Rock and Fortress

Ps. 31:3

For You are my rock and my fortress; and for Your name's sake You lead and guide me;

The Lord is my rock! What are the uses of rock? Initially, I think of foundations for buildings or for roads because it is a substance that is unmovable. Jesus is the foundation of my soul and my life. Not only that but because He is my foundation, my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. He is also the basis of the roads in my life because He is the underlay of everywhere that I travel. I think of the wise man and the foolish man who each built a house, one on rock and the other on sand. When the storms of life came, the foundation built on the rock stood unwavering, but the foundation built on the sand washed away. Jesus is the foundation that never washes away. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! He is my rock! I praise Him for being the rock of my salvation!

Sometimes rocks are large obstructions in areas to prevent what man would like to do, his fleshly desires for progress or for wealth. As I think of this I know that Jesus is definitely the obstruction that keeps me from following the path of the world. He stands solidly and resolutely in the way of my grasp of what the world desires. He blocks my desires for the things of the world.

Rocks can also be used defensively. I think of David using 5 smooth stones to take out the giant, Goliath. Jesus is definitely the rock that I use for defense against the giants that Satan sends my way. Not only is my defensive protection but He is my offensive protection. He is my fortress where I can run and hide. I can find safety in the cleft of the rock (Ex. 33:22).

He is the Rock for His own name's sake. It has nothing to do with me, my availability or my desirability. It has to do with His grace. Because it brings glory to the Father, He is my rock. My response must be one of praise: Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! How glorious to possess personally the Rock that saves, sanctifies, protects, and preserves all for God's glory!

Father,
Thank You for the rock of my salvation, for giving me new life founded on Jesus, my immovable foundation.
In the name of my Rock,
Amen

Praise for Healing

Ps. 30:1-2

I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.  O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.

David began Ps. 30 with a heart of praise, praise for a God who listened, answered, and healed. How meaningful is that! How many people search for help for their problems, yet find no answers, but the believer has the same God as David. Believers can seek God for help and healing, and He will answer. In what ways did God answer David? How was it manifested?

• God did not let David's enemies triumph over him. (v. 1)
• God healed him. (v. 2)
• God restored him to life instead of allowing him to die. (v. 3)
• God turned his mourning into dancing.(v. 11)
• God loosed his sackcloth and clothed him with gladness. {v. 11)

David not only was saved but he grew spiritually as he endured this trial. He demonstrates that trials have purposes on more than one level. Certainly, I just need to get through a trail, but more than that I need to grow in my faith and in my relationship with God as I go through that trial. That is what David did! 

• He learned to be thankful: in fact he wanted to give thanks forever.
• He learned that his heart must sing and praise God constantly.
• He learned more about the character of God that God's favor was for a lifetime even though His anger or His discipline could be for a moment.
• He learned the power of prayer.
• He learned that weeping my last for the night but joy comes in the morning. What a perspective! I need to see the short shelf life of trials as opposed to the joy that comes in enduring them. I need to endure ending with praise to God. I need to see the trial from God's lens and not view the trial as an end in itself. 
• He learned that at times he was standing strong and unmoved, but at any time, he could be brought down. Humility is the attitude that God teaches His children. He wants me humbled and dependent because then I am relying on Him and His grace. 

What a great psalm! Deliverance from a trial is so much more than just deliverance!

Father,

Teach me to see life as You do. Help me to have a heart of praise and thanks no matter what You bring into my life. I thank You for the morning joy!

In His name,

Amen

 

 

The Voice of the Lord

Ps. 29: 1-2

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name, worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

How do I ascribe to the Lord what He is due? How do I give Him glory and strength? His strength is seen in the thunder and the power of many waters. His voice is powerful and full of majesty flashing forth flames of fire shaking the wilderness. He sits enthroned over all nature as king forever. Anything that a mere human has is nothing compared to God and His great glory and power! But the last verse of this psalm says, May the Lord give strength to His people! May the Lord bless His people with peace. I think my giving and worshiping Him in holiness is completely related to the strength that He gives me. In my own strength I can do nothing, but in His strength I can offer back to Him what He is due. I can worship Him in the beauty of holiness, a holiness that He empowers and makes possible through the blood of Jesus, a holiness that is a reflection of God Himself as seen in the death and resurrection of His Son.

Father,

I give to You the glory due to Your name. I worship You with all that You have given me. May my life reflect Your holiness as You grant me Your strength and peace.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Hypocrisy Revealed

Lk. 20:20

So they watched Him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch Him in something He said, so as to deliver Him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.

The scribes, chief priests, and Pharisees went to extreme lengths in order to entrap Jesus, but all of their traps involved the hypocrisy that was at the very root of their hearts. Lk. 20 begins with the chief priests and scribes asking a question about His authority. Obviously, Jesus knew their hearts because he answered them with a question that revealed their true hearts. Since any answer that they could give would reveal their agenda, they merely said they didn't know. So Jesus did not answer them either, but instead He told a parable, obviously one that was fairly transparent. The scribes and chief priests knew that it was about them, so they sought to lay hands on them at that very hour. They were pushed against the wall and came back with a violent response. So like the hypocrites that they were, they used pretense. They pretended to be sincere in asking Him another question. But as before, Jesus perceived their craftiness and once more answered them in such a way that their plan was foiled. They were not able to catch Him, but instead marveled at His answer and became silent. How powerful that Jesus reduced them to silence! Then into the mix came some Sadducees who asked a question as well. After Jesus answered their question, some of the scribes admitted Jesus had answered well. They realized that they could no longer ask Him questions. Instead Jesus asked them a question, but before they could answer, Jesus turned to His disciples and said aloud [in the hearing of all the people], Beware of the Scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation. Ouch! Big burn! Not only had Jesus foiled their hypocritical line of questioning, but He had exposed them to the people, the very people that they were robbing and deceiving. What was the underlying motive of their lives? Pretense! Their religious actions were for show and their internal motives were for the gratifying of their evil desires. What would be the end result of their lives? Condemnation! The text does not say what their response was, but I can just imagine. Jesus knew their hearts just as He knows the hearts of all people.

What do I see in my heart? Are there roots of hypocrisy?

Father,

Teach me to be honest about what is really in my heart. Reveal to me hypocrisy in whatever form it manifests itself. Give me Your grace and strength to root it out.

In Jesus name,

Amen

One Thing

Ps. 27:4

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

David began Ps. 27 with the poetic and powerful words, The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Such confidence in God! He rejoiced in his God to the degree that he had no fear of any earthly power or situation. For many people, they could express these sentiments easily because they really do not have any enemies, but in David's case, his enemies were many. So for him to say that he feared no one was monumental! This statement attested to the closeness of his relationship with God and was related to the desire of his heart, a desire that he expressed in v. 4 of this Psalm. What one thing did David ask? Was it for peace, protection, wisdom, resources, power, money? No, even though such things would have been useful to him; instead he asked to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life. How simple is this? He wanted to abide with God, to be in His constant presence. Why? He wanted to gaze upon His beauty and to inquire in His temple. God was beautiful to Him! He was a presence that was the object of his heart's desire, a presence that he knew was glorious beyond belief. Perhaps this intimate longing was the reason that David could rest completely in God and have no fear. He knew God and knew that God would hide him in His shelter, concealing him in His tent, even to the point of lifting his head high above his enemies. He believed unfailingly in the goodness of the Lord. All he had to do was wait for the Lord, be strong, and take courage in this deep and abiding relationship that he had with God. He could wait because he had the presence of God to sustain him. He could meditate on past conversations and on the unending beauty of the Lord. Simply put, he had a heart for God that altered all of his thinking and his other relationships. Where is my heart? What is my longing?

Father,

Give me a desire that must be fulfilled in knowing You. Give me a relationship with You that alters everything else in my life.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Hanging on His Words

Lk. 19:46

It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.

As Jesus entered the temple, His heart was grieved at the people who had perverted the entire purpose of the temple. It was to be a house of prayer, of connecting with God, but they had made it a den of robbers, a place of commerce. Even more than that, the commerce that was transacted was deceitful. The priests were making money at the expense of the spiritual well-being of the people and at the cost of the holiness of God. Sadly, there was nothing holy about what was happening! Even though the people needed the sacrificial animals, should the marketplace have been in the temple? Jesus said no, no to the location, no to the business, and no to the corruption! How upsetting and revealing this must have been to the priests running these businesses! Or not, was He just an irritation that they had to eliminate?

Jesus continued teaching exposing the self-righteousness and evil of the priests, scribes, and Pharisees, but as He did this their hearts became harder and harder. In fact, they sought to destroy Him, and before long their desires became a reality. But at this point, they were stymied because the people were hanging on His words. What a glorious response! As I read the Word, am I hanging on His words? Is my life suspended as His words flood in and transform me? Perhaps there are only two true responses to His words: rejection [priests, scribes, Pharisees] or hanging on His words [complete absorption]. Is there really a middle ground? I know you works: you are niether cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of mouth.

Father,
Keep me hanging on Your words. Banish my fleshly tendency to seek a middle road that seemingly satisfies both my flesh and my spirit. Teach me to be hot for You!
In Jesus name,
Amen

My Trust

Ps. 25:1-2

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I trust; let me not be put to shame, let not my enemies exult over me.

David had a heart of trust because of his personal relationship with his God. He began the Psalm with the simple words,  To You-- How intimate! In this moment of private worship, he lifted up his soul. He offered it in trust, obedience, and humility asking that God would keep him safe from his enemies, that he would not be put to shame. He reinforced his request with what he knew to be true about God, that none who wait for God will ever be put to shame! Perhaps, he was encouraging his own heart and quelling the fear that was encroaching on his heart. Obviously, he was in imminent danger. He continued by asking God to show him His paths and His ways. He wanted to be led in God's truth because he knew that God is the God of salvation. After he unloaded his heart, he willingly waited all day for God to answer.  There is the hard thing--the waiting. Yet as David waited, he continued to talk with God rehearsing what he knew to be true about God. He is good and upright instructing sinners in the way. He leads the humble and teaches them His way. All His paths are steadfast love and faithfulness for those to keep His commandments. It seems as if all of these statements supported his waiting and reassured him that God would answer.  In humility, he asked for his guilt to be pardoned. In heaviness of spirit he explored the matter of fearing the Lord almost as if he is struggling with the concept, but then he remembered that The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him and He makes known to them His covenant. David knew he was the friend of God and knew that he feared God. Once more he cried out to God asking Him to turn and be gracious for he was lonely and afflicted. The troubles of his heart were overwhelmingly large. While he waited, he asked for God to consider his plight and to deliver him from those who hate him. He put himself in the refuge of his God while he waited.

What a beautiful Psalm that teaches me how to pray and how to give God an upsetting situation.

•  Establish intimate communication with God.
• Present my request or problem.
• Ask for His help.
• Be ready to wait.
• Rehearse what is true about God repeatedly.
• Express my emotions and weakness.
• Confess sin.
• Be persistent in asking.
• Take refuge in God.
• Wait, wait, wait!

Father,

Thank You for the Psalms that show me the hearts of these men who loved You and yet had problems in their lives. Help me to be like David in that I come to You for resolution. Teach me to be willing to wait as I continue to worship You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Generation Who Seek Him

Ps. 24:3

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place?

David acknowledged the creative power of God. He knew that the earth, its fullness, and all of its dwellers belonged to God by right of creation. But what David is asking is how can anyone have a relationship with God, something that goes beyond the bond of creator-created. The answer is the man who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift his soul  to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. But who of all humanity can make such a claim as this? Certainly, no man can make this claim for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But God in His steadfast love and unending mercy bridged this gap between Himself and man through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son. Jesus in the flesh made it possible for verse 5 of this Psalm to be a reality: He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of His salvation. God is not only the author of creation but of salvation as well. Those who seek Him will have His righteousness as their own and then truly their lives will be blessed, then they will have clean hands and a pure heart. Amazingly, there were no hoops for them to jump through. There was only belief in Jesus, the Son of God. Like David, I can say such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob, and I am one of those seekers.

Father,

Thank You for the gift of Jesus who through His righteousness sacrifice imputed His righteousness to me. His purity has become mine as His blood has cleansed all my sin. Thank You for such grace! I praise Your name!

In His precious name,

Amen

The Shepherd

Ps. 23:6

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.       

Ps. 23 develops the sheep-shepherd scenario. For David the image of the shepherd was an everyday occurrence that he understood perfectly, but for me it has deep meaning because of John 10. I know that I am His sheep, and that Jesus is my shepherd. He has said, I am the good Shepherd and the door of the sheep. He also says that His sheep hear His voice, and He calls them by name as He leads them. Likewise, His sheep know Him and His voice. My relationship to Jesus as His sheep is intensely personal and nurturing. It is staggering to believe that the Good Shepherd knows my voice!! This relationship is also one of ultimate protection from thieves who steal and damage and from hired hands who will not protect from the ravages of the wolves. Jesus as my shepherd sacrificed His very own life to keep me safe and protected. He also gave me eternal life and allows no one to snatch me out of His hand. What a shepherd is this! All of John 10 reflects the beautiful words of Ps. 23. He makes me lie down in green pastures and beside still waters with nothing to fear, no dangers man-made or natural. He leads me in the paths of righteousness because He is righteous. When He gives me eternal life, He imputes to me His righteousness. Then His Spirit leads me as He indwells me. What a life! He does it all, I am only a sheep. Even though I am a sheep who follows, it is not because I am an extraordinarily smart sheep. It is because He has put new life in me and given me His Spirit to open my eyes, ears, and heart. He has put within me a new heart, one that is tender, loving, and submissive.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Whatever the future brings, He is with me with His rod and staff, his two tools of discipline and leadership. Whatever dark days are ahead, He has promised He will be with me. He has not promised that the road will be easy, but He will be with me teaching me, leading me, feeding me, and giving me His life-giving water. He will be all that I need and ever will want.

Father,
Teach me ever to listen carefully to the Spirit's voice as I walk. Thank You for calling me to be Your sheep and giving me Jesus as my Shepherd. You are such a loving and gracious God.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Within You

Lk. 17: 20-12

Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed,  nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you."

Once again the Pharisees were asking for the externals, for the observables, for the signs. They thought that if they could physically see, they could possibly believe or even understand. Yet Jesus said this was not His way. Sadly, their question revealed an even deeper issue, their heart attitude toward Jesus. Since they had rejected Him, they had no other recourse but to look forward to something else, to what they thought would be the true kingdom of God yet to come. But Jesus responded with a zinger! Behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you." I wonder if even that statement pricked their hearts. Did they feel curiosity or disdain? Did they in any way get what Jesus was saying?

How exciting! Jesus Himself is the kingdom of God. God's kingdom was there in the flesh for the people to see, hear, and touch. Even though I was not there,  He has offered Himself to me as the indwelling  kingdom of God. Amazingly, He lives within me and His Spirit leads me as I walk and grow in His kingdom. It is not through my belief in signs or externals, but it is all of grace by faith. My belief was a gift and my walk is a gift so that God might be glorified in all.

Father,

Thank You for choosing me to be Your child and to have the kingdom of God within me. Grow me in Your kingdom by Your grace.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Strong Words

Lk. 16:14-15

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

 

In Matt. 5:20 Jesus said that unless your righteousness exceeded that of the Pharisees, you would not enter the kingdom of heaven. Interestingly enough, the Pharisees did have a righteousness, but one that was filled with themselves and their fleshly desires. Matt. 5 also revealed that they had misinterpreted the law and made it to fit their schemes. They exacted obedience to their man-made laws and put other people in bondage and blinded them to the truth of God. They loved to pray in public for others to see, and at the same time, use their prayers as a means to judge others. Hypocrisy was the name of their game! All they did was for outward show, praise of men, status and position, power and money, and control of other people. Where was the love of God that Moses taught in Deut. 6:4-6? As Jesus said they had left out the weightier matters of the Law and substituted their man-made traditions instead. As if these issues were not bad enough, Jesus attacked them again. In this passage, they were lovers of money. [A love which is the root of all evil.] Could it have been the root of all their problems and evil actions? Jesus had just said that no man can serve two masters; therefore, they could not serve God and money. Instead of conviction or repentance, they ridiculed Jesus. What evil, hard hearts they had! However, it looks like Jesus definitely had the final word. You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Huge burn!! But oh so true. Jesus is all about the heart, the true essence of a person. What is in my heart? Am I harboring things that are hindering the Spirit of God? Do I live with the knowledge that God knows my heart constantly in whatever I say,think, feel, or do?

 

Father,

Keep exposing what is in my heart. Give me Your grace so that my heart is submissive and repentant  to what You reveal.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Trust

Ps. 20:7

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Since David is assured of the Lord's saving power over His anointed, he knows that He will answer from heaven whatever David brings before Him with the saving might of His right hand. Why is he so assured of these facts? Initially, it is rooted in his relationship with God from his youth as a shepherd. It was here that he killed a lion and bear protecting the sheep. Who gave him this strength? God did. Also when he battled Goliath, he relied only on his God. Refusing to use the king's armor, he used only a sling and 5 stones. God had proved Himself real and powerful to David repeatedly. So even though as an adult the problems were different, his God was the same great protector.  Secondly, there were all the times that David was alone with his sheep communing with God. It was in this solitude that he developed his poetic expression. In those times he unleashed his emotions and let them run straight to God. As he wrote beautiful words of worship, praise, and even despair, He was not only acknowledging God was his physical strength but also the God of his heart. Finally, he could trust in the name of the Lord because he believed what was true about God regardless of how situations and circumstances looked to the human eye. Certainly his fact base was based in experience, but this experience became a theology that was to be his anchor through many storms. Because of all this he could boldly say, I trust in the name of the Lord God. This psalm stirs my heart as well. God has proved Himself strong to me and I have opened my heart and emotions up to Him. In this growing relationship trust flourishes.

Father,
Keep growing my trust. Keep my eyes and my heart ever focused on You and Your sovereign plan and purpose.
In Jesus name,
Amen

A True Disciple

Lk. 14:33

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Great crowds were listening and following Jesus, but what was in their hearts? Were they wanting to be a true disciple or a disciple that was seeking the blessings of bread and healing? What did these people think when He talked about what it meant to be His disciple? I know that as I read this passage, I have to look deep into my heart. A disciple must...

• Love family (father, mother, wife, children, siblings) less than Jesus. How hard is this?
• Love his own life (pride, ambition, rights) less than Jesus. Self is the biggest idol in anyone's life. Jesus is asking us to renounce our number one idol in favor of Him.
• Count the cost like a builder who needs to make sure he can finish the tower, or a war-going king making sure of his troops.
• Renounce all--only Jesus!

Jesus has spoken strong words here, but maybe they only seem strong to the one who is truly a disciple. Perhaps those with ears not completely in sync would hear those words in a different way. Whatever, but I think that the truth of this discipleship comes in the Spirit's empowering. Without Him, the disciple would be operating in his own flesh and would more than likely fail. So my response to this passage would have to be to pray and ask the Spirit to deepen my love for Jesus to the degree that nothing else would matter. As I grow in my love for Him, I see that He alters all the values in my life. He gives meaning for triviality, commitment for wavering, and fervor for complacency. He is my all!

Father,
Give me Your grace and strength to make Jesus my all. Help me to crucify my flesh and pick up my cross daily and follow Jesus.
In His name,
Amen

Humility

Lk. 14:11

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Jesus taught the parable of the wedding feast, in particular, dealing with the seating. Where do you sit when you are invited to the wedding feast? Do you sit in the place of honor? Of course not, those places are reserved for the family and the people especially close to the bride and groom. But if you were to sit at the head table where the bridal party would sit, how would you feel when the usher came and asked you to move? Certainly embarrassed, and the parable says shamed. Instead if you choose a seat of lesser importance, you would be honored if you were asked to move to a table of more importance. The principle is one of humility. Count others more significant than yourself. (Phil. 2:3) Follow the example of Jesus who made Himself nothing, who took the form of a servant and humbled Himself to the point of death. In the kingdom of God the guiding principle is humility: whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever is humbled will be exalted. It is only the humbled person that the Spirit of God can work through. When I am striving for recognition or praise, I am desiring to be exalted. Then no matter if I am serving God, the motivation is wrong. I am wanting the praise and not God. To glorify God, which is the goal of my life, I must decrease and He must increase. I must be humble so that He can be exalted.

Father,

Take away my desire for praise and recognition. Help me to have my eyes focused only on You in all that I do.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Tragic

Lk. 13: 26-27

Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.'  But He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!'

What a pointed question! Will those that are saved be few? Jesus answered by speaking of a narrow door, a door so narrow that even though many try to enter only a few will be allowed. The Master Himself shuts this door, and once He has, no one else will enter. Many people will stand outside knocking, crying out for the door to be opened offering as their entry pass the fact that they ate and drank in His presence and even taught in the streets. Even though these people were religious doing many of the same things that those who entered did, the Master says, Depart from me, all you workers of evil! Instead of entry they will be sent to hell. So harsh! I think the point of the story is not where you go (church), or the company you keep (other church people), or what you do (teach and serve in the church), but what your heart condition is. Has there been repentance? Has the decision resulted in a different and radically changed life style? I think that warning passages are scary to read. They make me wonder if what is in my heart and life is real? Am I radically changed? I don't want to be shocked and surprised like these people were. But, at the same time I know the witness of the Spirit. I have experienced His closeness in prayer. I believe that my life is radically changed although the change has such a distance yet to go. Perhaps God is telling me to examine my life, to be sure of what is happening, and to look closely at my heart.

Father,

Teach me to be radical for You. Give me Your grace and strength to grow as You want me to.

In His name,

Amen

The Path of Life

Ps. 16:11

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

 

David is declaring the goodness of the Lord as he asks for help. He remembers what he knows to be true about God.

• God is his refuge-so protection is at ready access.
• He has no good apart from God- he doesn't need the world's protection--only God's. 
• He has the fellowship of excellent saints in the land-other people who love God too.
• The Lord is his chosen portion and cup-David's choice is God. God as his cup sustains him with life giving water.
• God has given him a beautiful inheritance-An inheritance that is vastly different than what the world offers. 
• God gives him counsel-Here is his direction and guidance.
• He sets the Lord before him-God leads him in all that he does.No worry then about a wrong path.
• God is his right hand-His power and might.
• God has made him glad, rejoicing, and secure- He is a soul at rest.
• God will not give him over to Sheol or corruption- He has everlasting life.
• God has made known the path of life to Him-The way to live eternally.
• David has been in God's presence and has known fullness of joy- Wow!
• David knows at the right hand of God are pleasures forevermore.

What a glorious expression of love for God! Asking to be preserved by God is a small thing when his entire life is in God. I love the proportion of petition to praise that David expresses. It is a reminder to me to remember all God has done for me. Graciously, He has allowed me to have the same relationship with Him as David did.

Father,

I praise Your name for Your love and patience. Thank You for reminding of the great blessings I have in You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

The Lord Will Provide

Gen. 22:12-13

 He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

When I read the account of Abraham on his way to offer Isaac on the altar, it makes me think of Mt. 10:37. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Abraham's heart was clearly for God. If his choice was between God or child, he would choose God. How unbelievably difficult! It makes me wonder what my response would be in a similar situation. Would I obey unreservedly and without question? I think that Abraham's obedient action was based in his deep and abiding relationship with God. His trust in God was greater than any human fear or doubt. He knew God! God has given me that same opportunity to know Him through prayer. Perhaps the reason that I have reservations is related to my time in prayer and in the Word. Am I spending enough time with God to grow my trust and faith? Am I taking time to really know Him?

Father,
Open my heart to You so that my faith and trust will be united to Yours. Help to me to be thoroughly obedient to all that You command and ask.
In Jesus name,
Amen

On Guard

Lk. 12:13-15

 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

The man made what sounded like a reasonable request of Jesus. However, the request had nothing to do with Jesus' ministry or His mission which his initial response revealed, but His second reply was what Jesus was all about, revealing the true heart condition. From a human standpoint, the man was desiring his fair share, yet Jesus saw a heart full of covetousness. His words to the man were to be on guard. Watch out because covetousness is sly. It can overwhelm a person in an instant in something as simple as comparing ourselves to another person, a family member, a friend, or even an enemy. It is in the seemingly accepted patterns of life, that our guard is relaxed. When the guard is relaxed, covetousness creeps in. The principle that Jesus is teaching is that life is not in possessions even though the world says it is. It is easy to separate ourselves from the world and those who have many possessions, but when a family member or a fellow Christian has an abundance of possessions, it gets hard. Perhaps it's hard because I try and overcome in the flesh, in my own strength instead of going to Jesus for the grace that I need. Perhaps it is hard because my spiritual life is lacking so my eye wanders to other areas. For whatever reason, the remedy is the same: Be on Guard. Live a life based in spiritual truths and rewards not fleshly possessions.
 
Father,
Take my eyes off what the world has and keep them focused on You. Make me strong in a life that values You above all else.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Outside and Inside

Lk. 11:39-41

 And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.

What a great temptation this still is! Certainly it is so easy to appear one way and to be another way on the inside because man is naturally duplicitous. Our pride is so great that we will unintentionally offend God to preserve our image with other people. Jesus is exposing this sin in self-righteous people, people whose lives are wrapped up in the outer appearance. But sadly, even with people who want to please God and want to live holy lives, Satan tempts in this same way. How many times do I have unholy thoughts that I share with no one? It makes me see how very strong my pride is, my desire to appear one way and hide those parts of me that are secretly sinful. No wonder James says, Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. I think it is in this confessing to others that I am exposing those sins that I normally keep hidden. Even though God should be the person I am most concerned with, confessing to Him seems to be less painful than confessing to others. Why??? Could it be because my relationship with God is not as important to me as my relationships with others? Or is it because I am assured of God's love and not so much of other's love? Or is it just sin, plain and simple?
 
Father,
Help me to be inwardly and outwardly the same. I so love You and desire to obey You. Give me Your grace and strength to do this. Convict me when I am letting sins slide or when I am not even aware of them.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Pure Words

Ps. 12:6-8

The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.  You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

What are pure words? Certainly, they are words of truth with no artifice or treachery, words that are unchanging, words that a life can be built upon. Obviously, these words can not come from any human source, but must be divine, the very words of God. Their purity is like refined silver with no element of dross or impurity. Such words as these are the very substance of God's faithfulness to mankind. Not only that but His words are a guard for the souls of man from the wicked and evil forces of this world. What a treasure are these words! Surely they must be in high demand and sought after above all else, but sadly this isn't true. Even though God gave us His Son, the Logos, the living Word to reconcile us to Him, and  reached down in the greatest love imaginable, man still prefers the lying words of the world. What is the attitude of my heart toward His words? Are they my life and my joy?

Father,

Thank You for Your saving and sanctifying words. Deepen my love for Your words and my understanding of You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Good Portion

Lk. 10:38-41

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

How many times have I chosen the good portion? How many times am I so caught up in the menial tasks of this life that I have squeezed out the most important thing? Why do I do this? It is not because I don't know what the good portion is or that it is the best thing to chose. Could it be because sitting at the feet of Jesus is a relationship not just an action, and relationships take time and wholehearted involvement. They can not be accomplished with a list, a meal plan, or a detailed schedule. Sitting at His feet is being so in love with Jesus that I give up my schedule and all the things that I want to accomplish. Perhaps that is the secret, the I. The struggle is always between my I and Jesus. Martha let her I get so out of control that she became troubled and anxious. It was even too much for her to handle. All the while Mary was sitting peacefully and adoringly at the feet of Jesus. All Martha's concerns were not eternal and eventually would be of no consequence, but what Mary had was eternal. She had invested in the Jesus not Martha Stewart. How this speaks to my heart! What am I investing in? Why do I sacrifice the the meaningful for the menial?
 
Father,
Teach me to invest in You and not be consumed with this world. Refine my desires and tune them to You.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Blamelessly Walking

Gen. 17:1-3

When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly." Then Abram fell on his face.

God desired Abraham to walk before Him continually and blamelessly. Since 'blameless' is the term used for a sacrificial animal, he would be a person without blemish. How was this possible for Abraham? The answer was faith! Abraham walked by faith and believed what God said to him. In faith, he believed that God could make him righteous and blameless just as he believed that God could give him a son and make him the father of many nations. Even though Abraham was highly favored by God, he did not respond in pride; instead he fell on his face before God. His response was one of humility and awe. 

God has made a similar covenant with me, one that is based on faith and faith alone.  I too am to walk blameless, yet this walk is not my effort but is of the Spirit and through the grace of God. The result of this walk is blessings multiplied. In Abram's situation it was a child, a child that drew him closer to God. At one point God asked for this child as an offering. Abraham did not waver, but knew that if God took the life of his son, He would provide a way to bring him back to life. Abraham did not doubt the power of his God in any circumstance of his life. For me, I must trust in a similar way. I must believe in the sovereign power of God in every detail of my life. All my circumstances are to draw me closer to Him; whether positive or negative. As I see God work in my life, am I falling on my face in humility? Do I value and even comprehend His great power to save and sanctify?

Father,

Keep my faith strong as I walk with You. Help me see You in every detail of my life and humbly receive all circumstances as blessings from Your hand.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Cost

Lk. 9:62

Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

Sometimes words are easily said that result in short-lived commitments. Jesus illustrated this principle when he talked with His disciples. First, He began by telling what it would be like to follow Him because as He lived so must they live. Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. Jesus was not at home in this world, not even as much as the foxes or birds. Even though this was true, he was not homeless, without anchor or purpose, but instead He was of another world. He was passing through this world with a specific purpose. He and His followers were and still are sojourners, strangers and aliens.

Jesus called some to follow Him which sounded like a simple request that would invite a response from many! But the issue was not the response but the quality of the response. Some said to Jesus, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. But Jesus said instead to let the dead bury their own dead; of course, this would be the spiritually dead burying the physically dead. Although this example sounded harsh and uncaring, Jesus was showing the depth of commitment that He demanded. It must supersede all other relationships and obligations.  When the believer leaves his relationships and obligations, he is to proclaim the kingdom of God. He is to invest in this kingdom with all that he does, thinks, and feels. It is all consuming! Others responded with, I will follow You, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home. They realized that they must leave their homes, but they wanted to go back just for a moment to say goodbye. Perhaps we should call this the Lot's Wife Syndrome. What are the  results of this thinking? Jesus gave strong words.  No One (and that means NO ONE) who puts his hand to the plow ( that says he will follow Jesus) and looks back (wants to say good bye yet one more time) is fit for the kingdom of God. Or in the case of Mrs. Lot, she became a pillar of salt, salt that is no longer good for anything. The cost of following Jesus is high. The words, I will follow, can only mean one thing, total and complete commitment and surrender.

Father,

Loosen my grip on the world so that I am following You wholeheartedly. Teach me what it means to invest in Your kingdom.

In His name,

Amen 

A Majestic God

Ps. 8:1-4

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

How majestic is God from creation to salvation! His glory is above all that He has made, and His power above any enemy. The distance between man and God is so great that man cannot begin to understand God. Yet even with this great distance, God made him lower than the angels and gave him glory and honor as a crown. He gave him dominion over all things under his feet. In fact, He made him to rule over the earth, but the irony is that the world and all that it includes rules him. He loves this dominion so much that he has worshiped the created things over the Creator. He has put a value so high on the world and its system that his conception of God is lacking, but for the man who remembers and worships God, he has only one response, O Lord, how majestic is Your name.
 
Father,
Keep my eyes on You so that You are foremost in my thoughts and the world is my mission not my ambition.
In Jesus name,
Amen
 

My Shield

Ps. 7:10-11

My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.

What have I chosen as a shield? At times I have tried to shield myself by building walls around myself to protect myself from others and from situations, but what good is that? How do I grow or learn from life? What is really accomplished by cutting myself off from people? But, if I allow God to be my shield, then His sovereign will and plan can bear fruit in my life. Then I can grow closer to Him and learn to see His eternal view of life. It is when I am weak that His grace is perfected in me. Why is it so hard to let go of my wounded flesh and live just for Him?  How strong is the flesh!

Father,

Help me to keep You constantly as my shield and take my hands off my life. When I am hurt or overwhelmed, help me to turn to You and find my healing with You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Due His Righteousness

Ps. 7:17

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

Why do I give thanks to God? Is it because I am grateful for the good things that He has given me? Am I thankful only when things are going well? Sadly, this is true some of the time. Why? Perhaps it is not related to my ungrateful spirit although that could be a definite problem in my life, but is related to my incorrect understanding of thankfulness. My thankfulness should be related to His righteousness. It should be based on my spiritual relationship with Jesus, my awareness of who He is. Am I as thankful for the cross, salvation, sanctification, His word, etc. as I am for blessings that are focused more on this earth? There is the crux of the problem. My thankfulness is not usually based in the character and nature of God. It focuses more on the temporal blessings in my life; instead my values need to focus on His righteousness. Sadly, I am still holding on to the things in this world, the pride of life, the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the flesh.When my head and my heart are in love with Him, then I will be full of thanks because of this new life He has given me.

Father,

Draw me close to You so that I might know You in all Your fullness. Teach me what it truly means to be thankful and offer You the thanks and praise that You are due.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Abundant Steafast Love

Ps. 5:7

But I, through the abundance of Your steadfast love, will enter Your house. I will bow down toward Your holy temple in the fear of You.

The entrance to the house of the Lord has nothing to do with my righteousness or my works, but instead, it happens because of the abundance of His steadfast love. What amazing grace!  My response to such grace, grace that invites the unworthy into the very presence of God, can only be complete and utter humility. I must bow down in the fear of God just as David did. In this psalm he goes on to ask God to lead him in the way of righteousness, a righteousness that has nothing to do with his achievements or his religion. It is a way  known by God, a way that He implants in the heart of those who are His. When I am this close to God, as David was, then my heart can rejoice and sing for joy because He is my refuge and my protection. He has covered my way with favor as with a shield. How beautiful! What a relationship David had with God, how intense, emotional, and personal. If I had to describe my relationship, would it be similar to this? Certainly, David was a man after God's heart. Where is my heart? Is it one with God's?

Father,

Lead me into Your presence. Cover me with Your favor and grace. Draw me ever closer to You so that our relationship reflects Your presence.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Safe Sleep

Ps. 4:8

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

God had heard David's deep need for protection and graciously responded. But sometimes there is a waiting period between God hearing and God acting. So how did David survive while he waited for God to act on his behalf. First, he based his life on what he knew to be true about God. He had confidence that the Lord had set apart for Himself those who were godly.Since  David was godly, he was set apart for God. Secondly, he could experience the light of the face of God shining on him flooding his soul with joy. It was in this state that he could sleep safely. For me sleeping safely is not such a big deal since I don't experience danger on a nightly basis, but with David it was different. Men were constantly seeking his life. For him to sleep safely without fear of danger was a big deal and was the result of a deep trust in God based on his relationship with God and what he knew to be true about God.

Father,

Keep me trusting in You as I rest and sleep. Help me to live my life based on what is true about You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Love Your Enemies

Lk. 6:35-36

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Since God was kind to the ungrateful and the evil, He, by example, set a life principle for His children. In this passage, He says I am to do good to those who hate me, bless those who curse me, and pray for those who abuse me. How hard is that! When I am hurt in any of these ways, my flesh cries out to hurt in return, or if not that, then at least to stay away from this person so that I don't open up myself for more hurts. But God says the way of the flesh is not His way. If I only love those who love me, or do good to those who do good to me, I am no better than an unsaved person who only does something to ensure a similar response. In God's kingdom, the principle is love, do good, and lend expecting nothing. Even as I read those words, I wonder if I could ever act in these ways. Perhaps that is the way it should be. If I thought I could do it, then it would be my works and not grace. For me, it would certainly be all of grace and only after much prayer. He promises a great reward for this behavior, but even that isn't enough to counter my flesh's response when I am hurt. I think it is only the grace of God perfected in my weakness that could make this possible. Then again, maybe the reward is experiencing the grace of God working in and through my life.

Father,

Teach me to live like this, to be merciful as You are. I thank You for Your great mercy to me and ask You help me share it with others.

In His name,

Amen 

Reversals

Lk. 6:20-22

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

The life of a believer counters all that the world feels is desirable. Instead of riches, the believer is blessed for his poverty. Instead of fullness, the believer is blessed for his hunger. Instead of laughter, the believer is blessed for his weeping. Instead of having the favor of others, the believer is blessed for being hated and reviled. In fact, not only is the world's system and values to be rejected, but it brings with it a woe, a much stronger label and one that brings judgment. What is the reason for this reversal? It seems to me that if I am rich, full, laughing, and enjoying favor, I am not needy in the least. My life would seemingly have all that I would need. But the believer has discovered a deep need in his heart, one that can only be met by Jesus. So the world's riches mean nothing to me in fact, they clutter my heart and obscure my vision of Jesus. Instead, I realize my poverty of soul and my deep inability to satisfy and save myself. By the same token if I am full, I am completely self-satisfied and not hungering and thirsting for righteousness, for Jesus Himself. I have allowed things to try and satisfy my longings instead of the person of Jesus. If I am laughing, my vision has clouded the true state of my soul. I am not seeing myself as God's sees me, or else I would be weeping over my sin and mourning my state apart from the grace of God. For the unbeliever, the favor of others is the only favor he can possess, but this favor is capricious and short-lived, but if I have the favor of Jesus above anything else, then being hated or reviled means nothing. Actually, being hated and reviled is the  normal course of events for someone who truly loves Jesus because the believer's life is showing the world the emptiness of their lives. Yes, living as a believer is a complete reversal of what the world thinks. So Jesus' final words to me are to love my enemies because there will be many of them. By loving them and living in a way that reverses the world's values, I bring glory to God and reflect the One who saved me.

Father,

Take the taste for what the world offers completely out of mouth. Teach me to love Your way and Your will. Help me to show the world a reflection of Your Son.

In His name,

Amen

Sinners to Repentance

Lk. 5:31-32

And Jesus answered them, Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

How glorious to see Jesus reach out to those who are so unworthy! He specifically came to Levi, a tax collector and asked Levi to follow Him. This tax collector was not considered a righteous man; in fact, he was considered a crook extracting from the people whatever he could. Yet, Jesus reached out to him. After this Jesus went a step further by eating with Levi's friends at his great feast. The seemingly religious and righteous people were disgruntled and even mystified by this behavior. They could not fathom that Jesus would choose to be with these unsavory people. Looking squarely at them, he simply told them that he came to call sinners to repentance. His heart went out to all the sick, the dirty, and the evil. His reach was to the people who were needy, helpless to save themselves. It was precisely these people who could see their need, who would Jesus to do a miracle in their lives. What amazing grace is this that reaches out to people like me, people who are helpless to be righteous, people who need the supernatural Savior to save them. 

Father,

My heart is full of thanks for Your Son who reached out to me and all those who were lost and helpless. I continue to ask for Your grace because my life continues to be needy.

In the name of my Savior,

Amen