Pray For Those That Are Perscuted

Psalm 129:1-4 - They have greatly oppressed me from my youth-- let Israel say--  they have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me.  Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long. But the LORD is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked

 

This is another anonymous psalm…some believe to be written by Hezekiah. He speaks of great persecution…from the time he was born.  Then he speaks the power of God over any persecution…to break the chains that persecution develops over our mind and heart.

 

I am thinking that even though I have been made fun of for my faith…I really have no concept of the furrows….the deep cuts on this writer’s back.  My persecution is limited to verbal abuse…a taunting of sorts that non-Christians sometimes resort to when they don’t understand our faith.   But this writer was suffering from physical pain…deep cuts made in the back from a whip…a punishment…or a deterrent to speaking about God in that day.

 

Jesus bore those stripes…the he bore a heavy cross to die for our sins….completely innocent of any wrong doing.  He broke the chains that once held death for me and for you.  Nothing can ever completely destroy me…because my heart and soul belong to him. Paul says it best in 2 Corinthians 5:8…. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

 

Father…thank you for reminding me that you provided a way for me to always conquer persecution.  Thank you for sending your son Jesus to die on that cross and make a way for me to break any chain of the world and always speak boldly of what you have done to save me. I thank you that you provided for me a place to live in freedom….and  I pray this morning that you pour your great love out on my many friends in places of the world where Christians are physically beat and tortured.  Give them a sense of peace…that you have saved them…and they will live with you…no matter what the world brings to their life. Amen.

Strong Families Start With God

Psalm 128:1-4 - Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.  You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.

 

This anonymous writer tells us the secret to a healthy family.  He says to fear the lord and walk in in ways.  His words were so revered by the Israelites that his psalm was sung at weddings…as a blessing for the new couple starting out.

 

All relationships that are centered on God will be healthy.  Even when they are tested…their love of God and prayers will keep them moving in the right direction. Values such as love… service …honesty…integrity…prayer…bible study….they build a strong faith that naturally produces a loving…healthy family.

 

I am guilty once again this morning…of teaching my family how to give up and run away from their problems.  The divorce I allowed in my first marriage was nothing that God had ordained…but all about how my selfishness could solve my problem the fastest. I am still trying to repair the damage my choices made…and convince them that facing your problems with prayer and the word God gives us a much better outcome than the quick selfish path we think will solve our problem.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I reap what I sow.  Forgive me for the bad choices I have made with the children you blessed me with…and thank you for beginning to repair the damage I did by being selfish.  Help me to model for them the things you are teaching me now…to love above all else…to serve others more that you serve yourself…to pray for answers and wait for you to give them…and to study your word so I can share it with others.  Amen.

 

 

Keep God At The Center....Of Everything You Do

Psalm 127:1-2 -  Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.  In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat-- for he grants sleep to those he loves.

 

Solomon wrote this short but powerful psalm.  His wisdom reminds us that God has to be in the center of everything we do….or it is all a useless….senseless…no good waste of our time. It’s really his time anyway.  From the moment we wake to work for him…to the time he planned for us to rest up for the next day….it should be spent with his plan in mind.

 

He tells us more about his great plan in Ecclesiastes 3. It simply tells us that there is a time for everything….under heaven. We are to work when it is time to work…spend time with our family and friends when it is time to teach and nurture and build relationships…. and Worship and pray and study God’s great word to know when and where to do the rest of the things in-between.

 

It confirms that I need to guard against ever becoming the work-a-holic I was when I was younger….and spend the most of my time studying and praying and building relationships that can show everyone around me that God is the only answer to any problem they will ever have.  It confirms that my early bedtime….most nights….is part of God’s plan.  He needs us to rest when we are provided with the time…our bodies were designed to recharge once a day to be at their best.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder to keep you at the center of everything I do…so that you can reveal the perfect timing for me to do all that you need me to do. Thank you for the beautiful spring promise of new life this morning…rain watering the earth so that it can burst forth with the beauty only you could have given this world. Thank you for the bonus of a week to rest and play and clean and create new crafts…..Spring Break is one of the most favorite things I love about the job you gave me to do each day. Help me Lord to keep you at the center of this precious week of time you provided…and listen closely for anything you need me to do to advance your kingdom.  Amen.

God Can Bring Good Out Of what We Think Is Bad

Psalm 126:3-6 -  The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.  Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev.  Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.  He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

 

This anonymous Psalm may have been written as the Israelites were released from captivity in Ezra 1.  It was a time of great joy and celebration….for the many tears and cries of help to God had finally been answered. The tears of pain and sorrow they had sown…and the many prayers they offered for help had been exchanged for pure joy.

 

God is in the business of repair.  He restores that which has been torn down…whether it was torn down by our own bad choices…or God’s great wisdom that allows us to be tested and tried. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God wants to prosper us…not harm us.  That tells me that everything he allows to happen to me will somehow bring the good future that he promised.

 

 God’s great Earth is full of examples of this truth.  A forest restores itself after a fire…some seeds actually need the fire to burn through the thick seed coat they have before they can even sprout.  A broken bone heals…but it takes a bit of time. And the flowers always bloom in the spring…even after a horrible winter. God constantly brings good out of what we perceive to be a bad thing.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you can turn my tears of sorrow and questions of why…into the joy that comes when we trust and let you have complete control of our lives. Forgive me for the times that I have jumped ahead of you and made a mess…and the times that I have doubted and questioned  that you could possibly be working a plan to help me.  Help me this morning to just trust…simply and completely in whatever you may be planning for my future.  Help me to trust in the promise of Jeremiah…and just know that I know …that I know…it will bring a celebration of laughter and joy.  Amen.

Let Your Trust Be In God

Psalm 125:1-2 -  Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.  As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.

 

This anonymous Psalm is accredited to Hezekiah by some scholars.  But no matter who wrote it…it reminds us of one of God’s great promises….if we trust in God.  A deep faith and trust in God provides a constant strength.  He surrounds us like the mountains that surrounded Jerusalem….and provides protection and love as long as we remain in him.

 

My mind thought of the old western movies…where the settlers were being attacked by savage Indians.  They would drive their covered wagons in a protective circle…and fight from within the shelter they provided.  The circle surrounded them…and gave them a bit more confidence to not give up in such a hopeless situation.

 

We live in a time where new fads and fashions lure us constantly away from a full focus on God.  Gadgets and technology can be a good thing…if used in moderation…if used to help us strengthen our walk with God.  But if we let satan  trick us into placing our trust in these things…they replace our trust in God with a false trust in material things. 

 

If I place my trust in God…and let it surround me every day…he can help me want what he wants. He can help me use the great tools he allows our minds to invent to better the world…and lead more people to know about his great love. 

 

Father….thank you for reminding me that you are my strength…only if my trust remains fully in you.  Forgive me for the times I have let the world’s newest gadget trick me into thinking that I don’t need to trust you as much.  Help me to keep my mind completely surrounded by your love….by constant prayer…and study of the great Bible.  Help me to spend more time with you…and let go of the things that do not help me love you more deeply.  Amen.

God Makes A Way....Always

Psalm 124:1-3   and 7-8  - If the LORD had not been on our side-- let Israel say--  if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive….

We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.  Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

 

David wrote this Psalm…perhaps after the battle with Goliath and the Philistine army. He was careful to give all praise to God for the victory he gave them.  As a youth…his confidence in God’s ability to save him and his people…despite the grim odds….was a model to the whole army. 

 

It is a reminder to me that there is always a way for God to save us.  He doesn’t ask us to walk through anything that he has not already given us the way to conquer it.  I Corinthians 10:13 says….  No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

 

God makes a way …even when there seems to our human eyes and reasoning that there is no hope….like in Genesis 22.  Abraham couldn’t see the angel walking next to him to stop the knife that would have killed his son…I am sure his heart was breaking as he tried to be obedient in the task God had given him to do that day. God even had a lamb waiting for them to sacrifice in praise for the powerful lesson they both must have learned that day.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are always on my side.  You are my constant help and save me despite my mess ups and sin.  Forgive me for the times I am not obedient to your will because I allow my human reasoning to win out over your soft voice…that calls me to do something I think I cannot do.  Help me to be more like the youthful David…and pick up the three stones you laid in my path…..the slingshot you taught me how to use when I was just a shepherd… and take the confidence of the Holy Spirit to the next task you call me to. Amen.

I Need Mercy

Psalm 123:1-4 -  I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven.  As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.  Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.  We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much contempt from the arrogant.

 

That is the whole anonymous Psalm…some believe to be written by Hezekiah. His heart held a vision of a merciful God…sitting on a splendid throne in Heaven.  The relationship between them was master to servant….maid to mistress…our goal always being that of pleasing God with everything we do. Our eyes should be constantly fixed on him….trying to find ways to serve him.

 

He lived in a time much like we do…where being a Christian is not always the popular thing to do.  People judge and ridicule and scoff at what they perceive to be an invisible God…not realizing the inward peace one has when they have accepted God into their heart. They make fun of what they don’t understand….just like they laughed at Noah in Genesis 6.

 

He tells us to pray for mercy…for the times that we fall…and play right into the hands of those that ridicule us.  Our imperfect lives give the unrighteous fuel for their taunts… instead of model for them the way to find God and his mercy and forgiveness. 

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I am not perfect….and the mistakes I make give those who do not believe fuel for staying a non-believer.  Show mercy on me… a perpetual sinner…in great need of your forgiveness and mercy for the many mistakes I have made in life. Shine your light of truth brightly into my heart today…and help me to stop and look up to ask you what to do…before I am about to model for others how a Christian should act.  Amen.

Peace Isn't Just The Absence Of Conflict

Psalm 122:1-4 -  I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."  Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together.  That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel.

 

David was giddy with excitement at the prospect of going to the Temple.  He could not contain the joy he felt as he looked around him and saw the other Israelites preparing to travel to Jerusalem to worship. He rejoiced….and praised God just for the opportunity to go to his house.

 

If we read just a bit further in this Psalm we find David asking the people to pray for peace….not just to be peacemakers. He asked them to pray for complete peace of soul and mind…not just for the absence of conflict.  He said in verses 6-8… “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure.  May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels."  For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you."

 

This complete peace of mind and body and soul is the peace Paul talks about in Philippians 4:7… “ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  It is the peace that Jesus said he was leaving with every disciple in John 14:27…” Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

 

There it is…the answer to worldwide peace. Everyone must accept by faith the great peace of God the father....for peace comes from a deep faith in God. And once we find it…we must keep it…so we can keep God at the center of our lives. No wonder God gave us the great commission....we need to share this knowledge with everyone before he comes back.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that to find true peace for my heart and soul….I must simply trust you in faith.  Forgive me for the times that I have doubted…and questioned. Strengthen my faith this morning to trust you on the deepest level….so you can use me to tell others about your great love and perfect peace.  Amen.

God Is Watching...All Day And Night

Psalms 121:1-4 - I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber;  indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

 

Another anonymous writer…some  believe to be Hezekiah…wanted to remind the people to look to the God that made the mountains. If they looked up to God…he would watch over them and help them.  If they always lifted their eyes upward he would not let their feet slip when it was hard.

 

It’s like that adult that helps a new toddler take his or her first steps.  They hold their hand until the child gains confidence and balance.  They stand beside them and watch over them and shout with proud glee as they let go for the first time and take those steps that will begin their independence. But then God hovers over us…like we did our own children….just in case they fell.  He gently picks us up…dusts off the debris from our mistake…and sets us back on the right path. 

 

It gives me great confidence to know that God is watching over me day and night. He holds my hand when I need that extra support…and lets go to watch me walk the path he has planned for me when I am ready. I will never outgrow my need to have God help me…and will always be thankful that he is nearby waiting any time I call.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I can call on you day or night to help me.  Forgive me for the times that I forget you are there…and try to handle it on my own…or worse yet put off handling it at all. Give me a new courage and confidence to know that my mentor is always a prayer away….and use it to call on you more frequently for your strength and help.  Amen.

Are You A P-E-A-C-E-M-A-K-E-R ?

Psalm 120:5-7 -  Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!  Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.  I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

 

This anonymous Psalm may have been written by Hezekiah.  His words were few….but they contain a powerful message. Even if the world around us is fighting…we need to hold out for peace. Instead of playing into the hands of satan…and fighting…he prayed to God to give him some added strength to hold out for peace.

 

I admit that it is hard to maintain the same kind of attitude about peace.  We read more than one news story every day that show that most people opt for fighting instead of working toward peace. But we only have to look a bit deeper in the new testament to find many scriptures that tell us Hezekiah’s attitude was right in keeping with what Jesus would teach when God sent him to earth.

 

Jesus preached a powerful sermon in Mathew 5….but verse 9 spoke of the need for all of us to be peacemakers.  It says… “ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”  And when it was time for Jesus to join his father in heaven he told the disciples that he was leaving them a precious present. John 14:27 recorded his last words to the disciples before he transfigured to the father…. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

 

Paul must have understood that this gift of peace wasn’t just for the ones that watched him ascend that day.  This gift of peace was meant for all who decided to believe in the son of God. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:7-9  …. “ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I am to be a peacemaker to all that you let cross my path…even when it is hard. Forgive me for the times that I have not used the peace you meant to calm and comfort me in a way that sent the wrong message to those you are trying to save. Help me to embody the words of Jesus your son…and be a true peacemaker….holding tightly to the peace that passes all understanding in my own heart…so I can model for others how to live in the true peace that God intended from the start.  Amen.

Purity Starts With God's Word

Psalm 119:9-13 -  How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.  With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.

 

Most Bible scholars believe this chapter of Psalms to be written by Ezra, the priest. It is not only the longest chapter of Psalms…but the longest chapter in the entire Bible. He used each letter of the Hebrew alphabet to reiterate countless times how important it is to study God’s word….and use it to transform our lives.

 

His words are just as important today.  The world is still consumed with evil…and darkness hides the pathway for each pilgrim that begins the journey God asks us to take when we accept him into our hearts. His word is the light that helps us see where he needs us to go.  The words we hide deeply in our heart…the ones we take the time to memorize…can be brought back to our mind by the spirit when we need them most.

 

I have to admit that I had a hard time focusing on such a long chapter last night.  It was a full day for me yesterday…. and sweet visits with two of my children kept me up way past my normal bedtime. My heart saw the length of my task…and I whispered softly….several times…a plea to only read a portion of the great Psalm.

 

But the more I read…the more strength I seemed to have to finish the task. A wash of sweet peace and strength…exactly like the writer mentioned in verse 165…. gave me the energy to keep going till I reached the end. It reminded me how very dependent I am on God’s great love to help me each and every day.  Then I realized that what little wisdom I possess has come from applying what I have read to my life each day.

 

Father…thank you so much for reminding me how important reading…studying…memorizing…and applying your word to my life truly is.  Forgive me for ever thinking that I could do anything without following your rules and commands for living. Help me to not just read your word…but truly study it…and seek your will in applying it to my life.  Thank you for powering this old body to stay awake last night….help me through the day today with your supernatural strength to do my best at work. Amen.

God Is Good ...All The Time. All The Time....God is Good.

Psalm 118:1-4 -  Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.  Let Israel say: "His love endures forever."  Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever."  Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever."

 

This anonymous writer puts it in the most simple language.  God is Good. His love will be here forever.  If we believe and fear God...then we should thank him for his goodness…and tell others about the great love he has promised us.

 

One of my favorite things to do is join with the others in my church when the pastor says … God is good. We all quickly join together with the words….all the time.  Then the pastor will say ….all the time…and we will all say …..God is good.  It is a confirmation to me that God made every day…and good or bad I am to rejoice in it.

 

 

I admit…some days it is harder than others…but so far in this life of 55 years…I have always found the most comfort when I turn in thanks and praise to God.  He always finds a way to remind me that I have more than one reason to rejoice.  When I grow up…..I want to be like Paul and Silas….and be able to break out in song at midnight.  Even after they had been arrested….severely beaten…and chained to the wall of a prison….they praised God with loud hymns at midnight…and ended up leading the jailer and his whole family to the Lord.

 

Father...thank you for the reminder that should always thank you for your goodness and love that lasts forever.  Forgive me for the times that I have whined and complained…instead of remembering to come to you with a thankful heart in faith that you will show me the purpose of any bad situation...when you know I can understand it.  Help me to find ways to rejoice…even at midnight…and sing to you in praise for all you have done to save and care for me.  Amen.

God's Great Love Is For All People

Psalm 117:1-2 -  Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.  For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.

 

It’s the shortest chapter in the whole Bible...and it is placed exactly halfway through God’s great inspired word. This anonymous writer manages to pack a powerful message into just two short verses….and it becomes the hinge that joins the beginning and what will be the end.

 

Paul quotes from it in Romans 15:9-12…. to support his teaching that the death and resurrection of Jesus provided a way for all men… Jews and Gentiles …to receive the salvation of God. The veil to the Holy of Holies was torn top to bottom the moment Jesus gave his life to pay the ransom for all sin. He made a way for all men to talk to the father…without the need to go through a priest…without the need to shed any more blood.

 

The psalmist says simply for us to Praise the Lord…all nations…everywhere on earth.  He tells us to do this because God loves us more than we could possibly love him back. He proved it by giving up his one and only son to be a sacrifice for all sin. Then he reminds us that this love will be forever if we choose to accept it into our heart and life.

 

Father…thank you for reminding me that you love me with great love…so great that you allowed your only son to die for my sin.  Forgive me for the times that I take that for granted…and live life in a way that does not stop to thank you for this great act of love and mercy.  Help me to reflect more during my day on the love you gave me…and praise you for all you have done. Help me to remember the words of this Psalmist even when things seem hard and I struggle…that I always have at least two things to praise you for…your great love for all people…and the truth that you will reign forever.  Amen.

Tell Of God's Love Forever

Psalm 116:1-4 - I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.  Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.  The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.  Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, save me!"

 

This anonymous writer loved God simply for hearing his heartfelt cry…his prayer for mercy and grace.  He was discouraged …near death….overcome by trouble and sorrow….but God came to his rescue and saved him.  He was so thankful he promised to love God forever.

 

The writer’s love of God grew as he turned his pain and anguish over to God. He admitted he had no power over his problems and he cried out to God to help. Then an amazing thing happened…God answered…and began to turn his pain into a deeper love and understanding of who God could be to him.

 

I understand this writer so well. I remember crying out to God in my own pain…and then climbing up in God’s lap till he made me strong enough to climb down and begin to live life again.  My pain and discouragement is beginning to grow into a deeper understanding of who God really is…and how he can guide me day by day.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are always there…bending your ears down close enough to Earth to hear even this unworthy child of 55.  Help me to love you forever…for I too could never find an adequate way to repay you for even one of the many prayers you have answered. Continue to make me stronger and braver every day…so I can become the servant you need me to be.  Amen.

Give God The Glory And Praise

Psalm 115:1-4 - Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.  Why do the nations say, "Where is their God?"  Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.  But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.

 

One more anonymous writer reminds us to praise the Lord.  He tells us to do all that we do for the glory of God…not for the praise we might receive as mere men.  He wanted all the nations that were taunting Israel to see the full glory of God.

 

It is a basic need of man to feel self-worth.  Those pats on the back and statements of praise when we do something good feed our need to be loved and needed. It is easy sometimes to get caught up in the process of praise…and forget to honor God in the midst of it.

 

I am guilty…and admit that I forget to give all the praise to God when a complement comes my way.  I am glad that God reminded me today to be more careful to give him the honor the next time someone pats me on the back.

 

Father….thank you for reminding me that everything I do well is because of you.  Help me to be more careful to give you honor and praise when I get it right… because of your help. Forgive me for the times that I have wasted an opportunity to praise you…and let pride and ego get in the way.  Amen.

God Works Through The Supernatural

Psalms 114:1-4 -  When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,  Judah became God's sanctuary, Israel his dominion.  The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back;  the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.

 

This anonymous writer remembered the stories of how God rescued his people from a foreign land.  He described for us in beautifully simple words the power of God to do supernatural things with just the spoken word.

 

Man took years to emulate the parting of the red sea. Records are scarce…but one google search brought up an article on the first dam built on the Nile River…presumably in 4000BC. Hoover dam popped up as the first concrete dam in the US…but I am sure someone with more history knowledge could give me better timelines.

 

God obviously gave the technology to beavers before he revealed it to humans.  But even their dams take 3-4 days.  They work tirelessly…just innately packing sticks and mud until it builds an enormous mound of empty space underneath for them to live.

 

God’s dam of water and air took just a simple moment…the time it took Moses to lift his rod to the sky. It stayed in place as long as Moses held up the rod…and came crashing down around the enemy as soon as he took it down.  It was all God’s plan to save his people in a way no one would ever forget….in a way that no one would be able to explain in human terms.

 

God is still in the business of using his supernatural power to do great things to save his people. I hear of miracles every day that he uses to show his great love to others.  He uses them to help others understand that his great power is still used to save his people…in a way that no one would ever forget…in a way that can’t be explained in human terms.

 

Father…thank you for reminding me that your power is still at work today in the world where you have placed me.  Help me to reflect on the many miracles I have seen with my own eyes…and use my heart to grasp the deepest reasons you allowed such a supernatural work to manifest where I could see it. Give e words like you did the psalmist…to speak of the glorious things you have done…to help lead others to your kingdom. Amen.

God Sees The Heart First

Psalm 113:5-8 -   Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high,  who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?  He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap;  he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people.

 

The writer of tis anonymous Psalm tells to praise God …and bless his name….from sunrise to sundown. He says that God is enthroned so high above the people of the Earth that he must stoop down to even see us.  His last thoughts of how he raises the poor and needy out of their circumstances …and places them with the princes of the world explore a concept that many forget.

 

My Life application Bible commentary explained it this way.  “In God’s eyes – value is not measured by material possessions or position on a social ladder.”  It reminded me that we all have the same value in God’s eyes… rich…poor…popular… shunned…pretty…homely…red …yellow…black…white…we are all precious in his sight.  Jesus loves all the children of the world…and he continues to love us after we have grown into adults.

 

Many of the great leaders he chose as models for us in the Bible were the least in other people’s eyes.  God chose a lowly shepherd boy named David to be a king….he chose the shunned Joseph to be a great leader during the famine in Egypt…and the sweet virgin Mary to bear the holy Christ child Jesus.  God loves to tale what man sees as useless…and use his strength and power to turn it into something only God can get the credit for.

 

Father…thank you for he reminder that all people are the same….and you can and do use everyone you created.  Help me to be more like Jesus…and see the inside heart of a person…before the outside shell has time to influence my thinking.  Help me remember the promise of God to raise the poor and needy out of their circumstances…so people around them will know of your great power and love to all people. Amen.

Do You See God's True Blessings?

Psalm 112:1-4 - Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands.  His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.  Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.  Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.

 

This anonymous writer tells us to praise God…that all that find delight in following his commands will be richly blessed.  Even when this man struggles….the light of God will show him a path to blessings he never realized were there while he was struggling.

 

If one reads this Psalm literally...they would think that all Christians who follow God’s way exactly have an easy road.  Our children turn out to be mighty leaders….we will be wealthy…and live long lives.  But many of us that have tried to follow God’s commands in our lives…can’t say that we are rich…or have perfect children.

 

I immediately thought of Laura Story’s song Blessings.  It paints a beautiful picture that helps us understand why all the things we pray for don’t always materialize the way we pray for them. God’s blessings are not always what we visualize with our human hearts and eyes.  He knows that what we pray for sometimes will hurt us more that help us.  God’s definition of wealth is not always in terms of our bank account.

 

Sometimes it is our sleepless nights….our tears…and our pain that he teaches us the most important lesson that it takes more effort to be “IN LOVE” with God…than just to love him. When we are truly in love with him….nothing else matters…nothing else is more important. We begin to see the true blessings in our lives….that were concealed by our pain and tears. Here’s the link to her great song…sorry about the commercial…lol.    http://youtu.be/1CSVqHcdhXQ

 

Father….thank you for the reminder that I need to be “IN LOVE” with just you this morning. Help me to fall deeper in love with you each day…so I can recognize the many blessings in my life that I have always thought of as problems.  Thank you for making me rich in ways that I never imagined…family…great friends….a wonderful loving church family…a great job….and the freedom and time to read and study your great Bible.  Amen.

The Secret Of Wisdom

Psalm 111:1-2 and 10 - Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.  Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

 

This anonymous Psalm was written by one that truly understood the secret of wisdom.  It starts by following the rules God set down for us in Deuteronomy….because we have a holy reverence for who God is. He just wanted to praise God for the opportunity to know him…and thank him for the things he had done to save him.

 

The wisest ones took this counsel to heart. Solomon wrote in proverbs 1:7 -  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. And I love the way it is worded in Ecclesiastes 7:25 – “I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things.”

 

I have to admit that even though I love God very much…I still am counted with the foolish sometimes.  I have the same problem that Paul discusses in Romans 7:16-18 …  “And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.  As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”

 

I don’t have all the answers to how to break this cycle…but I know the beginning of this path is a holy fear…a reverence for who God is…and what he has done to save me.  That gives me the strength I need …when I call on him….to do what is right…and try to follow his rules.  When I mess up…it is because I let my flesh win out…..instead of asking God to strengthen me.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are a holy God who has all the power to save me from everything you ask me to face.  Forgive me for the times that I allow my flesh to win out and I fail to ask you to help me be strong.  Give me a new desire this day to follow all your rules and fear you as I have never feared before…so I can grasp the great strength and wisdom that comes from loving you with my whole heart. Amen.

One Reason To share God's Love

Psalm 110:1-4 -  The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."  The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies.  Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth.  The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

 

David wrote this Psalm that strengthens the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. It must have been right on the mark…because Jesus quoted it himself in Matthew 22.  David knew there would be a Messiah…and he would save the people from their enemies…but he was thinking earthly king…instead of humble servant.

 

We are privileged to know that the Messiah came…he was born of a virgin…raised to be a humble servant…even to obeying the father in heaven and becoming the sacrifice for all man to have a way to heaven. He is in heaven as I write…preparing a place for each one of us that believe.

 

David probably had no clue that his Psalm really discussed the final days…when the Messiah would return to earth and complete the final judgment of those who choose not to believe. Revelation discusses the details of this earthly reign…when Christ returns to claim his children.

 

My heart tells me that we are close to those final days…and it is even more important to share the great truth of God with all we can.  It will be horrible for those that have rejected him…and I just couldn’t sleep at night if I were not trying to help God spread the word.

 

Father….thank you for the reminder that I need to be about the father’s business of spreading his good news about salvation to others.  Help me to listen closely to the opportunities you give me to share what you have done for me. Make me a bold….courageous servant like David…and Noah…and Jesus….so I can help you save as many as can be saved before it is too late.  Amen.

Pray For Those That Hurt You

Psalm 109:1-4 -  O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent,  for wicked and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.  With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause.  In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.

 

David was very frustrated with someone he loved.  They were slandering and cursing him….accusing him of some wrong he did not deserve.  They were being very wicked in David’s eyes…and he had no power to stop them….so he turned to Godin prayer.

 

David’s plead to God is quite harsh to me.  I had trouble reading and agreeing with the things he asked God to do to his adversary.  But I was glad that David did not take matters into his own hands…and at least allowed God to have the final word.

 

David had seen God operate in some of the same ways he had prayed.  Perhaps in those days God had no other choice but to just purge evil from the world…however cruel it seems to me now. I am so glad that I live in the world after Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross changed the way God operates. I am sure that in the final judgment evil people will die….but those who accept his love… allow it to transform their lives.

 

The bottom line is that I must never take justice into my own hands…but always lift up my issues with unfair people to God…and let him handle it. I want to believe that he can change them…and then help me forgive…like Jesus forgave the ones who nailed him to that cross.

 

Father…thank you for reminding me that I must take all the injustice I see to you.  Help me to pray prayers of forgiveness and mercy.  Help me to see the good in those that hurt me…so you can multiply the good into a transformed life before it is too late. Amen.

Praise God At All Times

Psalm 108:1-4 and 13 - My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.  Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.  I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.  For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies…

With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

 

David took 2 of his former works and blended them to write this Psalm.  Verses 1-5 are from Psalm 57 and verses 6-13 are from psalm 60.  As he struggled with a time that God was making him wait for deliverance from his enemies….his heart remembered two very important things about his God.  Even though he was in a low point of his life…he remembered to praise God for his love and faithfulness. He also remembered that God’s promise was to give him total victory over his foes.

 

It is easy to praise God when we are happy…when things in our life are going well…and his blessings are being enjoyed.  It is much harder to thank and praise him through a storm. Sometimes we forget in our prayers of rescue to God that we should be praying for complete victory. We let satan trick us into merely asking God to help us survive the storm…when we should be claiming his promise to give us hope for a great future.

 

Paul and Silas sure didn’t let satan trick them.  The full story of their prison lockup is found in Acts 16…but the part that shows they understood David’s words here in Psalm 108 rest in the praises and songs they were singing at midnight….while locked up in shackles…in the deepest darkest part of the prison.  They knew in their heart that God was not leaving them there for eternity…but had plans to save them and even the people around them that heard their praises to God.  The jailer’s family even got saved!

 

That gives me a whole new outlook on my petty problems of today…and even the saddest tragedies God has helped me walk through.  As he gives me strength to push forward and wait on the future he promised that would give me hope and prosper me…my praises to him while I wait will show others around me that God is in control. Makes me want to sing out loud in my empty house…but maybe I can keep the smile and joy going till I get to school.  May be a whole new way to enjoy a Monday instead of dreading it.

 

Father….thank you for the reminder that I need to praise you the most when life seems the darkest.  Help me to keep an attitude of joy and praise at all times…and always know that you have a plan…even when I don’t see it clearly at first.  Give me the strength that I need to wait on you…and praise you …and pray for total victory.  Give me complete success in all I do…not just let me exist to survive.  Amen.