GOD IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL!

READ PSALM 86

I NEED NOT FEAR MAN!

Psalm 86:14-17

O God, insolent men have risen up against me;

a band of ruthless men seeks my life,

and they do not set you before them.

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

Turn to me and be gracious to me;

give your strength to your servant,

and save the son of your maidservant.

Show me a sign of your favor,

that those who hate me may see and be put to shame

because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

  

In the beginning of this psalm, David humbled himself before the Lord. He had recognized his need for God. He is burdened by his difficulties, but he has not despaired; he has stopped to reflect on God. He has meditated on the greatness of God. He is motivated by what he knows about his God. Does that mean that his problems have vanished? Certainly not!

David now goes on to tell God about the fierceness of his enemies. These men have no concern about God or His laws. Yes, his enemies are real and dangerous. But David knows his God and has complete confidence in His character and love.

What a wonderful thing to know that God is merciful!

Ephesians 2:4-7

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

           

Hebrews 4:16

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

It was God’s mercy that provided our salvation and so still today, I can go to Him in my times of need and find help.

We can come to God, knowing not only that He is merciful, but also that He gives us grace.

2 Peter 1:2

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

James 4:6

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

As we, like David, humble ourselves before God, He shows us grace, as well. The more we know our God, the more we will understand the riches of His grace.

We have peace in knowing that He is slow to anger and is steadfast in His love.

Exodus 34:6-9

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

           

The children of Israel put God’s steadfast love to the test many times; every time they repented He forgave them, only because He was faithful to His promises although they were so often unfaithful. Like Moses we must bow ourselves in worship for such great love.

David knew that it would be God Who would receive the glory when He would rescue him.

We must live our lives in complete trust. Our God is faithful to His promises; He is steadfast in His love: we should not fear. May our praise be confident, as we wait upon Him to show us His favor.

YOU NEED TO START YOUR DAY LIKE THIS!

READ PSALM 86 

GOD WANTS YOUR THOUGHTS TO BE DRIVEN BY TRUTH

Psalm 86:8-13

There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours.

All the nations you have made shall come

and worship before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

For you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God.

Teach me your way, O LORD,

that I may walk in your truth;

unite my heart to fear your name.

I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and I will glorify your name forever.

For great is your steadfast love toward me;

you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

What a wonderful prayer! This should be the way we start every day! I am so prone to begin my day with thoughts about what I need to do, or about the problems I have to face. But this is how we should direct our thoughts:

Thinking about the character of God

Thinking about the works of God

Thinking of the majesty of our God

Thinking about the exclusivity of God

When we start our day and live our lives with these thoughts, then our requests will be wise!

We will ask God to teach us.

We will ask God to help us fear Him.

We will live our days with the right attitude.

We will live with a heart filled with gratitude.

We will live with an attitude of praise.

We will live with a greater awareness of His works.

We are loved with an everlasting, undeserved, and faithful love.

We have received grace and eternal life.

Dear friends, there is nothing new in these thoughts. We know the truth of these verses, but we often allow the cares and problems of this life to absorb our attention, causing us to focus on the temporary instead of the eternal.

What a privilege we have been given: to know the only true God! He is perfect and holy in character. Everything He does is for our own good. No trial or difficulty has an evil purpose. Everything He allows in our life has a perfect and eternal purpose. It never comes at the wrong time, it never lasts too long, and it never is meant to produce anything negative. All God does exalts His glory and majesty. No one can do what God does; no one can have eternal purposes in mind. No one is like Him. This is the God who has made Himself known to us!

We must desire to know Him more. We must submit to His Word. What a blessing that He has revealed Himself in the Bible. And He has given us the Holy Spirit so we can understand it. His Word transforms our lives and produces in us His perfect will. We should study it, meditate upon its words. We must look for a local church where the Word of God is honored by being the centrality of all it does: where the teaching is not merely men’s opinions about scripture, but where the Bible, itself, is read and explained and applied to our lives. Only then will we  learn to fear God more and more.

When we understand the character of God and are taught His Word, then our hearts will be filled with gratitude and praise. Dear friends, we live in a cursed world, and we humans are impure people in the midst of a sinful world. Only by understanding God’s eternal purposes can we live with peace and hope.

We are loved by the God of the universe. He does not need us, but we desperately need Him. If He had not revealed Himself to us through His Word, we would know nothing about Him. If God had not sent His Son to live a perfectly sinless life and die for our sins, and if He had not raised Him from the dead, we would be without hope! What grace we have received from Him!

Do these truths make a difference in your  life?

I have no idea of what difficulties you are dealing with today, and even if I knew, I might not be able to understand how hard they are, but I do know where there is hope! I know that God perfectly holds you in His arms, I know that He has perfect plans for you. He wants to be your focus today and always, for without Him you and I would be lost!

May the Lord bless you today! May you encourage others to see God today!

I NEED GOD TODAY!

READ PSALM 86

THERE NEVER IS A REASON NOT TO GO TO GOD

Psalm 86:1

Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

David’s request is very clear. He desires the God of the universe, the creator sustainer of all to come to his aid. He is asking the Lord who has no rivals, who is self-existent, to lower Himself and meet the needs of a mere man.

David humbles himself before the Lord. He recognizes himself as poor and needy. He has nothing to offer to his God and can only present himself as in need of God’s help.

When do we go to God with this humble attitude?

Only when we are confronted with a problem we cannot resolve on our own? When we have exhausted all of our human attempts? When we are trying to avoid some hard situation, or when we are dissatisfied with something in our lives?

In reality, we are always poor and needy. Even in our times of apparent calm, we need our God to guide us. Even when we are blessed with material comforts, we still need God for His wisdom and help.

We need to hear from God every day, every moment, and so we must humbly go to Him in total dependence.

Psalm 86:2

Preserve my life, for I am godly;

save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.

David is in danger and needs God to protect his life. During the storm he has remained faithful; he continues to be devoted to his God. He recognizes his position of servant and not only depends on God, but also trusts Him. He has no plan of looking elsewhere for help.

Dear friends, are we as resolute as David was in the middle of the storm? David does not question God; he continues to faithfully depend on Him although he fears for his life.

Psalm 86:3

Be gracious to me, O Lord,

for to you do I cry all the day.

Lest we think that David’s difficulty was easy, he shows here that he cries to his Lord continually. The enemies are real and his danger never leaves his thoughts. He is continually looking to the Lord for help. He realizes that he cannot come with demands, but can only look to God to show mercy to him.

Has the thought that God has a duty to rescue you ever crossed your mind? That because of your faithfulness, He should show more mercy to you? Or because the trial has been long, that you have endured enough?

David makes no demands. We should come to God with no demands, totally entrusting ourselves to God. We should examine our attitudes, because they often expose what our heart truly believes.

Psalm 86:4

Gladden the soul of your servant,

for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

David looks to God to bring joy to his soul, though right now he is in anguish. Lest we think that it is wrong to long for reprieve, the writer models for us the expectant prayer of a faithful servant. He trusts God, but he continues to beseech Him for an answer.

Psalm 86:5

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

David has no doubts about the character of God. The Lord is good, forgiving and His love is unwavering.

When we approach God, do we come with the same certainties? Are we sure of God’s goodness? He will never allow or do anything that does not have a good purpose in our lives. When God forgives it’s always complete, it’s never conditional. We must never wonder, when we confess our sins, if God will completely forgive. His forgiveness is always by grace, never dependent on what we offer or promise to Him. God’s love is steadfast. He has never loved us                              because of anything we could do or promise. He chose to love us from eternity past, knowing so well of our rebellious state and aware of every time we would betray His perfect love. He loves us! Today and forever!

Psalm 86:6-7

Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;

listen to my plea for grace.

In the day of my trouble I call upon you,

for you answer me.

In the day of his trouble, David he looks to the all-powerful God to come to his rescue because of His great grace.

Dear friend, the God of the universe, the very One who sent His Son to die for us and raised Him from the dead and placed Him at His right hand, loves to display His grace.

Even though the situation you are in might be due to your own sin, you can find mercy in the arms of God. God loves for His children to go to Him and ask for help. Really, He desires for us to realize our dependence upon Him every second of our lives.

We must not look elsewhere for help; we must never question His character, nor fear His rejection, when we humbly go to Him for the help we need. 

CHRIST HAS RISEN!

WE ARE JOYOUSLY PRIVILEGED TO WORSHIP THE RISEN SAVIOR!
HIS RESURRECTION WAS HISTORICALLY VERIFIED BY MANY WITNESSES:

1 – The empty tomb – His body was never found, in spite of the fact that the Pharisees and the Romans did all they could do to protect the tomb’s entrance.

2 – The Roman guards knew that Christ was no longer in the tomb, and the Pharisees had to pay them to lie about the reason for His disappearance.

3 – The witness of Mary Magdalene and other women who went to the tomb and found it empty.

4 – The witness of the disciples to whom Christ appeared; even Thomas, who was at first dubious, soon believed when he saw the risen Lord.

5 – Paul records that over 500 witnesses saw the risen Savior.

6 – Paul saw Christ on the way to Damascus, and his life was transformed from a persecutor to a witness who was willing to suffer and die for preaching of the risen Savior.

7 – Innumerable martyrs died because they believed that Christ rose from the dead.

The resurrection of Christ provides these foundational truths for our salvation by faith:

FIRST OF ALL: ASSURANCE – GOD APPROVED THE SACRIFICE

Philippians 2:8-11

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When God raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at His right hand, He declared the sacrifice of Christ acceptable in His eyes. We know that the penalty for our sins was paid completely on the cross. May we live according to this truth.

SECONDLY: OUR PAST HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF

Romans 1:4-7

and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

We know we are born again when we repent and believe, because of the resurrection. May our lives be lived in light of this wonderful truth.

THIRDLY: OUR PRESENT IS SURE

1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

The resurrection of Christ assures us that we are not in our sins anymore. When we confess our sins, we can know with certainty according to this truth that we are forgiven. May we live a life of purity because this is true.

           

FOURTHLY:  OUR FUTURE IS SECURE

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

            “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

            “O death, where is your victory?

              O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have eternal life! Death has been defeated; we have a secure future in heaven with the Lord for eternity. May our lives be a light, even during our hard times, because of this wonderful truth.

How should we the respond?

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

May we truly be steadfast and immovable, no matter how hard life can get: may our service for God be unwavering because we know that our labor is not in vain. We might not see the results, but we know the One who controls the future will see that His Word goes out to accomplish exactly what He has purposed to bring about!

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, we are most blessed!

O GOD, WE CONTINUE TO NEED MERCY!

MAY WE LIVE IN LIGHT OF OUR RISEN SAVIOR’S VICTORY

Psalm 85:1-3

LORD, you were favorable to your land;

you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

You forgave the iniquity of your people;

you covered all their sin. Selah

You withdrew all your wrath;

you turned from your hot anger.

This psalm walks us through a very familiar path with the children of Israel. They remember how God had been gracious to them, how He had shown grace and forgiveness for their sin and showed His favor to them in the past.

They now have sinned again and now need to repent and to return to their God.

Psalm 85:4-7

Restore us again, O God of our salvation,

and put away your indignation toward us!

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 steadfast love, O LORD,

and grant us your salvation.

They know very well that they cannot demand forgiveness from Him, but can only base their request of God’s unchanging and faithful love. God must grant to them His salvation.

They repent and ask God to keep them from repeating their foolish rebellion.

Psalm 85:8-9

Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,

for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;

but let them not turn back to folly.

Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,

that glory may dwell in our land.

The psalmist knows that God will forgive and save those who fear Him.

Psalm 85:10-13

Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;

righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Faithfulness springs up from the ground,

and righteousness looks down from the sky.

Yes, the LORD will give what is good,

and our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness will go before him

and make his footsteps a way.

The writer is waiting for the day when love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace will be present in the kingdom. We know that one day, when Christ will reign supreme, this will come about.

We can see how similar this psalm is to our own lives. We have experienced the care and mercy of God, and in spite of it, we fall in sin. God then uses what is necessary to bring us back to Him where, as we repent, we can find mercy and grace.

Don’t we all look forward to the day when we will be transformed by Christ and live with Him for eternity?! We can live with great hope and assurance.

We go to God because we know that Christ died for us and rose again, victorious. Today he is seated at the right hand of God and continues to be our advocate.

1 John 2:1

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

We live in light of eternity because we know that when Christ rose again, He defeated death.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear friends, like the children of Israel, we have the privilege of worshiping a living God. May our repentance from sin be true and timely, may our lives be lived remembering that we represent Jesus Christ, and may our hope be only in our risen Savior, Jesus Christ.

PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION!

READ PSALM 84

HOW ARE YOU?!

Psalm 84:10-12

For a day in your courts is better

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

the LORD bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does he withhold

from those who walk uprightly.

O LORD of hosts,

blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Where do you live? We all know where we live physically, but where do our hearts live? Where do our thoughts find rest? Where do our goals find their fuel? Where do our hopes find their strength?

The psalmist makes his resolve clear: he would rather live in the courts of his God. He has no expectations of recognition or position; all he wants is to be in fellowship with his God.

Dear friends, as we reflect on the questions above, we must realize that if we don’t live in fellowship with God, it is our fault. Our sin is preventing it. It may be an action or an attitude that we do not want to change, yet God invites us into His fellowship. We don’t have to feel well to find rest in Him, in fact, He invites us when we are tired and overwhelmed by the difficulties of life.

Matthew 11:28-30

Come to me, all 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.”

It could be our pride that is keeping us from finding rest in God. The psalmist is willing to be a doorkeeper, rather than to find opulence far from his Lord.

There is a reason we are not finding the rest and the peace God wants for us. We cannot blame it on others; we must look within ourselves. Do you realize what you are missing? Do you realize you are trading the eternal for the temporal?

God desires to give us direction, He wants to be the bright light that directs our paths, that exposes the dangers and delivers us from evil.

Our Lord desires to be our shield. He does not want us to carry the burden of bitterness or anger. He is totally aware of everyone who has wronged us and hurt us, and He knows how to bring justice or produce true repentance.

God is the rewarder of those who follow Him. All we do should be for our Lord. He is the One Who shows us favor and honor. Our goal should always be to please Him.

God will provide for every need we have or ever will have.

Philippians 4:19-20

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

When we let God define our needs, we will never lack for anything we truly need. His awareness is total and His power is unmatched. All God desires from us is to live in fellowship with Him.

Now, back to the question at the beginning: How are you? Don’t gloss over this question, the way we automatically respond to someone when we walk by them. I am not merely greeting you; I am really asking you: “How are you?”

I am not necessarily asking you if you have all you need financially, or how your job is going, how your relationships are, or even how your health is. I know that many are going through some very difficult times. God has compassion on us, and looks at the devastation of sin as the terrible consequence of the rebellion of man. When I ask you how you are, I would like for you to ask yourself if you are enjoying the wonderful fellowship with your heavenly father that could be yours. Dear friend, my desire is that you find rest in Christ.

May you be one of those who can say, “I trust in God”, as one who believes in the Word of God and in the Lord revealed in the Scriptures. When you can do that, you will be blessed. You will find peace and rest in the arms of your loving and perfect Shepherd.

GOD IS OUR ONLY HOPE!

READ PSALM 84

WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO KNOW THAT HE HEARS OUR PRAYERS

Psalm 84:8-9

O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;

give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

Behold our shield, O God;

look on the face of your anointed!

‘O God, hear my prayer’ is the plea that so many of us have made to the Lord. Here the psalmist is evoking the name of God that reminds us that He is the omnipotent One. In a psalm where we have been reminded that we have enemies, it is also so important to know for sure that God has no rivals: we will never face an enemy who can defeat our God. What a privilege, not only to have a God to whom we can pray, but who listens to us and invited us to bring to Him our burdens.

Those who pray with full trust in God will find a peace that cannot be described with words. It is a peace that only those who know Christ can enjoy.

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We should live our lives in total dependence of God, never thinking that we can do anything apart from Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

pray without ceasing,

We know that God listens to our prayers and that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.

Romans 8:26-30

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Our God has eternal purposes in mind, and as we submit and desire God’s will, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. God’s work of transforming believers into the image of His beloved Son is a continual work He does. There is no event in our lives which God will not use to produce His eternal, loving purposes for us.

1 John 5:14-15

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

When we truly desire God’s will, we can rest assured that God will answer our prayers. Our will must align with His. And although we struggle at times, He will produce the work He desires in us.

The Israelites, knew great hardships; many lost all they had and had to learn to trust God and wait upon Him, just as we do. That is why Paul wrote to the Roman believers some very important imperatives:

Romans 12:12

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

We know that we can rejoice and be patient only when we are constant in prayer and resolve to abide in Him.

Dear friends, I trust that God is your shield. It is in His Word, in His arms where you can find real hope. We are tempted to look to earthly places for protection, which, in the best of cases, is only temporary. We have the privilege to find protection in the arms of the Lord of hosts! Not only is He all-powerful, but He knows all, as well. He always has our best interest in mind, for He loves us like no one else can.

May our lives be lived in light of our King’s loving protection and care!

WHERE CAN I FIND STRENGTH?

READ PSALM 84

CAN WE FIND PEACE AND HOPE IN OUR DESERTS?

Psalm 84:5-7

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

As they go through the Valley of Baca

they make it a place of springs;

the early rain also covers it with pools.

They go from strength to strength;

each one appears before God in Zion.

Trials make no distinctions between rich or poor, young or old, educated or uneducated, every nationality. I realize that so many of you, my dear friends, are going through trials that I cannot even imagine. I have no idea how a person can humanly make it through the difficulties of life. The present suffering for many is great. Some have been struggling without a job for a long time. Some have been overwhelmed by family problems. Some are dealing with very difficult health situations. Some even know that their death is not far. How do we deal with an uncertain future?

‘Blessed are those whose strength is in You!’

Oh, I know where there is hope, where we must go to find strength: into the arms of our most wise and loving God.

In the presence of God I find compassion, I find out what true forgiveness looks like. It is when I read the Scriptures that I find out what true love looks like. Here on earth, I may find a measure of compassion from people who cannot really understand what I am going through, but Christ knows very well.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Christ knows exactly what it means to be humiliated. He left the eternal glory with the Father so that He could live among men. He lived as a servant and died the death of a villain. All abandoned Him, as He faced the most excruciating pain to carry our sins, when He had never thought, desired or done any wrong. He never had a selfish thought, He never desired evil for His enemies, He never looked for revenge, He never had any kind of pride. He was sinless!

It is with Christ that we find out what love really looks like. He loved the unlovable, those who reviled Him. He loved with no hope of being loved back the same way. In fact, He loved, knowing the pain and suffering that He would receive by the hands of those whom He loved.

Romans 5:6-11

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

We have received reconciliation through our Lord Jesus Christ! Do you know this kind of love? Do you know the cost? Do you realize your unworthiness?

When I stop and take my eyes off my ‘desert’, I realize that I do have hope, I am cared for, I am loved beyond what I can ever understand!

The Valley of Baca was a place of desolation, but as the children of Israel traveled through it to worship in Jerusalem, even that valley became a place of joy. The valley did not change, but God’s people found strength in knowing their God and rehearsing His goodness.

We can find strength in God. Christ is our hope. Heaven is our destination. We live today in light of those things which are eternal.

Look up, dear friend. If you are going through a valley of desolation, look up as you journey to heaven. If you have friends who are struggling, may they find in you a voice, a life, that points them to Christ.

As the children of Israel progressed toward their worship in Jerusalem, they became stronger and stronger. As we walk as pilgrims in this world, may our strength be multiplied as we grow in our knowledge of Christ, as we learn about God’s wisdom, power, and love!

ARE YOUR TRIALS DRIVING YOU TO GOD?

READ PSALM 84 

THERE IS PEACE IN THE LORD’S ARMS!

Psalm 84:3-4

Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young,

at your altars, O LORD of hosts,

my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house,

ever singing your praise! Selah

Blessed are those who dwell in the house of the LORD. Blessed are those who know the everlasting Creator of all, who know Him as their King and their God. God cares for His own.

Luke 12:6-7

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

       

Matthew 6:26-30

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

We live in a world filled with sin, and sin hurts people! Families are hurt continuously because of sin. Our world has rulers who not only do evil, but also uphold it. People are suffering financially, many times caused by greed. Diseases are causing pain and sorrow; people are hurting in so many ways.

Where is God? Our God has everything in control! At times His eternal purposes are not easily seen, but we must trust His word.

 

Hebrews 13:6

So we can confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper;

I will not fear;

what can man do to me?”

The Lord is our helper, and He desires for us to come closer to Him. The Lord does not want us to worry, but to rest in Him.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Where else can we go, if not to Him? We must humble ourselves. We must recognize God’s sovereign control, we must trust His wisdom, we must believe in His power, and find peace in His love.

Matthew 11:28-30

Come to me, all 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.”

Life in this world is often ‘heavy laden’, but those who know God can find settled peace in Him.

John 16:33

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

We must not let the cares of the world tempt us to find a solution somewhere else.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

God does not allow us to suffer without an eternal purpose, and He will not allow us to suffer without providing the necessary grace to sustain us during the trial. 

God is driving us into His arms, for that is where we can find peace.

If God is our King, then we must be willing to obey Him; if He is our Lord, we must willing to submit to Him; if He is our God, then we must be willing to trust Him. When we do, then we will find peace and we will praise, even with tears in our eyes, our wonderful God.

As I write these words, I am thinking of friends who are going through very difficult times, and all I can say is I am glad they know God and pray that they will know Him even more deeply, as they trust in Him.

HOW COULD I EVER BECOME COMPLACENT?

READ PSALM 84

I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORSHIPING GOD!

Psalm 84:1-2

How lovely is your dwelling place,

O LORD of hosts!

My soul longs, yes, faints

for the courts of the LORD;

my heart and flesh sing for joy

to the living God.

The children of Israel, singing on their way, were anticipating with great joy their time in the Lord’s temple.

How they recognized their need to be strengthened by their worship of God. It was YAHWEH whom they were worshiping: the all-powerful, self-sustaining God. He was the creator of the universe, He was alive, and they had the privilege of knowing and worshiping Him.

We do not worship God in a set place anymore, for we have the privilege to worship Him wherever we are. Has this reality become too familiar? Have we lost a sense of awe about this privilege?

But wherever we are worshiping God, we must worship Him in spirit and truth.

John 4:24

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

Do we have the same kind of longing that the children of Israel had, approaching their times of worship? Is it a necessity?

What causes us not to have their same attitude?

                

Since God, being spirit, can only be met on a spiritual basis, it is likely that one deterrent is our human absorption by the material. We allow our lives to be driven by their everyday concerns. Our earthly plans are motivating our thoughts, our times, and our hearts. Problems, perceived needs overwhelm us and captivate our attention. Our responsibilities and choices have crowded out our time for God.

Lies are also distracting us from worshiping our God. We can feel self-sufficient, or we can become so overwhelmed by our problems that our view of God becomes obscured by those earthly matters. The privilege we have to worship loses its majesty, in our clouded vision.

Dear friends, we must stop and ask God to revive in us a deep longing for Him and an awed awareness of the privilege that we have to worship Him!

·         We have the privilege to worship the Creator of the universe, the King of kings, the sustainer of all things.

·         We have the privilege to call Him ‘Father’.

·         He cares for us with tenderness and righteousness. He always has our best in mind.

·         He has loved us from eternity past. He provided our salvation when we had no interest in Him.

·         He forgave our sins by sending His Son to die for us and resurrecting Him.

·         He made us heirs with Christ.

·         He is preparing a place for us in heaven with Him.

·         He is active in transforming us into the image of His beloved Son.

·         He constantly shows grace and mercy to us, as He forgives us.

·         He is our Good Shepherd; He protects and provides for us.

·         He gave us His Word so we would be able to know the truth.

·         He is faithful when we are not.

·         He loves us with an everlasting love, and will never forsake us.

·         He gave us the local church as a place for worship and service.

·         He has prepared good works for us to do.

Dear friends, the children of Israel would come to the temple, driven by their need for the presence of God and by their desire to praise Him.

May we be driven to Him in those same ways. May we never think we are self-sufficient! May we never take for granted God’s great glory and our undeserved privilege of worshiping Him. 

WHY DO YOU WANT YOUR ENEMIES TO STOP?

READ PSLM 83

DO YOU HAVE ETERNAL PURPOSES IN MIND, OR QUICK RELIEF?

Psalm 83:1-4

O God, do not keep silence;

do not hold your peace or be still, O God!

For behold, your enemies make an uproar;

those who hate you have raised their heads.

They lay crafty plans against your people;

they consult together against your treasured ones.

They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;

let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”

Here again, the psalmist is asking God to intervene in the lives of the children of Israel. Their enemies, in their hatred of God’s people, are plotting to wipe Israel out completely.

Psalm 83:5-8

For they conspire with one accord;

against you they make a covenant—

the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,

Moab and the Hagrites,

Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,

Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

Asshur also has joined them;

they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah

The psalmist is not necessarily speaking of one single event, but he is naming all the nations that were enemies of the Israelites. He goes on to recount how God has come to their rescue in the past.

Psalm 83:9-12

Do to them as you did to Midian,

as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,

who were destroyed at En-dor,

who became dung for the ground.

Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,

all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves

of the pastures of God.”

He goes on to request their destruction.

Psalm 83:13-15

O my God, make them like whirling dust,

like chaff before the wind.

As fire consumes the forest,

as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,

so may you pursue them with your tempest

and terrify them with your hurricane!

His request may seem harsh, but I want you to notice the motivation behind it.

Psalm 83:16-18

Fill their faces with shame,

that they may seek your name, O LORD.

Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;

let them perish in disgrace,

that they may know that you alone,

whose name is the LORD,

are the Most High over all the earth.

His desire is that they may seek the name of the LORD, and that they would come to know that He is the Most High all over the earth.

Reading this convicted me to consider the motivation of my own requests to God when I am going through difficult times. When people are hurting me, what is my driving desire? Overall, when I am going through trials where does my heart go?

Am I just looking for reprieve? Do I want God to do justice for my own sake or comfort?

I should be asking God for eternal results. Do I desire that those who are in contact with me would come to know God, even though they are evil and they are hurting me? Am I driven by a desire that all people would recognize God as the Most High?

I need to be sincere and admit that far too often, these eternal purposes do not cross my mind. I just want the trials to end and my enemies to stop!

God knows what to do; may my desires be in tune with His. When this will be true in my heart, then my reactions will certainly bring glory to God!