Destruction and devastation are all encompassing, emotions have run unchecked and uncertainty fuels an encroaching despair. When trouble of any form rears its head we are left helpless. In moments like these do you believe that God is ready and able to help you weather the storm? We need to seek out and believe that God is able to help us every moment of every day. In Psalm 57 David is affirming his belief that God is able to carry him through any calamity that he may face. “Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by. I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.” Psalm 57:1,2 Continue Reading…
Tag Archive - God’s Faithfulness
Our eternally faithful help and hope: Psalm 57
Take flight and rise above the perilous battle: Psalm 55
When worry, despair and tragedy encroach around you does a desire to run away develop in your heart? When you decide to run away from the worries and pain of your life where do you go? Where is your refuge and stronghold? In Psalm 55 David places his hope in God to make it through the difficult moments, ”I said, ‘Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. Behold, I would wander away, I would lodge in the wilderness. I would hasten to my place of refuge from the stormy wind and tempest.’” Psalm 55:6-8 To take flight and rise above the pain of this world is our inner desire. As we attempt to take flight we will only fail but fortunately God enables us to fly to Him as a refuge and He lifts us up above the burdens of life. Continue Reading…
Out of sinfulness into repentance: Psalm 51
How do you cope when you fail and fall into the snare of sin? Do you look upon your failure and say “C’est la vie!” in an attempt to just move along? Does your failure and cycle of sin cause you pain, regret, and despair as your strength is sapped away? Do you choose to wallow in sin because it is too difficult to find hope and help to rise out of the mire? No matter what your outlook is, when you sin you will find hope and encouragement from the life of David the shepherd king of Israel. David was a great king of Israel but he was just as prone to failure as we are today. We are granted a glimpse of David’s life when he responds to God after taking Bathsheba as his own wife. Continue Reading…
The sky is falling; just sit back, relax and enjoy: Psalm 46
Do you know anyone who always seem to claim that ‘the sky is falling’? What calamity do you see surrounding you? Is the world a worse place to live than it was when you was growing up? Are children lacking respect and no longer caring? Do natural disasters happen with greater frequency wrecking havoc to everyone? Do wars and rumors of wars keep you up at night? There are many calamities swirling about us that may cause us to claim that the end of the world is at hand. What drives this view that the world is coming to an end? Are we crippled by all the talk about the end of the world? Continue Reading…
Reset your perspective by remembering God’s faithfulness: Psalm 44
Do you hear the call? There is a message woven through Psalm 44 that exhorts us to remember God, His faithfulness and His deliverance every moment of every day. What happens when we fail to remember God and see the secure footing He has place beneath us? Failure and a spiraling outlook of despair will pervade all of your thoughts and actions when we lose perspective. In Psalm 44 the sons of Korah are looking back on how God has worked in the lives of the people of Israel throughout to find assurance and proper perspective in the present. The sovereignty, faithfulness and deliverance of God bestowed upon Israel despite of their inherent sinfulness is paramount within Psalm 44. The sons of Korah acknowledged that everything for Israel happened because God ordained and allowed it to happen. Continue Reading…
Set your standard of war for the battle of life: Psalm 41
How do you interact with the people around you that are suffering? When people become beaten down by hurtful people, oppressing circumstances or failing health are you a blessing or a curse to them? We cannot, in our own strength, remain a constant help to the hurting people of this world. Only God can enable us to be a healing balm to the worn people of this world.
What do you do when you are the one who is downcast and hurting? We need to run to God, the only faithful one, for our help. God can grant deliverance from trouble, protection from danger and healing to the sick. Do we remember to ask God for the grace and faith we need to make it through this life? Are we too afraid or proud to run to God for help? We spend so much of our energy fighting through life that we use up our strength and fall farther back into trouble. If we fight against the sin of this world without God we will be trapped deeper in the clutches of sin. Give up and let God help you. The power of God is able to uphold you in the midst of the storms of life and He will remain faithful to you when everyone else turns away. Continue Reading…
Sing of His lovingkindness and faithfulness: Psalm 36
Do you like to listen to music? What is your favorite genre of music? Do you remember the last song you heard? Music is intertwined into our lives bringing us joy, excitement or sorrow. Remember that each of the Psalms are songs that were sung by the people of Israel expressing their relationship with God? I was reminded that the Psalms are all songs today as I read Psalm 36. “Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; You judgements are like a great deep.” Psalm 36:5,6 These verses reminded me of the song “Your Love Oh Lord” by Third Day. The Psalms are just as melodic today as they were when they were written. Continue Reading…
What kind of child are you: Psalms 35
Who will fight for you? Can retribution for the wrongs we suffer be obtained through our own cunning, intellect and strength? Where do you find your help and hope? In Psalm 35 what was David’s choice when he was faced with adversaries on every side? David’s choice was to seek his help and hope from God, “Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take hold of buckler and shield and rise up for my help.” Psalm 35:1,2 Peril surrounded David but his outlook on life should be ours. We need to believe that our vindication is from God alone regardless of the situation that we face. Continue Reading…
Hope and promise found in God: Psalm 34
Why would a humble person rejoice with David’s boasting in the Lord? What is there to cause David to call us to magnify the name of the Lord? In Psalm 34 David speaks about hope for the believer that is overwhelmed by situations and adversaries that seek to destroy. How is this hope relayed to the reader? We are given a first hand account of God’s faithfulness and deliverance from David. David’s life was filled with many moments of great joy and others of great despair but he continually set his heart, mind, soul and strength toward God. “I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4 David knew first hand that his dependance upon God brought hope, strength and peace to his soul. The language David uses in Psalm 34 brings hope to the hurting, strength to the weak and joy to despairing because of God’s faithfulness. Continue Reading…
Stop striving and trust God: Psalm 23
How often have you read a devotional or heard a sermon explaining Psalm 23? I have read a few books that use the six verses as their foundation. When a piece of scripture is so frequently discussed by so many people, do we more easily take the words contained in the scripture for granted? Take time to rediscover the truth that is contained in Psalm 23 by only using your Bible as you meditate on these glorious truths. Take time to ask questions about the text and meditate on how you are effected. Continue Reading…
