Psalm 5
Listen to my words, LORD, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. For you are not aGod who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong; you destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, LORD, detest. But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple. Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make your way straight before me. Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies. Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you. But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
I love how in this Psalm David writes, “in the morning I lay my requests before you…” Let me ask you something, do you ever pray first thing in the morning before you start your day?
Sometimes we can go an entire day without even taking a moment to connect with our God. We all love to sleep to the last possible second before we have to get up. And once we do get up, we are running to get ready for our day. We jump in the shower, brush our teeth, trying to find something to eat and then rushing out the door to catch a ride to school.
I want to encourage you, connect with God in the morning before you start your day. If it’s praying when you get up, praying in the shower, praying as you get ready, whatever it is, connect with God in the morning and let Him direct you day. Even right now as you’re reading this, just stop and take a moment to connect with your creator.
Psalm 4
Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer. How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him. In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD. Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?” Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Have you ever prayed to God and felt like no one is listening?
Sometimes when we pray, we can feel like we are just talking to ourselves. We can feel like our prayers aren’t doing anything. Sometimes this can lead us to belief God doesn’t care or maybe we aren’t saying “the right words.”
In this Psalm, David is asking God to hear his prayers and answer him. Sometimes we can get to a point with a situation in our lives that we need an answer from God.
It’s ok to pray this way, but don’t get angry at God when the answer isn’t what you wanted. Sometimes God does things or allows things to happen that make us angry, frustrated or even doubt Him. But what we have to understand is, it’s not our job to critique or completely understand God, but it’s our just to trust and obey Him. We have to come to the point were we have complete faith in Him that He holds the day and He is working no matter what. There is no “right” formula of words that we can pray to move God. We pray and let Him know our needs and trust Him no matter what.
What are you asking God for right now in your life?
What prayers do you feel aren’t being answered?
Do you trust that no matter what, God is working?
I want to encourage you that God does hear your prayers and is working on your behalf, even if you can’t tell right at this moment.
Psalms 3
LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. Arise, LORD! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.
Do you ever deal with fear?
Do you ever feel like everyone is against you?
Sometimes in life we can let fear control us. Fear of failure, fear of choices, fear of what might happen, fear that you’re not good enough, fear of what others might say or whatever fear you have in your life, it can control you.
I love how David writes in this Psalm; he uses the word “shield” when referring to God, but not just a shield in front, but a shield “all around” us. That is such a cool illustration of God. He is our shield protecting us from evil.
What fears do you have in our life?
Does fear control you?
If so, pray to God and ask Him to be your shield and protect you from whatever the evil one has. Ask God to bring you peace instead of fear and these things that bother you begin to just give them to God and let Him deal with it.
Psalm 2
“Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king (Jesus) on Zion, my holy mountain.” I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son (Jesus); today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son (Jesus), or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
Have you ever looked at Christianity as just a bunch of rules that you are supposed to live by?
Have you ever looked at the stuff in life that you know you shouldn’t do as more fun then living for God?
Sometimes we can think freedom is doing whatever we want and not having anyone tell us what to do.
In Psalms 2, it talks about the people of the Earth saying; “Let us break off the chains and shackles” meaning let’s throw off the rules that God wants us to live by. But do God’s “rules” really bring “chains and shackles” or does God’s “rules” bring freedom?
When we live our lives away from God’s “rules” and live for our self, it usually brings mistakes, regret, hurt, and other consequences. But living under God’s “rules” brings true freedom.
Freedom in God is knowing that when you put your head on your pillow at night you made the right choice today, you don’t have worry, you don’t have regret, you’re not afraid of someone find out what you did.
In your life right now, what do you need freedom from?
I encourage you right now, to pray and ask God to help you find true freedom in Him. Even if you’ve prayed a million times, keep going to God.
Psalm 2
“Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king (Jesus) on Zion, my holy mountain.” I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son (Jesus); today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son (Jesus), or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
Have you ever looked at Christianity as just a bunch of rules that you are supposed to live by?
Have you ever looked at the stuff in life that you know you shouldn’t do as more fun then living for God?
Sometimes we can think freedom is doing whatever we want and not having anyone tell us what to do.
In Psalms 2, it talks about the people of the Earth saying; “Let us break off the chains and shackles” meaning let’s throw off the rules that God wants us to live by. But do God’s “rules” really bring “chains and shackles” or does God’s “rules” bring freedom?
When we live our lives away from God’s “rules” and live for our self, it usually brings mistakes, regret, hurt, and other consequences. But living under God’s “rules” brings true freedom.
Freedom in God is knowing that when you put your head on your pillow at night you made the right choice today, you don’t have worry, you don’t have regret, you’re not afraid of someone find out what you did.
In your life right now, what do you need freedom from?
I encourage you right now, to pray and ask God to help you find true freedom in Him. Even if you’ve prayed a million times, keep going to God.
Psalm 1 – Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
What do you want to make of your relationship with God?
Spend more time in the Bible? Prayer? Church? Whatever it is, I want to encourage you that you can do it.
Like the verse above says, when you plant yourself in the things of God, your life will benefit greatly.
What do you want to be different in your relationship with God?
Go back and read all of Psalm 1. Make a list of things that a “blessed” person will do, and a list of the things a “wicked” person will do.
Verse one encourages us to avoid the “counsel” of the wicked. How would you describe the counsel we receive from the media (movies, television, music, internet, etc.)?
How can someone avoid “walking in the counsel of the wicked?”
what would it look like if the Word of God was the delight of your life.
What is the fruit that results from meditating on God’s Word?
How should your relationship with the Word of God impact your relationships with other people (particularly the wicked, sinners, and mockers)?
After looking at this Psalm, what is one specific action you need to take regarding your relationship to the Word of God?
Pray: For God to help you apply & continue to teach you what you just gained from this devotion.
Song: Meditate on what you’ve just read & learned while listening to this song
One of the things I always hear in regards to leadership is that we should always desire to “go to the next level!” However, there are several things that will hold us back from doing this. Reality is that you and I cannot go to the next level if…
You absolutely are in love with the way things are
You are increasingly obsessed with the people who hate and criticize you the most. (Here are 7 difference between a coach and a critic, PART ONE& PART TWO & PART THREE)
You expect people to read your mind and then hold them accountable for things you never actually said but rather just assumed they knew. (Great leaders will leave you if you do this.)
You do not hold people accountable to what they have said they will do.
You are always looking for a fight instead of a solution. (II timothy 2:23)
You are not begging God to reveal more of Himself to you.
Lane Palmer serves as a writer for Dare 2 Share Ministries International (D2S) in Arvada, Colorado, a ministry committed to energizing and equipping teenagers to know, live, share and own their faith in Jesus. For more information about D2S, please visit www.dare2share.org.
Turkey Day approaches, and I don’t know about you…but I am planning on overstuffing my face with loads of the other other white meat, mashed potatoes, and delicious stuffing that is made of things I probably don’t want to look into closely. And yes…the gravy. Actually for me I believe all the food I pile on the plate like football players on a fumble is just an excuse for the boatload of yummy-licious brown substance that can and will be devoured. Sometimes I think my family should just load up the back of a dump truck with my food so I can just open my mouth and get it all at once. Then, after the Thanksgiving meal comes the post-feast nap. With the amount of turkey I’m putting away, I should wake up just a few days before Christmas. Only in America would we invent a holiday amazing enough to include mass consumption, football, friends, family, and a few days off of school and work – right? But in all the turkey glaze and pumpkin pie haze, don’t miss the biggest thing of all. Thanksgiving, as it turns out, is about giving thanks. You get it, right? Thanks-giving = giving-thanks. And the interesting part is that we didn’t invent the idea of being thankful and blown away by the amazing blessings we all enjoy. Sure we invented the official day, but nearly 2000 years ago a Christ follower named Paul penned this command which is straight from the mouth of God: Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18). OK so, most of us give thanks now and then – especially when things are going well. But can you imagine being thankful in every circumstance? Think about it – the ability to have gratitude on the inside no matter what is going on with your outside circumstances. That is what Paul says is ‘God’s will’ for your life. You might be thinking – ‘well, Paul could do that because his life was going well at the time.’ The thing is – here is what Paul tells us about his circumstances: Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not (2 Corinthians 11:24-26) In other words, Paul’s life was about as bad as you can image, yet every day he was thankful because of something that couldn’t be taken away from him. And if you’re a follower of Christ, it can’t be taken away from you either. The free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ gives you eternal life and a relationship with the God who loves you and died for you. So no matter what happens to you, there is an amazing truth that even in the darkest times can light your way and allow you to be thankful. God’s love will never be taken away from you – which is something we should never stop being thankful for. Let this promise soak into your soul: And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). The early American settlers held the first thanksgiving because their lives had been saved from what seemed like certain destruction – and they were thankful. Believers in Jesus Christ should see every day as thanksgiving, because we have been saved from what truly was going to be our eternal destruction. Happy Thanksgiving my brothers and sisters! Head: Believers in Jesus Christ can be thankful each and every day because of the gift of salvation we have received. Heart: Feel incredibly thankful no matter what the circumstances. Hands: During your time off, make a list of things and people in your life that make you thankful. You may be surprised how big the list can get!
As I sit here in my office on a cool day in Salt Lake City Utah, I’m watching the live video feed from www.foxnews.com one side of the screen is the people up top (the rescuers) and the miners below (the rescued) I’m sure the entire world has been watching for the last 24+ hours this rescue of 33 men trapped half a mile under the ground for the last two months, there is literally light at the end of the tunnel.
www.voiceoftruthblog.com The dramatic rescue of the 33 trapped Chilean miners serves as a global platform to put the Glory of God on display. The miners have been trapped in the San Jose copper mine, Chile, since August 5th, a total of 69 days in a tunnel more than 1,970 feet underground. Rescuers have designed an escape tube 26 inches wide to hoist each miner to the surface. As of this writing, the rescue mission is ongoing with more than half of the miners being rescued in a dramatic event that has captivated a worldwide audience. As one news story notes, the event is being seen by an estimated 1 Billion people. Another story notes that the miners were sustained by eating 2 spoonfuls of tuna and a sip of milk every 48 hours for the first 17 days in temperatures exceeding 90 degrees. In a surprising twist of selflessness, the miners actually began to argue, not over who would exit first, but who would exit last.
So how then can God get glory from an epic disaster that drew the attention of the world? As Mario Sepulveda Espinace, the second miner rescued, stated “I met God. I met the Devil. God won.” And as always, God did win. Along with additional food, water, medicine, survival clothing, and handwritten notes, a Chilean evangelist sent 33 copies of the Bible down to them so that the miners could “find inspiration and hold up for the 4 months they have ahead.” The 4-months was an early estimate for the expected rescue. Chilean engineer Igor Bravo, member of First Baptist Church of Santiago, was responsible for sending down the Bibles, Bible studies, recordings of sermons and Christian music down a series of small shafts through which the other supplies were sent. “I had to help in some Christian way,” Bravo said. “If there is an opportunity to share the Gospel — even if we’re extremely occupied — and to contribute to the Christian cause and evangelism, it’s something that’s in [my] blood.”
3 of the 33 trapped miners are reportedly evangelical Christians, yet it is being reported that 2 more of them have made professions of faith since being trapped. One of the original 3, Jose Henriquez, has been leading Bible studies for the miners each evening. “It [Bible study] started out 5, 10, now 20 participants,” Bravo said. “[The people on the surface] have José Henríquez identified as the spiritual leader; they call him ‘The Pastor.’” Additionally, the family members of the miners have been witnessed to by Pastor Marcelo Leiva, of Vallenar Baptist Church of Vallenar, Chile. The wife of one of the miners has also become a Christian since this disaster. “This has been a testimony to what the Lord can do in a person’s life,” Leiva said. “Those that are the children of the Lord have been those that have shown, even in the midst of the storm, a testimony of peace, tranquility and trust in the Lord.” Pastor Leiva has also been able to witness to other family members, Chilean policemen, and foreign press, including a Japanese reporter. As the rescue mission takes place and will soon be coming to a close the on-site Gospel sharing will likewise soon end, but Pastor Leiva maintains his obedience. “Let’s do our job and fulfill the purpose for which God brought us here,” Leiva said. “Not to just have a protagonist role without sharing the Gospel. Because this camp, in a few more days, is going to close and the people will return home. Pray that we, the children of God, will do our job.”
And herein is where God’s glory takes center stage. Through this disaster that could’ve taken the lives of 33 miners, God has sent His Gospel message forth through the faithful ministry of one man below surface along with two of his brothers in Christ and then used them in conjunction with Christian rescuers and pastors at the surface. In doing so, God’s Word went forth and penetrated the hearts of two of the miners and so far one family member. The Gospel is literally being spread underground and on the surface giving greater insight into the passage from Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation.” When we read of passages such as Matthew 28:18-20 or Romans 10:14-15, we too often think these refer to someone who is “called” to be an overseas missionary or a pastor of a congregation. The truth is, this rescue is an example of how these verses are being lived out precisely the way they were intended, in an everyday context by everyday Christians, and these miners along with their rescuers are a testimony to the saving power of God’s Word when proclaimed by those who faithfully follow Christ.
I can’t help but to think about the Day that my life and soul was rescued! I thank God for that day May, 15th Sitting there in my jeep on old 601 Hwy in Davidson NC.
One thing I’ve noticed is these men needed a rescuer. They could not saved themselves. And the rescuer came! They did not argue or negotiate with the rescuer when they came….They did exactly as was asked of them. Why? Because they were in need of a rescue and the rescuer came for them.
Don’t negotiate today…Submit to the rescuer Jesus Christ. He said …I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly. John 10:10
.Rescue from Persecution. “I come to You for protection, O Lord, my God. Save me from my persecutors-rescue me!” Psalm 7:1
God is my Strength. “I love you, Lord, You are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior. My God is my rock in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me and my place of safety. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and He saved me from my enemies.” Psalm 18:1-
God is close to the Brokenhearted. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalm 34:18
Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s love. “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger or threatened with death? No! Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us.” Romans 8:35-37
God hears my cry. “I love the Lord because He hears my voice and prayer for mercy. I will pray as long as I have breath.” Psalm 116:1-2
Read this from one of John Pipers sermons about 4 or 5 years ago…Pretty good stuff!
Loving God for who He is– This is one of the most important discoveries I have ever made: God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in him. This is the motor that drives my ministry and effects everything I do. Whether I eat or drink or preach or counsel of whatever I do, my aim is to glorify God by the way I do it (1 Corinthians 10:31). This means my aim is to do in a way that shows how the glory of God has satisfied the longings of my heart. If my preaching betrayed that God had not even met my own needs, it would be false teaching. If Christ were not the satisfaction of my heart, would people really believe me when I heard his words, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35, RSV)? The glory of bread is that is satisfies. The glory of living water is that it quenches thirst. We do not honor the refreshing, self-replenishing, pure water of a mountain spring by lugging buckets of water up the path to make our contributions from the ponds below. We honor the spring by feeling thirsty, getting down on our knees, and drinking with joy. Then we say, “Ahhhhhh!” (that’s worship!), and we go on our journey in the strength of the fountain (that’s service). The mountain spring is glorified most when we are most satisfied with its water. Tragically, most of us have been taught that delight in God is our duty! Being satisfied in God is not an optional add-on to the real stuff of Christian duty. It is the most basic demand of all. “Delight yourself in the LORD” (Psalm 37:4) is not a suggestion, but a command. So are: “Serve the LORD with gladness” (Psalm 100:2), and, “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). The burden of my ministry is to make plain to others that the “steadfast love [of the Lord] is better than life” (Psalm 63:3, RSV). If it is better than life, it is better than all that life in this world offers. This means that what satisfies are not the gifts of God, but the glory of God–the glory of this love, the glory of this power, the glory of this wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. This is why the psalmist Asaph cried out, “Whom have I in heaven but you? Besides you I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever” (Psalm 73:25-26). Nothing on earth—none of God’s good gifts of creation–could satisfy Asaph’s heart. Only God could. This is what David meant when he said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good besides you” (Psalm 16:2). David and Asaph teach us by their own God-centered longings that God’s gifts of health, wealth, and prosperity do not satisfy. Only God does. It would be presumptuous not to thank him for the gifts (“Forget not all his benefits” [Psalm 103:2, RSV]), but it would be idolatry to call the gladness we get from them, love for God. When David said to the Lord, “In your presence is fullness of joy, in your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:11), he meant that nearness to God himself is the only satisfying experience of the universe. It is not for God’s gifts that David yearns like a heartsick lover. “As a deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1-2). What David wants to experience is a revelation of the power and the glory of God: “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory” (Psalm 63:1-2, NRSV). Only God will satisfy a heart like David’s, and David was a man after God’s own heart. That’s the way we were created to be. This is the essence of what it means to love God–to be satisfied in him. In him! Loving God may include obeying all his commands; it may include believing all his Word; it may include thanking him for all his gifts; but the essence of loving God is enjoying all he is. It is this enjoyment of God that glorifies his worth most fully, especially when all around our soul gives way. We all know this intuitively as well as from Scripture. Do we feel most honored by the love of those who serve us from the constraints of duty, or from the delights of fellowship? He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. None of us has arrived at perfect satisfaction in God. I grieve often over the murmuring of my heart at the loss of worldly comforts, but I have tasted that the Lord is good. By God’s grace I now know the fountain of everlasting joy, and so I love to spend my days luring people into joy until they say with me, “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all of the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4, RSV).
