Psalm 4:2
You heard me when I called, O God of my righteousness.
You strengthened my heart when I was in distress;
Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
Encouraging Words…
God is always there for His children. Even in the midst of trials, tribulations, and even persecution, He is there. Since we live in two worlds His presence may not change the situation or condition of our physical world, but it does change the spiritual one. Glory be to God!
Proverbs 10:22 (10:23 LXX)
The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of a righteous man;
It enriches him, and grief of heart will not be added to it.
Encouraging Words…
We often slip into the frame of mind that trying to live a righteous life is all about doing things. In reality it is more about the state of our heart and mind, for it is from there that righteous acts come willingly. We do not do what we do to earn God’s blessings, but we do them because we are blessed by God.
Psalm 51:1-4 (50:3-6 LXX)
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy;
And according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression.
Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my lawlessness,
And my sin is always before me.
Against You only have I sinned
And done evil in Your sight;
That You may be justified in Your words,
And overcome when You are judged.
Encouraging Words…
Our God is a loving and compassionate God. He is not judgmental as He is often depicted. He does judge, but this judgment is that of a loving Father desiring to discipline and correct His children. It is not surprising that as people build their religious practices around a judgmental god that the result is hostilities and divisions. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Psalm 30:11-12 (29:12-13 LXX)
You turned my lamentation into dancing for me;
You tore up my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
That my glory may sing praise to You,
And not be pierced with sadness;
O Lord my God, I shall give thanks to You forever.
Encouraging Words…
Our Lord is so good to us. We must be patient and stay close to Him so that we can see His hand of healing at work in our lives. This passage is so appropriate for me today as we approach the last leg of our journey home from my parent’s home in California. I have been gifted with the jewels of my father’s workshop (Billy G’s Clock Shop as it has been affectionately christened) and given the charter, the privilege, to keep his memory alive by continuing his legacy. God has given me a chance to build upon my father’s legacy and to not only have my lamentation turned into dancing, but hopefully to use this opportunity to bring healing and hope to the rest of the family as well. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Encouraging Words…
We are not alone in our journey and struggle through life. Those saints who have gone before us and are continuing to petition our Lord on our behalf. Our Lord is at the core of our journey paving the way before us and supporting and nurturing us along the way. Glory be to God!
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Psalm 71:1-3 (70:1-3 LXX)
O God, in You I hope; may I never be put to shame.
Deliver me in Your righteousness, and set me free;
Incline Your ear to me and save me.
Be to me a God for protection
And a strong place for salvation,
For You are my foundation and my refuge.
Encouraging Words…
Once again the Psalmist reminds us that even in the midst of a world going bad around us we have the Lord, our God, that we can put our trust in. He is our salvation. He is our foundation, He is our refuge. The challenge is that it is often difficult to remember this in the midst of our challenges. Nonetheless we can turn to Him and run into His protective and loving arms.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
Hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear GodAnd keep His commandments,For this is the whole man.For God will bring every work into judgment,Including everything that has been overlooked,Whether it be good or evil.
Personal Challenge…
Here we have the author of Ecclesiastes, Solomon, looking back on his life of great wealth and diverse experiences, articulating that which is truly important. Fearing God, loving and respecting Him, and obeying His commandments. In his opinion these are the most important things that we can do in our lives. The commandments that we are to follow are to love our God and to love our neighbor. All life, all righteous behavior, can be found in these two commandments. But one of the important aspects that this passage points out is that we are not only held accountable for how we loved our neighbor, but also for the times that we overlooked as loving our neighbor. This is just as bad as doing or saying bad things to others. Have I neglected to say a kind word to someone in my life? Have I looked the other way when someone was in need? Have I kept more for myself when I could have shared with another? These sins of omission are just as bad as sins of commission. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Proverbs 10:19 (10:20 LXX)
You will not escape sin by a multitude of words,
But you of discreet lips will be forbearing.
Personal Challenge…
Throughout the scriptures we are reminded that loose lips cause all kinds of trouble. Here we are reminded that the more that I talk the more likely I will sin. We must be very diligent in refraining from overusing our mouths and underusing our ears. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Psalm 34:12-15 (33:13-16)
Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is the man who desires life,
Who loves to see good days?
Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
Shun evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,
And His ears are open to their supplications.
Command with a Promise…
Who amongst us does not desire a life filled with good days? I think it is safe to say that everyone does. Here the Psalmist encourages us on how we can live a full life comprised of good days. This is a gift from God, but one that He expects us to be active in. Active by watching our tongue and not speaking deceitfully. Active by running from evil and doing good things. And by this he means God’s definition of evil and good…not our definition. Active by seeking out peace and pursuing it…at all costs. By doing all of this He will set His eyes upon us and hear our prayers. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Psalm 11:7 (10:7 LXX)
The righteous Lord loves righteousness;
His face beholds the upright.
Personal Challenge…
Even though our God is a loving, caring, merciful God, He is not a comprising God. It is our responsibility to strive for His levels of righteousness and uprightness. We cannot compromise our walk with Him and expect Him to do the same just because that is what the world around us wants. God wants us to love our neighbor and demonstrate to them His living gospel and we cannot do tis by watering down, and therefore compromising, His truths to make others “happy”. This is difficult but nonetheless our calling to be salt and light in the world.
Verse of the Day 