Psalms 46:1 (45:2)

God is our refuge and power;
A help in afflictions that severely befall us.

Encouraging Words

Our God is not some distant, fictitious being that doesn’t care about us. He is not some profound teacher who now lies in the grave. Our God is alive…always has been and always will be. He is near to us at all times. He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us at all times. He is our refuge no matter what comes our way. Glory be to God!

John 16:23-24

And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Encouraging Words

Jesus never taught His followers a prosperity gospel. All you have to do to realize this is to read the beatitudes. And yet, He tells us that if we ask anything from God in the name of Jesus, it will be given to us. Doesn’t this contradict His other teachings? No! If we are following in the footsteps of Jesus, striving to be like Him, doing what He has asked us to do, then we will be asking God for the same things that Jesus would ask for. Our hearts, and therefore, our asks, would be in a alignment with Jesus. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Psalms 42:11 (41:12)

Why are you so sad, O my soul? And why do you trouble me?
Hope in God, for I will give thanks to Him.
My God is the salvation of my countenance.

Encouraging Words

As we look at the world around us the wars, the terrorism, the changing climate, the lies that are proclaimed as the truth, it becomes easy to become despondent and sad. The answer to this is to take our eyes off the world and focus them on God. He is not only the salvation of our souls, but also the salvation of our countenance. We can, and must, put our hope in Him and give Him thanks. Glory be to God!

John 16:13

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Encouraging Words

As followers of Jesus Christ we are blessed by having the Holy Spirit living within us. He is the guardian of all truth and makes it available as we live our lives following in the footsteps of Jesus. We have the responsibility to live in such a way so that we do not quench the Holy Spirit and grow numb to His guidance. We are not alone in our journey to theosis and can lean on Him for the truth. Glory be to God!

BLESSED IS THE MAN (PERSON)

Psalms 40:4-5 (39:5-6)

Blessed is the man whose hope is the name of the Lord,
And who did not look into vanities and false frenzies.
Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You performed,
And in Your thoughts there is no one who shall be likened to You;
I declared and said, “They are multiplied beyond number.”

Personal Challenge

Don’t we all want to be blessed by our God? Here is a message from the psalmist on how to receive those blessings. It begins by putting our hope in God. But is does not end there. We must not look into the vanities and false frenzies of the world. This is where the challenge comes in. We live in a world of fake news, of false reports of what is going on around us, and politicians and leaders that lie every chance that they get. We must seek God and His truths and turn from these vanities and false frenzies. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord have mercy!

John 15:19

If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Personal Challenge

This verse can sound a little radical, but it is quite true. If we are living our lives the way that Christ called us to live, we will stand out different than those around us. We will be hated by the world. Where this gets truly difficult and challenging is when that hatred comes from others in the church. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Psalms 40:1-3 (39:1-4)

I waited patiently for the Lord, and He heeded me;
And He heard my supplication,
And brought me up out of a miserable pit
And from miry clay;
And He established my feet on a rock
And kept straight my steps.
He put a new song in my mouth,
A hymn to our God;
Many will see and be afraid,
And shall hope in the Lord.

Encouraging Words

Our God is real. He is alive. He is the creator and sustainer of all. And He loves me. He heeds me when I wait patiently for him. He hears my supplications. He rescues me from miserable and miry pits that I fall into in this temporal life. He sets me on the firm path and guides my way. l will put my hope in Him and nothing else. Glory be to God!

John 15:15-17

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.

Encouraging Words

There is something special about being called a friend by someone that you of love and respect. It lifts you up and helps you to feel valued and appreciated. Jesus calls us His friends when we choose to follow Him. He chooses to reveal the truths of God, the Father to us, His friends. He gives us what we need to go and bear fruit. He asks the Father to meet our needs. As we grow in our friendship with Him, we follow His commandment to love one another. Thanks be to God!

Psalms 39:7 (38:8)

And now what is my patience?
Is it not the Lord?
And my support is from You.

Encouraging Words

Life requires much patience. No one or no thing appears to be operating on the same timeline or agenda that we always are. Maybe we need to review that timeline or agenda. As we go forth on our journey of life, we must be willing exercise patience, patience with others, patience with ourselves, even with God. In order to do this, we must understand, and accept, that the right kind of patience comes from our Lord and that He will support us as we go through life. Glory be to God!