7/2/18 “My Soul Waits for the Lord” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 127-130)

 

“Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word I do hope” (Psalm 130:1-5).

In the depths of the cave, as well as in the depths of the ocean, there is complete darkness. One cannot even see their hand in front of their face in such places. In Psalm 130, the psalmist speaks about crying unto the Lord “out of the depths”. The picture is one in which all appears dark and hopeless for the writer, yet He calls upon God to hear his voice (Psalm 130:1-2).

In the title of Psalm 130, it mentions that this was “A Song of Ascents”. These “Song of Ascents” were sung as the worshippers ascended the road leading up to Jerusalem as they went to attend 3 Jewish Feasts (Deuteronomy 16:16). As the ancient Israelites were going up to worship God by singing these “Song of Ascents”, they were reminding themselves of why they should worship God.

In this psalm the author asks the question, “If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? (Psalm 130:3). If God were, as some people picture Him, One whose sole focus was upon pointing out our faults, none of us would have a chance because all of us have sinned (Romans 3:23). However, while God is just and will punish those who persist in sin, His main focus is to save man from sin. The psalmist adds, “But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared” (Psalm 130:4). Why is it that the author fears God? It is because with God there is forgiveness!

Charles Spurgeon, in writing about this verse says regarding this phrase, “that You may be feared” states, “This is the fruitful root of piety. None fear the Lord like those who have experienced his forgiving love. Gratitude for pardon produces far more fear and reverence of God than all the dread which is inspired by punishment. If the Lord were to execute justice upon all, there would be none left to fear him; if all were under apprehension of his deserved wrath, despair would harden them against fearing him: it is grace which leads the way to a holy regard of God, and a fear of grieving him”. Only when one understands and appreciates that they have been blessed to be a recipient of God’s wonderful grace, as shown in Him forgiving their sins, will they develop a healthy fear of God!

Because the author understood God’s grace in forgiving him of past sins, he will now wait on God in spite of the turmoil of the depths which surround him at the present moment: “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning-- yes, more than those who watch for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities” (Psalm 130:5-8). When we understand just how great of an act it was for God to forgive us of our sins, it helps us to trust in His power to deliver us from any other trials we may face!

Today, I will fear God, not because He is going to bring His wrath upon me if I do not. I will fear God because there is forgiveness with Him! I revere Him because I realize how great it is for Him to extend to me the forgiveness of my past sins through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7). Because I fear the Lord, whatever trials come upon me this day, I will “wait for the Lord” to deliver me. I will hope in Him because with Him there is “mercy” and “abundant redemption”!

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)

7/1/18 “The Blessing of Returning to the Lord” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 123-126)

 

“Bring back our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:4-6).

As Christians we face a lifelong struggle with sin. At times, we succumb to temptation and fall into sin. Sadly, most of us have known Christians who have fallen away from the Lord and given themselves back over to a life of sin. On the other hand, many of us have also known Christians who fell away, but then repented and turned once again to the Lord.

In the title of Psalm 126, it mentions that this was “A Song of Ascents”. Many scholars believe these “Song of Ascents” were sung as the worshippers ascended the road leading up to Jerusalem as they went to attend 3 Jewish Feasts (Deuteronomy 16:16). This psalm speaks about the blessings of God’s people returning to the Lord following their captivity in Babylon because of their sin.

The psalmist cries out to the Lord: “Bring back our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the South”. The streams in the desert south of Judea were dependent on rain. These streams would disappear during the dry seasons and then reappear following the dry seasons. This is a vivid picture of where the life of sin leads. The momentary pleasure of sin soon disappears and leaves one desolate and thirsty for nourishment (cf. Hebrews 11:24-25). What a person thought was going to be fun, exciting, and satisfying, when they took the path of sin, has now led them to a waterless desert. Sin enslaves us. Jesus said, “"Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34).

However, while the psalmist describes a bleak picture regarding the path of sin, he also paints a beautiful picture for those who are willing to leave the path of sin and return to the Lord. He pictures them as being satisfied with the streams that have been restored following the dry season (Psalm 126:4). He describes them being filled with laughter and the nations around them recognizing God’s blessings upon His restored people: “When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad” (Psalm 126:1-3).

However, before they were restored to the Lord, they had to undergo the pain of experiencing godly sorrow. Having true sorrow over one’s sins is what leads a person to repent and return to the Lord (2 Corinthians 7:10). The psalmist wonderfully portrays the godly sorrow God’s people returning from captivity underwent before returning to the Lord: “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:4). He pictures the tears they cried over their sins as planted seeds leading to a time when there would be much rejoicing as they bore much fruit for God!

How do I view things when I fall into sin? Do I treat it as “no big deal” and harden my heart against God? On the other hand, when I fall into sin, do I led the guilt of my struggle with sin weigh me down and discourage me from wanting to get back up and ask for God’s help? I thank God that there are such psalms as this to teach me it is right and appropriate for me to feel godly sorrow over my sins, but then I can always return back to the Lord in repentance and once again have my mouth filled with laughter, my tongue with singing, and come to Him again rejoicing bringing in the sheaves”!

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).

6/30/18 “The One Who Watches Over Me” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 120-122)

 

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber” (Psalm 121:1-3).

For those of us who had served in the military we know the importance of standing guard and being watchful. In fact, during times of war, being alert and vigilant while standing guard is so important that if one falls asleep while on guard duty the punishment can be death. Paul spoke to Timothy about the importance of Christians being watchful, “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5). As Christians, we are to be watchful for the devil (1 Peter 5:8), watchful for one another (1 Thessalonians 5:14), and watchful as we look forward to the Second Coming of Christ (Matthew 24:42).

However, in Psalm 121 the psalmist speaks not about our being watchful, but rather about God being watchful over us. He speaks about the vigilance with which God watches over us: “Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4). He is diligent to preserve us from harm: “The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore” (Psalm 121:7-8). God is so careful in His watch over us that not even a ray of light can get past Him and through to us if He does not want it to: “The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night” (Psalm 121:5-6).

As He watches over us, God will not allow anything to come near us or happen to us that He does not want: “He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber” (Psalm 121:3). This doesn’t mean that no trials ever happen to us as Christians. God allows us to go through trials in order that we may grow in our faith and mature as Christians (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-4). However, isn’t it comforting to know that God sets up boundaries regarding the trials He will allow to come upon us? God knows how much each of us can withstand. He will not allow a trial to come upon us that is too great for us to bear: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Because the psalmist knew of God’s watchful care over him, he could face the challenges of life with confidence: “I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2). No trial or threat would be too great for him because He knew God was looking out for him and was ready to help at a moment’s notice.

Today, I rejoice that God has such watchful care over me. He doesn’t fall asleep while he is standing guard over me and my soul. He will not allow anything to come upon me that He does not believe I can handle as long as I place my faith in Him. I praise God for He is the One Who watches over me!

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:28-30).

6/29/18 “Teach me Your Statutes!” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 119)

 

“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You”! (Psalm 119:9-11).

I find it interesting that the longest chapter in the Bible (Psalm 119) is overwhelmingly filled with stressing the importance of God’s Word in the lives of His followers. Time and space prevent me from being able to give this psalm the justice it deserves, but I do want to mention a few points that I believe are important regarding how we should view God’s Word and the role it is to play in our lives.

 First, the psalmist stresses how we need to embrace God’s commandments. Rather than questioning the reasoning behind God’s commandments, the author acknowledges that all of God’s statutes are righteous: “Righteous are You, O Lord, and upright are Your judgments. Your testimonies, which You have commanded, are righteous and very faithful” (Psalm 119:137-138); “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Psalm 119:160). Because he esteems God’s Word, it pains him to see God’s Will being violated: “Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law” (Psalm 119:136).

Second, the psalmist fully trusts in God’s Word given to him through the Scriptures: “Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord-- Your salvation according to Your word. So, shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word” (Psalm 119:41-42); “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides” (Psalm 119:89-90). The author placed his trust in God’s promises as found in His Word. God’s Law saw him through many trials: “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction” (Psalm 119:92). God’s Word had given him the wisdom he needed to navigate and guide his life: “You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts” (Psalm 119:98-100); “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Finally, the psalmist valued and treasured God’s Word: “I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure” (Psalm 119:162); “Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage” (Psalm 119:54). Since he treasured God’s commands, he made it a priority in His life to study them: “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97). The writer allowed nothing to distract him from his pursuit to think on God’s statutes: “Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things and revive me in Your way. Establish Your word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You” (Psalm 119:36-38).

As I reflect upon this great psalm it challenges me with a number of questions I need to ask myself: How do I feel about God’s commands? Do I question them or do I embrace them? Does it bother me when I violate God’s Will or see others violate God’s Will? Do I trust fully in God’s promises as given through His Law or do I trust in something else? Do I treasure God’s commands so much that I make it a priority to daily study them or do I allow other things to distract me from studying God’s Word? Today, I will rejoice in God’s law, embrace it, trust fully in it, and make it a point to study it and apply it to my life!

“Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law” (Psalm 119:18).

6/28/18 “Return to Your Rest, O My Soul” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 115-118)

 

The pains of death surrounded me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!’ Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yes, our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (Psalm 116:3-7).

Have you ever lost something that was important to you and then found it? This would be an occasion for great rejoicing for you. On the other hand, how to you feel when you are at peace and find something you wish you did not? How do you react when you find trouble and sorrow?

In psalm 116, the author mentions he found “trouble and sorrow” (Psalm 116:3). Whatever it was he found, it was very serious because it threatened his life (Psalm 116:3). The situation appears to have involved some men who had lied to him because one of the author’s initial reactions was towards them: “I said in my haste, ‘All men are liars’" (Psalm 116:11). However, he also reacted by calling on the Lord: “Then I called upon the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!’ (Psalm 116:4); “I believed, therefore I spoke, ‘I am greatly afflicted.’” (Psalm 116:10). Because the nature of the Lord is to be gracious and merciful (Psalm 116:5), the author notes God delivered him from death (Psalm 116:6). The trouble he had found now left him and the psalmist says to his soul, “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (Psalm 116:7).

As the writer reflects upon God’s nature, he finds comfort in how God views the death of His saints: “Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15). Knowing that God watches over His followers and views their death as something which is “precious”, the psalmist by faith and trust in God commits himself fully to God’s protection and states, “I will walk before the Lord In the land of the living” (Psalm 116:9).

He then considers, “What shall I render to the Lord For all His benefits toward me?” (Psalm 116:12). He will pay to the Lord the vows he has made and will focus on worshipping God and praising Him: ‘”I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord Now in the presence of all His people” (Psalm 116:13-14). He strongly desired to worship God because of all God had done for him: “O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the Lord's house, In the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 116:16-19).

Unfortunately, in life all of us at times will find “trouble and sorrow”. How will I react if I find trouble and sorrow this day: In fear or in faith? I take encouragement from this psalm that, by trusting in God and remembering that He views my death as something that is “precious”, in faith I can believe that, if it is His Will, God will deliver me from whatever trouble and sorrow comes my way. If it is not His Will to deliver me, but to call me to my heavenly home, then I can rejoice as did Paul, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Whichever is the case, I don’t have let the trouble and sorrow that I may find this day rob me or my peace, love, and joy I have in Christ. I can say to my soul, “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (Psalm 116:7).

“You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield” (Psalm 115:11).

6/27/18 “In Everlasting Remembrance” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 112-114)

 

“A good man deals graciously and lends; he will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely, he will never be shaken; the righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord” (Psalm 112:5-7).

Do you ever struggle with doubting if God remembers you? If you believe God does remember you, do you think God remembers you for your sins against Him or does He remember your service to Him? How long does God remember our service to Him before our service to Him is forgotten?

In Psalm 112, we see the blessing of those who strive to be righteous in their walk before God: “Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments” (Psalm 112:1). The man who sets His heart to follow God’s commandments and who holds God in reverence will be blessed in a number of ways. In general, his descendants who follow him will be blessed and he himself will enjoy material prosperity because he has followed the principles laid out in God’s Word that enable him to receive God’s blessings (Psalm 112:2-3). This is a generality because a man’s descendants have a free will to choose for themselves whether or not they will obey God and God does allow us to go through trials such as financial trials, physical health challenges, and other struggles to test and strengthen our faith (Romans 5:3-4).

However, more importantly than material prosperity or our descendants becoming mighty, the spiritual blessings that the righteous man receives are mentioned in this psalm: First, the righteous are given light and guidance in darkness: “Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous” (Psalm 112:4). Second, God remembers each act of service the righteous performs on God’s behalf: “Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous will be in everlasting remembrance” (Psalm 112:6), “Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever” (Psalm 112:3). The services of the righteous are not soon forgotten by God, but rather their work “endures forever” as God hold them in “everlasting remembrance”.

Knowing God views their service to Him in this manner, gives the righteous great confidence as they face various trials. Regarding the righteous, the psalmist says, “He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established; he will not be afraid, until he sees his desire upon his enemies.” (Psalm 112:7-8). The righteous have this confidence not because they are trusting in their own acts of righteousness which they have done, but because they are trusting in the Lord who is watching over them, appreciating, and remembering their service unto Him. Because of His confidence in God power to work in his life, the heart of the righteous is “established” (Psalm 112:8), and he can be bold and not be easily shaken when trouble arises (Psalm 112:6).

I find great encouragement from this Psalm as I think about my service to God. God does not easily forget me service to Him. He remembers each and every act of service to Him. This doesn’t mean I am trying to “earn my salvation” or “work my way to heaven”. It only means that I find great comfort knowing God takes notice of my service to Him. I praise God my service to him “endures forever”. This encourages me to have an “established heart” that can be steadfast if I will continue to trust in the Lord as my strength. I can have confidence that I will “never be shaken” if I place all my faith in God. Today, I rejoice that God holds me in “everlasting remembrance”!

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22).

6/26/18 “Studying the Great Works of the Lord” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 108-111)

 

The works of the Lord are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them. His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever. He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion” (Psalm 111:2-4).

Have you ever marveled at a beautiful sunrise to begin the day? Have you felt overwhelmed as you stare out at the vastness of the ocean when you have walked along the beach? Have you gazed in wonder as you saw an eagle soar? Have you stopped to behold the beauty of a flower blossoming?

As the opening verses above indicate, it is good to be filled with awe as you behold the beauty and majesty of all that God has created. God’s works are great and we should want to “study” them to learn just how great God’s power is in creating them (Psalm 111:2). A failure to take the time to observe the hand of God in creation can lead one to depart from God and the darkening of one’s heart: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:20-21).

As the psalmist beheld God’s creation he observed a number of things. First, he noticed God’s work is honorable (Psalm 111:2). Everything in God’s creation serves a purpose for which God intended it whether it is the bee that can sting us, but also pollinates the fruit trees or whether it is the river that can flood its banks and damage our homes, but also provides the water to nourish the crops of which we eat. Second, the author observed God’s creation is glorious (Psalm 111:2). God designed His creation in such a way it would fill our hearts with a sense of His majesty as we behold it: “He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The Lord is gracious and full of compassion” (Psalm 111:4). Third, God’s creation reminds us of God’s faithfulness to His promises: “He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant” (Psalm 111:5). “The works of His hands are verity and justice; all His precepts are sure. They stand fast forever and ever and are done in truth and uprightness.” (Psalm 111:7-8). As we behold the change in seasons from year to year and see the rainbow in the sky, we are reminded God’s faithfulness to continue to uphold His precepts and to keep His promises (cf. Genesis 9:12-17). Fourth, the writer states that the works of God testify of His great power: “He has declared to His people the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations” (Psalm 111:6). Who can behold a hurricane or a tornado and not be filled with a sense of the incredible power of God?

Observing God’s awesome creation caused the psalmist to say, “Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation” (Psalm 111:1). It filled His heart with reverence for God and prompted Him to want to keep God’s commandments (Psalm 111:10). He rejoiced that such an awesome God had reached out to a sinful people to save them from their sins: “He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name” (Psalm 111:9).

Today, I will stop to “smell the roses” and behold the Hand of God in His awesome creation. I will face this day as “This is the day which the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!”

“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So, the evening and the morning were the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31).

6/25/18 “O That Men Would Give Thanks to the Lord” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 104-107)

 

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for a dwelling place. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness” (Psalm 107:6-9).

Henry Ward Beecher once said, “If one should give me a dish of sand and tell me there were particles of iron in it, I might look for them with my eyes and search for them with my clumsy fingers and be unable to detect them; but let me take a magnet and sweep through it and now would it draw to itself the almost invisible particles by the mere power of attraction. The unthankful heart, like my finger in the sand, discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings”.

Ingratitude towards God is something with which mankind has struggled. Recall, out of the 10 lepers Jesus healed, only one returned to say thank you (Luke 17:12-19). Failure to be thankful is a reason men depart from following after God: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:20-22). Notice that at the time when they knew God, they failed to glorify Him and be thankful to Him. This led to their hearts being darkened and their departing from God. No wonder in the New Testament Christians are often reminded “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

In Psalm 107, four times we see the statement, “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31). This statement follows several examples of God’s work on behalf of His people. This statement follows: (1) After He redeemed His people from the hand of the enemy and fed and clothed them (Psalm 107:2-7), (2) After He had delivered those who cried unto Him after being punished by Him for their rebellion against Him (Psalm 107:10-14, 16-20), and (3) After He had calmed the storm and delivered sailors who had cried to Him in the midst of the storm (Psalm 107:23-30).

This emphasis upon our giving thanks to the Lord for His goodness and His wonderful work on behalf of the children of men is made because the Lord knows we struggle with remembering to give thanks. We are often tempted to take all the blessings of the Lord for granted. This type of attitude can lead to our heart becoming darkened (Romans 1:21). On the other hand, remembering to give thanks to the Lord for all his goodness towards us is a wise path to take: “Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord” (Psalm 107:43).

Today, I do not want to take God’s blessings for granted. Like the magnet sweeping through the sand attracting the iron particles to it, I want to challenge myself to search for God’s blessings every hour of the day. As the psalmist in Psalm 107 shows, the blessings of God are numerous. They are not difficult to find. The difficulty lies in my heart becoming so distracted by this world and its cares that I can fail to take the time to express to God how thankful I am for how He has enriched my life!

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is , the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15).

6/24/18 “Bless the Lord, O My Soul” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 100-103)

 

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (Psalm 103:1-2).

I was relieved recently to find out that I'm not the only one who forgets things. According to researcher Karen Bolla, everyone does at one time or another. These are the six things people most often forget:

• (6) faces 42%
• (5) what was said 49%
• (4) words 53%
• (3) telephone numbers 57%
• (2) where something is 60%
• (1) names 83%

In an effort to remember things, especially people’s names, I would invoke a technique that involved associating the person’s name with something with which I was familiar. It worked well, but it did require conscious effort on my part to remember the names of these people as I used this technique.

In Psalm 103 King David encouraged himself to use conscious effort to remember God’s blessings upon him: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (Psalm 103:2). As a man after God’s heart, David knew that he, as well as other men, had a tendency to forget about all the manifold ways in which God had blessed him.

Throughout Psalm 103, David reminds himself of how God physically blesses us: (1) God protects us and provides our daily nourishment to sustain our physical lives: “Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. (Psalm 103:4-5), and (2) the Lord executes justice for the oppressed so we can live in peace: “The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed” (Psalm 103:6).

However, in the majority of Psalm 103, David reminds himself of how God has spiritually blessed us: (1) God is merciful and slow to anger in His character: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever” (Psalm 103:8-9), (2) God understands our weaknesses: “As a father pities his children so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13-14), (3) God has not given us what we deserved: “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:10-11), but, instead, (4) God has forgiven us of our sins, “Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases” so that “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:3, 12).

Do you have a tendency to forget God’s blessings in your life? I do. I think we see great wisdom in David making a conscious effort to remind himself of all the manifold ways God had blessed his life. Today, I will remember to “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (Psalm 103:2).

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).

6/23/18 “God-Who-Forgives” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 97-99)

 

“Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool-- He is holy. Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called upon His name; they called upon the Lord, and He answered them. He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; they kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them. You answered them, O Lord our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, though You took vengeance on their deeds. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy” (Psalm 99:5-9).

There's a Spanish story of a father and son who had become estranged. The son ran away, and the father set off to find him. He searched for months to no avail. Finally, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper. The ad read: Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father. On Saturday, 800 Pacos showed up looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers.

The above story illustrates forgiveness is a great need of man. Because we are prone to failure and often find ourselves hurting others, we need forgiveness from both one other and from God. The opening verses above speak about God’s forgiveness. As the Judge of Mankind, even though God executed vengeance on the wicked who would not repent, He was known to the righteous, such as Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, as “God-Who-Forgives”.

What a beautiful way to describe the God we serve, “God-Who-Forgives”! God has always eager desired to forgive His people when they have gone astray from Him. When the Lord appeared to Solomon at night following the building of the temple, He said, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). God is so eager to forgive mankind of their sins He sent His own Son to die for the sins of men to both satisfy His justice (i.e. because the penalty of sin is death and someone had to pay that penalty, Romans 6:23) and at the same time to extend an offer of forgiveness to those who are willing to accept it by humbling themselves and coming back to God (John 3:16). Our Lord is “God-Who-Forgives”!

However, what about me? What do people say about me with regard to forgiveness? Am I known to others as, as ____ (insert your name), the one who forgives? Or, am I known as ____ (insert your name), the one who bears a grudge or is full of bitterness over past hurts? T.D. Jakes stated, “We cannot embrace God's forgiveness if we are so busy clinging to past wounds and nursing old grudges”. We have to learn to let go of past hurts against us. Not only do we need forgiveness from God, we need forgiveness from one other and we need to be the granters of forgiveness to others.

Lewis B. Smedes wrote, ““To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you”. Many are held in the self-imposed captivity of their own resentment and bitterness because of their unwillingness to forgive others. I want to enjoy the freedom by letting go of such dark feelings by practicing forgiveness. Mark Twain said, “Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it”. Today, regarding the wrongs to done me, I will strive to be a sweet aroma to those around me by practicing forgiveness and not stink up the place by bitterly clinging on to the past wounds of those who have hurt me. I realize I need both to be forgiven and to forgive!

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).

6/22/18 “Sheep of His Hand” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 94-96)

 

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice:  Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, when your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they saw My work” (Psalm 95:6-9)

One of the pictures given of God’s care for us throughout the Scriptures is that of a shepherd who cares for his sheep. David said, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). Jesus Himself said, “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep and am known by My own” (John 10:14). Once again, in Psalm 95 we have this picture of God’s guidance of His people as that of a shepherd guiding his flock of sheep.

Psalm 95 also mentions the attributes of why God is qualified to be our Shepherd: “For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land” (Psalm 95:3-5). God made the entire earth. He knows everything about it. He knows where the best feeding places for his sheep are and where the abundant watering holes are. The Lord is aware of the safest places for his sheep to abide and He knows the areas where dangers may lurk. When their enemies come to attack, He faithfully defends his sheep and will not abandon them.

Because of this, as his sheep our response should be one of great praise for God as our Shepherd: “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms” (Psalm 95:1-2). As the opening verses above describe, we should want to bow down before Him and rejoice because we are blessed that we are the “people of His pasture” and the “sheep of His hand”!

However, is this how we respond to God’s shepherding of us? Unfortunately, God’s people do not always respond with rejoicing to the Good Shepherd’s care. Sadly, they often respond with rebellion as did the nation of Israel. So, we are warned, “Today, if you will hear His voice: Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, when your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they saw My work” (Psalm 95:7-9). As a result, as a Good Shepherd, God had to respond in love by disciplining the sheep under His care, instead of blessing them: “For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, 'It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.' So, I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest'" (Psalm 95:10-11).

How will I respond to the Good Shepherd’s care of me? Will I respond rejoicing that God is my Shepherd and eagerly submit to His direction knowing and trusting in His care as my Creator? Or, will I respond in rebellion fighting against His leadership and guidance in my life because I insist on trying to have my own way? Today, I will strive to submit to the Good Shepherd as He guides and directs me to the pastures of plenty while protecting me from the wolves that would try to devour me. I rejoice that not only does He protect my life, but He has demonstrated His devotion to me by laying down His life for me. Praise God that I am a sheep of His hand and that I dwell among the people of His pasture!

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:10-11).

6/21/18 “Abiding Under the Shadow of the Almighty” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 91-93)

 

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’ Surely, He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler” (Psalm 91:1-4)

Ulysses S. Grant once said, “The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity”. Do you struggle with trusting others? Are you able to trust fully in God’s sovereignty and His ability to watch over you or do you find yourself trying to control things? As God sees you through adverse times, do remember and allow your trust in Him to grow?

In Psalm 91, the writer speaks about trusting fully in God’s power over our lives and His ability to deliver us from whatever trials we may face. As the opening verses above indicate, the psalmist speaks about God as his refuge and fortress. He “abides” under the God’s shadow as God watches over him. The author pictures himself as a baby bird abiding under the wings of its mother for protection (Psalm 91:1-4). Because we can have such trust in God, we should be afraid of nothing which may come our way: “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you” (Psalm 91:5-7). No enemy is too great, no obstacle if too large, and no challenge is too difficult that cannot be overcome by God’s sovereign power as He watches over those who trust in Him!

Furthermore, the author notes that not only does God watch over those who place such trust in Him, but He gives charge to His angels to keep us in their care: “Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:9-12). Here we learn a little of what the angels of God do as the minister to us while we follow God (Hebrews 1:13-14). What a comforting picture of God’s protecting care of us as we trust in Him!

In addition, we learn from this psalm how God feels about us when we place such complete trust in Him: “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation” (Psalm 91:14-16). God has a special place in His Heart for those who completely trust His sovereignty and His ability to preserve them!

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of trying to live trusting in my ability to control things. Over the course of my life I have learned of how inept I am in being able to determine the outcome of things. I want to enjoy the peace and serenity that the writer of Psalm 91 enjoyed. However, I recognize as I read this psalm I can only have this calmness of soul when I trust fully in God. Today, I will strive to trust in God and “abide under the shadow of the Almighty”!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

6/20/18 “Teach Us to Number Our Days” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 87-90)

 

The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:10-12).

John Lennon once said, “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans”. How often do we find ourselves concentrating on the future and not taking time to consider the present?

As the opening verses above show, in Psalm 90, Moses, the great man of God, speaks about the importance of our taking stock regarding the brevity of our lives. This psalm appears to have been written by Moses during the time of the 40-year wilderness sojourn of the children of Israel. Moses mentions God’s anger being directed against the children of Israel and His affliction of them because of their sins (Psalm 90:7-9, 13-17). Historically this happened following the children of Israel listening to and heeding the bad report of the evil spies regarding the Promised Land (Numbers 13:26-14:10). As a result, God was wrath was aroused and His judgment was to have them wander in the wilderness for 40 years (Number 14:20-35). I have tremendous admiration for Moses because he led God’s rebellious people during these 40 years knowing that they would not enter the Promised Land. His unselfish leadership was essential to preparing the next generation of God’s people to enter the land God had given to them as an inheritance. I look forward to seeing Moses in heaven even though he may not look like Charlton Heston.

As he is leading God’s people, Moses does not look far ahead to the future. Instead, he takes time to live in the moment. Rather than longing for a time when the Promised Land would be the dwelling place of God’s people, Moses takes time to remember that God currently is, and always will be, their dwelling place: “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psalm 90:1-2). Moses recalls how God had patiently worked with His people to encourage them to follow Him. The Israelites had spent much of their years wasting away in rebellion against God: “You turn man to destruction, and say, ‘Return, O children of men.’ For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night. You carry them away like a flood; they are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: In the morning it flourishes and grows up; in the evening it is cut down and withers” (Psalm 90:3-6). Moses mentions life is too short, 70 or 80 years typically (Psalm 90:10), to have us spend it longing for what tomorrow may hold. It is wise for God’s people to live focusing on serving the Lord today and trusting in His ability to lead His people to whatever dwelling place He may have for them on this earth: “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Ultimately, God is the dwelling place of His people and that is for Whom their hearts should long.

Today, I will let God teach me to number my days. I will not let my heart long for some particular dream house or land upon this earth. I will remember that my time on this earth is very short in comparison to eternity. God is my dwelling place both now on this earth and in the future in heaven.

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that’ (James 4:13-15).

6/19/18 “Righteousness and Peace Have Kissed” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 84-86)

 

“Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the Lord will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him and shall make His footsteps our pathway” (Psalm 85:10-13).

Many of us (not so much me, but certainly my wife) love to watch a romantic movie where 2 people, who may be quite different and who may at times have a lot of tension between them, finally come together and embrace in a kiss as an expression of their love for each other. A kiss is a show of tender affection whether it is given mutually by two people who are in love, given as a greeting on one’s cheek (Romans 16:16), or, if it be given by a soldier returning to his native land as he kisses the ground, as a show of love and gratitude for one’s country.

In Psalm 85 speaks about how righteousness and peace have “kissed” (Psalm 85:10). The psalm speaks a lot about the tension between God and His people, but it also speaks about His love for His people. The tension between them exists because of their struggle with sin. God is angry with His people because of their sin and they cry out to Him for mercy: “Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation” (Psalm 85:4-7). In this psalm, God’s people realize their sin has caused a breech in their relationship with God, which they desperately want to be restored.

This psalm also speaks about God’s love for His people and His willingness to forgive them: “Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger” (Psalm 85:1-3). Because of His love for His people, God is willing and eager to forgive their sin as they repent of their wrongdoing.

The author of this psalm expresses the people’s repentance and God’s forgiveness of His people in a beautiful way: “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed” (Psalm 85:10). In other words, the people’s desire to be righteous and turn back to God is now met with God’s love and forgiveness as peace is restored to their relationship with God. As God and His people meet, the picture is given that they embrace in an affectionate kiss. A similar picture is described in the parable of the prodigal son following the son’s repentance and his desire to return to his father: “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:10).

How do I view God’s reacting to my desire to repent and turn from my sin? Do I view Him as still having His arms crossed and continuing to scornfully look at me with eyes of disappointment or do I view Him as rushing to me and embracing me with an affectionate kiss on the cheek? Today, I choose to take the later view of God because this is how the Scriptures picture God’s reacting towards my repentance and return back to Him. I rejoice that I the Lord, Whom I serve, has such affection for me!

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

6/18/18 “Given over to a Stubborn Heart” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 81-83)

 

“I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me. So, I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels. Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their adversaries” (Psalm 81:10-14).

The rock musician Scott Stapp once said, “I always believed in God and Christ, but I was in rebellion trying to make my relationship with God fit into my life instead of making my life fit in with him. I was stubborn”. Can you relate to that statement? Do you find yourself at times stubbornly resisting God and trying to make Him fit into your will instead of being submissive and allowing Him to fit you into His Will?

In Psalm 81 God speaks of how He had blessed His people when He delivered them from Egyptian bondage: “I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from the baskets. You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah” (Psalm 81:6-7). However, His people were being tempted to turn away from Him and worship other gods (Psalm 81:8-9). God promises them great blessings if they will continue to follow Him: “I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:10). God would give them the finest of wheat and honey from the rock if they remained faithful (Psalm 81:16). Furthermore, the Lord promises them deliverance from their enemies: “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their adversaries” (Psalm 81:13-14).

However, God’s people rejected Him: “But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me” (Psalm 81:11). What an incredible statement by God! God says His people, the very ones he rescued from Egyptian bondage, would now have none of Him! God desired greatly to bless them, but now He could not. He had to leave them over to their own devices and give them up to their own stubborn will: “So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels” (Psalm 81:12). God had to let them learn the hard way by allowing them to experience the consequences of their own choice to reject Him!

Am I stubborn? It is good to be persistent and refuse to give up when following God’s Will in our lives (e.g. the persistent widow, Luke 18:1-8). It is evil to stubbornly resist follow what God tells us to do. Again, do I find myself acting like the musician Scott Stapp who struggled with trying to fit God into his will instead of subjecting Himself to God’s Will? When I persist in stubbornly refusing to humble myself before God and submit myself to His Will, there will come a point when God can no longer help me and will have to give me over to my own stubborn heart. The father of the prodigal son had to do this. He had to allow his son to move away and experience the consequences of his stubborn rejection of him (Luke 15:11-21). Today, I will strive to have a submissive heart before God so that I can open my mouth and let God fill me with His blessings. I rejoice in God’s leadership in my life and will refuse to rebel against God so that He will not have to give me over to my own stubborn heart!

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he” (Proverbs 16:18-20).

6/17/18 “Putting up Boundaries on God’s Blessings” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 78-80)

 

“But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath; for He remembered that they were but flesh, a breath that passes away and does not come again. How often they provoked Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel (Psalm 78:38-41)”.

Is there anything God cannot do? Many of us have great faith in God’s power to accomplish anything He wants to do. He created the universe from nothing. He raised the dead from the grave. He makes kings rise and fall. With such great power are there some things which He is unable to accomplish? Can we affect God’s power to perform great things?

Psalm 78 recalls God’s relationship with the nation of Israel. God had given His people a law to follow, “that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments” (Psalm 78:8). The Lord had performed great and awesome miracles on their behalf to deliver them from Egyptian bondage (Psalm 78:12-16). However, shortly after leaving Egypt, Israel began to complain and rebel against God. Although He had blessed them immeasurably by delivering them from slavery, they began to question God’s ability to provide for them in the wilderness (Psalm 78:17-20). It angered God that His people would not believe in Him and trust Him, but He went ahead and showered manna from heaven to feed them (Psalm 78:21-25). However, after the Israelites continued to provoke God to anger by asking for meat, God’s wrath was kindled as He slew many of them (Psalm 78:26-31). Because of their unbelief in God, instead of the Israelites enjoying the blessings of the Promised Land rejoicing in God, “…their days He consumed in futility, and their years in fear” as they spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness (Psalm 78:33). By their unfaithfulness to God, they had limited His ability to bless them!

According to Psalm 78, there are some things which God cannot do. In fact, each one of us by our actions can “limit” God’s ability to bless our lives. This is what happened with the Israelites in their relationship with God. God wanted to bless them, but by their actions they limited God’s ability to bless them: “Yes, again and again they tempted God, and LIMITED (emp. Mine) the Holy One of Israel” (Psalm 78:41). How could this be? God is a God full of grace, mercy, and love; but, He is also a God of justice. Although He loved His people and wanted to shower great blessings upon them, He could not be just in doing so when they were acting in rebellion against Him by their sin. During such times, instead of showering blessings upon them, He had to chasten them to correct their bad behavior. After God took time away from blessing His people and having to invest that time into chastening His people, Israel would turn back to God: “When He slew them, then they sought Him; and they returned and sought earnestly for God. Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer” (Psalm 78:34-35).

As I think about how Israel put up boundaries on how God could bless them because of their unfaithfulness, I do not want to limit God’s blessing in my life. I don’t want God to have to spend time chastening me for my sinful behavior instead of spending that time blessing me as I walk with Him. Today, I will strive not to limit God by being faithful to Him!

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).

6/16/18 “Questions of a Troubled Heart” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 74-77)

 

“I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, and my spirit makes diligent search. Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? And I said, "This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High" (Psalm 77:6-10).

An old Chinese proverb says, “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever”. As humans we are full of questions to which we want answers. Do you ever ask God questions or do you have a list of questions you would like God to answer? If you are like me your list of questions for God grows long, especially during hard times.

As the opening verses above mention, in Psalm 77 God’s people appear to be undergoing some suffering. The author (whose name was Asaph) had a number of questions he wanted God to answer. He wanted to know if God’s mercy had ceased, if God’s promises had failed, if God was so angry with His people that He was going to no longer show them grace and mercy, and in His displeasure with them was God was going to cast off His people forever (Psalm 77:7-9)?

These questions weighed so heavily on Asaph’s heart that it troubled him and he had difficulty finding rest: “I cried out to God with my voice—to God with my voice; and He gave ear to me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed” (Psalm 77:1-3). His thoughts were consumed with seeking the answers to these questions so much so that his eyelids were kept open as he could not sleep (Psalm 77:4). These questions became his “song in the night” as they played over and over again in his mind (Psalm 77:6). He diligently sought the answers to these questions.

To Asaph’s credit, although these questions filled his heart and created within him a lot of anguish, he took time to reflect upon God’s wonders and His work on behalf of His people. This helped to relieve Asaph’s troubled heart: “And I said, ‘This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.’ I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God?” (Psalm 77:10-13). Asaph also reflects upon God’s work regarding His creation in nature and His faithfulness in leading His people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron (Psalm 77:14-20).

All of us are going to have questions similar to Asaph’s during different points in our lives. We are going to wonder if God is no longer going to be gracious, merciful, or favorable to us. This is understandable, especially during hard times in our lives. These questions may keep us awake at night and trouble our hearts. However, part of my living a life of faith involves my trusting in God and remembering His grace, mercy, and favor that He will not take away from me as I continue to follow after Him. When facing adversity or suffering, by taking time to reflect upon God’s faithful dealings with both His creation and His people, I can find relief for the questions that may trouble my heart.

“For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth. By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother's womb. My praise shall be continually of You” (Psalm 71:5-6).

6/15/18 “Envious of the Boastful” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 70-73)

 

“Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:1-3).

How well do you handle being around people who are boastful about their accomplishments? Does it bother you? Do you find yourself wishing that they would be taken down a peg or two? I think many of us can relate to feeling this way when listening to the arrogance of boastful people and it leads us to having to battle with our own spiritual struggles as we are tempted to wish evil upon them.

In Psalm 73 the writer describes his struggle with being around boastful people. He describes their arrogance as they are full of pride, violence, and having “more than heart could wish” (Psalm 73:6-9). He describes these boastful people as feeling they will not be held accountable to God for their actions: “And they say, ‘How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?’ Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches” (Psalm 73:11-12).

As the psalmist observes their pride, he is engaged in his own spiritual struggle. As he observed the boastful, doubt entered into his heart, and he began to question his service to God: “Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning” (Psalm 73:13-14). To his credit, the author was able to recognize that the real problem he was facing was not the fact that the boastful prospered, but rather it was the envy the was swelling up in his own heart: “For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:3). He tormented himself as he made assumptions that God would never bring the arrogant to justice: “For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men” (Psalm 73:4-5). The psalmist acknowledges that his own thinking was warped: “Thus my heart was grieved, and I was vexed in my mind. I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You” (Psalm 73:21-22).

As he pours his heart out unto God, the writer realizes God will hold the arrogant accountable: “When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me-- Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image” (Psalm 73:16-20). The psalmist realizes rather than wasting his time and effort envying the boastful, he needs to focus his heart on seeking God and trusting in Him: “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25-26). The writer had allowed the envy he felt in his heart over the boastful to cause a breech in his own relationship with God. As he ends the psalm, he realizes his need to return to God: “But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works” (Psalm 73:28).

Can you relate to the struggle the psalmist had over being “envious of the boastful”? I can and I realize the real spiritual battle I am facing is not the prosperity of the wicked, but the envy I am struggling with in my own heart. Today, I will commit myself to God, draw near to Him, and fight against Satan by not allowing him to get a foothold in my life by tempting me to envy the boastful!

“A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones” (Proverbs 14:30).

6/14/18 “The Reproaches of Those Who Reproached You Have Fallen on Me” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 67-69)

“Let not those who wait for You, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed because of me; let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel. Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother's children; because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me” (Psalm 69:6-9).

How do you view the sins you have committed? All of us have sinned (Romans 3:23), but every person does not view the sins they have committed the same way. Some treat their sins lightly because “everyone else is doing it”, while others continue to carry the guilt of their sins around with them even after God has forgiven them. How should we view our sins? In Psalm 69 we get an idea of just how ugly our sins are.

Psalm 69 was written by David but contains numerous prophecies about Christ. It speaks about “those who hate me without cause” (Psalm 69:4) which is quoted by Christ in John 15:25. It also mentions “They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Psalm 69:21) which was fulfilled while Christ was upon the cross (Matthew 27:48). The opening verses above also are mentioned as being fulfilled in the life of Christ (John 2:17; Romans 15:3).

In this Psalm, it mentions, “…the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me” (Psalm 69:9), and again, “Because for Your sake I have born reproach” (Psalm 69:7). The word “reproach is not a word we often use in our language today. The word translated as “reproach” carries the idea to “taunt, blaspheme, and defy”. When I think of my sin as defying God, taunting God, and scorning God, it makes me feel disgusted at myself when I give into sin. It is appropriate and healthy for me to feel this way: “For godly sorrow produces repentance, leading to salvation, not to be regretted…” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Viewing my sins as scorning God causes me to not want to treat them lightly!

In addition, when I view the behavior of the mob around the cross of Christ, was not their behavior an accurate description of the word “reproach”? The soldiers blasphemed Jesus as they stripped Him, put a scarlet robe on Him, twisted a crown of thorns which they placed it on His head, put a reed in His hand, and bowed the knee to him saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”. Afterward they scorned Him by taking the reed out of His hand, hitting Him on the head, and spitting upon Him (Matthew 27:29-30).  The chief priests mocked Him saying, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save” and “He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him” (Matthew 27:41-43). The people who passed by the foot of His cross blasphemed Him saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27:39-40). When I sin and reproach God, do I view myself as behaving like one of these groups of people at the cross of Christ? Perhaps, I should so I understand just how ugly sin is!

However, it is critical we remember Jesus bore our reproaches (Psalm 69:7, 9). He willingly did this and God allowed Him to because He loves us and wants us to be saved (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Today, I will strive to not sin against God because I understand how ugly sin is, but I will also rejoice greatly because God loves me so much He allowed His Son to bear my reproaches against Him!

“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).f

6/13/18 “Preparing My Heart to Worship God” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 64-66)

 

“Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved. For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment” (Psalm 66:8-12).

On Sunday mornings, how to you prepare yourself to go to worship God? Many of us hurriedly get clothed, grab a bite to eat, and then drive down to the church building. We then sit through church services and some of us come away saying, “I didn’t get much out of worship today” and insinuate it was the preacher’s fault for not delivery a lesson that “stirred up our emotions” or “moved us to action”, when the real problem was we did not take time to prepare our hearts to worship God. Reading Psalm 66 is a great way to prepare one’s heart to worship God.

First, the writer of the psalm understands his need to praise God: “Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious. Say to God, "How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.  All the earth shall worship You and sing praises to You; they shall sing praises to Your name" (Psalm 66:1-4). When going to worship God, one needs to get the mind properly focused. It is a time of letting go of all the distractions and problems one may be facing in this world. It is a time of directing one’s thoughts to God and preparing the heart for a time to praise God during worship.

Second, as the psalmist prepares his heart to praise God, he reflects upon God’s actions in the life of himself and in the lives of God’s people. He looks back at God’s dealing with His people: “Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. He turned the sea into dry land; they went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in Him. He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; do not let the rebellious exalt themselves” (Psalm 66:5-7). The writer then reflects upon God’s actions in his own life as the opening verses above show. He speaks about how God “keeps our soul among the living” by His watch, care, and protection. Furthermore, he adds, how God has allowed them to go through hard times but has also seen them through those hard times and had “brought us out to rich fulfillment” (Psalm 66:8-12).

Third, the author reflects upon himself and his commitment to God: “I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows, which my lips have uttered and my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble. I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals, with the sweet aroma of rams; I will offer bulls with goats” (Psalm 66:13-15). He desires to share with others how God has blessed him: “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me!” (Psalm 66:16-20).

The next Lord’s Day, as I go to worship God, I will let go of all the cares of this world and focus my heart upon praising God as I reflect upon His wonderful works in the lives of His people and in my life. In addition, during worship instead of looking around at others, I will reflect upon my life and my commitment to God. I pray all of us to get much out of our worship of God on Sunday!

“Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You” (Psalm 67:3).