Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
How can we keep our circumstances from determining our mood? How can we free ourselves from the continuous limitations that life continually deals us? This wondrous trio of commandments opens the door for the other two to be true — we can rejoice in hope, and we can be patient in affliction because we have been faithful in prayer. No matter what our situation is, we can pray with joy because of our hope in Christ no matter what our current situation is. We can remain patient, persevering through affliction, by presenting our requests and intercessions to God with thanksgiving. Prayer is God’s gift to us so that we can be surely patient and joyful, even when things don’t appear to be going well.
Romans 12:10-13 New American Standard Bible
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; [a]give preference to one another in honor, 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the [b]saints, [c]practicing hospitality.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Apostle Paul composed a lengthy and weighty letter to the Roman Church that addressed every issue which is so vital to daily living the normal Christian life, in this post-cross era. His extensive epistle is written in such a wise way as to provide us with a wonderful understanding of all church-age doctrines and how to properly apply them in our 21st century lives today, so that we are enabled to live a victorious Christian life – the life that God intended for all His children.
Just as the main body of Romans is lengthy and weighty, so his final remarks are by contrast are succinct yet compelling. In a few short, crisp verses Paul sums up all that is necessary to live a life which is fully pleasing unto the Lord. In verse 12 we are challenged and encouraged to continuously Rejoice in hope, be continuously patient in tribulation, and be in a continual attitude in prayer.
To continually rejoice in hope is to have that unfaltering assurance in God’s Word as a continuous source of wisdom and truth – knowing that our hope of glory is secured for us in heavenly places for the eternal ages to come, simply because God’s Word is continuously true and cannot be broken. Our hope is built on nothing less than our own continuously trusting in the cross of Christ, continually taking God at His Word. We are continuously giving God a chance.
To be continuously patient in tribulation is to continually know and accept that in this world we will have constant tribulation – but to wait patiently in our suffering, without murmurings – and to be of good cheer, knowing that His strength is sufficient to see us through every difficulty of life, because He has already overcome sin and death – and we are united with Him and His victory.
To be constant in prayer is to recognise that prayer, is one of the chief weapons of the spiritual warfare in which all Christians are engaged. As saints of God, we should all be instant in prayer – constantly lifting our hearts and voice unto the Lord in prayers of thanks and praise and intercession and requests – and laying them before the throne of God’s Grace, in the name of JESUS – knowing that so much infinitely greater is He that is continuously within us that He who is in the world. It is this continuous connection and continuous conversation with God which serves to continually keep our hearts and souls and hands on God.
Come! Let us work out with God a plan to continually exercise all Paul’s short, crisp instructions for godly living which are found in this final section of His epistle to the Romans as well as taking time to study this lengthy and weighty letter that has been written for our learning – so that we too may live a life that is pleasing to the Lord – so Christ can be continually seen in me and in you too!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Father, I thank you, because no matter what struggles I face, you assure me of your ultimate victory. I thank you, dear God, because no matter the hardship or burden, I know you will help me through it and bring me to your presence with great joy. Until that day of ultimate victorious joy, please ransom my heart from discouragement by the power of your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Alleluia! Amen.
It is commonly thought among humans that if one wants to be somebody, he or she must find something of some measure of significance to accomplish. Most people will do this by looking all around the world to see who and what others most admire, then set their hearts on becoming that, or accomplishing it. The plan becomes to set into motion a carefully laid out step-by-step plan to try and achieve their desired end. The hope is that once they have achieved their victory, they will be somebody, be happy, or even earn some kind of salvation.
Even those who do not have even the minimal self-discipline and drive to go after their dreams will spend all of their waking time wishing and dreaming and planning the steps even if it takes the form of condemnation for their failures.
This is the proposed, supposed way of the world. It will lead to either achieving the goals and being left with pride, or worse, emptiness upon finding that the goal was not worthy. Alternatively, it will lead to failure, self-condemnation, feeling low and full of self-pity. Breaking the cycle, to understand that the Lord establishes his, her steps will set a person free from this self-destructive cycle.
Right from the beginning of all created things, God has always said to us, seek first the long planned for, created things of the Kingdom of God, and the Lord, who, from the beginning establishes all your steps, will add all things to you.
Proverbs 16:9 The Message
9 We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Throughout history, mankind has made their plans for what they will do each day. In the office, we start out our days with a detailed planning sheet we create for ourselves and organize our days and weeks and prioritize tasks to ensure the most important ones get done. We also make plans for holidays and vacations.
We budget our money; we set out our financial goals and make step-by-step plans with our financial planners for how we ourselves see fit to achieve them. We make, have daily planners, plans for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and other events. Expectant parents plan and prepare for a new child. Teachers make lesson plans. The corporate owner plans for his, her business to grow and expand and become profitable. It is perpetual motion. We make plans.
There is nothing whatsoever wrong with planning. In fact, it is always a great idea to set goals and plan for their maximum success. If we did not, our lives would be a little here and a little there but mostly going nowhere fast– kind of like a balloon you completely blow up and then let go without tying a knot in it – and we’d really never accomplish much. Planning is definitely a good thing.
Our plans should always begin with prayer and seeking God’s will for our lives. If God has been included in our planning process right from the exact starting, we can be reasonably assured, those plans will have some measure of success. The only thing to remember here is that we are not the ones who get to define what that success is. Our personal vision of success will always be too limited.
We will probably let all the “bumps and the grinds, hills and valleys,” define whether or not we will even bother to continue that single-minded pursuit of what we ourselves define and measure out as the definition of our successes. We may end up quitting on ourselves, our hopes, our dreams way, way too quickly. We may not give ourselves the proper time to learn about perseverance in life. The glue in our “stick-to-itiveness ” will not be allowed to do its proper work.
It is here when we unceremoniously and regretfully, inconveniently, “forget” about God. When our planning is contrary to God’s will, we become guilty of sin.
In James 4:13-17, James wrote, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.’ You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring — what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, ‘If the Lord will, we will live and do this or that.’ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So, it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it.”
Godmay still allow you and me to make our own plans without properly, prayerfully consulting with Him. He will even allow you and me to make our own plans, own our own plans when you and I do not particularly like His plans or His will and decide to do things our way anyway. But you and I can be assured regardless of what you and I plan, God will be ONLY the one finally directing each and every step you and I take. And if in our arrogance and pride we choose to do things our way, God will always bring about His divine will.
The Prophet Jonah is a very familiar example of someone who didn’t like what God was telling him to do and so he trusted in himself and made his own plans. God had wanted Jonah to go preach in Nineveh and Jonah didn’t want to go.
He got on a boat and went in the opposite direction from Nineveh. As a result, a great storm came up and everyone on the boat became afraid they would die at sea. They started throwing the cargo over to lighten the boat’s load and then Jonah told them they had to throw him overboard and the storm would stop.
The sailor’s thought Jonah was crazy, but after a while, they conceded and tossed Jonah into the storm-tossed waves. God was not only directing Jonah’s steps, but he also directed the swim path of a great fish who came along at that exact moment and swallowed Jonah up. After living three days in the belly of the fish, Jonah finally repents and finally, humbly prays to God. God then has the fish throw up Jonah and Jonah goes to Nineveh and preaches repentance.
Breaking Down the Key Parts of Proverbs 16:9
#1 “In their hearts…” In most places where the heart is mentioned in Scripture, it is not looked upon very kindly. Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it” (Jeremiah 17:9)? Mark 7:21-22 says, “For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.” The advice of others to “Just follow your heart” may work great in the movies, but it is foolish, terrible advice for the believer.
#2 “…humans plan their course,” It is, and always will be a good and righteous thing to plan our day to a certain extent; for example, what is for dinner tonight? When will I finish my work? But the kind of planning that is not good is the arrogant kind that desires its own way and has self-promoting expectations for how things are going to go.
This is essentially mankind significantly over-extending his own abilities, taking on God’s job. James 4:13-17 calls it “boasting about tomorrow.”
#3 “but the Lord establishes their steps.” What is going to happen is what God wants to happen. Seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:25-34), don’t worry for tomorrow, live in his presence right now, and watch him unfold his perfect plan before you.
This means consciously remembering God, to live according to his principles in his Word and lay down your life for him and for his Kingdom. You cannot even imagine what His control over your life has in store for those who trust in him.
In the New Testament, a group of shepherds made plans for tending their flock throughout the long cold night. But God suddenly interrupted their long night and sent angels to proclaim the birth of Jesus which brought the shepherds to worship the newborn King. Their plans were to simply care for their flock of sheep – God’s plans were “glorify the Lord,” to bring them to worship Jesus.
In Acts Chapter 3, A lame man who had been lame since birth had plans for going to the temple to beg for alms but as Peter and James saw him and listened to the leading of the Holy Spirit, Peter said to him, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk.” In an instant, he was healed, and he rose up on his newly strengthened legs and went walking and leaping and praising God. The Lame Man’s plans were to get enough alms so he could eat – God’s plan was a miraculous healing.
Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has good plans for us – plans for our welfare and not destruction. If we truly believe this, then we should have no problems starting our planning time in prayer and seeking God’s will to be sure that the plans we make align with God’s will. If they do, then we can surrender our plans into His hands and trust that even if the path to get where we were planning looks different than how we planned it, that ultimately God will get us there, He will work all things out for our good (Romans. 8:28), and He will forever and ever be with us every single step of the way and keeping us from stumbling.
But if we try to go our own way like Jonah, we might find ourselves in some trouble just like Jonah did and then find ourselves right where God wanted us in the first place. Had Jonah simply cooperated with God’s plan in the first place, he could have saved himself three days in the belly of a fish – and if we will cooperate with God’s plans for our lives, we can save ourselves from all the unpleasant consequences that running from God brings. (Luke 15:11-32)
So go ahead and make your plans, but start every plan with prayer, seeking God’s will first. Then as you make your plans centered around His will, ask that your plans will bring Him honor and glory. If, like Joseph, the path getting to where God wants you looks different than you thought it would and includes a “pit” or “prison” along the way, remember that God is always with you and if the “palace” is God’s plan for you, you can trust Him to get you there at just the right moment so you are in position for what God wants to do in your whole life.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Dear Father in heaven, your Son promised that we would see him again if we wait patiently and listen to what the Holy Spirit says to us. Illuminate our hearts and send your Spirit in. All that is yours will be ours through your Spirit. I pray that I learn to quiet my mind so I can hear the Holy Spirit. I pray that I am filled with the understanding to know how to follow its guidance for me. Amen.
Today, I am asking you to take more than a few moments to look at anything and everything around you and surrounding you. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised to know that you got to know its name or its purpose simply because someone, somewhere, somehow taught this to you at some early stage in your life. Interestingly, most of the basics we learnt as children, and then as we grew into adulthood, we may have taken it further, studied or researched further, to excitedly increase our knowledge. So also, our understanding of God, His word and prayer are contributions made by many people right from our childhood. This list of contributors includes our Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Siblings, Teachers, Sunday School Teachers, Pastors, Friends, many others.
Meditate upon these things! Meditate on the God who brought all of this into existence. Meditate on the Word of God which brings these truths unto life, who gives these truths new and sustained life, completely, unimaginable vibrancy. Such a renewed and refreshing perception of life is so desperately necessary. Ponder and Reflect upon the significance of the Psalmists word “MEDITATE!”
In this devotional effort we are prayerfully going to explore the ways in which we as children of God, through meditation can grow more in the knowledge of God. For this to happen it is vital we have a teachable heart. Hope this teaching will help us understand the various aspects of being a godly teachable person.
Psalm 119:9-16 Complete Jewish Bible
ב (Bet)
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; don’t let me stray from your mitzvot. 11 I treasure your word in my heart, so that I won’t sin against you. 12 Blessed are you, Adonai! Teach me your laws. 13 I proclaim with my mouth all the rulings you have spoken. 14 I rejoice in the way of your instruction more than in any kind of wealth. 15 I will meditate on your precepts and keep my eyes on your ways. 16 I will find my delight in your regulations. I will not forget your word.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Christian meditation is a spiritual virtue that every believer should cultivate. The Holy Spirit through David has taught us the discipline of meditation when we read, “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word” (Psalm 119:15-16).
Christian meditation is not merely Scriptural memorization, though such an exercise will certainly yield that virtue. Christian meditation is a most sublime division of private prayer. The teaching on Christian meditation is dealt with in the larger context of the most careful planning and execution of the Psalmists poetic reflection. Thus, the Prince of Preachers, the Reverend Charles Spurgeon wrote of Psalm 119, “The manner it is composed in is very elegant; full of art, rule, method theological matter in a logical manner, a spiritual alphabet framed and formed according to the Hebrew alphabet.”
Thus, the long methodical approach of the Psalmist to creating this longest contribution to the Psalter gives an example of the effect of such spiritual exercise in his own life. Ponder for a long while upon all of the time and effort and prayer and study and personal reflection and personal introspection it took for the Psalmist to bring such an empowering writing as Psalm 119 into being
To meditate is to gaze upon a divine object of incalculable worth with the spirit of humble devotion. It is to locate the precious jewels of truth in the Word. It is to mark the truths carefully and to recite those Biblical truths to your own soul. It is to listen quietly as the Holy Spirit applies His truth to your heart and mind.
It is to collect and gather those truths as an offering of thanksgiving to the Lord. Christian meditation, humbly practiced in devout prayer, will inaugurate a deep and genuinely delightful journey of intimate time, turning into a lifetime of closeness, with your Creator. It is to enter the holy of holies “praying in the Spirit” and thus rendering your sacrifice of praise as a priest of the Almighty.
“I will meditate . . .” This is the resolute soliloquy of the author, most likely an aged King David, near the end of his life, as he reflects upon, charges his own soul in response to all of the blessings and curses he walked and lived through.
Is it any different for us today as we sometimes consider all our blessings and curses, our ups and our downs, our left turns and our right turns, and all of the square pegs of our choices we have tried to hammer through round holes we drilled out to make them work, have had to contend with, as we ourselves make a deliberate effort to “carve out” some very much needed quality time with God away from the unseemly ruinous efforts of chaos as it threatens to run amok.
I encourage all you readers to try a wholly different tactic. Pick up your Bibles and invite God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit to sit with you. God is the One who commands and speaks order from chaos. We cannot know God’s ways of doing this, but we can know and be inspired and empowered by the truth that He did in fact, in the beginning of all things brought chaos under his full command. We freely ponder on the ever-present trouble chaos brings to our very doorsteps. I do not know how much time we spend meditating on God bringing even more trouble to chaos’s doorstep. Meditate upon God commanding chaos to leave.
To receive change in our lives away from the sovereignty of chaos into the light of the divine order of the absolute sovereignty of God, we must make this our firm resolution and immovable conviction. From this, we will come to learn that our alone moments with God passes quite effortlessly into hours as you meditate upon God’s precepts according to Scripture. Eventually, miraculously, the incomparable spiritual experience transforms your life of prayer, you will discover what it means to “pray without ceasing.” The benefits of Christian meditation are many—peace, perspective, power, perseverance—yet none so glorious as the blessing that becomes affirmation: “I have been with God.”
A teachable person is…
• Humble – Psalm 25:9 – He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble his way. (ESV) Someone said, true humility is being truly teachable, regardless of how much you know.
• Wise – Proverbs 9:9 – Instruct the wise and they will be even wiser.
• Righteous – Proverbs 9:9 – Teach the righteous and they will learn even more (NLT)
I am sure there may many other qualities that mark a person who is teachable, but I would just like to highlight the above three.
The basic characteristic of a teachable person is humility. Someone said it this way, “True humility is being truly teachable, regardless of how much you know.” In other words, a person who is not humble, will not be willing to take any kind of teaching from anyone. So also Proverbs 9:9 explains that a wise and righteous person will certainly be teachable, because they understand the value of receiving instructions and gaining knowledge.
As children of God, who teaches us?
1. The Word of God – 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (NLT)
Someone said this aptly, the word of God is useful for teaching (teaches us what is right), for reproof (teaches us what is not right), for correction (teaches us how to get right) and training (teaches us how to stay right). David understood the significance of God’s word when he said in Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (NLT). God’s word is of 100% paramount importance, as all of our guidance and teaching to live a holy life comes from the individual’s knowledge and deep experience with word of God.
2. The Holy Spirit – 1 Corinthians 2:13-14“When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them, and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.” (NLT)
John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (ESV)
The Holy Spirit of God is absolutely our best teacher, counsellor and guide. You may have heard someone say that they could not understand the bible as they read it. The reason is that only the Holy Spirit of God can reveal to us the truths about God. Ergo, only a spiritual person, who has the Holy Spirit indwelling them, can receive these spiritual insights. Also, we may have experienced times when we are struggling mightily with and against sin, temptation or a badly complicated situation, that the Holy Spirit of God will bring to remembrance the Word of God and give us strength to overcome these trials and temptations.
The Holy Spirit of God is that still small voice of God inside us that is constantly prompting us to walk in the ways of God and live a life that is pleasing to God.
3. People of God – Philippians 3:17, “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” (ESV)
The church of God is the gathering place of believers, where with the Word of God for the Children of God, we are covenanted, called upon to both bless, edify and encourage one another. Paul could boldly tell his fellow-believers that they should strive to imitate him and also keep their eyes on other people who are role models whom they could follow.
Acts 2:42-47 English Standard Version
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe[a] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Take the time to look around and you will notice many men and women of God who are working and praying hard at living exemplary lives, from whom we can learn. It is important that we should mentor those who are younger to us, but it is also crucial that we have in our lives those older to us who can mentor us as well, if we want to continue to grow in our faith and our knowledge of God.
4. Experiences (our own and others as well)
Romans 5:3-5,“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (ESV)
2 Corinthians 1:4, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (NLT)
Each of us go through our own singularly unique and various experiences, good and bad. The experiences we go through are also very great teachers, if we are willing to learn. Each experience can make us bitter or better, depending on how teachable our hearts are. Paul explains this in great detail these sufferings are what produce character, teach us patience and give us hope for the future. This hope is based on God’s love and the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Every time we come out victorious, we allow God to fulfill His purposes in our lives. These experiences are God’s way to refine us to be more like Jesus.
It is important to learn from our own experiences it is equally beneficial to learn from other’s experiences too. Someone said, ‘Smart people learn from their mistakes, wise people learn from others’ mistakes. Someone else said it this way, ‘Learn from other people’s mistakes, and then go and make new ones.” It is also a fact that God comforts us and teaches us through all the hard times, so that we can, in return, comfort those who are going through a similar path.
What should we be taught?
The way we should go…. Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;” (ESV)
• To walk in God’s truth Psalm 86:11, “Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth;” (ESV)
• To do God’s will Psalm 143:13, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God!” (ESV)
Every day we are faced with numerous challenges and have to make so many decisions. God is willing to instruct and teach us the way we should go if we are willing to let Him do so. We also need to walk in the truth.
These are days where it is so easy to compromise, when challenged with conflict between the word of God and the world.
It is only when we talk and walk in the truth, (and we know that Jesus is the Truth), can we live a life of no compromise. The other important aspect we need to be taught, is the will of God. If we choose anything other than the will of God, revealed through Scripture, we will lose out on the peace and joy that should be ours. Staying within the will of God is the safest place for us as God’s children.
Psalm 119:9-16 The Message
9-16 How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted. I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living. I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth; I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it. I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us pray,
Holy God, make me a partaker of your Holy Spirit. Enlighten me, oh, God. May I taste this heavenly gift that you reserve for your righteous people. Cleanse me of any barriers in my heart and mind that may stop me from feeling your whole presence in me. Flood any dark spots in my heart with your light. Help me to walk in your light and shine your beauty and grace on everyone I meet. Amen.
9-16 How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted. I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living. I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth; I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it. I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Have you ever had to walk a distance in the deep cold of winter or in the hottest hot of the summer months? It is a discipline to keep doing either one or even both depending upon the seasons where-ever you choose to call your home. I knew that if I had to discipline on learning how to do that – day in and day out – for the sake of I familiarity, I always tried to remember to take the same path.
It is easiest to walk a path that has been heavily tread, one in which the snow has already been compacted or the dried hard ground is hard, tamped down.
The Psalmist writes that he will fix his eyes on God’s ways. The word “ways” is translated from orach, referring to a well-trodden path. This is a path walked by many and clearly visible; having been taken many times before, the outcome is predictable. Author God makes His ways clearly known to us through scripture, including the quality of outcome for those who choose His well-trodden path.
Think about the flattened snow path: you don’t have to lift your legs as high to walk, and you don’t sink down into the powder with every step. Walking upon dry and compressed, well-trodden paths worn down over time, will take you to your destination, using less energy. Such is the discipline of “meditating” upon the Word of God for the Children of God. God has already done the hard work for you – He gave us His Word, fulfilled the law. His is the path you want to be on.
The phrase “fix my eyes” comes from the root word nabat, meaning to look intently at something, regarding it with pleasure, favor, or care. The Psalmist is determined to fix his eyes on the well-trodden path that God has provided for him. Just as a horse might wear blinders to keep it focused on the path ahead with no peripheral distraction, we should be looking so intently at God’s way, regarding it with so much favor and pleasure, that the cares of the world would disappear from our peripheral. Let our hearts and our souls, let our eyes be so utterly GOD fixed that no distraction could pull us off of the well-trodden path.
How can we keep our gaze affixed on God’s ways? First, the Psalmist states that he will mediate on God’s precepts. Meditate is translated from the word siyach and means to ponder or converse with oneself. Scripture calls us to meditate on the word day and night (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2). The Psalmist’s daily goal (as ours ought, should be) is to fill his thoughts with scripture, with things above (Colossians 3:2), and with all that is good (Philippians 4:8).
Second, the Psalmist determines to 100% delight in God’s statutes. Delight is translated fromsha’a’, which means to be fond of, or pleased with. We must renew our minds (Romans 12:2) and not to think of scripture as only a list of rules that we must strictly adhere to and follow. Instead, we can delight in the freedom of God’s way – the freedom to sin no more and the freedom to do what is right. His commandments are not burdensome (John 8:1-11, 1 John 5:3).
Lastly, the Psalmist declares that he will not forget God’s word. Forget can also be translated as “mislay” (as in misplacing your car keys) or “obliviousness due to lack of attention.”
When it is time to act, when there is a decision to be made, and even as day to day routines are being lived out, we do not want to be blatantly oblivious to God’s ways because we have each neglected (given no attention to) His word.
We want the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17), ready at our side at all times. When it’s go-time we do not want to be searching for God’s word like misplaced car keys. We want it at the forefront of our mind and on the tip of our tongue. How can we obey the word if we do not know it?
How can we know God’s plan, intentions and purpose if we know not His Word?
“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” ― John Wesley
Let us be equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17).
Today I encourage you start disciplining yourself into beginning a new daily habit. That to daily examine whether you are on God’s well-trodden path or if you are trying to forge your own path through the snow or over the sunbaked ground, whether you are expending needless energy or learning stewardship of the Word of God. Either way, you can choose to follow the Psalmist’s example:
Day and night, fix your eyes on God’s way, study, mediate and pray on and over and above, through His word, delight in His word, and do not forget His word.
Why is quality meditation so important? Joshua 1:8 tells us why: This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. (NASB)
Our Christian responsibility and duty to each other? To ponder and meditate on God’s word for by it we become obedient to Him. We cannot hope to succeed without carefully doing all that is written in the Bible. Now this does not mean that if we do not meditate on God’s word like this that we are somehow not saved, but I cannot stress enough how much fuller our lives will be if we give ourselves quality time to ponder what God is saying to us through His word.
Psalm 119:9-16 New American Standard Bible
Beth
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. 10 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. 11 I have treasured Your word in my heart, So that I may not sin against You. 12 Blessed are You, Lord; Teach me Your statutes. 13 With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Your mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, [a]As much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Your precepts And [b]regard Your ways. 16 I shall [c]delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us pray,
Jesus, Giver of peace, I so easily get distracted when I’m trying to focus and hear your Holy Spirit. Help me quiet my mind in the middle of my busy life. Help me to pause and to make space to listen to the most important voice of all. God, empower me to be a more disciplined listener to the gentle whispers of your Spirit. Help me follow the example of Jesus, who would slip away in the evening or the early morning to be alone with you. Teach me to abide in you. Amen.
I’d like to start out simply by reading the passage for today. No cute stories or anything to get us going, because I really believe this passage speaks for itself. In many respects, we ought to believe that it does not need any introduction.
Hebrews 4:11-13 J.B. Phillips New Testament
11-13 Let us then be eager to know this rest for ourselves and let us beware that no one misses it through falling into the same kind of unbelief as those we have mentioned. For the Word that God speaks is alive and active; it cuts more keenly than any two-edged sword: it strikes through to the place where soul and spirit meet, to the innermost intimacies of a man’s being: it exposes the very thoughts and motives of a man’s heart. No creature has any cover from the sight of God; everything lies naked and exposed before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
How would your life change if you committed to meeting with God every day?
The writer of Hebrews tells us the Word of God “is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart”(Hebrews 4:12).
God’s Word is complete power. God watches over His Word to see that his will is accomplished (Jeremiah 1:12). His Word is His plan, and His plan is something He makes happen. And so, He promises, “So will My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it”(Isaiah 55:11). God’s Word never fails! The writer of Hebrews says the Word is “active” (in other words, it has energy and power, Hebrews 4:12).
According to 2 Timothy 3:16 God’s words are “God-breathed” — not in-spired, meaning some kind of vague power or ghost breathed into man’s preexisting words, but literally breathed or spirited out of the mouth of God. So as 2 Peter 1:21 tells us, these words did not originate in the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
The Word sanctifies (purifies, cleanses) — “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work”(2 Timothy 3:16-17). No wonder the apostles gave themselves to undistracted prayer and the Word of God (Acts 2:42-47, 6:1-4, 13:1-3)!
Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God, Who is traced to every single page of the Written Word of God. All that He is, stands in stark contrast to all that we are. His penetrating eyes search out all the dross that is rooted in the fallen soul of man. His Word of Truth exposes everything in me that is not of Christ: my-self, my-hypocrisy, my-insincerity, and my-unbelief. (Mark 9:14-29)
The Word of God is living, because He is the living God Who breathes life into us and in Whom are the WORDS of eternal life. The Word of God is active. It is fully dynamic and miraculous. It is vigorous and lively because the Spirit of the living God is the eternal Source of power, that moved holy men of God to pass on His supernatural message to us – through the very living Word of the living God.
The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. It is like the razor-sharp blade of a double-edged sword, with the ability to cut into the deepest recesses of all that is spiritual and divide it from that which is of the soul. It can differentiate between words, actions, thoughts, and motives, that are looking to Jesus and words, actions, thoughts, and motives, that have placed self on the throne of their life.
So penetratingly piercing is the Word of God, it has the ability to separate the soul of man from the born-again spirit, just as the butcher’s razor-sharp blade slices the joint of meat from the marrowbone. The Spirit of the living God is able to judge the deepest thoughts and intentions of the entire heart of every man.
Every spoken Word from the lips of Christ are Life and Truth. All the written Words of Scripture give wholeness and health and life to those who believe. How vital to take His Word deep into our hearts? God’s purpose, for all who believe, is to conform us into the image and likeness of Christ, and the stark reality of Scripture is the contrast of God’s amazing grace towards us… with our own rebellion. It contrasts His faithfulness with our near hysterical unbelief.
The Word of truth exposes our deceitfulness and our unworthiness. It can cut our evil hearts to the quick just as the penetrating look of the eyes of Lord Jesus brought His denying disciple into the depths of distress and repentance. Gazing deep into the powerful Word of God is a penetrating, soul-searching exercise, for it cleaves, severs away any foolish boasting in ourselves and exposes any prideful perceptions of our own worthiness! Nothing is left for anyone to hide.
The action of the Word of God on the spirit and soul of every believer is a life-long process that continues to cut away all that is of the old man and conform the new life we received at Salvation into the image and likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is an ongoing operation in the inner recesses of every believer, which will be fully and finally completed at the rapture/ resurrection of the Church, when we shed the last remnants of our old fallen self, through our transformation into the image and likeness of the lovely Lord JESUS.
Throughout this life, the Word of God in all its fullness, continues to lay bare the truth, in the inward parts of man, silencing forever our own weak protests and unjustifiable defences. The razor-sharpness of God’s Word can crush, to the uttermost, all that is of our old fallen flesh, and bring the believer’s old sin-nature to the end of itself.
It is in His gracious, loving-kindness God brings each of us to face such depths, so that He can purge out the old Self and form in us the pure and holy nature of the Lord Jesus. The sharp, active, living, powerful, wonderful Word of God, is used by the Holy Spirit in each of our lives, to convict, convert, comfort, and conform us into Christ’s likeness, and to prepare us… during our lifetime, for the spiritual rest, eternal life, and future glory, that is laid-up for us in heaven.
The Word of God will continue in each of our lives to be living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, as we sojourn in a land that is not our home. The Word of God will never stop piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, on this earthly journey to our heavenly home. It will never cease splitting the good from the evil, the heavenly from the world, right from wrong, faith from fear – and that which is of Christ from that which is not – for the Word of God is able to judge every single thought and intentions of every single heart.
Let us, in humility of heart, and patient endurance, permit the testing work of the Holy Spirit to penetrate deeply into the depth of our being as He examines truth in the inward parts, and lays bare the hidden thoughts and intentions within. Let us embrace the everlasting truth that God’s Word is living and active, powerful and sharp… and allow Him to complete the good work He has started within. May we rejoice that God’s WORD is sharper than any two-edged sword and cuts deeply to the place where soul and spirit meet, the place where joints and marrow meet – for our eternal good and for His ever-greater glory.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Thank You, Father, for the living, powerful Word of God. I pray that whatever it takes, Your Holy Spirit would continue to convict, convert, comfort, and forever conform me into the image of the lovely Lord Jesus, so that I become the person You want me to be. May I never hinder the work of Your Holy Spirit within, as He continues to divide my born-again spirit from my sin-sick soul. Root out all which is not of my Savior Christ and use me I pray, as a conduit through Whom You can flow, unhindered, into the lives of those around me. I Thank You that You loved us so much You purposed to change all who believe, into the image and likeness of Christ Jesus, in Whose name I pray, Alleluia! Alleluia AMEN.
Many times, we don’t think a lot about being generous, liberal or otherwise. We are often thinking about how we can save enough money to buy the car, shoes or the best phone we have always believed we wanted. Lots of energy goes into making sure we have the latest and greatest. And while there’s nothing wrong with wanting all the nice things, we’ve got to keep it in the proper perspective.
Zealously acquiring things can and will trap us in an endless cycle. You get something, but it doesn’t really satisfy you, so you try to obtain the next thing, and that does not really make you happy, so you reach for something new. If you are not very careful, your whole life can turn into that pursuit of “stuff.”
God wants His people to be like Him – and that requires that we take a serious look at what it means to be generous – to water and then be watered. The Lord Himself is extremely generous toward mankind. When one considers that we have sinned against Him, rebelled against His sovereignty and authority, you begin to grasp why any response other than judgment is marvelously generous.
Yet God has gone far above just showing us a little love and charity. There are many reasons why a truly generous person will prosper. There does seem to be a distinction between those who seem to generously share their happiness and relative prosperity with those around them, and those who seem to serve others and or themselves out of some sort of obligation and self-hatred. Therefore, we should honestly and generously consider our God’s generosity as being infinite.
Proverbs 11:24-26 New King James Version
24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. 25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. 26 The people will curse him who withholds grain, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.
Proverbs 11:25 King James Version
25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
God says that the generous man will be prosperous. The literal Hebrew here says, “The soul of blessing will be made fat.” The idea here is that a person wants to bless others. This men or woman is generous in the very core of their being. Their normal response is to be kind and generous to others. God tells us that this kind of person will be prosperous.
Some in the “name-it, claim it” movement states that this means they will have lots of money. But I’ve seen over the years people who would not be in any way described as rich – be very generous and be very prosperous. They are this way not just with money – but with their time, with their service, their spiritual gifts. From their “poverty” they richly prosper because they choose a mindset of “My life can reveal God in His Neighborhood” I’ve known these people to be some of the most blessed people in my life. They have nothing to their names, but they have God in their “neighborhoods” called their hearts and their souls.
Thus, in defining prosperity, we likewise need to define it not just as monetary prosperity, but also as prosperity of soul as well. God moves in that place also.
When a truly generous person generously shares their prosperity, from their poverty, a cycle of “refreshing” begins to turn, until it is hard to tell which came first, the generosity, or the feeling of prosperity and refreshment. God calls us to be a source of refreshment to others, and generally, the degree to which we are able to do that will be the degree to which we ourselves receive refreshment in return. This seems to line up with the way that he has created the world with certain principles of justice and mercy. God is more generous from His “poverty” than we can imagine. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45).
The way to approach this proverb is simply to generously believe it and then generously seek to be a person who refreshes others and is generous from their impoverished state. It is also reasonable to examine yourself if you don’t feel refreshed. How generous have you been? Do you believe that you are deprived, your resources are scarce? Has it caused you to hold back from being generous? If so, then you are unlikely to feel refreshed, or that God is generous with you.
Breaking Down the Key Parts of Proverbs 11:25
#1 “A generous person…” This is a person who gives freely because they understand that Jesus came that they would have a generous life and have it abundantly. They understand that God is the source of all they have and that he cannot be out given (2 Cor. 9:6).
#2 “…will prosper;” Prosperity is an all-encompassing word that only partially refers to money. Jesus said that our Father in heaven knows what we need and will add all things as we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Generous living is a key part of seeking God’s kingdom and will cause us to prosper. (Mt. 6:19-24 and 25-34)
#3 “whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” The life of a generous lover and follower of God is refreshing in itself. You won’t find a life of following God that is disconnected from generosity to others.
The last aspect of this proverb says that the one who waters others, will himself be watered. This is an allusion to the agricultural world.
When someone waters a plant, he is providing much needed moisture to the plant for its health, growth and welfare. The picture here is not of a plant being watered, but of a person being blessed. When we are generous with our time and our ministry to others, we are helping them grow spiritually. When we do this, God lets us know that we ourselves will be aided in our spiritual growth.
The way this works is truly amazing – because so often our fallen nature wants everyone to “water and refresh us” rather than to refresh, pour out into others.
At the risk of being prideful, I will use an example from my own life. There have been many days that I have woken up and did not want to do anything. I was filled with thoughts of myself – and all I wanted was to do my own thing – or to just sit and do nothing. Often on these days I feel pretty depressed and useless.
But on several of them God began to speak to my heart, encouraging me to get up and actively go out somewhere to bless someone else who needed it. What is funny is that at first when I chose to obey God in this, I was not terribly excited about the whole thing. Usually, I did it by accessing what seemed to be the last ounce of strength I could muster (really this was not the case – I just get a kind of dramatic when I am an over-zealous selfish blob of bah, blah and humbugs.
What is truly astounding though is how I was generously watered by the Holy Spirit as I ventured forth outside of my “humbugs” to just bless someone else.
Eventually the over generous supply of my blahs would begin to lift – and my attitude would alter radically. By the end of the day, I would notice that I had come full circle, being filled with joy over God’s goodness in it all.
I remember a good friend talking about a friend of his who had a day like this. He chose to get up, drive 500 miles in a day and go, bless someone else with the “fishing trip of their lifetimes.” The story concludes with this man stating that it was because this brother obeyed God that he himself was saved. The man he went to bless – was him. He shared the gospel with my friend – and later that evening, at a revival service he invited him to attend, he gave his life to Christ.
Remember this proverb the next time you get into a spiritual and emotional funk. Decide to go do something that will generously bless others. Choose to be generous – to go out and our out an abundance of water upon someone whose spiritual life is impoverished, dry, as longing and thirsty as a dear and barren.
Go out and bless someone else who could never repay you for what you are about to do. When you do this – you will soon learn the generously refreshing truth of this passage. From your “impoverished state,” you will be prosperous spiritually – and – you will find yourself being watered by God Himself for your generosity – and by your willingness to adopt His character as your very own.
True happiness comes when you put pursuing things to the side and to begin living a life of generosity. And the great thing about generosity is that you don’t have to have several tons of money to do it. It can start by simply just buying a friend a Water who is having a bad day. Or helping your neighbor carry in their trash cans. It could be cooking a friend some meals after they’ve had surgery.
Being generous doesn’t have to take a lot of money, it’s just about getting out of yourself and the singular pursuit of our stuff and into being a blessing to other people around us. So today ask God for ways that you can begin to be generous.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
O Lord, my zealously generous God, thank you that your work is perfect, your ways are just, you are a God of faithfulness. You have said that in all things at all times, from my poverty, you will be the One to supply all that I need. Please help me to abundantly trust only in your generous power to bring breakthroughs in situations where I cannot find a solution. Be exalted above the heavens, O God. Let Your glory be above all the earth. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Growing up I remember many times when my parents would be concerned with who my friends were. One time in particular, they basically forbid me from my continuing to hang out with a couple of guys. I was not too happy with the situation but knew that disobedience to such a strong prohibition came with very real consequences. Little did I know but it would only be a few months later my mom told me that they were caught shoplifting. I am not sure what would have happened to me if I had been there with them – but that was not an issue because of the prevailing wisdom of my father and mother over my own.
My dad never quoted this proverb outright to me – but he must have read it. More than once my parents would remind me that the company, I keep would have direct, decisive implications upon the character I later would possess. If we walk among the foolish, we risk becoming even greater fools than them. Yet, we cannot help but walk among our fellow citizens – we have no choice other than to isolate ourselves in our homes, in the woods somewhere or deep in a cave. In my own foolishness, I cannot always tell the “ever wise” apart from the foolish.
No matter how highly regarded and wise mankind believes himself to be, he will continue to be the consummate fool in the eyes of someone who does not know him. Jesus came sauntering into our lives and we thought him the drunken fool for doing what he was doing among those he was interacting with. But we did not know Him yet. We did not take the time to get to know him because we all thought him to be the consummate fool. We could not even muster up curiosity.
Pharisees thought him to be the ultimate fool for entering into the homes of the tax collector Levi who would become Matthew. Instead of interacting with the crowds in Jericho, Jesus looked up into the Sycamore Tree and called Zacchaeus down – to share a meal and fellowship and salvation. How did that crowd feel?? Jesus crossed the border of the hated Samaritans. What did the disciples feel?? How did the disciples feel about walking on such ground with their Rabbi in the lead? When we first read such stories, how do we feel about such foolish acts?
After we have read them, studied them, pondered and prayed over them, do we continue to feel, continue to believe they were such completely foolish acts?
Just a closer walk with this ever so dramatically foolish Jesus will make us wiser. Wiser to the lesser ways of my even greater foolishness for not taking the risk, walking even among the most foolish with my Rabbi, walking with my Savior who is Jesus Christ my Lord. Walking among fools reveals my true character!
I am weak but Thou art strong Jesus keep me from all wrong I’ll be satisfied as long As I walk, let me walk close to Thee
“Just a closer walk with Thee Grant it, Jesus, is my plea Daily walking close to Thee Let it be, dear Lord, let it be” (Author Anonymous)
Proverbs 13:20 The Message
20 Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Today’s proverb speaks of these very things. It speaks of a “walk with wise men” versus a “shepherding by fools.”
First let’s look at the walk with “wise men.” The one who walks with wise men will be wise. The word for “walk” here refers to a journey or a walk from one place to another. The company during this walk was a wise man, or wise men.
Proverbs 2:20 refers to it as a walk with “good men” and a “pathway of the righteous.” When looking for companions and mentors – we do well to look for people who have walked with God (Who Himself is the wisest companion to have on the roads of life).
These people are characterized by the apparent fact that they “allegedly” know God. This they have supposedly “acquired” over a long or short lifetime of pursuing a relationship with Him through “reading and knowing His Word.”
They have learned by “experience” that obedience to God is the wisest way to walk – and seeing life through His perspective and Word is how to obtain this.
Look for such people and surround yourself with them and their counsel. They will counsel you to walk closely with God – and learn to apply His Word to every situation in life. Their lives will have the sweet smell of God’s favor upon them (even if the world deems them less than a success by their standards).
Such people will be humble, gracious, loving, kind – and yet strong and willing to stand on God’s principles no matter what. The blessing for being around such people is that you will become one of them. The one who walks with wise men – will himself become wise. One thing I would add to this is that a wise man or woman will look for at least one wise man or woman with some age on them. The Word makes one wise – but wisdom over time is a rare thing to find. When you do – befriend the one who has it – and – listen to them often! That is, of course, if the one “wiser than us” we are walking with is truly the wiser.
This one who grows wise in the company of wise men is contrasted with the “companion of fools.” The word companion here is the Hebrew word “ra ah” which means to tend or feed sheep – i.e., a genuine shepherd of one another.
Here is one who is being shepherded by fools. He is fed and tended by them – having them lead him into their ways and their paths. The fools he considers friends and mentors are mentioned in several ways in Scripture. The word for fool is “kesiyl” and it means a fool or one lacking in wisdom.
In Ecclesiastes 4:5 the fool is lazy, folding his hands in inactivity as his life wastes away. In that same chapter verse 13 uses this word to describe a young man who “knows everything” and will not be instructed by anyone around him. He even mocks those who offer wisdom – preferring the company of His own foolishness to any advice or instruction, sort of like Jesus’ own disciples as they argued among themselves over who would be greatest. (Luke 22:24-30)
Psalm 49:10 refers to this fool as one who thinks his stuff will last forever and lives for it rather than any kind of spiritual pursuit of God.
Proverbs 1:32 speaks of the fool as one who loves wayward living and not only ignores the wisdom of God – but written earlier in chapter 1verse 22ESV we see him hating both the wisdom and the God who gave it. 22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
Psalm 92:6-7 reminds us that he also mocks the whole concept of God’s justice and judgment. Proverbs 3:35 reminds us that he displays his godless dishonor like a trophy – and finally Ecclesiastes 10:2 the Teacher says that his heart (that which hates wisdom) is always turning him towards the wrong direction in life.
What happens to the one who has such foolish companions and mentors?
The language here is a very pointed. He will suffer harm as a result of these leaders and friends. The word used here is quite descriptive. It is the Hebrew word “rua” – which referred to the deafening shout or blast of a horn that took place right before your enemy came upon you in battle.
Such a shout was called a shout of victory – and to those about to be vanquished – it was the most terrifying sound you can imagine. Often those who heard it were not prepared for the devastating defeat they were about to receive.
The psychology of the battlefield. But when the shout rang out – their cockiness would be soon replaced by terror and fear. Too often that is how the foolish are awakened to the measures of their folly. They are full of self-confidence and self-congratulation until disaster awakens them to their true state. The result of their poor choice of companions and commanders is the threat of great ruin.
Unfortunately, some will read this and mock – saying that they are doing fine. They will even point to a life where everything seemed pretty good for their friends and mentors. But whether we live in relative comfort, ease, and man-oriented success is not the measure of a man.
The true measure of a person and the way they lived happens in the twinkling of an eye – in the exact moment after they leave this world. We are reminded in Hebrews 9:27 that we all have an appointment with death. This happens only once, “It is appointed for man to die once, then comes the judgment.”
There is not a second chance – no reincarnation to have another shot. When we die – we will either be present with the Lord – or wholly absent from His favor forever. In that very moment it truly will be seen how wise it was to walk with people who are wise. And ultimately the One Wise Man with whom we should walk is Jesus Christ. It is by His immeasurable wisdom we will escape so great a peril – so great a judgment – and forever enjoy so great a salvation. Walk with Him – take a risk – be wise – and be blessed far beyond your days on this earth!
When my feeble life is o’er Time for me will be no more Guide me gently, safely o’er To Thy kingdom’s shore, to Thy shore
Just a closer walk with Thee Grant it, Jesus, is my plea Daily walking close to Thee Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Holy and gracious God, you are the greatest of all. You are full of wonders that no mere human can comprehend. Lord, I seek to understand you and your ways so that I can live according to your commandments. I pray for your divine illumination in my heart and mind. Help me see what you intend for me to see. Help me understand what you intend for me to understand. Open my eyes and my ears to see you and hear your whispers. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome, at the very center of greatest human sufferings, where Christians were subject to great, sudden persecution, where they could be randomly arrested, separated from their families, arrested as whole families and thrown into prison. A prison which all too often would result in their being a part of the “gladiatorial spectacle” Christians versus Gladiators, Christians versus wild animals, Christians versus fiery Crucifixion.
He wrote in the midst of all that: Romans 12:9-13 Amplified, 9Love is to be sincere and active [the real thing—without guile and hypocrisy]. Hate what is evil [detest all ungodliness, do not tolerate wickedness]; hold on tightly to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor; 11 never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord; 12 constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength], 13 contributing to the needs of God’s people, pursuing [the practice of] hospitality.
Paul told Christians in Rome, “Weep with those who weep”(Romans 12:15).
Mankind faces sadness and suffering from every which direction. Disciples face great sadness for many reasons. Discipleship is not about always being happy.
It’s about following the path of Jesus who was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief”(Isaiah 53:3). He surrendered his rights in order to bless others. He surrendered his life in order to forgive the very ones crucifying him. He saw through the facades of his culture and felt the indescribably real needs of people whether they were ill, possessed, or simply blind or lame to the truth.
To be a Christian — a disciple of Jesus — means to care about people, their problems, and to “weep with those who weep.” Such mourning means comfort. Our sufferings, hardships, and struggles will melt away in the eternal light of God’s presence and grace. Our heartbreak for those broken in our world will be replaced with rejoicing when many we love to join us at God’s side eternally. Those who mourn, who are deeply sad, they will be immeasurably comforted!
Matthew 5:4Amplified Bible
4 “Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
God cares about you and me with an unmatchable intensity.
God loves you and me with an unmatchable intensity.
God cries with you and me with an unmatchable intensity.
God collects yours and mine tears in a bottle against the day we meet Him.
Jesus cries with you and me with an intensity we cannot match.
Jesus cries the tears we cannot cry but long to cry with an unmatchable intensity.
Jesus mourns over you and me with an intensity we cannot ever hope to match.
God the Holy Spirit grieves with you, and alongside of you, intercedes on your behalf with unmatchable intensity.
What won’t the Father, Son and Holy Spirit do to demonstrate their unmatchable, unequivocal capacity to absolutely care, have absolute compassion for you and me?
You mourn and I mourn with an intensity that longs to be unleashed, and unmatchable.
What won’t we do to return that unmatchable, unequivocal compassion toward us?
God, our Father Cares,
Our Savior Jesus Cares,
God the Holy Spirit Cares,
We care too – there is never to be any question about “Christian” measures of caring. Our desired measure is to care and have compassion for others on God’s level. This is not achievable nor even reachable, but it is still the struggle of our struggles to care for all others as God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit the same way, with the same unmatchable intensity as He cares for us all.
O’ for the grace to Love God More!
O’ for the Grace to Love our neighbors as we Love God before we love ourselves.
O’ for the grace to have uncompromising, unyielding, unmatchable compassion on our fellow man as God has uncompromising, unyielding compassion for us.
Matthew 5:4 Amplified Bible
4 “Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].
The prerequisite to receiving God’s comfort is that we mourn. It’s not wrong to grieve and we need to give ourselves permission to feel the pain of our losses.
Yet we don’t mourn “like the rest of men, who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Our mourning is different because of our hope in Jesus who has overcome the power of death. And also, because Jesus is our High Priest who has shared our humanity and is able to sympathize with us (Hebrews 4:15). At Lazarus’ graveside, Jesus entered into the pain of the moment, and wept. He showed us that tears and grief are part of the process of coming to terms with our losses.
Even when we experience smaller losses, we still need to acknowledge the pain and mourn. The “stiff-upper-lip mentality” isn’t God’s idea. I once heard a worship leader make this comment, “Let the hurts of a lifetime flow into his nail-scarred hands.” Once we have felt the pain, we are then free to let it go. Even then it’s a marathon process of navigating between a level ground and “vehicle swallowing” potholes and pitfalls and is never an instant painkiller.
Being a Christian doesn’t guarantee us a life without tragedy but being a Christian means we have access to God’s resources. He promises us his comfort when we mourn, but if we don’t mourn, we can’t receive God’s comfort.
God encourages us to come to his “throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
We mourn with an unmatched intensity for those not in covenant relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We grieve, we cry for those who God cried for.
Psalm 130 The Message
130 1-2 Help, God—I’ve hit rock bottom! Master, hear my cry for help! Listen hard! Open your ears! Listen to my cries for mercy.
3-4 If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that’s why you’re worshiped.
5-6 I pray to God—my life a prayer— and wait for what he’ll say and do. My life’s on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning, waiting and watching till morning.
7-8 O Israel, wait and watch for God— with God’s arrival comes love, with God’s arrival comes generous redemption. No doubt about it—he’ll redeem Israel, buy back Israel from captivity to sin.
Blessed Are the Mourners
What is the type of mourning that Jesus is looking for as characteristics of people who enter into the kingdom of heaven?
Is God saying that we all just need to be sad all of the time to be citizens of his kingdom? Sadness is not the concept that we see in the scriptures. There is a time and season of mourning that is needed but it is not being sad for sadness’ sake. The scriptures give us a clear picture of the mourning that Jesus desires.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. (James 4:8–9 ESV)
My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. (Psalm 119:136 ESV)
God wants a mourning over sin.
The first statement of blessing in the Sermon on the Mount was the blessed were those who were poor in spirit. These are people who recognize their sinfulness. These are people who see their sin and know that there is nothing they can do before God to redeem themselves. They are the people like the tax collector who simply say, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
Those who are in the kingdom of heaven are those who are stripped of all self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, and self-security. Now let us consider for a moment: if we are doomed because of our sins with nothing that we can offer to God to save ourselves or redeem ourselves, then what does God desires but those who mourn over their sinfulness.
When someone comes to me and they have done something wrong, it matters greatly if they are sorrowful for what they have done. If they do not care about their violation, then that will receive a very different response from me as a parent than if the children 1000% care about their violation and is remorseful.
This is the kind of mourning that God desires of his people. Notice again that the Beatitudes follow Isaiah 61, a prophecy about the coming Messiah and what he would do.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. (Isaiah 61:1–3 ESV)
Notice that Christ has come to “bind up the brokenhearted” and “to comfort all who mourn.” The grace of God is to melt our hearts in the face of our sins, causing us to be sorrowful and full of shame. True mourning focuses on what we have done to our God, how we have violated his very nature and character.
We mourn because we grasp the profound loss in our lives because we have separated ourselves from God because of our sins. Think about the faithful people of God that we read about in and throughout the scriptures. Think about some of the powerful confessions of sin contained in the Psalms. These people do not excuse their sins. They do not belittle their sins or ignore their sins. They cry with an unmatched remorse over their sins. They do not make excuses but deeply mourn over what they have done. This is what God has always wanted.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17 ESV)
All that God has wanted was for people to recognize their sinfulness (poor in spirit) and then mourn over those sins. Listen how God declared this truth through the prophecy of Jeremiah.
Also, on your skirts is found the lifeblood of the guiltless poor; you did not find them breaking in. Yet in spite of all these things you say, ‘I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.’ Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’ (Jeremiah 2:34–35 ESV)
Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, “’Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 3:12–13 ESV)
Notice what Jeremiah says the problem was. In Jeremiah 2 God says he will bring them into judgment, not because they have sinned, but because they refuse to acknowledge that they have sinned. The same plea is made in Jeremiah 3. They just needed to acknowledge their guilt and rebellion and God would be merciful toward them. But they refused to mourn over their sins.
You will notice that the mourning over sins is tied very closely with confession of sins and repentance. Listen to Ezekiel’s prophecy and then Joel’s prophecy.
And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” (Ezekiel 9:4 ESV)
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. (Joel 2:12–13 ESV)
God gave the same message in Ezekiel and Joel. In Ezekiel, the people who are mourning over the sins of the city are marked for spiritual protection, but the rest are doomed. In Joel, God tells the people to tear their hearts!
Come to God in mourning, weeping, and fasting and God will receive you.
Jesus is teaching the same principle of the kingdom in Matthew 5:4.
In Dr. Luke’s account, Jesus taught what happens to those who do not mourn over their sins now. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. (Luke 6:25 ESV) If you will not be broken by your sins and weep for them now but take pleasure in your sins now, you will be made to mourn and weep in the coming judgment.
Blessed, For They Shall Surely Be Comforted
Rather than ignoring our sins or excusing our sins, God wants mourning for our sins. God does not want fake contrition, but heart wrenching pain over our sins. But notice the blessing that comes to those who truly mourn over their sins. They shall be comforted. If we return to Isaiah’s prophecy we see this imagery.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. (Isaiah 61:1–3 ESV)
The brokenhearted are healed. The mourners are comforted. The mourners are granted a beautiful headdress or crown and the oil of gladness. They are given the garment of praise and called oaks of righteousness that are planted by the Lord. Jesus’ purpose is to come with comfort for those who are crushed by their sins. Notice this point was made when baby Jesus was brought into the temple.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. (Luke 2:25 ESV)
Jesus came to bring comfort and consolation to sinners. There is no comfort to those who deny their sins. There is no consolation to those who act like their sins are no big deal. Comfort is to those who are broken by sins.
Think about Luke 7:36-50 where we see the sinful woman weeping over the feet of Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” To the woman caught in adultery in John 8 Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and from now on sin no more.” Do you see that Jesus is the comfort to the sinners?
Christian maturity is a growing and maturing sorrow over our sins. We do not deny our weakness or our sinfulness.
Rather, we accept our guilt, confess our sins, and mourn over our actions. The mourners are comforted because only they will have their sins forgiven.
Understanding the unyielding grace of God will only lead us to a greater sorrow over our sins. It is our sins that caused Jesus to go to the cross and die for us.
We mourn our sinfulness and then stand amazed at the grace of God to comfort us with forgiveness because we love him so much. Forgiveness is given to the brokenhearted. Forgiveness is offered to the contrite. Forgiveness is extended to those who are crushed by their sins. Mercy and Compassion are all available.
What is it we mourn as God mourns over today?
What is it which causes us to cry with an unmatched intensity?
Ponder the words: Beyond Grieved, Beyond Mourning, Beyond Blessed, Beyond Comforted, Echelons Beyond my tears …. Beyond my perceived hopelessness ….
Bring Christ your broken life today and submit to his sovereignty and ways.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Heavenly Father, I have just been diagnosed with an incurable disease called ‘sin’. I am worn out, long scared, and depressed from fighting against it. I don’t know where to turn to, but I know you’re with me always. Fight my battles, dear Lord rescue me from this pit and help me to walk in the divine health that Jesus died on the cross for me to have. Uproot fear from my heart and help me to walk in boldness, knowing that the final report comes only from You. In Jesus’ name, I grieve! I mourn! I plead and cry unto You and I want to believe and pray, Amen
Jesus, keep me near the cross, There a precious fountain— Free to all, a healing stream— Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.
Refrain: In the cross, in the cross, Be my glory ever; Till my raptured soul shall find Rest beyond the river.
Near the cross, a trembling soul, Love and Mercy found me; There the bright and morning star Sheds its beams around me.
Near the cross! O Lamb of God, Bring its scenes before me; Help me walk from day to day, With its shadows o’er me.
Near the cross I’ll watch and wait Hoping, trusting ever, Till I reach the golden strand, Just beyond the river.
Fannie Crosby, Published in 1869.
2 Corinthians 1:1-4 English Standard Version
Greeting
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
God of All Comfort
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
The Gospel Truth: Our God is with us when we experience pain, loss, regret, sadness, and all manner of pain. He is not only with us but promises to bring us the comfort we need when we face troubles. He is with us through all things.
“God of Comfort” can also be translated as “God of Compassion.” To have compassion is to have concern and empathy for the sufferings of others. This first shows us God recognizes our need to be seen, to receive the empathy and care of others. God is interested in what we are going through. He does not casually dismiss our current circumstances or minimize our daily stressors as insignificant. He absolutely cares about and is absolutely there for each and every up and down that we face. He gathers our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8)
It’s easy for many of us to think our heartbreak doesn’t count because others have gone through worse. While we should realize the uncountable ways we are blessed, that does not mean God doesn’t see your pain as “minimal” compared to others. Compassion and comfort from Jesus are available whenever we need them! God’s grace is not reserved solely for our hardest moments; it’s available to each and every one of us on a day-by-day, even moment-by-moment basis!
We can call on God’s powerful Holy Spirit when we need comfort because we are having trouble resolving a conflict with those closest to us, when plans have to be scrapped due to unforeseen circumstances, or when sudden disappointment attempts to steal our joy. God comforts us when we face job losses, unmet goals, loneliness, grief, illness, separation, depression, anxiety, and relational strife; whatever we face we must remember that we can have absolute confidence in the absolute power of God to absolutely help us through the trials in our lives.
The beautiful thing is that God offers us his peace not just to carry us through our own circumstances but so we can also “comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” In God’s economy, nothing is wasted, no opportunity is ever lost! His power is multiplied through us. His grace overflows from our lives and spills into the lives of those around us.
God gives purpose to our hard places.
Joseph said to his brothers who tried to kill him, betrayed him into Egyptian slavery; Genesis 50:20 says, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”
From the beginning, God has re-written the stories of people’s lives for His glory. Joseph, who utters the words from Genesis about God’s grace over this life, endured many hardships that began when his brothers sold him into slavery due to jealousy. Rather than letting bitterness steal his future, he relied on God’s comforting strength to help change the narrative of his life. There is 100% no circumstance that God can’t heal and then use as a blessing to others.
When you and I face difficulties remember God’s Holy Spirit is always at your disposal. While we suffer God comforts. As we heal God mercifully uses our lives to bless others who need a listening ear, wise counsel, or a love-filled embrace. Praise our God for He is a God of all Comfort! All of God’s hugs are 100% FREE!
No Matter Where You Are in Life, It’s Never Too Late. Allow Yourself New Hope.
What kind of affliction are you facing right now? How overwhelming is it?
Where do you tend to first turn for comfort? Or do you choose to suffer?
How long does it take you to remember God is your Father?
How long does it take you to remember Jesus is your Savior?
How long does it take you to remember the Holy Spirit is your Comforter?
Do you remember How God, Jesus, Holy Spirit brought you comfort in the past?
Did you know God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are comforting you right now?
Are you grateful? Are you humbled? Are you mindful of His Presence now?
How do you express your gratitude to God for His blessings you’ve received?
How can you share God’s comfort with others?
How DO you share God’s comfort right now?
Do you share God’s comfort with anyone, or do you try to keep it all to yourself?
Having carefully pondered these questions, what is your Prayer right now?
Write YOUR prayer here ________________________________
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us pray,
Lord, my comfort, I’m often confused when I need to make important decisions about my work, my relationships, my health, or finances. Show me the way I should go when I don’t know which way to turn. Help me remember to come to you, rather than trying to figure everything out on my own. Guide me along the best pathway for my life. Advise me and watch over me. Help me to listen to your guidance and not resist it. I thank you that your unfailing love surrounds those who trust you. Let my life be the example You need it to be. Amen. Amen.
The Promise of God: The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
At first glance, Psalm 121 offers tremendous assurance. The Lord will keep us from all harm! Wow! That sounds impossibly wonderful. If I only live my life in relationship with God, then I will be kept from all harm. I won’t suffer hardship or pain. My life will be filled only with good things. O’ What Blessed Assurance!
But wait! The question must be asked when our health is subject to something we cannot see, but yet, threatens each and every one of us with greatest harm, Is this song of assurance really true? I have had my share of difficulties in life, and I know people whose suffering far exceeds my own. I think of Christians in far-away places of the world where they regularly experience persecution, even including martyrdom. Is God keeping them from all harm? It doesn’t seem so.
Other passages in the Psalms bear witness to the reality that God’s people can suffer harm. In Psalm 6, for example, we read, “I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears” (Psalm 6:6). The psalm writer laments because he has been the victim of those who “do evil”(Psalm 6:7).
Similarly, in Psalm 71:20 we read, “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life.” The Hebrew word translated here as “bitter” is the same word found in Psalm 121:7, where the word is translated as “harm.” So, in one psalm the Lord keeps us from all harm. In another psalms, the psalmist experiences harm and attributes this to the Lord himself. What are we to make of this apparent inconsistency? What is the truth are we to pray for?
Psalm 121 Complete Jewish Bible
121 (0) A song of ascents:
(1) If I raise my eyes to the hills, from where will my help come? 2 My help comes from Adonai, the maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip — your guardian is not asleep. 4 No, the guardian of Isra’el never slumbers or sleeps.
5 Adonai is your guardian; at your right hand Adonai provides you with shade — 6 the sun can’t strike you during the day or even the moon at night.
7 Adonai will guard you against all harm; he will guard your life. 8 Adonai will guard your coming and going from now on and forever.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
We all need help at times in life.
The Beatles used to sing: “I get by with a little help from my friends.”
It’s good for mankind to have a reliable and trustworthy support system in place, but we need to look further than that. Because history and experience mightily teach us that no safety plan, no insurance policy, no security system can keep you absolutely safe in this life. You can follow all the safety rules, take every precaution, exercise and eat well, and things can still definitely go wrong.
And that’s why we need to lift up our eyes unto the heavens beyond the hills and the vast majestic grandeur and ranges of mountains, to look only to God for our help. It was Ben Franklin who said, “God helps those who help themselves,” but the Scriptures clearly and succinctly teach us that God helps those who seek his help (Psalm 13, Psalm 23). None of us are safe until we take refuge in God.
Psalm 121 is a psalm about trusting in God’s providential care. It is a travel Psalm. In fact, many families read this Psalm out loud together before going on a trip. Devout Jews recite portions of this Psalm when they leave or enter their homes. They attach a small cylinder called a Mezuzah with some Scriptures in it (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21) to their right door frame.
And whenever they leave or enter their home, they touch the Mezuzah and recite Psalm 121 verses 5 and 8.
Do you find yourself in need help, be it a little or a whole lot this day? Then this psalm is for you. This is a good one to memorize and have handy for the journey of life. Psalm 121 teaches us five big truths about God’s help and care for you.
Let’s look at all five of these as we learn to put more and more of our trust in God’s providence and care for our lives each moment of everyday God gives.
Choosing today, to set my eyes on God. For if He made all of heaven and earth, surely and most certainly, He has a Sovereign, incredible plan, for you and for me. He 1000% knows our way in this journey of life, and He’s a “with us” God.
5 Truths from Psalm 121 that Give Us Hope for Today:
“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” v. 2 He’s All-powerful. God is a mountain mover and Creator of heaven and earth. He’s with us, always. He breathes His help and strength into our souls, into our day.
“He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.” v. 3 He won’t allow us to fall. We may find ourselves on slippery slopes, or the path we’re walking seems to be full of potholes and obstacles. But the God who knows all, knows our way. And even when we stumble, as our eyes are fixed on Him, He will keep our footsteps firm. For He watches over us and never sleeps or slumbers. He watches over us 24 hours a day, every day so we can all sleep.
“The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.” v. 5 He keeps us, safe, in His care. He protects us like the shade protects from the heat of the day. Why the “right hand?” Because it is known as the hand that works, so we can be assured that whatever He’s given us to do in this life, His covering of protection rests over all of our work and efforts.
“The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.” v. 7 He protects us from “all evil,” not some, but “all.” It does not have the final say over our lives. Fear of death, disease, and hardship has lost its sting, for our lives are hidden with Christ in God. No matter who or what we’re rubbing shoulders with each day, God’s power is greater than whatever darkness we might face. For He is the soul-keeper, and He holds all of our tomorrows.
“The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.” v. 8 He watches over us, constantly, His eyes are towards us. He cannot look away from those He loves. He watches our coming and our going, and all in between. He watches over our family and children, even when we cannot see. We do not have to worry, for He strongly supports those whose hearts are His.
“For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”2 Chronicles 16:9
He is our Everlasting Hope for an Everlasting Future!
Reflect:
Do you find it challenging to believe that God will provide the help and protection He promises? Why or why not?
What are some lesser things you rely on for protection or provision in difficult times?
What is one step God is calling you to take that you can’t do without His help?
What is the one step you can take without any reservation to trust God more?
What is the one step you WILL take without any reservation to trust God more?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us pray,
Psalm 121 The Message
121 1-2 I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
3-4 He won’t let you stumble, your Guardian God won’t fall asleep. Not on your life! Israel’s Guardian will never doze or sleep.
5-6 God’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you— Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke.
7-8 God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 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). 