What is your progenitor of peace? Can money buy peace, can a lack of warfare bring about peace or can tolerance produce peace? We are naturally inclined to a state of distress and calamity because sin’s curse that is inherent to all of creation. Is there hope for lasting peace? “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you . May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.’ For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say ‘May peace be within you.’ For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.” Psalm 122:6-9 When we turn to God and find our hope in Him we can finally experience true peace. Continue Reading…
Archive - January, 2011
Truly seeking the wellspring of peace: Psalm 122
Our never slumbering God is our help, hope and deliverance: Psalm 121
Have you ever been in a situation where you needed help and deliverance? Think of a time before mobile phones and automobiles where people traveled by foot or on horseback. Think back to the time in Israel when Psalm 121 was written. If you were threatened by overwhelming forces or hurt in the wilderness, you would be eagerly looking for someone to appear that will offer help, hope and deliverance. “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come?” Psalm 121:1 Where do you look for your hope when you are helpless? There are many things in this world that will tell you that they will offer you help in times of trouble, hope when your will is crushed and deliverance when you are oppressed but can they be relied upon in your darkest moment? “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow you foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 121:2-4 God is always there for His children. When you face a dark moment, isolated and alone, God is present and aware of your circumstances. Trust in His deliverance in every situation that you face. You can stand firm because God is always there. Continue Reading…
Within the sufficiency of God is our hope, help and salvation: Psalm 120
Where does your soul yearn to reside? Are you at rest in this world filled with complete contentment? Do you long for the wild pleasures of this wicked world? The curse of sin is raging throughout all of creation, setting man bitterly against the reign, authority and love of God. When you face trouble do you rage against God shaking your fist proclaiming that you are empowered to overcome or do you fall down before Him crying out for help? “In my trouble I cried to the Lord, and He answered me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.” Psalm 120:1-2 Will you call out to the faithful and true God who delivers our souls out of the muck and mire of this world? Continue Reading…
Will you find absolute satisfaction in the Word of God: Psalm 119
How are we endure and live lives that have meaning and purpose? What should be of utmost value to us? A simple and prefect guide is presented in Psalm 119 that will fulfill every one of our needs. Our fulfillment in this life is found in: the law of the Lord, God’s testimonies, God’s ways, God’s precepts, God’s statutes, God’s commandments, God’s righteous judgements, God’s word, the ordinances of God’s mouth, God’s testimonies, God’s ways, God’s law, God’s ordinances, God’s wonders, God’s righteous ordinances, the law of God’s mouth, God’s judgements, the testimony of God’s mouth, the commandments of my God and God’s righteous word. To simplify everything stated in Psalm 119 we will find deliverance and absolute satisfaction in the Bible that God has bestowed upon humanity. Do you live out an impassioned love for God’s Word? Continue Reading…
God’s lovingkindness is everlasting: Psalm 118
“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.” Psalm 118:8,9 Do you believe that the lovingkindness of the Lord is everlasting? Do you believe that God will fulfill the promises He has made or are you diligently striving to make a way of your own? We are inherently deficient yet we too often view ourselves as complete beings that are complete and powerful. There is nothing that we can do to help ourselves to overcome our inability. Why do we continually strive to make our own way through this world? Do we think that at some point we will finally figure out the key to success that will help us make ourselves complete? We can never make ourselves complete because we lack the knowledge of what makes us complete. Continue Reading…
All scripture is truly profitable: Psalm 117
How is Psalm 117 valuable? What impact does this two verse psalm have upon our lives today? “All Scripture is inspired by God and 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 We can tend to overlook a simple two verse psalm thinking that it is not as valuable as some of the psalms that have great length or authors of great renown. If we limit ourselves to thinking that the words, thoughts and ideas of God can be measured by the views of man we are gravely overlooking the true wealth of God’s word to us. All scripture is profitable! Can you see that these two verses in Psalm 117 are boldly telling us that God is faithfully fulfilling His covenant throughout eternity. Take comfort knowing that God is always actively working. Continue Reading…
Out of the deep pit of misery through God’s great deliverance: Psalm 116
How do we view the deliverance of God? Do we earnestly desire God’s deliverance in the good and prosperous times of life? Our cry for help is birthed while we are in the midst of our trouble. “The cords of death encompassed me and the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, I beseech You, save my life!” Psalm 116:3,4 Do not seek to be clever, witty, resourceful or self-reliant when you are overtaken by trouble. You cannot deliver yourself out of your circumstances but God is able to fully deliver us when we call out to Him. “The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and he saved me. Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For You have rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.” Psalm 116:6-8 There is no pit too deep that we can fall into that God cannot reach down and deliver us out of. Will you call upon the name of the Lord in throughout the day to day troubles? Will you trust Him? Continue Reading…
Beware of the idols that encroach upon your peaceful existence: Psalm 115
Beware of the idols that you have elevated to prominence in your life. What draws your devotion and attention away from God? Do you desire to seek God first and foremost in your life? As we go about life in this sin cursed world we take for ourselves many of the habits of our family, friends and culture. Beware of the habits you have developed. Are you seeking to first seek God and love Him with all of your being? The things of this world that you treasure and delight in easily become idols that you worship as they crowd out our desire for God. Beware of these idols that are shallow, powerless and bring death to your life. “Their idol are silver and gold, the work of man’s hands. They have mouths, but they cannot speak; they have eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears; but they cannot heart; they have noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but they cannot feel; they have feet but they cannot walk; they cannot make a sound with their throat. Those who make them will become like them, everyone who trusts i n them.” Psalm 115:4-8 Continue Reading…
Find delight today knowing that God is at work: Psalm 114
What does the blessing of God look like to the world around us? Does the faith we have in God show to the people we interact with? Do the blessings God bestows upon us leave the world in awe? Psalm 114 is a simple yet mighty proclamation of what God did for His people. When you read this short psalm you get an encompassing view of God’s mighty blessing upon the people of Israel as they left Egypt. This same blessing of God is upon our lives and enables us to overcome every obstacle that we encounter. Will you live in the power of God’s blessing in your life? Will you boldly go about your day knowing that the hand of God is actively working in your life? “Tremble, O earth, before the Lord, before the God of Jacob, who urned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of water.” Psalm 114:7,8 Find delight today knowing that God is working in your life and that nothing can hinder His work. Continue Reading…
What is worthy of your praise and adoration: Psalm 113
“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people. He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 113:7-9 Has the weight of this world caused you to lose hope? Do you feel worthless? Are you a child of God? Everyone that has placed their hope and trust in Jesus Christ is living in a state of continual blessing. God looks upon us and lifts us out of the muck and mire of the world and places us in His wonderful family. We are fruitful because God enables us to grow and flourish. Praise Him with great praise! Continue Reading…
