Like most (if not all) of us, David found waiting difficult. "How long,Lord? Will You forget meforever? How long will You hide Your facefrom me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughtsand day after day have sorrow in my heart?How long will my enemy triumph over me?" (Psalm 13:1-2) David longed for God's deliverance and sounded dejected. Yet, he chose to trust in God's unfailing love and continued to sing praise to God. He remained confident in God's love, mercy, goodness, and faithfulness. His heart rejoiced because God had rescued/saved him. Changing our mindset/ perspective can change despair, sorrow, and discouragement to peace, joy, and hope. When we're tempted to complain, worry, and become despondent, we need to recollect God's faithfulness, pray to God, and praise God, instead. Let us follow David's example to wait upon the Lord with unwavering faith and be resolved to rejoice in the Lord always. Prayer: Lord, thank You for loving me and saving me! You have been so good to me. Thank You for abundantly blessing my family and me! Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. May my life be one continuous praise song to You! Please strengthen my faith and help me be patient and at peace when I have to wait.
God's Word is pure and flawless. It's like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times. In the Bible, the number 7 signifies completeness and perfection. God's Word is perfect and true, powerful and trustworthy. "Every word of God is flawless;He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar." (Proverbs 30:5-6) We cannot always rely on people's words, not even those of Christians as mentioned in Psalm 12:1-2, "Help,Lord, for the godly manceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak." However, we can confidently rely on God's Word. What God's words are, His children's words should also be. We must speak the truth. Let our conversation be without falsehood, deceit, or insincerity. Speak the truth in love with gentleness and respect. Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for Your Word that transforms, teaches, guides, encourages, and comforts me! Oh how precious Your Words are to me!
The Lord is a righteous and just Judge. He loves justice/righteousness but hates wickedness. The upright will see His face = He looks upon the upright with delight, favor, and affection. The wicked have everything to fear while the righteous (those who are clothed with Christ's righteousness) have nothing to fear. God is our Defender; He is our Source of light, joy, salvation, hope, peace, comfort, confidence, and security. Those who do right are loved by God and blessed with His presence. Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for Your unending love and presence! I'm so grateful that no matter what happens in my life, You are my stability and strength.
"Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;the Lord accepts my prayer." (Psalm 6:8-9) Psalm 6 is a prayer of faith and repentance in time of distress. David pleads for God to help, heal, deliver, and save him, not on the basis of what he has done, but on the basis of God's unfailing love and mercy. David humbly acknowledges his own weakness, weariness, sorrow, and anguish while confidently reminding himself that God does hear his prayer. When our words fail and only our hearts cry out in tears, God still hears and understands us. "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle! You have recorded each one in Your book!" (Psalm 56:8) God cares! "Our tears are precious to God...because in our sorrow He brings to us blessings which we never could receive but for our sorrow. One of our Lord's Beatitudes is for the sorrowing: 'Blessed are those who mourn.' It seems strange to us that mourning ones should be put among the blessed or happy ones. The reason is, because only those who suffer can get God's comfort, and this is such a blessing that it is worth while to have sorrow just to receive it. God holds the tears of penitence as most sacred. Those who weep over their sins, cause joy in Heaven." (J.R. Miller) God knows our every thought, word, action, trial, grief, foe, and trouble. God is with us and for us. "So be strong and courageous! For the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you!" (Deuteronomy 31:6) I find comfort, courage, and confidence in God's presence. "He is with His people . . . as a Father--loving and holding communion with them; as the Lord Almighty--having all power to help them; as a Guide--to wisely lead them; as an Advocate--to plead their cause; as a Friend--to supply and comfort them; as a Savior--to deliver and protect them; as a holy, sin-hating God--to purify them!" (James Smith)
"Christ has completely and perfectly delivered all His people from the condemnation of sin, as He suffered the wrath of God for us on the cross, having our sins charged to His account. But His deliverance of us does not end there. He is still delivering us and keeping us from all that would harm or destroy us. He continually delivers us... from the power of sin which still plagues, corrupts, and contaminates us; from the influence of the world; from the force of temptation; from the deceitfulness of our own hearts; and from the designs of all our foes!" (Unknown) Prayer: Thank You, Abba Father, for Your steadfast love, grace, and mercy for me! Thank You for faithfully helping & guiding me in times of need, delivering & protecting me in times of danger, comforting & strengthening me in times of sorrow! Please enable me to trust You completely in any circumstances and to rest in You, Your perfect wisdom and timing. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
This blessed (happy) life flows from a series of choices:- 1. Avoid having destructive relationships with the wicked, sinners, and mockers. Do not follow their ways. 2. Delight continually in God's Word.
Watch where you walk, stand, and sit. Whom do you spend most time with? "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm." (Proverbs 13:20) Has God's Word captured your hearts? Do you, as a habit and a delight, meditate upon the Scriptures day and night? When we are rooted in Christ and are nourished spiritually by His Word, we achieve vitality, stability, and productivity. We'll be able to flourish from within, regardless of external conditions (neither drought nor storm can make us wither). Our time spent meditating on God's Word and praying will nourish our faith, refresh our soul, and help our roots grow deep and strong. In other words, we will be spiritually mature, healthy, fruitful and able to stand strong/firm even in difficult seasons of life. God's nurturing truth gives us the wisdom, guidance, hope, encouragement, peace, comfort, and courage for whatever we are facing. Nothing is more helpful and practical in Christian living than reading, studying, meditating on, memorizing, and applying God's Word. "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8) Prayer:Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Word! Please guide me through this life to know and to do Your will always. I delight to live by Your principles and I love to meditate on Your Word. May I be rooted and grounded in Christ and bear much fruit for Your glory and Your kingdom! In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen. "He who walks by Scripture rule, walks most safely. He who walks by Scripture rule, walks most honorably. He who walks by Scripture rule, walks most sweetly." (Thomas Brooks) "The Bible contains . . . the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers.
Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.
Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy.
The Bible contains . . . light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.
It is . . . the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword and the Christian's charter.
Here too, Heaven is opened--and the gates of Hell are disclosed.
Christ is its grand subject, our good is its design, and the glory of God is its end.
The Bible should . . . fill the memory, rule the heart and guide the feet.
Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully.
The Scripture is . . . a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure!
It . . . is given to you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever.
The Bible . . . involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents!" (Unknown)
