Psalm 77:11-13 English Standard Version
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
From the Psalmist’s heart to ours, the crucial words in these verses are I will.
They indicate that the psalmist has caught hold of himself going to far in self.
He discerns that he is no longer the victim of his feelings, and that is the point.
The control of his life shifts from his central focus his heart to his central focus on head-his thoughts from self to God and that’s the way God intended it to be.
He discerns, he becomes aware that the only righteous place to begin is not with himself, as he has been doing, or stuck within his circumstances, but with God.
And the proper order is not with prayer and then meditation, but the reverse: to begin with reading, studying and meditating about God, which leads to petition based on an increasing Holy Spirit awareness understanding of just who God is.
That is the only way out, and it points up the trouble this man has had before.
He began his prayer with himself at the center.
We can see that in his words.
This problem that has brought him to God occupies his mind.
This man’s whole thought is,
“What’s happening to me? Look how I cry and shout out and nothing happens!”
The result of that is always the same.
When self is at the center, then the heart takes over, and the mind is governed by the feelings.
We find ourselves limited to what the Bible calls natural thinking,
or thinking on a limited narrow plane, which does not take into consideration all the facts.
Here is a picture of a man who is giving way to his feelings, allowing them to drive him into increasing distress and despair.
He finds himself in a circular pattern of attempting to first be logical, but only on this one plane of thought, related exclusively inward, exclusively to himself.
That is why he misses the point so completely.
The human heart is a powerful governing, limiting factor in human thinking.
When our heart, our emotions, and feelings get hold of us, and control our thinking, then are we discovering that we are helpless to reason properly?
But when something stops us, something like reality, someone like Nathan to King David, then the head and the will can truly assert themselves, take over.
What is wrong with beginning with myself?
The answer is obvious.
By God’s design, people are limited beings, so when we, by human design, begin with the person, our thinking is, by God’s greatest design, necessarily limited.
But when by God’s greater wisdom we start with God, we are starting with the great fact the Word of God for His wayward children includes all other Truths.
By the Word of God, through the power of the Word of God, we’ve remembered to broadened our too limited human vision to take in all aspects of God’s truth.
Someone has described that kind of thinking as cubical thinking.
Truth is never a single level of thought; it is a cube.
It has sides, it has several other aspects, which need to be fully considered.
All truth is related to other truth.
We will discover as we relate a fact to other truths that touch it on every side of the cube,
we see this fact in a different light from when you consider it by itself.
Have we begun to learn or remember to relearn, how to handle the temptations to doubt that come to us; how do we systematically, thoughtfully, and carefully begin again where God wants us to begin and rework through from that basis?
Have we risen above the limitations of our natural thinking and begun to think spiritually – to think first upon the things from above – God’s things of heaven?
Why is it so kingdom important for us to stop and just remember what “deeds” God has done in our lives?
There are many reasons why taking time to intentionally reflect and remember is vital to growing our faith and keeping us on course in our walk with God.
First,
when we are in a low place and it seems that finding God is difficult, remembering what He has done for us in the past helps us to trust that God will meet us in our present circumstance also.
If He was faithful then, He will be faithful again.
In the low times of our lives, it can be easy to give into the worry, fear, despair, or depression that threatens to overwhelm us.
But as we steadily turn more and more towards God, surrender our worry, fear, despair, or depression to God, rest in the arms of His love, we can be reminded of faithfulness and find strength to get through the low and know that there are wonderful things which Scripture reminds us, ahead for us to look forward to.
Remembering what God has done for us in the past gives up hope.
In Isaiah 43:1-3, God says,
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pas through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
Remember a previous difficulty you are facing or have faced, think about how God was with you during that time and remember that He is with you now too.
Second,
remembering what God has done for us in the past is an opportunity to offer Him praise and thanksgiving.
In Psalms 34:1, the psalmist wrote, “I will praise the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.”
It’s easy to praise Him when we can remember to see His mighty works active over and over again in our lives, but when we are facing difficulty or trouble it becomes easier to remember more how to grumble and complain than to praise.
It’s always good time to remember to get alone with God and praise Him for what He’s already done for you in the past, will do in the future, acknowledge that even if you can’t see it now, you’ll recall He is at work in the present too.
Start a list of God’s mighty works in your life so when you feel you have nothing left to praise Him for, you can come back into your list and praise Him for what He’s already done for you before, as we go through life, keep adding to our list.
Third,
remembering the works of God in our past, keeps our minds, hearts focused on Him.
When life is going great, we can easily fall prey to claiming glory for ourselves.
Our central focus becomes all about ourselves.
It is human nature to have an “I-dependency” problem.
When the promotion comes, it’s “Look what I have achieved.”
When there’s a sizeable nest egg stored up, “Look how much money I have.”
When we have that big new home with the fancy car, it’s “Look what I own.”
Whenever our “I-dependency” problem shows up, we all need to remember
1 Chronicles 29:14, “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your own hand.”
We can also remember
Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.”
Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the Lord’s decree will prevail.”
Steadily remembering more of God, these verses can quickly douse our “I-dependency” problem as we realize that everything we have comes from the hand of God, that He plans our steps, and that what He decrees will happen.
When we shift our focus to God and remember His works in our lives, our “I dependency” problem is changed into a God-dependency blessing.
Depending on God instead of ourselves, we can see His blessings in our lives, give Him the glory for it as we thank Him for how he has worked in our lives.
With a growing and ever maturing God-dependency focus, that promotion looks, sounds, feels, more like, “Thank you Lord for this new opportunity.
How can I serve in this position that you have placed me in?”
When God blesses us financially, it looks more like,
“Thank you Lord for your abundant provision. How can I gave out of this abundance to serve you and help others?”
When God blesses with a bigger home, a God-dependent focus says,
“Thank you God for this home. May you always be welcomed here and may we use this home in ways that please You.”
Fourth,
as we remember and focus on what God has done for us in the past, it can help us avoid the trap of sin. I mean, have you ever tried to do something wrong while your mind was focusing on God and remembering what He’s done for you?
As I write this devotional, I am reminded in the Old Testament, the Israelites were carried away into captivity by the Assyrians.
Why?
2 Kings 17:7 gives the reason: “And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God… and had feared other gods.”
Because they forgot all the mighty works God had done for them, they forgot about God – in their collective “I forgot” they turned to worshiping other gods.
Today,
when we don’t take time to remember what God has done in our lives, we too run the risk of forgetting Him until we’re in a crisis and need God to rescue us once again! and we too will turn to worshipping other gods – tiny gods such as careers, affluence, material possessions, hobbies, money, etc.
1 Peter 5:8-10English Standard Version
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
Satan is constantly looking for a crack in the door so he can shove his foot in, push the door wide open, and make himself at home – forgetting God is like swinging the door to your hearts and souls wide open and inviting Satan in.
Paul writes to remind the Corinthian followers; 1 Corinthians 10:3-5, “We do not wage war in an unspiritual way, since the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every high-minded thing that is raise up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ.”
Taking the time to intentionally remember the mighty works of God in our lives, slams the door shut on Satan and the temptations that he hurls at us.
Psalm 16:8 says, “I keep the Lord in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Developing the habit of remembering what God has done for us, keeps our minds focused on God’s faithfulness, gives us opportunity to praise Him, help us recognize His blessings, helps us avoid sin. Take time to remember God’s works in your life.
Remember God as God remembers You! Share any comments about something which God has done for you today or in the past. Let’s make His praise glorious!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 40 English Standard Version
My Help and My Deliverer
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
40 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
4 Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.
6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.[a]
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”
9 I have told the glad news of deliverance[b]
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.
11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.
13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”
16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 