6/12/18 “Following Close behind God” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 61-63)

“When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63:6-8).

Do you ever feel far away from God? I know many times in my own life I have become so wrapped up in the daily affairs of my physical life that it seems to crowd out my ability to think about my relationship with God and the needs of my spiritual life. When this happens, I feel distant from God.

As I study the life of David, a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), I am amazed at his ability to continue to remain closely connected with God even in the midst of tremendous trials. In the title of Psalm 63, we read “A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah”. David probably wrote this psalm either during the period when King Saul was pursuing his life and David had fled to the wilderness of Judah to escape (1 Samuel 23:14-15) or possibly during the rebellion of his son Absalom when he had fled to the wilderness to escape (2 Samuel 15:23). Be that as it may, in this psalm David mentions his pursuers: “But those who seek my life, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals” (Psalm 63:9-10). In this psalm, David calls upon God to help in the midst of this storm in which he finds himself.

Even though he is running for his life, as David calls upon God he says, “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So, I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory” (Psalm 68:1-2). David’s greatest longing was not for deliverance from his enemies. His greatest longing was seeking after God. David’s heart dwelt upon God’s wonderful attributes, such as His lovingkindness, instead of focusing on the hatred of his enemies: “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You” (Psalm 68:3).

David desire to pursue after God was greater than his enemies’ determination to pursue after him. As a result of his relentless pursuit of God, David would find a satisfaction that few in life find when facing such adversity as what confronted him: “Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips” (Psalm 68:4-5).

As the opening verses above show, David describes how he pursued God. He meditated upon God day and night. This involved studying God’s Word, praying, focusing his thoughts upon positive attributes of God, and recalling how God had already worked in his life. In spite of the dangers confronting him, David took time to think on God because he realized this was essential for his soul.

If you are like me, too often we let the “rat race” of life distract us. We become weighed down with the cares of the world and our souls feel starved. We allow the daily trials of life to fill our hearts and minds which results in each of us saying something like, “I have no time to study God’s Word or to pray”. Today, I will follow the example of David and pursue God as a man who is thirsty in a desert pursues water. Because I want my soul to be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, I will study God’s Word, take time to pray, and meditate on God and how He has worked in my life. My soul will follow close behind God this day!

“My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved” (Psalm 62:5-6).

6/11/18 “You Have Shown Your People Hard Things” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 58-60)

“O God, You have cast us off; You have broken us down; You have been displeased; Oh, restore us again! You have made the earth tremble; You have broken it; heal its breaches, for it is shaking. You have shown Your people hard things; You have made us drink the wine of confusion” (Psalm 60:1-3).

How well do you endure God’s chastening? We are told not to despise God’s chastening (Hebrews 12:5-6). Thinking of God chastening me for some wrong which I have done in order to correct my behavior does not make me want to jump with joy. Like a child who is being disciplined by their parents, it is difficult to appreciate God when He chastens us.

In the beginning of Psalm 60 we are told this is a “A Michtam of David for teaching when he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt”. As one reads the accounts recorded in the other parts of the inspired Scriptures about David’s battles with these nations, nothing is mentioned about David feeling God had “cast us off” or “broken us down” before the battle as the opening verses above suggest (Psalm 60:1; cf. 2 Samuel 8:1-14; 1 Chronicles 18:1-13). This is a great example of how other Scriptures help shed additional light on what was really going on behind the scenes of these events.

For reasons we are not told, prior to his conquest of these nations, David felt God had shown His people “hard things” and made them “drink the wine of confusion” in His chastening of them (Psalm 60:3). As he is about to face these nations in battle, he knows he needs God’s help to fight against them, but wonders if God will help since He had recently chastened them: “Who will bring me to the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? …” (Psalm 60:9-10).

However, to David’s credit, he stills calls upon God to help even though he felt God had been displeased with His people and disciplined them so recently: “Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies” (Psalm 60:11-12). David did remember that God had spoken before in support of His people Israel and against these other nations: “God has spoken in His holiness: ‘I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem and measure out the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head; Judah is My lawgiver. Moab is My washpot; over Edom I will cast My shoe; Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me’" (Psalm 60:8-10). In spite of His recent chastening of His people, David believed God still loved His people dearly. In faith, David says he will display God’s banner as he faces his enemies and look to God to save His people (Psalm 60:4-5).

As I consider these verses, I realize it is very difficult to know when God is chastening me. When I have to cope with “hard things” in my life, it is difficult to know whether this is God’s chastening of me for some wrong I have done, God’s allowing me to go through this trial that my faith in Him may grow (cf. Romans 5:3-4), or Satan’s attacking me to try to discourage me from following God (cf. Job 1:9-12). Only God and I know what has been going on in my life and in my heart that might cause Him to need to chasten me to draw me closer to Him. Whichever of these it may be, I learn a great lesson here from David: continue to call upon God in faith. Today, if I feel I am being chastened by God, I will strive to embrace His chastening and not despise His chastening!

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:11-12).

6/10/18 “You Put My Tears in Your Bottle” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 55-57)

“You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me. In God (I will praise His word), in the Lord (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 56:8-11).

Do you ever feel down and feel like no one is on your side? I am sure all of us have experienced that lonely feeling. However, as David relates in Psalm 56, there is some One who we can turn to Who is always on our side if we are striving to serve Him. It is not just any one. It is God!

In the title of Psalm 56 we read “A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath”. I am not sure when this was written as the only times I can think of in the recorded Scriptures when David went to the Philistine city of Gath was when he went there of his own choosing as he was fleeing for his life from King Saul (1 Samuel 21:10; 27:1-2). This doesn’t mean that he was not captured by the Philistines in Gath. It only means that it was not recorded for us in the Scriptures. Be that as it may, this was written probably during the time of David’s life when he was fleeing from King Saul before he became king over Israel.

During this time, David was feeling lonely and scared as he says, “Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; fighting all day he oppresses me. My enemies would hound me all day, for there are many who fight against me, O Most High” (Psalm 56:1-2). Moreover, the pursuit of his enemies against him was relentless: “All day they twist my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil. They gather together, they hide, they mark my steps, when they lie in wait for my life” (Psalm 56:5-6). In his discouragement, he cries out to God in frustration as he longs for God to execute justice: “Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God!” (Psalm 56:7).

Yet, during this dark time, David never lost sight of the fact that God tenderly cared for him. As the opening verses above indicate, David felt God had been aware of every tear David had shed. Not only had God known about David’s shed tears, He kept a record of them as He collected each and every one into His Own bottle (Psalm 56:8). This is a beautiful description of God’s empathizing with our sufferings (cf. Hebrews 4:15).

The care that David believed God had for His soul led him to have unshakeable confidence in God’s ability to rescue him from his present crisis: “When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me” (Psalm 56:9). Wow! What a great perspective to keep in mind. When one knows God Almighty is on their side, they can face any trial no matter how great! To God he said, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4, cf. v.10-11). In faith, David knew the day was coming when he would be able worship God once again (Psalm 56:12-13).

Today, like David, I will strive to remember God is for me! I will recall how He knows every tear I shed just as He knows the number of hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30). I will put my trust in Him to see me through whatever trials I may face today!

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32)

6/9/18 “Crying Out for God to Avenge Us” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 52-54)

“Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking righteousness. You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue. God shall likewise destroy you forever; He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place, and uproot you from the land of the living” (Psalm 52:1-5).

The opening verses above which were uttered by David may on initial glance appear to be harsh as we hear him calling upon God to destroy his enemy. In fact, we might struggle with wondering if David was wrong in saying this. After all, are we not to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44)? However, I think it is important for us to understand the background behind David’s uttering these words.

The beginning of Psalm 52 mentions this was a “contemplation of David when Doeg the Edomite went and told Saul, and said to him, ‘David has gone to the house of Ahimelech’”. This was written during a time in David’s life when he was fleeing for his life from King Saul. As he fled, David and his men came to the city of Nob to Ahimelech the priest (1 Samuel 21:1). Ahimelech did not know David was fleeing from King Saul. David left Ahimelech with the impression he was there on the king’s business. Ahimelech gave David and his men food and gave David the sword of Goliath. After receiving the provisions, David and his men then fled to Achish, the king of Gath (1 Samuel 21:2-10).

Hearing this exchange between Ahimelech and David was a man name Doeg. He was an Edomite. (1 Samuel 21:7). He knew Ahimelech had, in complete innocence, helped David. However, Doeg  reveals to King Saul how Ahimelech had helped David (1 Samuel 22:9-10). As he does so, Doeg leaves out the important fact Ahimelech didn’t know David was fleeing from King Saul. In fact, Doeg adds Ahimelech “inquired of the Lord” on behalf of David seeming to suggest Ahimelech was consipiring with David against Saul. Ahimelech strongly denied doing this (1 Samuel 22:10, 15).

In his rage, King Saul says to Ahimelech, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!” (1 Samuel 22:16). Saul then orders his guards to kill them, but they would not strike the priest of the Lord (1 Samuel 22:17). The king then asks Doeg to kill them and he eagerly does so. Not only does Doeg kill the Ahimelech and a total of 85 priests, he also kills men, women, infants and animals in the city of Nob (1 Samuel 22:18-19). Doeg did all of this knowing Ahimelech was innocent of the crime of which King Saul had accused him.

David learns of what happened from Abiathar, one of Ahimelech’s sons who had escaped (1 Samuel 22:20-21). David felt horrible about what had happened and told Abiathar: “I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father’s house” (1 Samuel 22:22). After contemplating these events, David composes what we now know as Psalm 52. He calls upon God to render justice by destroying Doeg for the evil which he has done with his tongue that was like a sharp razor (Psalm 52:2).

Was David wrong for asking God to execute justice against such a man? God is a just God. There is nothing wrong with His people expressing their feelings to God for justice. To his credit David did not seek to avenge himself, but asked God to execute vengeance. Today, I understand there is much injustice in the world. I will strive to love my enemies, but I also will ask God to carry out His justice.

“Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; their foot shall slip in due time; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them” (Deuteronomy 32:35).

6/8/18 “A Broken and a Contrite Heart” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 49-51)

“Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart-- These, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:14-17).

The burden of the guilt of sin is a heavy weight to bear. Psalm 51 vividly describes the pain King David felt as he experienced the guilt of his sin in both having committed adultery with Bathsheba and having had her husband Uriah murdered on the battlefield (2 Samuel 11:1-27). After being instructed by God, Nathan the prophet had come to David and confronted David about his sin (2 Samuel 12:1-14). In Psalm 51 we see David opening his heart to God as he cries out to God for help in dealing with the guilt of his own sin. As the opening verses above show, by David’s example, we get a glimpse of what it means to have a broken and contrite heart before God (Psalm 51:14-17).

First, David acknowledges to God his sin: “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight-- that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge” (Psalm 51:4). He understood God, as his Creator, had every right to judge David for his sin. David feels the separation from God’s presence his sin had created and how it had taken away the joy out of his life: “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me by Your generous Spirit” (Psalm 51:11-12).

In addition, as he comes before God loaded with the guilt of his sin, David does not ask for God’s justice. He knows he is guilty. Instead, David begs God to show him mercy and to forgive his sin: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:1-3).

Moreover, regarding his sin, David realizes how powerless he is to remove the guilt of his own sin. He acknowledges his lifelong struggle with sin (Psalm 51:5). He acknowledges that God alone has the power to remove the burden of his sins: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:7-10).

Finally, David mentions that if God will forgive him of his sin, then David will share with others the good news of God’s forgiveness: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You” (Psalm 51:12-13).

As I consider the words of this psalm I am reminded of the difficulty I have in bearing the burden of my own sin. I rejoice that I serve a merciful God who alone has the power to remove the guilt of my own sin through the precious blood of His Son (1 Peter 1:18-19). Today, like David I will tell others of the good news of God’s forgiveness by sharing with them the gospel of Christ!

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

6/7/18 “A Very Present Help in Trouble” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 46-48)

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn” (Psalm 46:1-5).

Have you ever had to dial 911? It is comforting to know that if you had an emergency and needed help immediately, police, fire or medical crews could be at your location in a matter of minutes after you dialed 911 on your phone. However, as great as their efforts may be in responding to your call, fireman can’t always able to prevent a house from burning down and medical crews are not always save a life when responding to a 911 call.

As the opening verses above show, in Psalm 46 the writer speaks about God being a “very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). His unshakeable faith in the Lord enables him to have no fear in spite of whatever dangers he faces. Whether the threat he faces be the earth being removed or the mountains being carried into the sea, the psalmist knows God is reigning in the midst of His people and will care of them (Psalm 46:2-5). The inspired author has unwavering confidence in God’s power over His enemies: “The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted” (Psalm 46:6). He encourages us to consider the great works of God: “Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire” (Psalm 46:8-9).

Do I have this kind of faith in God’s ability in my own life? Do I look upon God as a “very present help” in time of trouble. If you are like me, sometimes we struggle with viewing God as a “very present help” in our lives because we do not see Him immediately acting when we are faced with a challenging situation. Does this mean God is not present? Does it suggest God is not helping?

The faith of the psalmist did not see it that way. In fact, he understood God sometimes waits till the last moment to step in to help. He comprehended, at times in order for us to develop a stronger faith in Him, God will wait to act to help us “just at the break of dawn” (Psalm 46:5). In spite of the fact that although there is certainly a difference between when we desire for God to act and when God actually acts to help us when faced with a crisis in our lives, the inspired writer still felt God’s presence through whatever trial he faced: “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Psalm 46:7, 11). The writer of this psalm patiently endured the trial set before him because he viewed God as being present in his life and saying: “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10).

I want to have this kind of unwavering faith in God. Today, I will strive to face the challenges which confront me by remembering God is my refuge and strength. When faced with the obstacles I may encounter this day, I will strive to boldly move forward with unshakeable confidence in God’s ability to help and not retreat by giving into doubt and fear. I rejoice that God is my “very present help”!

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

6/6/18 “The Help of My Countenance” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 43-45)

“Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God” (Psalm 43:3-5).

The word “countenance” when used as a noun (as it is in the above verses) refers to a person’s facial expression. For example, a frown on one person’s face would indicate sadness while a smile on another person’s face would indicate gladness. In Psalm 43, the writer declares that God is “the help of my countenance”. In other words, for the psalmist God is the one who could turn his facial expression from a frown to a smile!

As Psalm 43 begins, the psalmist has a frown upon his face because of the enemies: “Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!” (Psalm 43:1). The writer struggles because, although he looked to God in faith, thus far, he did not see God coming to his aid: “For You are the God of my strength; Why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” (Psalm 43:2). His countenance is one of sadness, worry, and frustration as he feels alone in having to face his enemies. He describes his facial expression as one of “mourning”.

To his credit, even though he does not see God acting on his behalf as of yet, the psalmist still calls upon God in faith to guide him: “Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle” (Psalm 43:3). He realizes the situation he is facing is too great for him to handle alone. He needs God’s help and direction. Even though, as of the present moment, he has not seen God act on his behalf, he still looks to God as his strength. This is faith and he was walking by it: “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

The psalmist has confidence that if he keeps looking to God in faith and continues to call upon Him, God will guide him so that he may escape from his enemies and be delivered to worship God at God’s appointed place, the tabernacle: “Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God” (Psalm 43:4). By faith he has confidence that God will turn the sadness, worry, and frustration he has to “exceeding joy”!

The writer questions himself about why he had allowed himself to be cast down: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God” (Psalm 43:5). In the face of the sadness he has experienced and felt, he reminds himself how he needs to keep his hope in God. He needs to cling to his faith in God even during these hard times because God will be faithful to see him through this trial. God will help turn his countenance from sadness to gladness.

Do I view God as the “help of my countenance”? Do I look to Him in faith as the One who can turn my sadness into gladness? To prevent from falling into excessive sadness, perhaps I should challenge myself by asking: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? Hope in God”. Today, I will remember God is the help of my countenance!

“A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken” (Proverbs 15:13).

6/5/18 “Thirsting for God” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 40-42)

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, ‘Where is your God?’" (Psalm 42:1-3).

As the opening verses above indicate, in Psalm 42, which is a contemplation of the sons of Korah, the picture is given of a person who is panting because they are excessively thirsty. They describe themselves as a deer who has run a long distance and is now panting for a water brook to satisfy its thirst (Psalm 42:1). As one who enjoys outdoor activities, I can certainly relate to having great thirst. When I am thirsty, I am in hot pursuit to find some cool liquids such as water to satisfy my thirst. However, the person described in Psalm 42 does not thirst for water, but for God (Psalm 42:2).

Why is the person described in Psalm 42 panting and thirsting so much for God? It appears this person was being persecuted for their belief in God: “My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, ‘Where is your God?’” (Psalm 42:3). The enemies of this person were mocking his faith in God and it hurt him: “As with a breaking of my bones, my enemies reproach me, while they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’" (Psalm 42:10).

This psalm appears to have been written during a time when the writer was unable to go to worship with God’s people. This might have been because of the persecution of his enemies. The writer reflects upon better times when he enjoyed going to feast with God’s people: “When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast” (Psalm 42:4). After contemplating his inability to worship God with God’s people and having to hear his enemies him mock saying, “Where is your God?”, he felt like salt was being poured in his wounds!

The writer says his soul was “cast down” (Psalm 42:5, 6, 11). He felt completely wiped out much like how a person feels who is exhausted from working outside in the hot heat. He is so depleted he can hardly get up. His enemies have so persecuted him as to make him so thirsty that if his thirst is not soon satisfied he will no longer be able to get up and will perish.

His solution is to seek God as the deer pants for the water brooks. He will reflect and remember God’s blessings: “O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore, I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar. Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me-- A prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:6-8). Notice as he calls upon God, God abundantly satisfies his thirst by sending waves and waterfalls. This quenches his thirst an enables him to cling to his hope in God in the midst of his persecution!

As I read Psalm 42, I reflect and ask, “Am I thirsty for God? Do I pant for Him in prayer and pursue the water brooks of His Word?” Jesus said, “…whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). Today, I will strive will pant for God and seek after Him as the only one who can satisfy my thirst!

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God” (Psalm 42:11).

6/4/18 “Feeding on the Faithfulness of God” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 37-39)

“Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness” (Psalm 37:1-3).

Feeding ourselves is a part of daily life. Food is necessary so that we may have the energy we need to live life. Most of us eat at least 3 meals a day and we look forward to partaking of delicious food. However, sometimes we do not eat food that is good for us. At times, we eat food that is high in caloric and fat content; and, instead of the food helping sustain our bodies, it can actually begin to harm our bodies. If you are like me and have to watch your diet, many times you have to ask yourself when considering partaking of a food item, “Is this food I am about to eat good for me?”

In Psalm 37, David speaks about what he feeds his mind spiritually with regard to the types of thoughts on which he is meditating. For example, as the opening verse above show, one can feed his mind junk food by choosing to “fret because of evildoers” or be “envious of the workers of iniquity” (Psalm 37:1). This kind of thinking is not healthy for our minds and does not benefit us spiritually. In fact, it causes harm. David adds, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret--it only causes harm” (Psalm 37:7-8).

Instead, David encourages us to think about positive thoughts of God and to “feed on His faithfulness” (Psalm 37:3). We need to fill our minds with thoughts of how God watches over our souls: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand” (Psalm 37:23-24). As David reflects on God’s faithfulness to His people over the years of his personal life, he adds, “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful and lends; and his descendants are blessed” (Psalm 37:25-26).

Rather than filling our minds with worrying about whether or not the wicked are going to escape justice, we need patiently wait for God, Who, in His faithfulness, will execute his righteous justice: “Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it”, “for the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off” (Psalm 37:34, 27-28). So much of the heartache that we face in our lives is caused by our choosing to feed ourselves with bad thoughts where we try to control the outcome of the things we face in our lives, instead of trusting in God and committing ourselves to His care: “But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him (Psalm 37:39-40).

As I read these words of David from Psalm 37, I ask myself, “What am I feeding on?” I am feeding my mind with unhealthy thoughts of fretting over the apparent escape of the wicked from justice or am I partaking of healthy thoughts as I fill my mind with thoughts of God’s faithfulness to me and His people? Today, I will fill my mind with thoughts of God’s blessings and feed on His faithfulness!

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23)

6/3/18 “Delivered from All My Fears” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 34-36)

“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them” (Psalm 34:4-7).

In the title of Psalm 34, it reads, “A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed”. During the period of his life when David wrote this psalm, he had been fleeing for his life from King Saul. In fact, David was so fearful for his life, that he went over to the enemies of Israel, the Philistines (1 Samuel 21:10). However, the Philistines did not welcome him with open arms because they remembered he was the one who had killed their champion, Goliath, and who had killed many of them. The Philistines also remembered the Israelites saying of David: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten-thousands” (1 Samuel 21:11). David was very afraid when he heard the Philistines say this “So he changed his behavior before them, feigned madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard” (1 Samuel 21:13). David pretended to be mad and the king of Gath, which was a Philistine stronghold, bought into David’s act, spared David, and sent him away (1 Samuel 21:14-22:1).

Throughout this psalm David shares with us the struggle he was having with his fears at this time in his life: “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). David was trying to come to grips, on the one hand with his fear of King Saul who was pursuing his life, and on the other hand he was fearful of the Philistines among whom he was now dwelling and before whom he was feigning madness.

As he copes with his fear of man, David decides to focus his fear on God: “Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:9-10). Focusing on fearing God instead of man involves seeking after God. As David sought the Lord, God delivers David from his fears: “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). David adds, “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).

It is interesting. His focusing on fearing God instilled David with new confidence regarding the enemies he faced. Compared to God, his enemies were nothing. David realized God had heard him and was attentive to him: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry” (Psalm 34:15). He also adds, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:17-18). David’s faith in God was now more powerful than the fear he had of man: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken” (Psalm 34:19-20). David concludes “The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned” (Psalm 34:22).

Fear is a powerful emotion. It can have a drastic effect in our lives if we let it gain a foothold. It can grieve our hearts, cause us to be a discouragement to others, and jeopardize our relationship with God by attacking our faith in Him. Today, like David, I will strive to focus on fearing God, not man.

“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” (Matthew 10:28).

6/2/18 “You Have Turned My Mourning into Dancing” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 30-33)

“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever” (Psalm 30:11-12).

In the title of Psalm 30, it is mentioned that this was a psalm which was sung at the dedication of the house of David. The Scriptures mention following the building of David’s house, David “knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel” (1 Chronicles 14:2). Psalm 30 is then a psalm in which David expresses his praise for God’s blessings as he reflects on the manifold ways in which God has enriched his life.

As he begins this psalm David say, “I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and have not let me foes rejoice over me” (Psalm 30:1). David understood that the high position he now held as king of Israel was not because of his own doing. It was all because of God’s blessing upon him. God had lifted him up and delivered him from his enemies (Psalm 30:1). God had also lifted him up and delivered David from his own sins for which God had been angry at David: “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

David then mentions an event that happened in his life which brought him trouble: “Now in my prosperity I said, ‘I shall never be moved.’ Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled” (Psalm 30:6-7). We are not told if David made the statement, “I shall never be moved” out of pride or out of confidence and trust in God. What we do know is whether to chasten David or to test David, God hid his face from David. Being unable to detect God’s presence even for a moment in his life troubled David so greatly he immediately sought God: “I cried out to You, O Lord; and to the Lord I made supplication: ‘What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!’" (Psalm 30:8-10).

As the opening verses above indicate, the Lord did restore His presence in David’s life following this event. As He did so, David says, “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing”. David could take off the garments of mourning he had been wearing (i.e. sackcloth) and be clothed with gladness. He could not keep silent as he would glorify God by singing praises (Psalm 30:11-12).

In reading these verses I wonder, “Do I pursue God’s presence as earnestly as did David?” When God presence was hid from David, but for a moment it greatly troubled David. Sometimes when we sin, like Adam and Eve, we try to hide from God’s presence which only brings more trouble into our lives as we are weighed down by the guilt and burden of sin (Genesis 3:6-8). Today, I will not try to flee from God’s presence if I fall into sin. I will repent of my sin and strive to return to God’s presence. If trials come upon me this day, I will not assume God has forgotten about me or is hiding from me, I will pursue Him through prayer and study of His Word until I feel confident He is with me. Today, I want God to turn my mourning into dancing!

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture” (Psalm 100:1-3).

6/1/18 “Focused Confidence in the Lord” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 26-29)

“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? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:1-4).

When I consider the life of King David, I am amazed at how he was able to handle the incredible challenges he faced. Out of all of Israel, he alone was willing to take on and defeat the Philistine champion Goliath who stood about 9 feet tall (1 Samuel 17:4-51). Furthermore, David had to spend years running for his life from the jealous rage of King Saul who was trying to hunt him down to kill him (1 Samuel 18:9-31:4). Moreover, David even had to cope with his own son Absalom trying to overthrow his kingdom and pursue his life (2 Samuel 15:1-18:15). In addition to these events, David had fought in many battles and wars against the enemies of God’s people.

How was David able to manage these immense trials he confronted during his lifetime? As the opening verses above indicate, he was able to handle these threats because he had supreme confidence in God! He looked to the Lord as his “light” and his “salvation” (Psalm 27:1). Furthermore, David’s life goal was focused on one singular purpose: “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that I will seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4). His heart’s desire and focus was to go to the house of the Lord (i.e. the tabernacle) and worship God. Put in modern terms: David’s one goal was to make it to attend church services to seek God and worship Him!

One of the great challenges we face in our lives is being distracted by too many things and a failure to keep focused on the things that really matter. When facing challenges in our lives, many times we get distracted and begin to worry about our families, our finances, our health, our career goals, or other things. I am not saying that these have no importance at all. They do. But are these to be the main focus of our lives? Who gave us our families, our finances, our health, etc.? God did! He should be the One who is the first priority in our lives. He was for David as he said to the Lord: “When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ My heart said to You, ‘Your face, Lord, I will seek’” (Psalm 27:8).

As David sought the Lord, he pursued learning the Lord’s Will for his life: “Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies” (Psalm 27:11). No matter what happened to him, even if his family forsook him, David would not get distracted from his purpose of seeking after God: “When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me” (Psalm 27:10). Because of his supreme focused concentration on seeking after God and God’s Will for him, David developed great confidence in the Lord’s ability to deliver him: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27:13-14). Today, I will strive to have David’s focus on seeking the Lord and His Will for me so that I may develop confidence in the Lord’s ability to deliver me from any trial which I face!

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

5/31/18 “The Shepherd of My Soul” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 23-25)

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).

The 23rd Psalm written by King David is one of the most quoted Scriptures as well it should be. This psalm reminds the followers of God of some very important truths which bring comfort to their souls. First, the psalm begins with the statement: “The Lord is my shepherd”. Although David was a great leader himself, he acknowledged he needed guidance from the Lord. He describes himself as being a sheep and the Lord as being his Shepherd. One of the key steps for a person must take in his or her spiritual growth is to acknowledge the need of God’s help and guidance through the journey of life. God will not force Himself upon us, but He will eagerly guide us if we welcome Him, as did David, as our “Shepherd”.

As our Shepherd, God is very capable. He provides the “green pastures” in which we need to rest and the “still waters” from which we need to drink (Psalm 23:2). When my soul is downtrodden by the trials and cares of life, He gently “restores my soul” as He continually “leads me in the paths of righteousness” (Psalm 23:3). The picture in this psalm is that of a sheep that is well nourished and cared for because he is not left on his own to provide these things for himself, but rather his care is in the hands of a skillful Shepherd who has made sure all these things are provided for him as well as the other sheep under the Shepherd’s care.

Having his well-being placed in the hands of such a Shepherd gives one great confidence to face the adversities of life. Knowing his Shepherd was watching over him ready to throw his rod at any preying wolves who might threaten his life or using His staff to lift him up should he wander off and fall in any dangerous places, helped David not to fear any evil even though he had to walk through “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4). Even in the face of his enemies, David knew God’s provision for him would be with such abundance that he says, “My cup runs over” (Psalm 23:5). David did not view God’s care for him as being just enough for him to get by in life, but rather his Shepherd’s attention to his needs would be with such overflowing abundance that “surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life”. David pictures himself as a sheep enjoying God’s watchful care over him today, and confidently facing the future as he knows his Shepherd will guide him to his ultimate destination so he may “dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).

Is this how I view God’s care of me in my life? Do I have the kind of peace in my life which David enjoyed as he trusted in God to shepherd his soul through this life or is my heart weighed down with worry because instead of relying on God I am relying on myself or others? In our day and age, there is a strong emphasis on self-reliance. With this comes the temptation to trust in self and forget we need guidance. Today, I will rejoice that the Lord is My Shepherd. My confidence is fully in Him to guide me and I will let His peace reign in my life as I confidently say, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6)!

“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:14-16).

5/30/18 “The Heartache of Christ at the Cross” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 20-22)

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?” (Psalm 22:1).

As Christians, there are some fundamental truths we accept and understand. All of us have sinned (Romans 3:23). The wages of our sins is death (Romans 6:23). However, God offers us the gift of eternal life through His Son Jesus (John 3:16). For those of us who have accepted this gracious gift of God, we understand Jesus bore our sins (1 Peter 2:24). The prophet Isaiah summarizes very well what God did for us in allowing Jesus to bear our sins: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

God laid on Jesus our iniquity! When we think of Jesus’ going to the cross to bear our sins, it is very humbling. We were powerless to save ourselves from our sins. In order for us to be saved, someone had to pay the death penalty for our sins in order to satisfy God’s justice. The person who paid the price for our sins was a person who committed no sin Himself, God’s own Son (1 Peter 1:18-19)!

When I read Psalm 22, it vividly reminds me of the incredible mental anguish Jesus went through on the cross for me. This is the passage of Scripture that came to Jesus’ mind as he hung on the cross for my sins and from which He quoted. As the opening verses above indicate, He felt forsaken by God His Father (Psalm 22:1-2; cf. Matthew 27:46). As He experienced the horrific pain on the cross, He had to endure the ridicule of those who passed by and observed his agony: “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!’" (Psalm 22:6-8; cf. Matthew 27:41-44). Instead of being surrounded and encouraged by loved ones as He was going through Death’s door, Jesus was surrounded by enemies and was the target of all their hatred as He was dying: “Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have surrounded Me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion” (Psalm 22:11-13). His enemies not only took Jesus’ life, they even had the gall to take His last possessions as He was dying. They literally took the clothes of His back as they murdered Him: “They divide My garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:18; Matthew 27:35).

Not only did Jesus undergo incredible mental anguish upon the cross, I can only imagine the heartache God the Father went through as He thought of His Son recalling Psalm 22 which said such things as, “But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God”, and “But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!” (Psalm 22:9-10, 19). As a father myself, I can’t imagine not helping my child as they plead with me to rescue their life!

But God knew there was no other way to save mankind from sin. The wages of sin was death. In order for God to be a just God and uphold justice, the penalty of sin must be paid. Because of God’s incredible love both He and His Son experienced significant heartache for a moment in time at the cross so I would not have to experience an eternity of mental anguish in hell. Today, I will praise God His willingness to do this for me and will rejoice in His incredible love for me!

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him” (1 John 3:1).

5/29/18 “Rejoicing in God’s Revelation” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 17-19)

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard” (Psalm 19:1-3).

In Psalm 19 David describes the ways in which God reveals Himself and His Will to man. First, God has revealed Himself to man by general revelation through His creation. As the opening verses above show, God has shown His glory to man through the works which He has made. As we behold a breathtaking sunrise or sunset, it is revealed to us the Almighty God made these things (Psalm 19:4-6). We are reminded of the might of God throughout nature. Although our hearts go out and our prayers are lifted up to the victims of a tornado, hurricane, or tsunami, when such events occur, our hearts are filled with awe and fear as we consider the power of God to create such forces of nature.

The works of God’s creation speak continually that there is a God which made them: “Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:2). There is nowhere on earth where people are unable to hear God revealing Himself to them through the things which He has made: “There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Psalm 19:3-4). The main question for me to consider is: “Am I listening to God revealing Himself to me through His creation?”

Psalm 19 also speaks about how God has revealed Himself to us through His special revelation which is found in the Scriptures. After describing how God has revealed Himself to man through His Creation found in nature, David now turns His attention to how God has made known His Will for mankind through His Word: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:7-9). It is awesome to consider how God inspired 40 men to write the 66 books of the Bible over a 1500-year period without there being one contradiction in the pages of Scripture. Within the pages of God’s Word are contained the guidance we need to walk in a path which will lead to a blessed life: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Although God’s revealing Himself to mankind through both His Creation and His Word is a blessing He has given, we are encouraged to respond to this gift from God by eagerly pursuing God’s instructions for us: “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10). God’s Word provides warnings of what not to do and guidance of what to do so that we may be blessed: “Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression” (Psalm 19:11-12).

Today, I will rejoice that God has revealed Himself to me in both His Creation and through His Word. I will take time to contemplate and appreciate how and why He did this for me. I will welcome and desire His guidance in my life and strive to walk within the paths He has revealed for me to follow!

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

5/28/18 “The Lines Have Fallen to Me in Pleasant Places” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 13-16)

“O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance. I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope” (Psalm 16:5-9).

The opening verses above penned by King David describe a person whose heart is at peace. He is at peace with what is happening in the present as he says the Lord has maintained his lot by providing for all of his needs. He is also at peace with regard to his future as he knows that even in death his flesh will “rest in hope”. In fact, he trusts in God to raise him from the dead: “You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:10). This verse was quoted by Peter as being fulfilled when Jesus rose from the dead (Acts 2:25-28). I believe they both apply to Jesus’ being raised from the dead and also the hope the child of God (like David) has in being raised from the dead. When the body of a child of God is buried in the grave, their flesh will “rest in hope” as it looks forward to the day when it will be reunited with the spirit of the saint to go on to be with the Lord in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).

If you are like me you want to have the kind of peace David had in his life as he wrote these words. The question I have to ask myself is: “Do I have this kind of peace? If not, why not?”

In this psalm, we find some reasons why David enjoyed this kind of peace in his life. First, he put his trust in God: “Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust” (Psalm 16:1). He looked wholly to the Lord for his care and preservation and did not trust in himself or in his own goodness: “O my soul, you have said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You’” (Psalm 16:2). Furthermore, he had determined to follow God’s paths and listen to God’s guidance: “I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” (Psalm 16:7-8). Rather than resist God’s direction in His life, David embraced it: “You will show me the path of life” (Psalm 16:11). In addition, David welcomed the friendship of the saints and resisted the companionship of the world: “As for the saints who are on the earth, ‘they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.’ Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take up their names on my lips” (Psalm 16:3-4). David understood it is difficult to find true peace if one hangs around with people who are at war with God!

David experienced great peace even though he faced many tribulations in his life such as fleeing for his life from King Saul or even having to face the possibility of death from his own son Absalom. My soul longs to enjoy the peace which David had. I want to be at peace in the present as I look to God as I take each step of today and say “the lines to fall to me in pleasant places”. I will face my future with a peaceful disposition because I know whatever happens to me my “flesh will rest in hope” (Psalm 16:6, 9). Today, like David, I will trust in God’s care, let Him direct my paths, and spend time with fellow saints who are likeminded so that I may enjoy the “peace which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). 

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)

5/27/18 “Why Do The Wicked Prosper?” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 9-12)

“Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble? The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his heart's desire; he blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts” (Psalm 10:1-4).

Do you ever struggle with anger and discouragement when you observe wicked people apparently getting away with their sinful behavior which often times hurt others? If so, you are not alone. God’s people have always struggled with this as the opening verses of Psalm 10 above show. We are not told who wrote this psalm, but it accurately describes the heart of a child of God who is struggling with their faith. Like the writer of this psalm, they see the wicked hurting other people by persecuting the poor, making evil plots, hurting the helpless by overpowering them, and murdering the innocent (Psalm 10:2, 8-10). All the while the wicked man curses God (Psalm 10:7), renounces God (Psalm 10:3), and says “God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see” (Psalm 10:11). In fact, regarding the wicked man, it is said, “God is in none of his thoughts” (Psalm 10:4).

Is this not an accurate description of many ungodly people we see today whether they be criminals, politicians, or the people we have to work with or who live next door? The world is full of such people who “have God in none of their thoughts”. While the righteous strive to do their best to serve and honor God, the thought that such people will get away with their wickedness can become a source of discouragement for followers of God. Like many of us, the psalmist was troubled with this thought.

However, the psalmist was making assumptions that were not true. He was assuming God was not observing what was going on as he says to God, “Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1). God wasn’t afar off or hiding in times of trouble. In fact, after he casts his care upon the Lord, the author realizes God was near and knew exactly what was going on: “But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief, to repay it by Your hand. The helpless commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless” (Psalm 10:14). After praying to God, the writer of this Psalm remembers God is King and He will ultimately execute justice: “The Lord is King forever and ever; the nations have perished out of His land. Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more” (Psalm 10:16-18).

This psalm is a great example of the power of prayer not only in soliciting God’s help, but also in changing our hearts. In the beginning of this psalm the writer is all “worked up” over the apparent escape of the wicked from God’s justice. By the end of the psalm, the author is filled with peace as he remembers God is “King forever” and will execute justice upon the wicked in the end. The psalmist heart has been changed! He is no longer agitated over the acts of the wicked but has “committed himself” to God over this matter and with God’s help will prepare his heart to trust in God’s justice (Psalm 10:14, 16). Today, I will not allow myself to get “worked up” over when wicked people appear to prosper and get away with hurting others. Instead, I will commit myself to God and remember that He is “King forever” and the wicked will one day face God in judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10). I won’t allow the deeds of the wicked to rob me of the peace I have in God!

“The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You” (Psalm 9:9-10).

5/26/18 “Troubled to the Bone” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 6-8)

“O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled” (Psalm 6:1-2).

In Psalm 6 we are not told exactly what had happened that caused David the grief he was feeling. It appears David had sinned and believed God was chastening him for it. It also seems the chastening of David was severe as David’s enemies were threatening his life. He feels death door is near: “For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give you thanks” (Psalm 6:5).

David is tormented with guilt over his sin. David cries out to God to “have mercy on me” for “I am weak” (Psalm 6:2). I can certainly relate to the guilt I feel guilt over my sin. All of us have sinned (Romans 3:23). Contrary to the opinion of many in the world, feeling guilt over sin is a good thing. It shows our consciences have not become seared to embracing sinful behavior (1 Timothy 4:2). From the beginning of time, men and women have experienced feelings of guilt when they have sinned against God. Adam and Eve felt guilt when they ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:3, 6-8) and so should we when we realize we have violated one of God’s laws. Praise God that He allows me to experience the guilt of sin so that I will desire to want to repent and turn back to Him!

While feeling guilt is a good mechanism God has given us to turn us back to Him, the pain of guilt can be very severe. Notice how great David’s feelings of guilt were. He was troubled to the bone: “O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled” (Psalm 6:3). His guilt affected his sleep: “I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears” (Psalm 6:6). He literally wore himself out crying over it: “My eye wastes away because of grief” (Psalm 6:7). I sure can relate to David as I think of many occasions in my own life where I have had trouble sleeping and wore myself out crying over the guilt of my own sin! Can you?

What did David do with these feelings of guilt over his sin? He turned them over to God. He cried out to God in prayer. He pled with God to have mercy on him: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak” (Psalm 6:2). He asked God to return to him and save him from these enemies he was now facing: “Return, O Lord, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies' sake!” (Psalm 6:4). David did not keep these feeling of guilt all bottled up inside and continue to torment himself forever over them like some do today. He gave them over to God. He realized they were too heavy for him to bear!

God heard David. With great confidence and peace David realizes God has forgiven him of his sin and he lets go the load of guilt he had borne: “Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will receive my prayer” (Psalm 6:8-9). Now it was time for David’s enemies to be troubled as God, Who had forgiven him, would give him victory over them: “Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly” (Psalm 6:10). David could greatly rejoice in God’s forgiveness.

Today, I rejoice that I can still feel guilt when I sin. Although it is painful to experience, I praise God that my heart has not grown so hard that I can no longer feel guilt. I also praise God I can take those feelings of guilt to Him. I can repent and release those feelings of guilt to Him and He is willing to bear them for me. Today, I will live rejoicing in His forgiveness of my sin!

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7).

5/25/18 “But You, O Lord Are a Shield for Me” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 3-5)

“Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, ‘There is no help for him in God.’ But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head” (Psalm 3:1-3).

In the title of Psalm 3 it says, “A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son”. David had experienced many challenges and some failures with regard to his dealings with his son Absalom. One of David’s sons, Amnon, had raped his half-sister Tamar, the daughter of David by a different woman (2 Samuel 13:1-19). Absalom was Tamar’s brother and he eventually avenged his sister and killed Amnon (2 Samuel 13:1, 20-29). Following this, Absalom fled and it was at least 5 years before Absalom was allowed into David’s presence (2 Samuel 13:38, 14:28). This appears to have created a lot of resentment in Absalom who then devised a plan to win the hearts of Israel to himself as he made plans to rebel against his father David (2 Samuel 15:1-6).

After 4 years of making efforts to win the hearts of Israel, Absalom made his move. He had it proclaimed that he was now reigning in the Israelite city of Hebron (2 Samuel 15:7-10). Most of Israel left from following David and began to submit to the reign of Absalom (2 Samuel 15:11-12). Things looked dire for David. David noted what many people were saying: “Many are they who say of me, ‘There is no help for him in God’" (Psalm 3:2). It is hard to imagine the great pain that weighed on David’s heart as he contemplated his life being threatened by his own son!

In this dark hour, David turned to God as his Light to guide him through this crisis. He said, “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head” (Psalm 3:3). God had delivered David many times in his life. The Lord had enabled David to defeat the Philistine giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:40-51). The Almighty had also protected David from the ever-pursuant hand of King Saul who had sought David’s life (1 Samuel 18:9-31:4). God’s deliverance of David over the years had built in David an unshakable faith in God’s power to shield David from harm.

David called on God’s help and God heard him: “I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill” (Psalm 3:4). Because of his unwavering confidence in God’s protection, David would not be afraid even though he was heavily outnumbered by the thousands who were pursuing his life: “I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around” (Psalm 3:5-6). Even though this was a terrible crisis, David was able to get a good night’s rest because he looked upon God as his Shield. Through God, David experienced great peace even as he was facing tremendous adversity!

David cried to the Lord for help: “Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly” (Psalm 3:7). God did help David. In the end Absalom was killed in battle and David was restored to the throne (2 Samuel 18:6-17). King David rejoiced in the salvation God had brought to him: “Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people” (Psalm 3:8).

As I think about Psalm 3 and these events from the life of King David, I am reminded of God’s continual watch and care for me. He will protect me from the fiery darts that Satan throws at me (Ephesians 6:16). Today, I rejoice that God is my shield!

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore, my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him” (Psalm 28:7).

5/24/18 “The Blessed Man” (Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 1-2)

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).

The book of Psalms is the largest and perhaps the most widely used book of the Bible. Psalms is filled with encouragement for daily living. In the Psalms one finds songs and prayers offered by those who are seeking to serve God. Furthermore, in the Psalms we see a mixture of feelings that are going on in the hearts of God’s servants to which we can relate. These feelings are freely expressed to God, whether they are feelings of praise and joy for God’s greatness and actions on the person’s behalf, or whether they are emotions expressing discouragement and frustration welling up in the heart of a child of God as the circumstances of life weigh him or her down. As we read these feelings expressed to God, it is encouraging to know that God will listen to us not only when our hearts are full of love for Him, but also when our hearts are struggling with doubt and sadness.

In Psalm 1 we find the description of the “Blessed Man”. God in His infinite wisdom describes to us the man who will find great blessing. In the opening verses above, as God tells us about the “Blessed Man”, first God informs us what this man does not do to find blessing in life. He does not find blessing by seeking after the approval of others. He does not “walk”, “stand”, or “sit” among the ungodly. Notice the steady progression of one becoming more comfortable with those who practice sinful behavior in that first verse of Psalm 1. First the person walks with the ungodly, then he stands among them, and finally he settles among them by sitting with them. As a result of seeking the world’s approval, the psalmist tells us what will be the result of those who follow this path: “The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous” (Psalm 1:4-5). Those who pursue this path will not find stability in this life because, like chaff that is blown away as wheat is being winnowed, so they will never find true blessing and peace by pleasing the world about them. More importantly, they will have to face God’s disapproval in the Judgment because they have pursued a course completely contrary to God’s Will for them (2 Corinthians 5:10; John 12:48).

This is not to say that a child of God will not have any contact with people in the world, for we must, especially so that we can influence them to come to know Christ (1 Corinthians 5:10; Mark 16:15-16). What it clearly says is the “Blessed Man” doesn’t seek approval from the world. Instead the “Blessed Man” delights in the “law of the Lord” and meditates upon it “day and night”. This man loves God’s Word. He thinks upon it all the time. He heart isn’t distracted by seeking the approval of the world or weighed down by the cares of life because his focus is upon God and His Word. As a result, this man will be richly blessed: “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3). The picture God paints for us is this man will be healthy and flourishing. He will be greatly blessed because he made that critical choice to seek God’s approval by setting his heart on God direction found in God’s Word!

Today, I will make that critical choice to not seek the world’s approval, but God’s. I will set my heart and mind on loving and following God and His law so that God may enable me to become “The Blessed Man” who enjoys the full and abundant life for those who are Christ’s (John 10:10)!

“For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish” (Psalm 1:6).