Tag: psalms

Treasures from Darkness: “Cyrus, I will give you all the treasures of the darkness, all the hoarded treasures and all of the hidden riches of secret places, that you may know I am God.” Isaiah 45:3

Isaiah 45:1-7 Easy-to-Read Version

God Chooses Cyrus to Make Israel Free

45 This is what the Lord said to Cyrus, his chosen king[a]:

“I took you by your right hand to help you defeat nations,
    to strip other kings of their power,
    and to open city gates that will not be closed again.
2 I will go in front of you
    and make the mountains flat.
I will break the city gates of bronze
    and cut the iron bars on the gates.
3 I will give you the wealth that is stored in secret places.
    I will give you those hidden treasures.
Then you will know that I am the Lord,
    the God of Israel, who calls you by name.
4 I do this for my servant, Jacob.
    I do it for my chosen people, Israel.
Cyrus, I am calling you by name.
    You don’t know me, but I know you.[b]
5 I am the Lord, the only God.
    There is no other God except me.
I put your clothes on you,[c]
    but still you don’t know me.
6 I am doing this so that everyone will know
    that I am the only God.
From the east to the west, people will know that I am the Lord
    and that there is no other God.
7 I made the light and the darkness.
    I bring peace, and I cause trouble.
    I, the Lord, do all these things.

Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

In Isaiah 45, God promised the Israelites release from bondage to Babylon and deliverance for his wayward people through a Persian king named Cyrus.

He says to Cyrus, “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name” (Isaiah 45:3 NIV).

During his conquest, Cyrus literally found treasures that the Jews had buried as they were taken into captivity.

Like King Cyrus, who found treasures hidden in the darkness, you, too, can find treasures—hope in the unexpected places of darkness, those painful places of suffering where you would very much like not to be.

God gives you these treasures for two reasons.

First, he does it so you would know that he has the power to intervene in your darkness.

In this verse, God reveals himself as the Lord, the God of Israel.

Over and over in Scripture, he says that he is the Creator, the Sustainer, the Master, the Ruler, and the Deliverer.

He is transcendent, which means he’s above time, space, and matter, and his existence is not dependent on anything outside of himself.

His ways are higher than your ways and his thoughts higher than your thoughts. “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit” (Psalm 147:5 NIV).

God is huge and powerful, and he can intervene in your darkness in ways only a transcendent God can do.

You can probably tell amazing stories of the ways God has intervened in your finances, your health, your family, or your career, just when you thought there was no hope of restoration or salvation. He revealed himself as he moved into your darkness and changed everything.

We ask for miracles every single day because we know he is God and we are not.

Sometimes God intervenes in ways that we have begged for.

Other times, he does not.

He may not have intervened in the darkness that has surrounded you or your family in the ways that you desired.

So, what then?

This verse reveals that God will be close to you in your darkness.

He is the Almighty God.

He’s huge, but he is also imminent, which means he is intimate.

He is personal.

He is your helper, your healer, your Savior, your friend, the lover of your wounded soul. This personal and intimate God will be close to you in your darkness because he promised he would be. He’s as close as your next breath.

Something other than Darkness to Ponder 

SOMETHING TO PONDER 

Psalm 112 English Standard Version

The Righteous Will Never Be Moved

112 [a] Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
    who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
    he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
    who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
    he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
    his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady;[b] he will not be afraid,
    until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever;
    his horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
    he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
    the desire of the wicked will perish!

Darkness is generally something we avoid.

It feels unknown, chaotic, and sometimes even hopeless.

The dark seasons that we endure in our lives are usually the ones we want to forget. We don’t want to revisit those struggles, often, we wonder how anything good could come from our pain.

Yet God is able to transform our dark moments into something beautiful.

This is how we know his light is greater than the darkness that plagues our world! His word says, “I will give you treasures from those dark moments.”

He unpacks rich blessings from those difficult, secret moments.

As he meets us in the dark, it’s then that we will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is the Lord! 

There is so much beauty in God’s power to make treasures out of our ashes.

There is so much grace when we realize our failures, in Christ, are the places where we have met God, and he carried us forward.

The lessons that come when we walk through the valley of the shadow become the ones that most profoundly define our character and shape our testimonies. 

If you feel stuck in the dark, remember there are treasures to be gained even in this struggle to find even the smallest pinpoint of light. God is greater than the darkness that covers us. He uses our pain for his glory and our good.  (John 1:5)

Talk It Over

  • When in your life has God intervened in a seemingly hopeless situation?
  • Do you regularly ask God for a miracle because of what you know about his character? Why or why not?
  • How does God show you that he is near when you are walking through a dark time in your life?
Three additional things to meditate and pray upon 

1. Is there a part of your story that you are ashamed of? Ask God to help you release that shame and embrace the promise that he can use our failures for glory.

2. What lessons have you learned through the challenging circumstances you have walked through?

3. Give God thanks for how he has worked out all the pieces of your story for your good. 

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Praying …

Psalm 139:1-18 English Standard Version

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light with you.

13 For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a]
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
    I awake, and I am still with you.

https://translate.google.com/

Brothers and Sisters, Guess What? You are not now and never have been, never will be, a Mistake or Accident. Psalm 139:13-16

Psalm 139:13-16 The Message

13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
    you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
    Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
    I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
    you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
    how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
    all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
    before I’d even lived one day.

Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Have you felt at times that you were born at the wrong time or wrong place? Do you feel like God misplaced you, thinking you were meant to live in a different family, another country, or time period in history, where you believe you would have fit in better, enjoyed living more, prospered, had a better quality of life?

Or, maybe like one of the many homeless I counseled, been told your entire life that you were an accident or a mistake a waste, you’ve grown up believing it?

But it isn’t true because God doesn’t make mistakes. He doesn’t put us in the wrong time and place. As well, He hasn’t given people the power to accidentally create another human or assign worth or personal value. Men and women may not have planned the lives of their children, but we know from His word Psalm 139:13-16, that God does plan for all of our eternities which wait far far ahead.

As Psalm 139:16 describes, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”

God carefully created each one of us, as Psalm 139:13 describes, “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

No matter the circumstances of our conception or birth, Psalm 139:14 reassures us of God’s plan for us. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Even so, we may continue to still feel like we don’t know which way to turn in life; some may feel lost, but when we’re not sure which way to go, we ask God to lead us, and He will, like Psalm 32:8 assures, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My loving eye on you.”

Life Makes Sense: God’s Story of You

Psalm 139:16 Living Bible

16 You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!

We love stories, but it’s surprising how easily we can end up missing the stories God has written for our lives.

Winston Churchill once famously claimed that history was simply “one . . . unpredictable pathway after another over which we have little, no control.”

In other words, he claimed there was no story behind our experiences in life, only a vast series of unpredictable events over which no one has any control.

Few things are more deadening to your soul than thinking that your life ulti­mately means little more than one unpredictable thing after another.

Yet that’s how we often feel.

On many days we view our jobs or careers or families as where we have “ended up” in life.

In fact, it can seem a bit presumptuous to think there’s some master plan behind whatever situation you are in right now.

But the Bible tells us that the events of our lives make sense because they are part of a much larger story.

The struggles of last month or the victories that we may claim in the next few weeks are not simply chance occurrences.

They are part of a story line that is going somewhere.

The work you do, the people you share life with, the abilities you have, and the weaknesses you struggle with are all part of a diverse collection of ele­ments intended to make for a really good story—the story of you. God’s story of you. 

Do you believe this?

Do you believe God?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Praying …

Psalm 8 The Message

8 God, brilliant Lord,
    yours is a household name.

2 Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
    toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
    and silence atheist babble.

3-4 I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
    your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
    Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
    Why take a second look our way?

5-8 Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
    bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
    repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us stewards of sheep and cattle,
    even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
    whales singing in the ocean deeps.

9 God, brilliant Lord,
    your name echoes around the world.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

God is gracious—it is He who makes things right, our most merciful and compassionate God. God takes the side of the helpless; when at the end of my rope, Yes! He saved even me! Psalm 116

Psalm 116 Complete Jewish Bible

116 I love that Adonai heard
my voice when I prayed;
2 because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death were all around me,
Sh’ol’s constrictions held me fast;
I was finding only distress and anguish.
4 But I called on the name of Adonai:
“Please, Adonai! Save me!”

5 Adonai is merciful and righteous;
yes, our God is compassionate.
6 Adonai preserves the thoughtless;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 My soul, return to your rest!
For Adonai has been generous toward you.
8 Yes, you have rescued me from death,
my eyes from tears and my feet from falling.
9 I will go on walking in the presence of Adonai
in the lands of the living.
10 I will keep on trusting even when I say,
“I am utterly miserable,”
11 even when, in my panic, I declare,
“Everything human is deceptive.”

12 How can I repay Adonai
for all his generous dealings with me?
13 I will raise the cup of salvation
and call on the name of Adonai.
14 I will pay my vows to Adonai
in the presence of all his people.

15 From Adonai’s point of view,
the death of those faithful to him is costly.
16 Oh, Adonai! I am your slave;
I am your slave, the son of your slave-girl;
you have removed my fetters.
17 I will offer a sacrifice of thanks to you
    and will call on the name of Adonai.
18 I will pay my vows to Adonai
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courtyards of Adonai’s house,
there in your very heart, Yerushalayim.

Halleluyah!

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Believing, Even When We Are Afflicted

Psalm 116:5-11 New American Standard Bible

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is compassionate.
6 The Lord watches over the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
For the Lord has dealt generously with you.
8 For You have rescued my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from stumbling.
9 I shall walk before the Lord
In the [a]land of the living.
10 I believed when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
11 I said in my alarm,
“All people are liars.”

We long for tranquil lives. We often pray for health, prosperity, and success.

And yet it is often times of physical or spiritual affliction, struggle and difficulty are those which quiet us, push us, bring us, plant us, root us, that much closer to God, along with a significantly greater desire to connect with Him, to humble ourselves to serve Him. That’s a lesson the psalmist brings out in this section.

Afflictions can all too easily result in bitterness, robbing us of joy. As we have already read in Psalm 116, the psalmist has experienced far more than his fair share hardcore trials at the hands of his enemies. Instead of tumbling into the black hole of bitterness, however, the writer gives thanks to God for two things.

First, he has developed a trusting dependence on God. Despite his trials, the psalmist confesses to God: “You are good, and what you do is gracious; I trust you to always be there to watch over me during my times of weaknesses.”

Second, the experience of affliction has driven the psalmist closer to God and more deeply into God’s Word. I long to be obedient, he says. And his search for knowledge and good judgment leads him to affirm the priceless value of God’s Word, saying it is more precious “than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”

How well do we handle our hardest afflictions? We all experience them, and no, they are not easy. In difficult situations—whatever they may be—we can grow closer to God when we search his Word for the comfort and guidance we need.

God’s ear is turned toward us.

Just as my ears heard right away the screams arising from inside my soul, I too knew the sound of my own cries and almost immediately went towards God.

You and I will certainly face devastating trials and afflictions year after year.

Maybe you are in a season right now where it is all about one affliction after another which always seem to be piling up. It would be easy to avoid God during these times or even be angry with God. What if we, instead, we ran to God? 

Over the last twenty five years I have learned that running to God is actually the best thing I can do. Why? Because I know, I will trust that God’s ear is always turned toward us. Just as my ears heard right away the scream from my insides , I knew the sound of my cries and prayed they immediately went towards him.

The next verses in Psalm 116 details how much the psalmist suffered in body, mind, and spirit, even facing imminent death, but trusted God was his helper.

I love verse ten because it seems to be the pinnacle of the psalm. He says, “I believed, even when I said, ‘I am severely afflicted.’”

What the psalmist is saying is that he did not shy away from telling God all about his afflictions. The worst pain did not keep him from crying out to God.

And the heartache didn’t keep him from believing in God either. There are many critical truths here, that the psalmist hung onto, even when he was afflicted. 

The truths here are things like God’s grace, righteousness, and compassion. (Psalm 116:5)

Where do we those characteristics of God come out in our lives today? Jesus!

Jesus was afflicted, He suffered far more than is imaginable or describable!

Jesus was God’s righteousness for us.

He lived a perfect sinless life because we could not. He allowed His life to take our place so that when God sees you and me, He sees Jesus’ righteousness. 

Jesus is also God’s grace to us. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 say, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.”

Jesus brought grace because He died on the cross, taking all of our places and punishment for us.

Now, we are saved and brought into God’s family through grace once we accept Him as Savior. 

God’s compassion is also evident in Jesus’ life.  

Jesus healed the sick, cured the lame, and even rose people from the dead.

It says in Matthew 20:34, “Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed Him.” 

Even today, Jesus sits on the throne beside God interceding for us. 

Romans 8:34 says, “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.”

What unknowable, unsearchable depths’ of compassion for us to think that Christ is always praying and speaking to God the Father about you and me!? 

The troubles and hardships we all face, can sometimes cause us to doubt these truths about God.

Does He love me?

Does He care?

Is He really in control?

Those questions can lead us to look to the Bible. 

This psalm is a great comfort to us because it does not deny that hard things happen.

Psalm 116 points us to the truth that God is loving, righteous, compassionate, and full of grace. In prayer, we can all come to God and remember these things. 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Romans 15:1-13New American Standard Bible

Self-denial in behalf of Others

15 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor [a]for his good, to his edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The taunts of those who taunt You have fallen on Me.” 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. 5 Now may the God [b]who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one purpose and one [c]voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Therefore, [d]accept one another, just as Christ also accepted [e]us, for the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision in behalf of the truth of God, to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for the Gentiles to  glorify God for His mercy; as it is written:

“Therefore I will [f]give praise to You among the Gentiles,
And I will sing praises to Your name.”

10 Again he says,

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people.”

11 And again,

“Praise the Lord all you Gentiles,
And let all the peoples praise Him.”

12 Again Isaiah says,

“There shall come the root of Jesse,
And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles,
In Him will the Gentiles hope.”

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

After reading Psalm 116, and some verses about Jesus, and from Romans 15 how does this give you any hardcore confidence, go to God with your cries for help?

Knowing God listens to you and hears your prayers, does this cause you to pray more or less? trust more or less? Hope more or less? more fervently or timidly?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God, the Holy Spirit,

Praying …

Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.

For the music director. A [a]Maskil of the sons of Korah.

42 As the deer [b]pants for the water brooks,
So my soul [c]pants for You, God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and [d]appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
4 I remember these things and pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go over with the multitude and walk them to the house of God,
With a voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude celebrating a festival.

5 Why are you [e]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will [f]again praise [g]Him
For the [h]help of His [i]presence, my God.
6 My soul is [j]in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan
And the [k]peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have passed over me.
8 The Lord will send His goodness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go about mourning [l]because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries taunt me,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 Why are you [m]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will again praise [n]Him
For the [o]help of His presence, my God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

A Temple With Surest Foundations: God hasn’t moved, hidden Himself from us into the mountains; His holy address has never changed. Psalm 11

Psalm 11 New Living Translation

Psalm 11

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 I trust in the Lord for protection.
So why do you say to me,
    “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!
2 The wicked are stringing their bows
    and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from the shadows
    at those whose hearts are right.
3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed.
    What can the righteous do?”

4 But the Lord is in his holy Temple;
    the Lord still rules from heaven.
He watches everyone closely,
    examining every person on earth.
5 The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked.
    He hates those who love violence.
6 He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked,
    punishing them with scorching winds.
7 For the righteous Lord loves justice.
    The virtuous will see his face.

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

It’s possible for all of us to read certain passages or verses of Scripture many times yet miss goldmines of truth. Sometimes we pass by and or skim over because we think we’re overly familiar with what we’ve read, and other times it’s because we don’t take the time to meditate and savor the wealth before us.

So let’s take this glorious opportunity God has just gifted to us to dwell on the truth that “the LORD is in his holy temple.” This simple truth offers both comfort and chastening. Its reality is 100% affirmed in many places in the Old Testament (for example Habakkuk 2:20; Psalm 18:6; Micah 1:2), but David provides some additional angles from which to consider it here in Psalm 11.

The first is that “the LORD’s throne is in heaven,” absolutely making Him the exalted Lord. He reigns not as a mortal with limited perspective and control but as the all-powerful, immortal, all-knowing God, Creator of heaven and earth.

He always and forever outlasts all rulers, all nations are as nothing before Him.

Second, God is the observing Lord: “His eyes see.”

From the exalted position of His heavenly throne, nothing is hidden from God’s sight. No good thing done in His name goes unobserved, and no impure motive or thought is secret to Him. (Psalm 139)

What a comfort to know every day of our lives, going back to when we were merely “unformed substance,” is visible to God (Psalm 139:15-16)!

And what a sobering reality to realize every word, thought, and deed is laid bare before Him!

Third, God is the examining Lord: “The LORD tests the righteous.”

His tests are not always or often easy, but they are always precisely what we need. None of us will ever reach heaven without tests and trials along the way.

This may be our all time most unpleasant reality to consider, but it should be most precious to us, for it means we will not panic when God, in His sometimes inscrutable wisdom, narrowly routes a path thru a valley shadowed by death.

God’s tests are never sent without a glorious purpose; they are always for the sake of preparing us for the day when we too shall see Him in His holy temple.

Keep the truth of this verse in mind the next time you feel as though “the foundations are destroyed” (Psalm 11:3).

The instability we sometimes feel is meant to remind us that worldly stability is only an illusion and that true security is found in God alone. He alone is exalted, He alone sees all, and He alone directs our lives and tests us for our good.

When our foundations tremble, crumble, we can remember that this world is not our home and that our sovereign God is leading us to one day inhabit a city with foundations that will not shake (Hebrews 11:10; 12:28). You can know that He is in His holy temple—and He has promised to bring you to that very place.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Praying …

Psalm 46 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 46

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed,
and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God,
the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved:
God shall help her, and that right early.
6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved:
he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
what desolations he hath made in the earth.
9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth;
he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder;
he burneth the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen,
I will be exalted in the earth.
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/?

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, normalizing Our Emotions; sit still, stand still quit our Hurrying! Psalm 34:14-18

Psalm 34:14-18 Living Bible

14 Turn from all known sin and spend your time in doing good. Try to live in peace with everyone; work hard at it.

15 For the eyes of the Lord are intently watching all who live good lives, and he gives attention when they cry to him. 16 But the Lord has made up his mind to wipe out even the memory of evil men from the earth. 17 Yes, the Lord hears the good man when he calls to him for help and saves him out of all his troubles.

18 The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins.

Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

In my younger days I struggled to express sadness or fear, thinking they made me look vulnerable and weak.

A wise teacher told me, “Emotions are like busy little children. If you don’t acknowledge them, they get louder and louder to grab your attention. Once you acknowledge them, they feel seen and calm down.”

This slowly helped me to see my emotions as valid and to understand myself and my needs.

I remember a former preacher sharing his own struggles with anxiety.

His honesty and reliance on God’s strength gave me the courage to face my own feelings without shame.

This was a powerful reminder that even the people we look up to can experience emotional challenges.

A late friend once confided in me about struggling with depression.

That friend’s openness helped me slowly realize that sharing our emotions with trusted friends can bring comfort and support. Being honest about our feelings can lead to healing and deeper connections. James 5:16

Psalm 34:18 reassures us that God understands our emotions and is present in our struggles. Normalizing our emotions means acknowledging them, sharing them, praying with people we trust, and seeking God’s comfort and guidance.

Feeling a broad range of emotions is normal and healthy. When we embrace our emotions, we can grow wiser, mature from our toughest experiences, leading to greater emotional and spiritual well-being.

Achy Breaky Body and Wildly Disquieted Souls

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Psalm 32:3–4

Those who work in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and social services are often confronted with a strong correlation between what is happening in a person’s heart and mind and what is being displayed in that person’s body.

God’s word speaks into this connection and then goes deeper, for it tells us that there is a connection between the state of our body and the state of our soul.

Psalm 32, David speaks very personally to God, acknowledging the heaviness he experienced when he hid in the shadows and refused to confess his sin against Bathsheba and devised the murder of her husband, Uriah (see 2 Samuel 11).

And through David, the Spirit teaches us that there is a link between a tortured conscience and lack of repentance, and our physical wellbeing.

Those who were in David’s immediate company may not have been aware of what was going on inside him spiritually, but they could not have avoided the obvious indications of what was happening to him physically.

The description he provides adds to the account he gives elsewhere:

“My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me. My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off” (Psalm 38:10-11).

It’s a quite devastating picture.

David recognized his condition for what it was: a punishment.

The Bible makes it clear that there is a natural outcome to lust, excess, and a disregard for the commands of God (see Romans 1:24-25)—all of which David was clearly guilty of.

Frailty, weight loss, sleeplessness, a sense of rejection, melancholy, anxiety, despair often haunt individuals who are seeking to hide their sin from God and deny it to themselves.

What restored David was not a health kick or getting to bed earlier but rather dealing with the root cause—his sin:

“I acknowledged my sin to you … and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).

God kept His hand heavy upon David until David placed his sin into God’s hands and asked Him to deal with it.

It is a blessing to us when God does not allow us to forget our sin—when we feel chronic physical heaviness because of our spiritual sickness. It is His means of bringing us to do what we most need: to confess it and ask for forgiveness for it.

Are you harboring sin?

Do not cloak it; confess it. David experienced liberating relief from his pain and distress when he sought God’s forgiveness.

You too can know that joy, for the promise of God’s word is that

“if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

IF ….

IF …

IF …

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Praying …

Psalm 46 Living Bible

46 God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble. 2 And so we need not fear even if the world blows up and the mountains crumble into the sea. 3 Let the oceans roar and foam; let the mountains tremble!

4 There is a river of joy flowing through the city of our God—the sacred home of the God above all gods. 5 God himself is living in that city; therefore it stands unmoved despite the turmoil everywhere. He will not delay his help. 6 The nations rant and rave in anger—but when God speaks, the earth melts in submission and kingdoms totter into ruin.

7 The Commander of the armies of heaven is here among us. He, the God of Jacob, has come to rescue us.

8 Come, see the glorious things that our God does, how he brings ruin upon the world 9 and causes wars to end throughout the earth, breaking and burning every weapon. 10 “Stand silent! Know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation in the world!”

11 The Commander of the heavenly armies is here among us! He, the God of Jacob, has come to rescue us!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

I have already taken refuge straight to the arms of God. Why would I run away when you shout, run into hills, hide in caves, hike to the mountains? Psalm 11

Psalm 11 Complete Jewish Bible

11 (0) For the leader. By David:

(1) In Adonai I find refuge.
So how can you say to me,
“Flee like a bird to the mountains!
2 See how the wicked are drawing their bows
and setting their arrows on the string,
to shoot from the shadows at honest men.
3 If the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”

4 Adonai is in his holy temple.
Adonai, his throne is in heaven.
His eyes see and test humankind.
5 Adonai tests the righteous;
but he hates the wicked and the lover of violence.
6 He will rain hot coals down on the wicked,
fire, sulfur and scorching wind
will be what they get to drink.
7 For Adonai is righteous;
he loves righteousness;
the upright will see his face.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

We live in a day and age when the foundations of our biblical faith and the fabric of godly living are being systematically attacked by every quarter of society and dismantled in all areas of life. The unalterable truth of God’s Scriptures is now too easily discarded, modified by liberal ‘Christians’ and evolving atheists alike.

Governments in general, and our society at large, are systematically smashing down all the cornerstones, all the strongest foundations of truth and the time-honored institutions of God.

They are being replaced with rational relativism, a hatred of all that is good, a distortion of all that is true, a celebration of all that is evil, a contempt for our Heavenly Father, a rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ, a dismissing of the Holy Spirit, a disdain for salvation, and an insatiable desire to relegate the glorious gospel of grace into the furthest anonymity and annals of a forgotten history.

Often, good men despair as the floodgates of apostasy sweeps through the Church worldwide and the destruction of all godly foundations and biblical truths are being successfully dismantled and systematically destroyed by a God-hating, Christ-rejecting, Holy Spirit dismissive, lustful sinful world.

Often, the desperate, despairing, defeated cry of the righteous is: “If the strongest, truest foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

However, that is to take this verse out of context and to superimpose our own flawed, unscriptural, human viewpoint and fallen imagination over the eternal truth of God’s Word.

The message of this Psalm is confidence in God and an unshakable faith in the eternal plans and purposes that He Himself ordered in the council chambers of heaven before the world began, and the Word of God is settled in heaven.

We are not to: “Flee as a bird into the mountain,” but to place of refuge, trust in God. We are not to fly in to despair when the wicked flourish, secretly fire their satanically inspired arrows of destruction at the heart and minds of the upright.

We are not to tremble at what man can to do, for our hope is in the Lord Who made heaven and earth and Who has already determined that the wicked will receive their just portion at the hand of a just God, and a righteous Judge.

The Lord is in His holy temple and He tests each one of us in the furnace of affliction so that when we have been tried we will come forth as pure gold.

David reminds us that the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness, and He watches over the upright in heart.

And in His grace, He uses all things together for our eternal good and for His greater glory, even the disruptive terrible things happening in the world today.

We must never forget the Lord hates wicked and prideful men who celebrate evil through satanic violence and gross ungodliness, and the day is coming when they too will all stand before His Great White Throne of judgement and each will receive “the just fruits of their labors” according to their work.

The Lord alone knows how to deliver the righteous from trials, but He also, exclusively reserves the day of judgement for all the wicked to be punished.

No matter what circumstance we face in life, our hope is in God and our trust is in His unshakable Word of truth.

When our hearts start running straight to fear of what is coming on the world or we continually shout out in despair: “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Let us bring back to mind the unchangeable Word of God and the many faithful precious promises that are ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ in Christ.

Let us stand fast on the eternal truth of the glorious gospel of grace in these increasingly evil days, and let us remember that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

In the name of God, the Father, and God the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit.

Pray,

Psalm 46 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 46

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed,
and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God,
the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved:
God shall help her, and that right early.
6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved:
he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
what desolations he hath made in the earth.
9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth;
he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder;
he burneth the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen,
I will be exalted in the earth.
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

His Incorruptible Counsel and His Comfort. “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; and in the night also my heart instructs me.” Psalm 16:7-8

Psalm 16:7-8 Authorized (King James) Version

7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel:
my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the Lord always before me:
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Where is your focus? 

Psalm 16:7-11 Easy-to-Read Version

7 I praise the Lord because he taught me well.
    Even at night he put his instructions deep inside my mind.[a]

8 I always remember that the Lord is with me.[b]
    He is here, close by my side,
    so nothing can defeat me.
9 So my heart and soul will be very happy.
    Even my body will live in safety,
10 because you will not leave me in the place of death.
    You will not let your faithful one rot in the grave.
11 You will teach me the right way to live.
    Just being with you will bring complete happiness.
    Being at your right side will make me happy forever.

I absolutely love how this verse starts: “I keep my eyes always on the Lord.”

Must we ask why?

Why does this verse start with these words?

As we read deeper, further in the passage we see the result of keeping our eyes on the Lord. Let’s take a moment or two look at what happens when we do this.

He is our strength.  “With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

The Word tells us in Psalm 61:3,

“For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.”

Also we see his strength in our lives in Psalm 28:7 

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.”

When we keep our eyes focused on the Lord, He is always with us.

Regardless of the  battles we may be facing, He is our strength.

With Him by our side, we will not be shaken.

We can rest in complete assurance that He is with us in all situations.

Even in our thought life.

Even at night while I am sleeping.

Have you ever had something come rushing into your mind that gave you fear, frustration, anxiety, or anger?

These things are not from the Lord.

These are things the enemy uses as a strategy to shake us up.

You see, Satan knows that if we take our eyes off the things of the Lord, then our eyes will be focused on what he has distracted us to see.

The Lord says that we should focus on,

“whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)

When we remember to direct our focus our eyes, think of Him, we have peace.

We have joy. We will not be shaken.

He gives us joy and He is faithful. 

Verse 9 states, 

“Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.”

As we just read in Philippians, we will have joy and peace, and we can rest when our eyes are focused on God. 

He takes delight in us and views us as His perfect and most beautiful creation.

He is faithful to the maximum (As God knows the word) to us, is always with us.

We see His goodness in Zephaniah 3:17

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” 

This beautiful time with the Lord is what the enemy wants to steal from you.

How can you stay in this place of perfect peace?

A place where you have lasting joy, no matter your situation?

The answer is simply by moving your eyes, putting your focus on Him always. 

He gives us direction and all eternal pleasures! 

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence,  with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

What a way to end this passage!

By keeping our eyes on the Lord, we can know the path of life, we are filled with joy and His eternal pleasures!

No wonder the enemy would love for us to take our eyes off the Lord. 

My prayer for you today is that you turn your eyes and your focus to Jesus.

That you combat anything that the enemy of this world tries to use to distract you. I pray that you can truly remember the Lord’s protection and love for you. 

As you finish reading this blog entry, I would ask you to focus on the words in this next passage.

Psalm 121 Easy-to-Read Version

A song for going up to the Temple.

121 I look up to the hills,
    but where will my help really come from?
2 My help will come from the Lord,
    the Creator of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let you fall.
    Your Protector will not fall asleep.
4 Israel’s Protector does not get tired.
    He never sleeps.
5 The Lord is your Protector.
    The Lord stands by your side, shading and protecting you.
6 The sun cannot harm you during the day,
    and the moon cannot harm you at night.
7 The Lord will protect you from every danger.
    He will protect your soul.
8 The Lord will protect you as you come and go,[a]
    both now and forever!

This is His promise to you today.

He will absolutely see you 100% of the time!

He will absolutely give you 100% of His attention.

This is what He will give you when your eyes are on Him. 

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 27 Easy-to-Read Version

A song of David.

27 Lord, you are my Light and my Savior,
    so why should I be afraid of anyone?
The Lord is where my life is safe,
    so I will be afraid of no one!
2 Evil people might attack me.
    They might try to destroy my body.
Yes, my enemies might attack me and try to destroy me,
    but they will stumble and fall.
3 Even if an army surrounds me, I will not be afraid.
    Even if people attack me in war, I will trust in the Lord.

4 I ask only one thing from the Lord.
    This is what I want most:
Let me live in the Lord’s house all my life,
    enjoying the Lord’s beauty
    and spending time in his palace.[a]

5 He will protect me when I am in danger.
    He will hide me in his tent.[b]
    He will take me up to his place of safety.
6 If he will help me defeat the enemies around me,
    I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy.
    I will sing and play songs to honor the Lord.

7 Lord, hear my voice.
    Be kind and answer me.
8 My heart told me to come to you, Lord,
    so I am coming to ask for your help.
9 Don’t turn away from me.
    Don’t be angry with your servant.
    You are the only one who can help me.
My God, don’t leave me all alone.
    You are my Savior.
10 Even if my mother and father leave me,
    the Lord will take me in.
11 I have enemies, Lord, so teach me your ways.
    Show me the right way to live.
12 My enemies have attacked me.
    They have told lies about me and have tried to hurt me.
13 But I really believe
    that I will see the Lord’s goodness before I die.[c]
14 Wait for the Lord’s help.
    Be strong and brave,
    and wait for the Lord’s help.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

Anyone else feel like the only thing certain in this world is the certain uncertainty of our being changed? Isaiah 46:8-11 

Isaiah 46:8-11 New King James Version

8 “Remember this, and [a]show yourselves men;
Recall to mind, O you transgressors.
9 Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man who executes My counsel, from a far country.
Indeed I have spoken it;
I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it;
I will also do it.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

The certainty of change is unavoidable.

The certainty of our resistance to that change is likewise unavoidable.

The predictability of change almost never happens the way we expect it.

The predictability of our resistance to any unexpected change is always 1000%

Anyone else nowadays feel like the only thing certain in this world is the 100% uncertainty of change? Every time you think your feet are firmly planted with expectations and plans solidified; you suddenly find yourself in shifting sand.

It can be frustrating and downright exhausting to lose what appeared to be firm footing and, once again, trudge through the vast unknown. Especially in today’s unpredictable and constantly evolving world, we will wonder… is there no solid assurance we can cling to? Where is that predictability? Where is that security?

Proverbs 4:1-9 New King James Version

Security in Wisdom

4 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
2 For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.
3 When I was my father’s son,
Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 He also taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words;
Keep my commands, and live.
5 Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace;
A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

Keep my Commands … and live … I am not perfect! and live? for how long? I know when I was born – my mother told me. But, date and time of my death?

Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth? Can I remember every lesson, every proverb that I was ever taught by my Mother and Father?

Therefore get wisdom … And in all your getting, get understanding. Somethings are miles beyond my ability to understand, somethings I will never understand.

I don’t know about you, for myself I long for the highest possible predictability and security – like, all the time – in my life. If I could always have it “my way,” very little would change. It’s not that I am completely opposed to the new and the next, progress has brought much good in my own life and in our world.

The issue is… change equals the unknown. And there is no guarantee of “safety” in the unknown. Perhaps change and uncertainty are too challenging for you as well. Even if you are more naturally adventurous, navigating a shift can still be difficult, especially if it feels like you are walking onward without a roadmap.

So much of what we hear or read today challenges our human ability to believe wholeheartedly in the concept of any absolute truth. Ideas and doctrines swirl around inciting doubt and mistrust of the One constant that remains immutable in the midst of all of the temporal. At times we can feel like we are stumbling and bumbling through the darkness with flailing arms outstretched grasping for light and direction. On what can we truly depend – The rising of the Sun?

While the winds of change may blow in any direction but our own, we can all remain securely tethered to our unchanging, eternal God.

He is “the Alpha and the Omega (the beginning and the end)… who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty,” (Revelation 1:8, NIV).

He “is the same yesterday and today and forever,” (Heb. 13:8, NIV). No matter what goes on in our lives or in this world, he does not change. Period.

He is not a man that he should lie. He does not change his mind (Numbers 23:19).

He, and he alone, is God. Though confusion in our world threatens to tear down any sense of certainty, we can trust that truth will prevail; truth that is outlined for us in, throughout the length and breadth and depths of the Word of God.

Through this text, we believe not only in words written on a page, but in he who penned them.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-5, NIV.

There is nothing in all of creation that was made without him.

He is our beacon of light that shines through the shadows.

He has been here since the beginning and he will be here through the end.

From the most ancient times to things yet to come, he will forever remain our unchanging God. With this assurance, I pray you can know while uncertainty and change will remain this side of heaven, there is One who will never change.

He is our firm foundation.

He sees you all of the time. (Psalm 139)

He cares for you all the time. (Psalm 23)

You can stand secure and upright in the most unpredictable of shifting sands. (Psalm 121)

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Do you ever find yourself struggling through unexpected changes or wildly shifting sinking quicksand?

When you feel lost and confused, where do you go for clarity, understanding?

After reading today’s devotional, can you see how often our God reveals his character to us?

Why do you think and believe there are so many statements about God’s nature and attributes in the Bible?

What is he trying to tell us?

How does understanding his promise to remain unchanging, grant you assurance of his faithfulness in this life?

Take some quality time today to write down a few scriptures that declare the truth of who God is so when unexpected transitions occur, or doubts arise, you can remember, pray over that firmly communicates He is your firm foundation.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 46 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 46

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed,
and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God,
the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved:
God shall help her, and that right early.
6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved:
he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
what desolations he hath made in the earth.
9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth;
he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder;
he burneth the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen,
I will be exalted in the earth.
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Trauma Unknowable; Living in and Passing through, Surviving, Grieving though the Devastation, Destruction, of the Raging Fires. Ceaseless Prayer. Psalm 91:14-16.

Psalm 91 Complete Jewish Bible

91 You who live in the shelter of ‘Elyon,
who spend your nights in the shadow of Shaddai,
2 who say to Adonai, “My refuge! My fortress!
My God, in whom I trust!” —
3 he will rescue you from the trap of the hunter
and from the plague of calamities;
4 he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his truth is a shield and protection.

5 You will not fear the terrors of night
or the arrow that flies by day,
6 or the plague that roams in the dark,
or the scourge that wreaks havoc at noon.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand;
but it won’t come near you.
8 Only keep your eyes open,
and you will see how the wicked are punished.

9 For you have made Adonai, the Most High,
who is my refuge, your dwelling-place.
10 No disaster will happen to you,
no calamity will come near your tent;
11 for he will order his angels to care for you
and guard you wherever you go.
12 They will carry you in their hands,
so that you won’t trip on a stone.
13 You will tread down lions and snakes,
young lions and serpents you will trample underfoot.
14 “Because he loves me, I will rescue him;
because he knows my name, I will protect him.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him.
I will be with him when he is in trouble.
I will extricate him and bring him honor.
16 I will satisfy him with long life
and show him my salvation.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

The news and images emerging from the fires in California are hard to believe.

Skies have turned red, filled with hug clouds of smoke over cities and counties as Santa Anna winds 80-100 mph is fueling multiple wildfires across the state.

As the governor declares a state of emergency, families are evacuating to escape the flames, knowing they may never see their homes again. 10000 ++ structures have already burned down Livelihoods, businesses are being lost as firefighters and first responders do everything in their power to stop the spread of the fires.

At least 12 individuals have been killed with more to be accounted for as Cadaver dogs are brought in to begin their gruesome work as a dark result of these fires, while 200,000 citizens are without power and 180,000 have evacuated the area.

Approximately 35,000 acres have burned thus far and several of these fires are barely considered even “10% contained – one is not contained. These numbers will doubtless go up as these 75000 brave first responders are actively working to contain the fires and prevent them from spreading to more neighborhoods. 

As you follow the news, we can do relatively little but continually lift up these in prayers for the state of California, for the first responders with their lives on the lines, for the recovery, for the victims experiencing such trauma, sudden loss.

Suffering after a disaster can seem isolating, lonely, traumatic seeing that many, even in our own communities, may not comprehend, understand what they are experiencing there. With this feeling can come a sense of hopelessness.

While feeling distraught, Psalm 34:8 reminds us where to find hope, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.”

Gratefully, God is very present in our situations, riding out the storms with us and being there for us afterward.

As 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 describes, we have a God who understands and is compassionate towards us in our suffering:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

God understands our suffering beyond what we can comprehend.

He walks side by side with us through it with us and brings us out on the other side stronger. 

Psalm 23:4 Complete Jewish Bible

4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines,
I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;
your rod and staff reassure me.

Isaiah 43:1-2 Complete Jewish Bible

43 But now this is what Adonai says,
he who created you, Ya‘akov,
he who formed you, Isra’el:
“Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you;
I am calling you by your name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through water, I will be with you;
when you pass through rivers, they will not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire, you will not be scorched —
the flame will not burn you.

1 Peter 5:10 further explains,

“And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

Even more so, He loves us through each and every distress, not letting anything come between us during these hardcore difficult, traumatic times. He does not leave us in our suffering, going through it alone or figuring it out on our own. 

As the Apostle Paul spells out clearly in Romans 8:39-40, 

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Likewise, afterward, even in the worst situations,

God assures us:

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

For those who are presently experiencing, who have experienced disasters, the recovery time afterward can be hardcore excruciating, yet God urges in Psalm 27:14 to “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

But waiting to see God’s goodness after a disaster can seem endless at times.

Still, He wants us to cling to the promise of His everlasting hope that He alone gives, looking for and expecting His goodness, His Shalom, again in our lives.

Isaiah 25:9 Complete Jewish Bible

9 On that day they will say,
“See! This is our God!
We waited for him to save us.
This is Adonai ; we put our hope in him.
We are full of joy, so glad he saved us!”

Although it may take us a while to tune in and hear those crickets and the birds singing and see the sun shining again, we can move ahead, even if it’s with the very tiniest of tiny baby steps, looking to see His goodness in the coming days.

After disasters, there is the hope and promise that God’s goodness will come again and follows us through this life.

As Psalm 23:6 assures, “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

For many, there will be a time of looking back after walking through the tragic events which often brings a hard fought answer to your prayers for clarity, and pleas for the Shalom of Shalom’s where they are able to see more clearly God’s faithfulness and goodness, even though at those times they may have felt there was none to be found among the great mountains of ash and burned buildings.

In these moments of everyday revelation, there will certainly, and faithfully be a divine display, miraculous abundant revelations of His divinely orchestrated “aha” moments where Psalm 116:12 rings true for them: “What shall I return to the Lord for all His goodness to me?”

Psalm 116:12-14 Complete Jewish Bible

12 How can I repay Adonai
for all his generous dealings with me?
13 I will raise the cup of salvation
and call on the name of Adonai.
14 I will pay my vows to Adonai
in the presence of all his people.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Father, we come to You with heavy hearts as wildfires rage and devastation spreads. We know that You are sovereign over all things, and we trust in Your wisdom even in the midst of chaos. Lord, we pray for the leadership across affected areas to make the best possible decisions for the safety and welfare of communities. Guide their steps with wisdom and urgency as they navigate these challenging circumstances, and may they look to You for strength and clarity.

Father, we lift up the firefighters, first responders, and all those risking their lives to protect others. Cover them with Your protection, give them endurance, and guide their efforts. May their bravery and selflessness reflect Your love and care in the face of such terrifying destruction.

We pray for the communities impacted by these fires—families who have lost homes, businesses, and loved ones. Comfort them in their grief and provide for their immediate needs. Stir up a spirit of unity and compassion among neighbors, that they may support and uplift one another. Protect the most vulnerable and provide shelter, safety, and peace amidst the fear and uncertainty.

Lord, we ask for Your Spirit to pour out over the land, calming the winds and rains, and bringing relief to the fires. May You be recognized and trusted even in this time of tragedy. Remind us of Your goodness and faithfulness, even when it feels hard to see.

God, we pray for peace to overcome fear, and faith to rise above despair. May those nearest to the danger feel Your presence and guiding hand. Let the hope and strength that only come from Your Son, Jesus, through Your Holy Spirit, bring comfort and assurance in the face of devastation.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10

Psalm 46 New American Standard Bible

God, the Refuge of His People.

For the music director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, [a]set to Alamoth. A Song.

46 God is our refuge and strength,
A [b]very ready help in [c]trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth shakes
And the mountains slip into the heart of the [d]sea;
3 Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make the city of God happy,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her [e]when morning dawns.
6 The [f]nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He [g]raised His voice, the earth quaked.
7 The Lord of armies is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
[h]Who has inflicted horrific events on the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
10 “[i]Stop striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the [j]nations, I will be exalted on the earth.”
11 The Lord of armies is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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God, the New Year Cometh; So please teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of truest Brevity of Life, grow in thy wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Psalm 90 New American Standard Bible 1995

BOOK 4

God’s Eternity and Man’s Transitoriness.

A Prayer of [a]Moses, the man of God.

90 Lord, You have been our [b]dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
[c]Or You gave birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

3 You turn man back into dust
And say, “Return, O children of men.”
4 For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it passes by,
[d]Or as a watch in the night.
5 You have [e]swept them away like a flood, they [f]fall asleep;
In the morning they are like grass which [g]sprouts anew.
6 In the morning it flourishes and [h]sprouts anew;
Toward evening it fades and withers away.

7 For we have been consumed by Your anger
And by Your wrath we have been [i]dismayed.
8 You have placed our iniquities before You,
Our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
9 For all our days have declined in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a [j]sigh.
10 As for the days of our [k]life, [l]they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, eighty years,
Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow;
For soon it is gone and we fly away.
11 Who [m]understands the power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the fear [n]that is due You?
12 So teach us to number our days,
That we may [o]present to You a heart of wisdom.

13 Do return, O Lord; how long will it be?
And [p]be sorry for Your servants.
14 O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,
That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad [q]according to the days You have afflicted us,
And the years we have seen [r]evil.
16 Let Your work appear to Your servants
And Your majesty [s]to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;
And [t]confirm for us the work of our hands;
Yes, [u]confirm the work of our hands.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

What does brevity mean?

: shortness of duration. especially : shortness or conciseness of expression.

What is brevity of a person?

the brevity of human life. the quality of expressing much in few words; terseness: Ironically, it is long-winded Polonius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet who famously says that brevity is the soul of wit.

Is brevity a good thing?

Maybe that’s why William Shakespeare said, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” One thing I know is brevity is powerful. People who can speak or write concisely and to the point are more successful.

Is brevity positive or negative?

Brevity rails against the non-essential, against filling time, against boredom, against self- indulgent long-windedness and against agonizing repetition.

Brevity guards against overconsumption and waste as brevity can be applied to space and things, as well as time. Brevity is economy.

Is brevity a skill?

Brevity is rare because it takes both skill and effort to simplify the complex.

It’s easier to remain ethereal, vague, and ambiguous than it is to communicate with purpose and clarity.

Or, I would have written a shorter sermon if God had given me the time.

Life is filled with “once in a lifetime” opportunities, but the big question is what we do with them when they present themselves? Do we so casually let them slip by, saying, “Maybe next time (if there is one). There is always another day”? Or, do we a John 3:16 moment seize them? Love them like God loved us, have a few more “come to Jesus” moments as we may not have as much time as we think?

Theologian Dr. Leslie Weatherhead calculated the average length of a life using the hours of 1 day to illustrate the importance of recognizing the value of time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Weatherhead

He concluded that if your age is 15, the time is 10:25 a.m. If your age is 20, the time is 11:34. If your age is 25, the time is 12:42 p.m. If you’re 30, the time is 1:51. If you’re 35, the time is 3:00. If you’re 40 the time is 4:08. At age 45, the time is 5:15. If you’re 50, the time is 6:25. By age 55, the time is 7:24. If you’re 60, the time is 8:42. If you’re 65, the time is 9:51. And if you’re 70 the time is 11 p.m.

Psalm 90:12 reminds us, “Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom” (NKJV). Or as the Living Bible puts it, “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.”

Ephesians 5:15 says, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise” (NLT).

Paul wrote, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must fully honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NLT).

Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23 NLT).

This doesn’t mean that we must take a vow of poverty. It simply means we that we ultimately recognize that it 100% all belongs to God. Our lives belong to God. Our families belong to God. All our possessions belong to God. Everything is his.

So, in the coming year of 2025, make your chief New Years resolution to take what God has given to you and do the most that you can with it for his glory.

Remind yourself; God can do a lot with a little. If you don’t believe me, just ask the boy with the five loaves and two fish who gave everything he had to Jesus. It didn’t seem like a lot, but Jesus used them to feed a hungry thousands. Jesus can take a little, bless it and multiply it. He can use it beyond our wildest dreams.

Seizing upon our God Opportunity: “God, Do teach me to “Number My Days”” 

Psalm 139:23-24 Amplified Bible

23 
Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts;
24 
And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

If we will earnestly and fervently pray, humble ourselves, take what we have and offer it to God, if we will be willing to do what He has placed before us and be faithful in the little things, then we can trust He will give us more to do.

I would rather try and fail than never try at all.

Any time you take a chance, you can fail. But it’s better to try than to never take chances and never have anything happen in your life.

So seize the day. Seize the moment. Seize the opportunities before you.

Don’t put it off too long, because you may not have as much time as you think.

Be motivated, be productive, be resolute with your life. Resolve to be productive with your time, talents, ministries. Seize the opportunities God has given you.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 The Message

There’s a Right Time for Everything

3 There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:

2-8 A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

9-13 But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I’ve had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he’s left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he’s coming or going. I’ve decided that there’s nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That’s it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It’s God’s gift.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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