light of life.” There in the temple courts where they came to worship the Lord, Jesus said, “I AM.” That day, as Isaiah prophesied, “the people who walked in darkness saw a great light” (Isa.9:2). Some chose to remain in darkness, but many others believed and came into the Light (John 8:30).

“Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself” (1 Samuel 15:12 NKJV)

From: May 14, 2015

Saul’s true character is revealed. Saul led Israel to attack the Amalekites as God commanded, but he did not utterly destroy them, sparing the king and the best of the spoils. Not only did he take spoils, but he “set up a monument for himself” in Carmel, taking credit for God’s victory. Saul’s character was revealed in this. Although he started out exhibiting low self-esteem, he now shows his true heart of pride and desire for man’s approval. This is often true. Low self-esteem is really the flip side of the same coin: pride. Instead of esteeming “self,” we should esteem God. Those who esteem God over self, have a right and healthy view of self.