Psalm 24- King of My Castle

”He will receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who inquire of him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Selah” (pause and think about this)

”Lift up your heads, you gates! Rise up, ancient doors! Then the King of glory will come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭24‬:‭5‬-‭8 ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

David is glorifying God with this Psalm, reminding the people of how amazing God is.  In the second couple verses David is describing each of us as a castle, with walls and gates. Towers and defenses all around, but no confidence of success.  Have you ever felt under attack, and victory seemed hopeless?

That is exactly what we are without Jesus, a sitting duck, waiting to be attacked…feeling like defense is nearly impossible.  The storms of life, the stress of work, the squeeze of finances, the purposeless feeling of life, loneliness and depression.  All of these close in around us at different times, occasionally punctuated by fleeting moments of fun.  When we look back, it feels like these struggles are the majority of life…

But David reminds us that all of that is unnecessary!  He points out to us that if we open the door, Jesus will come into our life and become the King of the castle.  He will take charge of the defenses, and we cannot fall with Him as king.

God gives us blessings, literally thousands of them daily…the biggest is the gift of righteousness.  Righteousness is not something that we can do/say/be…it is only something given to us by Jesus.  In fact the “good works” we do are like the worst garbage you can imagine.  Yet God takes those as well as our worst sin and gives us righteousness when we admit that we need Him and place our trust in Jesus.

Which life do you want to experience?

Lord, help me to see when I am trying to take charge of my defenses rather than let you defend my castle.  Cause me to rest fully in Your tactics and trust your guidance.  Open my eyes to see the thousands of blessings you give every day and stoke my thanksgiving for them!

Psalm 23- Faithfulness Overflows

 ”The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff — they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

David’s reflections on who God is and how carefully he leads and guides us are so comforting and calming.  He even talks about trials and terrible chapters of life in a way that brings peace and rest…in His strong hands.

Lord, help me to love you in every season of life!  Help me to look past my circumstances to see your loving hand guiding me, protecting me and blessing me.  Your faithfulness is unending!

Psalm 22- Fulfilled Prophecy

King David lived and wrote this 1000 years before Jesus was crucified…if you don’t remember the narrative read this first-

 ”My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far from my deliverance and from my words of groaning? Everyone who sees me mocks me; they sneer and shake their heads: 

“He relies on the Lord; let him save him; let the Lord rescue him, since he takes pleasure in him.” 

For dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has closed in on me; they pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people look and stare at me. They divided my garments among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing. 

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord. All the families of the nations will bow down before you…They will come and declare his righteousness; to a people yet to be born they will declare what he has done.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬, ‭7‬-‭8‬, ‭16‬-‭18‬, ‭27‬, ‭31‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This passage was written more than 3,000 years ago about actual events that happened exactly the same way 2,000 years ago…recorded for us so that we can have confidence in Gods plan for our salvation.

I love that today is the day this landed on the calendar!  Today is Good Friday, the day that Jesus died on the cross with so many of the details called out 1,000 years beforehand.  I even love that this prophecy talks about me: “ They will come and declare His righteousness; to a people yet to be born they will declare what He has done.“I don’t deserve the love that God shows me, but I am so thankful for it!!!

Psalm 21- Dependable Love

 ”Lord, the king finds joy in your strength. How greatly he rejoices in your victory! 

For the king relies on the Lord; through the faithful love of the Most High he is not shaken.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬, ‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This was also written by King David, talking about himself as king.  He clearly is delighted by Gods strength and abilities, rather than the things he has accomplished. He finds joy in Gods strength, Gods triumph and Gods love…the last phrase is what stands out to me.  David has extreme confidence in Gods faithful love.

David feels unshakable because of Gods love for him.  It strikes me that David could be confident in his own wealth, or his incredible fortress or the strength of his army or the number of people who love him and think he is awesome…but he knows all too well that these things can vanish in an instant!  But Gods faithful love can never be taken, it never changes, nor fades.  He could, and in fact does eventually, lose all those other things…but Gods love is constant!

Lord, open my eye to see where I am trusting in anything other than you.  Allow me to find great joy in the work you are doing rather than in what I have done.  My efforts are unreliable and mean nothing in comparison to Your unchanging faithful love for me!  Help me to see your victories and be delighted in You!  My salvation is the greatest victory You have accomplished in my life.

Psalm 20- Unfailing Power

 ”May the Lord answer you in a day of trouble; may the name of Jacob’s God protect you. Some take pride in chariots, and others in horses, but we take pride in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand firm.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬, ‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

David’s confidence is in God and Gods reputation.  Twice in this short passage David references “the name of God” as where he is drawing strength.  This is similar to how we might think about the US military: another country would not mess with the US because we have the strongest, largest and most sophisticated defense team ever created.  Its reputation is overwhelming, which gives us great confidence.

David’s point is that other people trust in army’s (like the USA) but he is depending on Gods reputation, which outshines any other power.  In fact, His power is incomparable with any other, He could vaporize the US military is a fraction of a second with a single though…zero energy expended.

Lord, thank you for giving me a confidence in You, You have been nothing short of faithful to me for the last 43 years.  Open my eyes to see where I am trusting in anything other than You because I know that it will fade or fail.  You are the only person, power or thing that will never fail!

Psalm 19- Peace & Contentment

 ”The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19‬:‭7‬, ‭12‬, ‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

David is honoring God in this Psalm exclaiming all the things that point to God and His goodness.  What stands out to me is the transformative power of Gods Word!  It renews life, makes us wise (the ability to apply knowledge) helps us see ourselves accurately and causes us to desire holiness.

This passage is filled with peace and contentment.  As I read it I can wholeheartedly agree with David and celebrate what God continues to do in my life through His Word.  This passage has the same effect on me as standing in front of a beautiful snow covered mountain, or watching the vast raging waves of the ocean or an incredible rock formation.

God help me to be in awe of you always!  Allow my thoughts to be tested daily so that they may be purified and every sin rooted out.  I long to please you in everything I think, say or do!  You have blessed me in so many ways…I am unworthy of the love you show, but am eternally grateful!!!

Psalm 18- His Perfect Ways

 ”I called to the Lord in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. God — his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in him. Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises about your name.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭18‬:‭6‬, ‭30‬, ‭49‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This is the longest Psalm yet, and it comes from David being chased by Saul and finally experiencing relief because God stepped in to help.  These three verses summarize what is being said.

When things are going badly and there seems to be no possible way for it to get better, it often seems like God is far away and not listening.  During these same times it is tempting to feel like God has made a mistake by allowing us to be in this situation, but David reminds us that God is perfectly in control.  Not only in control but perfectly capable of protecting us through the storm…and he does every time. Finally, we are reminded to take notice of Gods power and be thankful, not just in private, but publicly!

Lord, keep these truths in front of my mind.  Help me to remember your faithfulness even when things are rocky. You are gracious to me and are always faithful…I am blessed to be you child.

Psalm 17- Counterfeits Unveiled

 ”I call on you, God, because you will answer me; listen closely to me; hear what I say. 

But I will see your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied with your presence.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭17‬:‭6‬, ‭15‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

What a great reminder of who God is and how much He cares for us.  He promises to answer our prayers…and to listen to whatever we have on our minds.  He reminds us that true satisfaction comes only in His presence and that we can see Him face to face.

God help me to remember that my satisfaction, my contentment, my peace come from being with You!  Not from my problems going away, or getting the answer I want to prayer.  

You are the One who gives joy, delight and peace in the midst of every possible situation.  That is not found anywhere else!  Lord, cause the counterfeits of these blessings to stand out to me for what they really are…lies and distractions from knowing You!

Psalm 16- Abundant Joy & Eternal Pleasure

 ”Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16‬:‭5‬-‭6‬, ‭11‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

What a subtle and encouraging Psalm!  David has such peace and confidence in how the Lord has blessed him.  Even more wonderful is that the blessing is not because of great wealth or other physical things: it is God Himself.  In Christ, as followers of Jesus, we get that same blessing, God the Holy Spirit dwells within us!!!

The next line is what blows me away! My “boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places”… We all understand that God has given us rules and guidelines in which to live out our life.  Many times those rules are opposite of what we naturally desire, sometimes they are frustrating but in the end make sense, occasionally we are totally on board with them.  But what David is saying is that all of those rules, when we live surrendered to them, are joyful and bring great pleasure!

I feel like I can wholly agree with David on this statement for the first time in my life!  Previously, I found many of the rules made sense but I lived with a constant dissatisfaction and I couldn’t experience this “abundant joy” or “eternal pleasure” David was talking about…only in the last year have I experience these incredible promises to the fullest extent!  The missing piece was surrender.  Surrender is having a confidence in God to do what is best in your life while not trying to control the details.

Lord, I can confidently repeat David’s sentiments “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places”. Help me to stay surrendered in every part of life so that I can continue to live today in your abundant joy and eternal pleasures!

Psalm 15- Impossible Standard

 ”Lord, who can dwell in your tent? Who can live on your holy mountain? 

The one who lives blamelessly, practices righteousness, and acknowledges the truth in his heart  — who does not slander with his tongue, who does not harm his friend or discredit his neighbor, who despises the one rejected by the Lord but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his word whatever the cost, who does not lend his silver at interest or take a bribe against the innocent  — the one who does these things will never be shaken.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This description of what a person who is qualified to live with God, is a high bar… some of the things are simple for me, while others take some significant effort, but doing all of them, perfectly, every time seems impossible.

Lord, thank you for holding a high bar and not lowering it to something achievable.  Instead, You show me just how impossible Your standard is, cementing my inability to meet it…then meet it for me.  That is the incredible news of the Gospel, we can live with You, know You and have perfect relationship with You through Jesus sacrifice on the cross.

Lords help me to run to You whenever I see my inability to meet Your standards.  Help me rest in Your finished work that qualifies me for the blessing of being Your son!

“God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.”
C.S. Lewis

Psalm 14- Natural Born Fools

 ”The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.” They are corrupt; they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the human race to see if there is one who is wise, one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭14‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This passage goes from defining a fool to declaring that everyone is the same as the fool.  This seems like a harsh assessment, but it lines up pretty well with reality.  A wise person does just one thing differently, they seek after God.

To “say in your heart” actually means that you act as if it were true, in others words, you do whatever feels good.  Gods observations is that every human will act the fool on his own effort.  The only way to be wise is to seek God and follow His ways…we cannot do that on our own.  We need the Holy Spirit empowering us and we need community to support us or we will continue farther down the path of the fool.

Lord God, thank You for surrounding me with such a rich community of others who can help me see myself more accurately.  Thank You for giving me the Holy Spirit to energize me to follow You…without these blessings I would pursuing vile deeds.  I love You and am so thankful that You chose to love me and that You are patient with me on this journey!

Psalm 13- Depression’s Antidote

 ”How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long will I store up anxious concerns within me, agony in my mind every day? How long will my enemy dominate me? 

Consider me and answer, Lord my God. Restore brightness to my eyes; otherwise, I will sleep in death. My enemy will say, “I have triumphed over him,” and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken. 

But I have trusted in your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in your deliverance. I will sing to the Lord because he has treated me generously.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

I love this Psalm!  It is shocking to me that it is part of scripture because it is so discouraging …until the very end!  Honestly, before I had faced depression myself, I didn’t understand this passage.  But afterward, it was so relatable…it spoke out the very essence of how it felt to be despairing.

The final verse brings with it so much confidence and encouragement!  All three statements are the author remembering who God has shown Himself to be in the past.  These are not hopeful statements, but concrete memories and absolute faith in who God is!

Lord, remind me of who You have always been in times of struggle so that I am not left in despair.  Help me to remember confidently Your faithfulness to turn even the worst situation into a time of transformation!  Grow my faith to trust you in every situation!!!

Psalm 12- Active Avoidance

 ”You, Lord, will guard us; you will protect us from this generation forever. The wicked prowl all around, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This Psalm is talking about how all the people are holding down the believer.  Then winds up with this confident statement of Gods faithfulness to care for them.  The last line is very interesting, “what is worthless is exalted by the human race.“. This feels so real today…this happens everywhere I look, by everyone.

We no longer have to seek out sin…it finds us when we are least expecting it.  When I was younger, some sins required planning and sneaking and knowing the right person to help you out…now it seems like you don’t have to sneak or plan or cajole and sin finds you.  Our efforts no longer are invested in finding ways to sin, but much energy must be used to avoid it!

Lord, strengthen me to actively follow You.  Give me the ability to choose right when sin is thrust in my path. You tell us that You will guard and protect us from this generation, and that is what we need!  We need You Lord!!!

Psalm 11- Righteous Deeds

 ”For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds. The upright will see his face.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭11‬:‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Tear Context

This simple verse is excellent in its clarity about Gods character.  It tells us how we are to bring Him glory and the reward we get for our obedience.

Lord, help me not to complicate my life.  Help me to recognize You in the everyday obedience to Your word.  Help me to love You well in my daily tasks so that I can experience You face to face.

Psalm 10- God Locator

 ”Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide in times of trouble? 

Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble; you will strengthen their hearts. You will listen carefully, doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed so that mere humans from the earth may terrify them no more.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬, ‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

The author starts out by recognizing that God seems far away, he feels like God should have responded more quickly and because he has not fixed the situation he must not be listening, or at least is too far away to help. By the end he is reminded of all the ways that God has protected those who follow closely.  His confidence in God is restored.

I know that in times of trial or pain when I just want it to be gone, it has felt like God has abandoned me…like He was far away and not listening.  I once heard that feeling explained as Gods grace to build our awareness of Him.  It is almost like His absence causes us to take the time to look more carefully, only to realize He is still there, it was me that lost track of Him.

Lord, I want to know Your presence every minute of every day!  Keep my senses sharp to hear Your voice and see Your path.  Help me to feel You right beside me as I walk through joy and sorrow.

Psalm 9- Building a Trap For Myself

 ”I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will declare all your wondrous works. I will rejoice and boast about you; I will sing about your name, Most High. Those who know your name trust in you because you have not abandoned those who seek you, Lord. 

The nations have fallen into the pit they made; their foot is caught in the net they have concealed. The Lord has made himself known; he has executed justice, snaring the wicked by the work of their hands.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭9‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭10‬, ‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

Gods justice is on display in this passage which compares two sets of people: those who love God and the ones who do whatever seems best.  Notice those are two different people with completely opposite ways of interpreting scripture.  One listens to what God says and obeys it.  The other knows what God wants but rejects it to do what sounds better to them…

The question I must ask daily: is there anything in my life that I am doing/saying/thinking that I would not do with Jesus physically in the same room?  Or sometimes it is easier to ask: is there anything I do/say/think that I would be embarrassed to tell my pastor/grandmother/mother-in-law?  These are helpful questions, because our own conscience easily becomes calloused when we constantly choose sin…it no longer bothers us, so we feel like it is ok.

I believe that is what the author is talking about in the second half of these verses.  “They have fallen in a pit they made themselves”. It was all choices they willingly made which has now destroyed their lives.

God help me to see where I have fallen into this trap, where I am blind to how I have rejected You!  I trust You and am so thankful for what You have done in my life.  I don’t want to be anxious about Your justice, I want to rest in confidence knowing You have saved me from myself!

Psalm 8- Insignificant yet Loved

 ”Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your name throughout the earth! You have covered the heavens with your majesty. When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him? Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬, ‭3‬-‭4‬, ‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

David is in awe of who God is, what He has created and how tiny humanity is in comparison.  Gods creation is so much more than we can fathom!  It brings wonder and delight…intricate and complex at every turn.

This passage so accurately depicts the way I feel while hiking in nature.  Everywhere I look there are specific creations of God who intricately created incredible beauty.  Standing in awe of Gods creation is one way to have the proper humble perspective of how small and insignificant I really am!

Lord, I often feel as if the whole world revolved around me.  My prayers often focus on what I need or what would make my family better…but we are so small in light of Your whole creation.  And yet, You intimately care about every one of those details.  God we don’t deserve the care you give us, but I am so grateful that you do.  Help me never to get over the majesty of your creation or the intimate relationship you desire with me!

Psalm 7- Justice

 ”Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous. The one who examines the thoughts and emotions is a righteous God. My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge and a God who shows his wrath every day.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭7‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This Psalm demonstrates David’s confidence in the justice of God.  He is being treated poorly and he lays the matter before the Lord.  David asks God to do what is right, to judge which one has the wrong motives, and then to take action.

We always want God to punish those who harm us or who treat us unfairly.  And at the same time, we want God to be gentle with us when we are in the wrong…that is a natural response.  But we don’t always see that as expecting God to act differently just because of our selfish desires.

Thankfully, God does not change how he responds to evil.  And even more to our advantage God is merciful to everyone by giving them the opportunity to have all sin and evil removed through Jesus.  

God, help me to rejoice in my salvation every day!  I don’t deserve Your love, care or attention…yet You give it to me freely.  Help me to be enraptured by Your goodness and may that change how I live!

Psalm 6- Despair Redeemed

 ”Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger; do not discipline me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am weak; heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking; my whole being is shaken with terror. And you, Lord  — how long? Turn, Lord! Rescue me; save me because of your faithful love.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This is one of those really raw psalms than makes me wonder, “why did this make it into scripture?”…it is not only in scripture but it is a song that Gods people would sing…But then I experienced deep depression where I would be staring at the ceiling feeling just like this.  I was desperate for God to show up, He was the only one who could change my situation, but it felt like he was far away and not listening.  From my perspective, for Him to leave me in this hopeless state was against His character:

Reading this passage and others like it, brought me comfort because I saw great people from the past voicing the very thing I was experiencing…and they watched God show up!  And finally so did I!!!  And I t was all because of His faithful love for us.  He was there all along, but the distance I felt amplified my desire to know Him and to see what it is that I was really craving, less despair or more of Him!

God, thank you for seasons of suffering that brought me closer to You! Help me to stay in a posture that desires to know and love You more!  I pray that I would continue to seek You above all other comforts because You last forever and every other thing/feeling/experience is so fleeting…it is gone in a flash leaving me lonely, alone and broken.  You are faithful forever and bring lasting comfort, joy and peace!

Psalm 5- His Righteousness

 ”But I enter your house by the abundance of your faithful love; I bow down toward your holy temple in reverential awe of you. Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of my adversaries; make your way straight before me.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Tead Context

David writes this psalm with great expectation that God is caring for him, even though he is in a tight spot.  He gives God all the credit for helping him, not for what David has done, but because of who God is.  In these verses he is even recognizing that anything good he does if a direct result of God working in his life.

This is a powerful truth that we often overlook: any good that we do is God flowing through us.  Too many times I want to take credit for His work in me.  I want to point to those things as evidence that I am doing well, and completely miss that the good is produced only because I am walking closely with the Lord.

Lord help me to give you all the credit you are due for the incredible work you continue to do in and through me.  Anything I produce on my own is stained with pride and sinful motivations…allow me to recognize the difference and surrender all of myself to you!

Psalm 4- Answered Prayer

 ”You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound. I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, Lord, make me live in safety.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

David likely played this Psalm to Saul when he was having trouble sleeping.  Saul was tormented by mental illness and often has trouble sleeping and this poem would redirect his thoughts and remind him of truth.  David reminds him that God hears our prayers and saves us. God sets His people apart as special, and asks us follow Him into Good works.  And the final verses above remind us how God responds: Joy, Peace and Rest.

I read this after having up at 1am worried about work and concerned I will not be able to go back to sleep.  I prayed for help, and seconds later he answered with Joy, Peace and Rest.  God is so good!  

I know this type of thing happens to me all the time, but most of my life I have forgotten that I reached out for help from God, or I chalked it up to coincidence… God has been faithfully answering prayers for his people for all of history, but so often He doesn’t get credit for the answers or, we forget that we even had a problem!  How tragic for us to miss out on seeing the fingerprints of God on our life!!!

Lord help me to see where you are working around me.  Help me to celebrate your answered prayer and help others to see it too.  I pray that my life would be a beacon for your work in the world that You would receive the glory!

Psalm 3- Unshakable Faith

 ”But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. I cry aloud to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. Selah“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Contect

David writes this Pslam while his son is chasing him to kill him and take over the Kingdom.  People are mocking David for believing that God will save him…But David has an unshakable faith that God can save him, that God actually listens to him and responds to prayer.

David’s unshakable faith comes from history of watching God respond time and time again.  We all have seen God respond and answer prayer, but most of the time we don’t give God credit for the work He does…we pray about a hard situation and then it changes and we completely forget that we even prayed about it, or we chalk it up to coincidence.  We pray for strength in a tough day and get an encouraging text from a someone, our mood is lifted and we are thankful for that friend.  But rarely do we thank God for His answer to prayer…and often we complain to God that He is allowing us to suffer, never seeing his fingerprints around us.

Lord, help me to recognize Your hands at work all around me so that I can continue to have the same unshakable faith in You that David had.  I want to ask “where has God answered prayer today?” and really reflect on Your faithfulness.  Give me eyes to see and a memory that gives You alone credit for answers prayer!

Psalm 2- Awe vs Rebellion

 ”Serve the Lord with reverential awe and rejoice with trembling. Pay homage to the Son or he will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion, for his anger may ignite at any moment. All who take refuge in Him are happy.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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This chapter is titled “coronation of the king” and what is amazing is that this was written more than 1000 years before Jesus came to earth. In 1044BC.  David was looking forward to a day that has not even happened yet…this is when Christ returns and sets up his throne in Jerusalem.  These last couple verses give us the two ways that we can interact with King Jesus: Awe or Rebellion.

Rebellion is what comes so naturally to all of us, because we know what we want and chase after it.  In fact we do that from the moment we are born.  Think about a hungry baby or a toddler who wants a toy…we are the same way, only a bit more sophisticated.  I am tempted to achieve things so that other people think I am impressive.  Others desire comfort/pleasure so that they can escape the sadness they feel.  Neither of these things accomplish the goal and they leave us empty.

Awe on the other hand is similar to looking at the night sky, standing in front of the ocean or gazing at snowy mountain peaks…it’s that feeling of smallness, a recognition that we are insignificant, yet God still loves us.  He sent Jesus to sacrifice Himself, for me, for you even though we are just a tiny speck.

Lord grow my awe of you and help me to see where rebellion still has a hold on my life.  Help me to recognize it and repent and surrender to Your way.  I don’t deserve Your love or care, let alone that You hear my prayer and answer them!  You are a magnificent Creator who deserves more than our imperfect love, but I give you all that I am!

Psalm 1- Choos Your Own Adventure

 ”How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 

The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand up 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 ruin.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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This is one of my favorite passages in all of Scripture!  It lays down two very simple paths and the result of them.  I love that God makes this so clear and now after 43 years of life, I validate it’s accuracy!

Do you want to be filled with joy and experience success ?  Follow the advise of the first few verses…and avoid the second!

Do you want to run toward your destruction and feel like your life is just meaninglessly blowing away?  Do the opposite of the first…

What a promise God has given us!!!  Read it again…

”Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil advice, who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those who make fun of God. Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings and think about them day and night. So they grow strong, like a tree planted by a stream— a tree that produces fruit when it should and has leaves that never fall. Everything they do is successful. 

But the wicked are not like that. They are like chaff that the wind blows away. When the time for judgment comes, the wicked will be found guilty. Sinners have no place among those who do what is right. 

The Lord shows his people how to live, but the wicked have lost their way.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭ERV‬‬

Chose your own adventure…the best part is, we get to know which ending is a direct result of our choices.  God help me to remember this every morning so that I would choose to meditate on Your Word!

Malachi 4- Options

 ”“For look, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and everyone who commits wickedness will become stubble. The coming day will consume them,” says the Lord of Armies, “not leaving them root or branches. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and playfully jump like calves from the stall.“

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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The final chapter in the Old Testament gives a look ahead to the last moments of earth before God sets up His new kingdom.  Malachi gives the two options: those following Jesus who are jubilant and celebrate vs people who follow their own rules who are utterly destroyed.

I suspect that those following their own ideas don’t even know how far from God they are.  If Satan has done a good job, they probably would even think they are “doing good with God”.  Their hearts and minds have been numbed to the conviction of sin.  Their conscience no longer bothers them when they actively reject obedience to do what makes them feel good…God help them see the error of their ways so that they don’t continue in that exhausting, demoralizing pattern…only to be completely decimated.  Help them to turn to You and experience the joy of knowing  and following You!

Following You God, is only possible when I am surrendered in every decision and every plan.  I must ask the question, “what does God want me to do?”…then do that thing.  Over the last year, I have been getting better at hearing Your answer.  It seems ridiculous that it has taken me nearly 38 years of following Jesus to start hearing You more clearly!  But I am thankful that You are patient with us fools!!!

Malachi 3- Obedience Rewarded

 ”So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.“

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

In this last communication to His people, there is only one more chapter before God goes silent for 400 years.  He is talking about Jesus coming to earth to care for His people…they will have been familiar with seeing good and bad things happen to everyone.  To Gods people they will be wondering if obedience matters to God…

The answer is clear, the righteous will be blessed but the disobedient will experience suffering and loss.  

Lord, I feel like this has been true in my life even this week…even though obedience is not easy, you have blessed me beyond comprehension.  You have led me very obviously to a different job, one that is not as sexy or impressive…but one that perfectly fits who you created me to be.  Laying down what I desire and accepting your gift has brought all that I had hoped…a blessing in every way.

Help me to rest in You, knowing that you are leading me clearly.  Continue to guide me and give me confidence in your direction.  Allow me to rest in contentment every day, waiting expectantly for opportunity to serve you more.

Malachi 2- Perfect Life

 ”“My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave these to him; it called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and integrity and turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should desire instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Armies.“

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

What an incredible promise that God gave…life and peace, integrity and purity, wisdom and instruction, closeness with God Himself.  These are what make a perfect life, and God gives them to us without cost.

This chapter goes on to describe how Gods people have been given this incredible blessing, and have thrown it all away…they have rejected God.  They are following their own desires and God is actively cursing them rather than blessing them.  What does it look like to reject God and throw away the blessings?

Lord, give me the wisdom to see where I am throwing away your blessing. When I have your best right within my grasp, but instead do what I want.  When your presence gives me peace within my soul, even in challenging times, but I instead reach for the thing that numbs my mind…I can feel better or at least not feel, for a fleeting moment…then I am back to feeling lost and anxious.  Highlight these times for me, like a flashing neon sign…help me to see it!

What an incredible promise that God gives…life and peace, integrity and purity, wisdom and instruction, closeness with God Himself.  These are what make a perfect life, and God gives them to us without cost!

Malachi 1- Delighted by Sacrifice

 ”“My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in my name in every place because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord of Armies. 

But you say, ‘Look, what a nuisance! ’ And you scorn it,” says the Lord of Armies. “You bring injured, lame, or sick animals. You bring this as an offering! Am I to accept that from your hands?” asks the Lord.“

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬, ‭13‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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The final book of the Old Testament and the minor prophets, Malachi is hearing from the Lord a message for Gods people.  He is calling them out for being selfish in their worship…

They are required to give God their best.  It is to show a recognition that God has given them everything and demonstrate how much they trust God to continue providing for them.  But in selfishness they are trying to “follow the rules” by sacrificing, but are giving their worst…the defective (because it is going to die anyway).  In essence they are saying, God you can have this one, because I am throwing it away anyway.

This is NOT what God is after.  God wants to know that we trust Him.  He wants us to be fully reliant on His care of us.  The best part is that He always cares for us and provides for our needs.  

This came to life for me years ago when I was trying to figure out how to give God my best in spending time with Him.  I was reading or praying whenever “I had a few extra minutes”…that often resulted in forgetting or just a minute of prayer before nodding off to sleep.  But that was not my best, nor was I gaining anything from it!  That was tedious, boring and felt worthless. Then  God convicted me to give of my best as a pleasing sacrifice to Him, which is why I spend these moments with Him before accomplishing anything else.

God, thank you for blessing me with that conviction for the last 20yrs and showing up each day!  My day doesn’t feel settled if I miss out…I look forward to this time each morning.  The sacrifice has become a delight!  You are so good!

Zechariah 14- Refreshed

 ”On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea, in summer and winter alike. On that day the Lord will become King over the whole earth  — the Lord alone, and his name alone.“

‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭14‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This is imagery of the future when the Lord returns and establishes His kingdom.  He will reign from Jerusalem and the water here depicts life giving quality of His rule.  He is the sustainer of life to humanity, just like water is to plants.  

We all know what plants do if they don’t get enough water, they wilt, then get flimsy and later start to dry out and become fragile…then finally are broken to pieces and die.  Our souls are the same way with God…we start to feel weak and without strength to do normal activities. Then we dry out and feel numb to even remember His presence. Finally we are fragile and broken, so that even a strong wind of trial will shatter us.

Lord, thank you for dwelling inside me, and giving me your Word to drink in daily.  Thank You for sharing Your presence with me and helping me to see Your guiding!  Allow me to feel the refreshment of Your delight as I follow You in obedience.

Zechariah 13- Simplicity of Salvation

 ”“On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the residents of Jerusalem, to wash away sin and impurity.“

‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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What an image… sin washed away as easily as washing your hands.  The picture is more surprising to the original audience than it is to us, because they were still required to slaughter an animal for their sin.  That was a never ending process for God people before Jesus came!

For us it is more familiar because we only have to confess our sin to the Lord and trust that His work on the Cross will take care of it.  That washes us clean, even faster than washing your hands.  When we truly believe Jesus removes all sin that we have done in the past, nothing that we will do all at once…that is mind blowing and by the Spirit's power we should begin to sin less and less.  The sin that we chose to commit should be less and less…and our intentional obedience should be increasing.  We will also find ourselves delighted to say NO to previously attractive sin and choosing to obey happily.  This is what it looks like to follow Jesus.

God, help me to trust You at every turn.  Even when the path forward seems hard, help me to be confident that You actually want what is best for me.

Zechariah 12- Eternal Life Today

 ”“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps for a firstborn.“

‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭12‬:‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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More than 500 years before Jesus was born Zachariah prophesied about Jesus death.  He told where He would be crucified and that they would pierce his body (hands, feed and side).  This is not the only time Jesus death is portrayed before it happened…in fact there are more than 300 times!  (Here is a quick article https://www.gotquestions.org/prophecies-of-Jesus.html)

Gods plan was put into effect from the beginning of time.  He knew what would happen and what He would to to resolve the problem of sin.  We are still in the middle of Gods plan for redemption and I am so thankful that one day, we will be with Him and He will make all things new.  Nothing will be stained by sin and destruction!  There will be no more pain and suffering or even death.

Lord, you have a perfect plan, help me to walk into Your plan every day.  Correct my thinking when I go my own way and help me to trust You every step!  I need You because my own plans are stubborn and “make sense”…but they don’t lead to life.  That is where I want to live today…the life abiding with You.