This morning I began to study the word “go”. The Great Commission in Matthew is where my study starts.

“¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

There is a great deal found in these two verses, but I am studying the word “go”. I see that the word “go” is the first word of the passage. I feel the significance of the word and its placement. If you remove all of the rest of the words spoken by Jesus, the word “go” can and does stand on its own. Jesus tells the disciples to go forward and continue doing His work.

Yes, we need the rest of verses 19 and 20 to give us direction, but the word itself is enough to get us started. With what the disciples learned from Jesus they have the needed skill and knowledge to continue His work. They have all they need to bring His glory to all the world. I have all the knowledge needed to continue His work, I have all I need to bring His glory to all the world.

Since I have all I need, it is time to proceed and that all starts as verse 19 starts. Go. I cannot sit idly by and expect that God’s Word is being spread. I have to be active and go to take His word to those in need of it. It is my job to carry Him to those who need Him.

Whereas it is my duty to carry God to those in need of Him, I have to recognize that does not mean it is my duty to literally go to the end of the earth doing so. I may be tasked with going to those in my neighborhood, and in my city, and in my circles. I have to go where I am first. Our church vision is “To see a gospel movement that reaches every person of the Hill Country and is carried to the ends of the earth.” Notice how it starts with the Hill Country which is where we are now. I have to remember that as I go into this world. Where I am now and focus on there first.

I have long said that we need to take action and not just talk a big game. It is not until we take action that anything is realized. We have to move forward and not just talk about it. I have to “go” and do God’s work right here first and then I will be led to the next place He wants me to be as I serve Him.

When you think about your service to God, where are you taking action? Are you waiting for the right moment or chance? What if you were to just “go” and take action today, where you are?

Psalm 100 is one for giving thanks. It is for giving thanks to God for that which He gives to us, namely His steadfast love.

I have 2 notes I have written in the margins and together they sum it up for how we should approach God. 1) Come to God with thanks – not envy, not jealousy, not any other way, just be thankful to him 2) At this point only expressing thanks for God’s Love and that is enough. I believe that these two note say it all when it comes to how we should come to God.

We should be first of all showing reverence to Him and then we should express that the love He has provided for us is enough. Remembering that God knows our inner thoughts makes coming to Him easy. He already knows and really only wants to commune with us as often as possible. We should be coming to Him with thanksgiving for the love that he has shown to and for us.

As I finish up the passage of Psalm 100, I move into Psalm 101 and this is where I find my actions.

“¹I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music.” – Psalm 101:1 (ESV)

And there you have it. Declaring our thanks for the steadfast love of God in our lives. That is the action that should be taken, declaration of our thanks to Him.

When you come to God, what are you coming for? Are you asking for all that you want or feel you should have? What if you just came to Him with thanks for the steadfast love He provides to and for us?

This morning I am reading in Psalm 86. The title of the passage in my ESV Bible is “Great is Your Steadfast Love”. What I get is to continue to pray for God’s Steadfast Love.

In all of Chapter 86 of Psalm, “steadfast love” is there 3 times over the 17 verses. It is not something that is to be prayed once and we are good. David prays continually for God’s Steadfast Love. I should be doing the same.

If you remember, in the example prayer Jesus gives to us, The Lord’s Prayer, we are to first acknowledge the greatness of God. Then we are to ask for His will to be done, and then we thank Him for His provision. All of these in the beginning are the prayer for God’s Steadfast Love. We are to be fully vested in the love that is from God.

I have to remember, if you don’t ask, you will not receive. I have to be continually asking for God’s Steadfast Love in my life to be sure that I am going in the direction that God would have me go. I am to pray for and look to receive His love at every turn.

When you pray, what is it you are praying for? Are you continually praying for God’s Steadfast Love to be poured our on you? What if you did?

“¹Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.” – Psalm 51:1 (ESV)

I have studied the above verse a number of times and each time related to mercy. This morning as I study “steadfast”, I see that God wants us to be aware of His steadfast love for us. His love is firmly fixed, immovable, and not subject to change as I have noted according to Merriam-Webster, and we should be grateful for it. But that is not where it ends.

I have to be accustomed to asking for God’s steadfast love in my life. I cannot just receive it once and take the approach of “all’s good”. I have to reach out to Him and ask for His continuance of granting His steadfast love to me. It is not that He has taken it away, it is just that through my asking I am acknowledging its existence and most importantly acknowledging to God of my devotion to Him.

I should seek mercy, yes, for I am a sinner and will continue to be a sinner. But as noted in our example to prayer from Jesus, we should be acknowledging the greatness of God and asking for His will to continue being done and thanking Him for the provisions in our lives. It is all of these points that demonstrate our asking for the steadfast love of God in our lives.

I ask right now for God to provided his steadfast love in my life for now and evermore. I will ask again later today and again tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. I am in need of it and know that God will provide, but I still need to ask.

When you think of God’s steadfast love, when do you ask for it? Are you asking continually? What if you were to ask for the steadfast love of God each and every day?

“¹Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. ²Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test y heart and my mind. ³For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.” – Psalm 26:1-3 (ESV)

The love of God, His steadfast love, is for me to remember at all times. His steadfast love is firmly fixed and immovable, which indicates that it is forever. Since it is forever, I owe forever to the remembrance of it. I have to be as committed to the Lord as He is to me.

As I was studying, I read in my ESV commentary for the passage that “the faithful…as a general pattern of life…have trusted in the LORD without wavering”. As I profess to be a follower of Christ, I have to have that same approach. I have to love the Lord as He has loved me, forever. I have to be in the business of being the example for all and “keeping” in His commandments and His love out in front of me for all to see.

God has provided a love for me that never fails. I have to do the same for Him. I know that I will fail, but I my love should be for Him at all times and I should be acting on that love for Him. As I do, I will move every closer to the trusting of “the LORD without wavering”.

When you love the Lord, is that love forever? Are you loving and keeping the Lord’s love for your needed “moments” in life? What if we focused on loving and continuing to love our Lord as He loves us?

Steadfast – 1a: firmly fixed in place: IMMOVABLE b: not subject to change – Merriam-Webster Online

Looking at the dictionary definition of a word helps with the depth of understanding. Here the word “steadfast” is given more depth than just my mental note of something strong. As noted above, “firmly fixed”, “immovable”, and “not subject” really indicate more than strength. It tells of the permanence of what is being described.

“⁹You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ¹⁰but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” – Deuteronomy 5:9-10 (ESV)

Moses is giving more depth here to the ten commandments given by God in Exodus. He is giving us all of what is meant and in these two verses, telling the ugly truth of the cost of serving other than God and the beautiful truth of when His commandments are kept.

I read this morning and study, I see the promise of the coming of Christ as He says “showing steadfast love to thousands”. There is a footnote to the word “thousands” here in my bible that indicates “or to the thousandth generation”. So the number is not a somehow finite one, but one that goes on for ever. Knowing what we know now, I can see the promise of Christ’s coming as I see the love that God has for me so many generations after this time.

This is the “steadfast” love noted in verse 10. God’s love is permanent. It is “firmly fixed”, it is “immovable”, it is “not subject to change”. It is for all generations. God’s love is for all that follow Him and “keep” his commandments. The best part is that with the promise of Jesus, we are assured of the opportunity to “keep” those commandments through the forgiveness that comes with our full repentance of the sins against God.

What is your understanding of the God’s Love? Are you aware that it is for all generations? What if we accepted God’s love as “firmly fixed”, “immovable”, and “not subject to change”?

This is such the important part of praying. We have to be vested in the prayer and believe fully that it will and does work to accomplish the goals and work of God.

“¹³Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. ¹⁴Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” – James 5:13-15 (ESV)

I wonder if I have been just going through the motions in my prayer. Have I been just saying the words without fully believing. I have had those instances where it feels like God was just not listening as I did not get the result I wanted.

Well, that is where I am wrong. I should be looking for God to do His will and not take the action I want. I have to fully remember that it is not my will but that of God the Father that I should be praying for and expecting. I will not know what God has planned, only that I should be praying for his will. Notice the verses above and that they are simply indicating prayer and that they will be saved, not that they will be made well here in this world, but that they will be saved. I have to remember that it is not the action that I want, but the action that God has planned for the person. I am here to lift them up to God.

My faith is what give a chance. It is my belief that God will act. I am not doing anything other that bringing to God. I am providing that faithful intercession that will give them a chance. I have to be open to God’s work and not presume to know, but bring them to God anyway.

When you pray, what are you praying for? Are you looking for God to act out in the way you want? What if we prayed with faith that God would take action in His best interest as opposed to ours?

What a statement as we move into the day. “Pray Always” means just that.

“¹⁷pray without ceasing,” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Paul did not waver in his letters for the Christian communities. Here in Thessalonians he makes it clear to pray always. And in Colossians he tells of his endless prayer for them.

“⁹And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,” – Colossians 1:9 (ESV)

And the subject of the prayer in verse 9 above is that of “spiritual wisdom and understanding”. Too often I have prayed for more physical and monetary things, which may not be all wrong, but Paul reminds that the prayer for knowledge, wisdom, and understanding should be those prayers that are always being prayed.

I pray daily and still that may not be enough as I have to look at whether I am always praying. I know that I pray every morning as I sit down and study God’s word, but am I praying at all times. I am not as confident.

I am reminded this morning to be always praying. My prayer does not have to long and complicated as we see those in public. It should be a conversation and quick reference with God on that which pops up needing my intercession to God. I am to be the one that brings to God at all times and not a prescribed time when everyone is watching. Prayer is a private thing between me and God and when others are the subject of my prayer, I should include them also.

When you pray, when and how often are you? Are you taking all day to commune with God? What if we were to pray always and not just at the prescribed times in public?

The passage I am reading and studying this morning is in 1 Corinthians 14. Here Paul is writing of the differences of prophecy and speaking in tongues. I have heard of those that speak in tongues are engaging with God on a really personal level. They are so deep in worship that they are unintelligible to those around them. This passage helped me to understand the value and detriment of speaking in tongues.

“¹⁰There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none without meaning, ¹¹but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.” – 1 Corinthians 14:10-11 (ESV)

The speaking of tongues is meant for the communication between one and God. This is not to say that it is not worth listening to, but if I do not understand what is being said by one speaking, then there is no value in the words being spoken, to me. I remember speaking with a friend and she revealed to me that the first time she picked up God’s word and opened to read, despite being written in the language she is fluent in, she was unable to decipher what was written as it appeared to her to be written in a different language entirely. As such, the Word of God was of no use to her as she was unable to read for herself and study to gain even more knowledge.

“¹³Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” – 1 Corinthians 14:13-15 (ESV)

There is a distinct purpose for the speaking in tongues, and Paul writes that he is thankful to be able to speak in tongues. But, if the understanding of the words spoken are unintelligible, then they are of no use to the building up of those around me. It is my duty to bring the gospel to those around me in a way that they are able to understand and being built up.

I should be engaged in prayer for the same as noted in the verses above. I am responsible to the building up of others. I still should take the time and the action to commune with God whether in tongues or not, but I also have the responsibility to share with those around me in interpretation or in words they understand so they are built up and grow closer to God. By the way, when my friend understood and became a follower of Christ, she was able to read the Bible and has grown in her faith, being built up, every since.

When you speak, are you speaking to be heard or understood? Are you growing in faith and expecting others to grow and learn the same way you do? What if we prayed and spoke to build up others as opposed to being heard?

I am sure that much like me, there are times where you have encountered a situation where you had no idea of what to say. Whether one of heartache or jubilation, words have escaped you as you engage with others in the situation. Even in our prayer, we will find ourselves not knowing what to pray about.

“²⁶Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” – Romans 8:26 (ESV)

I am just to pray. Ask God to hear my prayer, and pray. Speak with Him to let Him know that I am here and am in need. Yes, He already knows, but as I was reminded in my study of the word “pray”, I need to ask Him to hear me, not for Him, but for me. I need to just sit down and continue to commune with God to maintain the relationship with Him.

In verse 26 above, Paul reminds me that the Holy Spirit will give me the words to say, if not out loud, at least so that God will hear. I am just to open up and begin speaking with God. I follow the example given to me by Jesus in Matthew 6. I start there with each prayer and the Holy Spirit will open my heart to let what needs to be communicated to God, to be communicated. I only need to pray and God will hear me and address that which I pray for.

So when I find myself in the situation where I don’t know what to say, I just need to engage and allow God to hear me and address the situation as He sees fit.

When you are sitting down to pray, what do you pray for? Do you avoid prayer because you don’t know what to say? What if you were to just pray anyway following the model give by Jesus and allow God to hear you?