Tag: Devotional

The LORD Won’t Let Them Bully Me Anymore (Psalm 35)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 35

1 [A Psalm] of David. Plead [my cause], O LORD, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me. 2 Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help. 3 Also draw out the spear, And stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I [am] your salvation.” 4 Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life; Let those be turned back and brought to confusion Who plot my hurt. 5 Let them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the LORD chase [them]. 6 Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the angel of the LORD pursue them. 7 For without cause they have hidden their net for me [in] a pit, [Which] they have dug without cause for my life. 8 Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, And let his net that he has hidden catch himself; Into that very destruction let him fall. 9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation. 10 All my bones shall say, “LORD, who [is] like You, Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”

PSALM 35:1-10

THE LORD WON’T LET THEM BULLY ME ANYMORE

There was this kid who was getting bullied by an older kid at school. The bully would just pester this guy; hurling insults, making him eat dirt, and sometimes even wedgies. The kid had tried everything, nothing seemed to work until one day the kid was on his way home from school, but bully caught up to him, and then out from the bushes stepped the kid’s dad. All the sudden the bully had to run away, but when he got home he was in trouble. He had to meet with the principle and then the counselor.

Sometimes you have to just look at what you are facing and admit that the situation is beyond your control and you don’t have the ability to handle it. King David is a pretty incredible advocate for those who have been taken advantage of and he is an incredible warrior, but today we see in Psalm 35 that he calls out for the Lord to come and plead his case and fight his battles.

David knows that he is outmatched by those who hate him, but rather than throw in the towel, he calls on the Lord to bring charges and battle against his enemies. 

Psalm 35 is what is known as an imprecatory Psalm. It is a psalm where David prays for the destruction of his enemies. We might pause at that and think for a moment that this sounds out of line, but as we look further into this psalm I think we will find that David was right and ok to pray this way. 

It is important to know that David was not known for being a vengeful man. He had many occasions to take vengeance on his enemies such as Saul, Nabal, Absolom, and Shimei, but he shows patience rather than vengeance.  

These Psalms are prayers for God to do what He has ultimately promised to do. 
Have you ever noticed that when we pray for “His kingdom to come,” that includes praying for the Lord to vanquish all his enemies and those who stand in defiance to Him? If we read the end of the book, we know that praying this way is praying for God to come in and bring to heal those who have rebelled against him.

PRAYER

Father, We confess that we live in a fallen world. Everything is not as it should be. There are moments that people make themselves out to be our enemies and bullies. The power balance is in their favor and we have little ability to act on our own behalf to defend ourselves. In many of these instances your people have suffered great harm and loss. It hurts. It really hurts when that happens. Yet, LORD, we trust in you for justice. We trust that one day your kingdom will come. We trust that one day you will set all the wrongs right. So we call out for your justice. Give our enemies what they deserve. And if in your good pleasure you should turn our enemies into our brothers and sisters, we are blessed to know that they have come through the same mercy and grace that we have come through to get to you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

I Will Bless The LORD At All Times (Psalm 34)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 34

1 [A Psalm] of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise [shall] continually [be] in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear [of it] and be glad. 3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.

PSALM 34:1-4

I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES

 We are told that David wrote this Psalm reflecting on some of the lowest days of his life. You can read the details in 1 Samuel 21. David is on the run from Saul. He stops by a place of worship. Grabs some food and is looking for a weapon. The only weapon they have on hand is Goliath’s sword. So they give that to David. One of Saul’s spies is there and he heads out to tell Saul so David is on the run again. 

He ends up in the City of Gath… For those of you who don’t know. This is the city Goliath was from and he is carrying Goliath’s sword! Everyone knows that it is David who killed their beloved Goliath. Goliath’s momma lives there, his cousins, etc…. This seems like it is the exact wrong place to be. David might be at an all time lowest situation of his life where he has to feign madness in order to escape with his life.

David says that he will bless the LORD at all Times. This is the highs and the lows. I love this psalm because it acknowledges the lows. 

Even in his low, David finds joy in the LORD. He invites us into his joy. Have you ever experienced something and had to get someone else involved? Unexpected joy is that way!

Have you ever  been so blessed in Jesus that you have to share the blessing? When it comes to gardening, some of our church folks are really good and they remember us when the harvest comes in! They get a bunch of squash, tomatoes, peppers, or whatever and they call us up and say, “would you like some squash?” They give it to us to enjoy too, because they’ve got too much! When they share, it not only feeds them, but nourishes us as well.  

David is saying, “I’ve got so much of the LORD’s goodness, I need to share it with you.” And His sharing blesses not only him, but us as well. 

This is what I love about corporate singing. We get together and we all come from different backgrounds. God has taken us on different journeys, but he is the same faithful God. 

  • Some come from addiction and he has helped you
  • Some come from pride and he has humbled you
  • Some come from tremendous hurt and you see his healing

It’s not just a combination of different voices, but of different testimonies and different stories of God working so that when we sing great is thy faithfulness it’s not just words, it’s lives. It’s the prodigal son come home, it’s the salvation of a lost sinner, it’s the comfort over the loss of a loved one.  Somehow when we gather together and we share in our joy with one another this mingles into praise. I love it when God’s church gathers together to magnify the LORD together and sing his praise! Even when I’m in a low, I am still encouraged and find comfort and joy.

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for the incredible joy that you have blessed me with in ways big and small. Thank you for your kindness to me and uniting me with a people so loving and gracious. Thank you that there are days that I have more joy than I know what to do with and it just spills over into others lives. Thank you that others have let their joy spill into mine. You know me and you know what I need. You are worthy of all praise honor and glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Worthy Of All Our Worship (Psalm 33)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 33

1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! [For] praise from the upright is beautiful. 2 Praise the LORD with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy. 4 For the word of the LORD [is] right, And all His work [is done] in truth.

PSALM 33:1-4

WORTHY OF ALL OUR WORSHIP

New Song! We are growing in our relationship to the Lord and so a new song is fitting! It doesn’t need to be too old and too familiar. We need to be stretched in singing so we think what we are singing about.   A New Song is a song of something new and fresh that God has done. Same God, new sin forgiven, new rescue. It’s the same old Truth with a new fervor of fresh experience. It’s new words that highlight the paise worthy character of never changing God.

We are to offer God our skill. Not just our “good enough,” but our best! We spend time developing skills to use for the sake of praise. Both a Harp and a lyre are stringed instruments that had 10 strings. We are to work together to bring the Lord paise like an orchestra or symphony works together to share great works of music. Each one in synch, in beat, on time with the other. Here it says to praise the Lord with 10 strings! All 10 strings we are to be singing his praise! The whole instrument is to be used in singing God’s praise, the whole realm of melody, not one note left missing. Not one string standing still, All plucked, strummed, stirred by the worthiness of our Lord. Some of us in our praise for God is a 2 or 3 string day. We need to praise God with all 10 strings! It is both instrumental and vocal! He is worthy of all of our praise. 

 You don’t praise God for what you feel, you praise God for who He is. You enter with gratitude for all the gifts of Grace He has given you. Often we don’t offer God all of our praise, because we covet and so we are not content. We forget our blessings and cry for more gifts, while ignoring the giver.  We don’t stop and thank him for the blessings we have. We have become entitled. We think we need material stuff, because we think the more we consume, the more we will be happy…. but the truth is the more we recognize God’s goodness in our lives, the more we return praise, the more we find ourselves not only contented, but elated in worshipping Him alone. He is worthy of all of our praise.

PRAYER

Father, You are worthy of all praise, honor, and glory. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. Before I lived a single day, you knew them all. You know not only my thoughts, my desires, my actions, but even the things hidden from me in my very own body. You know my pulse, breath, my life. I ask that today that I would worship you fully with all that you have given me. Let my breath utter out your praise. Let my eyes delight in the marvel of your creation, let my hears inform my heart of the goodness and pleasantness of a melody. Let all of me be offered in praise for you are worthy of it all. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Sin is Serious (Psalm 32)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 32

A Maskil of David. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
(Psalm 32:1-11)

SIN IS SERIOUS

Let’s examine some of the words used here at the beginning of the Psalm today. Transgression is to trespass. It is a willful volition and stepping over a line into another territory. The largeness of the trespass is depends on who’s territory you have stepped into. If I cross my neighbors boundary, it isn’t as big of a deal as it is to unlawfully cross into a Military base boundary! Our problem is that we often think of sin as small… when in fact it is big, because of who we have trespassed. This is why David could say it was against the Lord that He sinned. He sinned and hurt Uriah and Bathsheba, but his real trespass was against the LORD.

FORGIVEN means to carry away. This is the same word that is used for a scapegoat. The scapegoat is one of two kid goats. As a pair, one goat was sacrificed (not a scapegoat) and the living “scapegoat” was released into the wilderness never to be seen again, taking with it all sins and impurities. This is what it means to be forgiven. A substitute has paid for your sins and carried them off.  

SIN means to “Miss the Mark.” Imagine you are playing basketball. It’s a big game. You dribble the ball down the court, you are wide open for a three pointer so you pull up and take a shot. The ball arks high into the air but completely misses the goal, the rim, the backboard, everything… the next thing you know you hear the crowd taunting you, “Air ball! Air ball! Air ball.” Now imagine that every trip down the court, every moment of your offense, you take your stance, take aim, and fail with every attempt to make a shot… not only do you not score any points, but your stats are zero across the board.

COVERED means to conceal. This is taken from the Day Of Atonement. Once a year the high priest would take the blood of a sacrifice into the Most Holy Place and sprinkle it on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant. The Mercy Seat was the lid covering the Ark and the blood was sprinkled there because it came between the presence of God (symbolized as dwelling the the space between  the wings of the cherubim above the ark) and the broken law of God that was in the ark itself. 

Iniquity means that you are warped. It is to take something good and to twist it. It is to pervert something. I was replacing the ball joints on my old Explorer a few years ago. When I was taking the bottom joint out I decided to replace the whole A arm assembly. I undid the bolts but the arm didn’t want to fall out. So I beat the old A-arm out with a hammer… I didn’t think about how I would put the new A-arm back in. When it came time, sure enough it didn’t fit because the frame was bent. Sometime in the history of this vehicle the owner had wrecked the car so bad that it bent this part of the frame… I finally fit the new arm in, but it wouldn’t matter, the frame was warped… the car would almost always be out of alignment.

DOES NOT IMPUTE means that the Lord does not take into account. I used to like watching the old westerns. Sometimes you would see someone come into a shop and buy something but instead of paying they would say… “put it on my tab” and the shop owner would write down how much they owed on that ledger. He would impute it to their account. Imagine that the shop keeper chooses not to impute it to their account, they wouldn’t have to pay. The items would be free to them, but would still cost the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper would pay for the items in both loss of original cost and loss of revenue. By choosing not to impute our sins, Jesus chose to pay for our sins!

Deceit is the final word for sin here. This is where sin does it’s most awful damage. The biggest lies are the ones we tell ourselves. We often deceive ourselves and say that our sin isn’t as bad as it really is. Before you can find forgiveness, you have to come clean. There was a time when David did lie to himself, where he did try to hide or cover over his sin on his own. He thought he could go on like nothing ever happened, but that wasn’t the case. 

PRAYER

Father, Thank you that you are a forgiving God who has mercy on repentant sinners. I thank you for the work of Jesus Christ on the cross who died for my sins and rose again that I might have repentance and receive new life in you. Thank you that even when I didn’t know the full depth of my sin and depravity that you loved me and that Jesus died for me. Thank you seems like too small a word for all you have done in my life regarding sin. I am so grateful for your salvation. Please watch over me and keep me from falling into temptation. I love you LORD. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

From Problems To Praise (Psalm 31)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 31

For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
(Psalm 31:3-5)

FROM PROBLEMS TO PRAISE

We find pieces of this Psalm in the mouths of other bible characters as they go through suffering. Jonah quotes from from it, Jeremiah, another Psalmist in Psalm 73, and of course Jesus utters, “Into your hand I commit my spirit.” This Psalm has well worn traction for those who are facing affliction. It’s a place to go to in the time of need. It carries a beautiful balance of honest reflections on the problems of life and our peculiar circumstances, a reminder of God’s incredible character, and response of trust in the LORD.

I conducted a funeral for a friend a few weeks ago who reminded me of this psalm. She would call me up and everything would seem like an emergency. She had a small flair for the dramatic. But indeed the issues were real and so we would discuss the challenges she was facing. Somewhere in the midst of our conversation she would remember how God had provided for her in the past. The conversation would flow into a time of testimony. Finally she would land on the fact that we all knew from the beginning, God was in control and she trusted him.

It’s good to bring our problems to God! Where else can we take them? In the midst of our problems though, we should remember the character of God. Sometimes we are tempted to look at God’s character through out circumstance. We think, “Oh, He doesn’t love me? Why did he let this happen? How will I ever get through this?” When we should be looking at our circumstances through God’s character, “I don’t know why this happened, but I know that the Lord has never let me down before. I may not see it, but he has a plan. I certainly don’t understand what is going on, but the Lord does.”

David begins with his problems, takes them to the Lord and ends the Psalm with praise of who God is. In doing so, he demonstrates how we might pray and praise the Lord in the midst of our own afflictions.

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for your grace and everything that is new in my life each morning. Thank you for your amazing faithfulness. Thank you that you delight to hear the prayers of your servants. Thank you that we can call on you in our distress. Thank you that you hear us. As we pray though our difficulties I ask that we would be reminded of your goodness and character. I ask that as we lift our burdens to you we would trust you. Thank you for this tried and true psalm that helps us pray in our afflictions. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Praying and Praising God For Healing (Psalm 30)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 30

(1) A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the house of David. I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my foes rejoice over me. (2) O LORD my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. (3) O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. (4) Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. (5) For His anger [is but for] a moment, His favor [is for] life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy [comes] in the morning. (6) Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.” (7) LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, [and] I was troubled. (8) I cried out to You, O LORD; And to the LORD I made supplication: (9) “What profit [is there] in my blood, When I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? (10) Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me; LORD, be my helper!” (11) You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, (12) To the end that [my] glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

PSALM 30:1-12, NKJV

PRAYING AND PRAISING GOD FOR HEALING

God is a God who heals! We should rejoice in that fact. We should also note that it is not always his will to bring healing to a person in a given situation this side of heaven. God used the Apostle Paul to heal many people and in one instance there were so many healings happening that they could just take a handkerchief that Paul had touched and it would bring healing to a person (see Acts 19:11-12). Yet we also need to note that Paul himself suffered from illnesses (See Galatians 4:13-15, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10) and there were close ministry partners who suffered from illness ( See Philippians 2:25-30, I Timothy 5:23, 2 Timothy 4:20) where a handkerchief for healing wouldn’t do.

David had prayed for healing and he was healed and so he rejoiced. There was an instance in my life where I was sick, prayed for healing, and I was healed and I delight in rejoicing in God’s goodness. I think healing in these circumstances should point us toward Heaven where there won’t be any more death or pain (See Revelation 21:4). We should rejoice and be eager for that day all the more when we see miraculous healings take place in our midst.

We must also realize that sometimes God choses not to heal in the way that we might expect or want. Sometimes He allows us to go through suffering ( See Philippians 1). In those instances we must trust in God’s plan and provision for us.

Of course we know that Jesus Himself was no stranger to suffering. He asked God to let the cup of His wrath pass from Him, but that if there were no other way, He would drink it. He just wanted the Father’s will to be done (see Matthew 26:39). I think this instructs us on how to pray when we are praying for ourselves and others who are sick/suffering. We can pray with what we think or hope God might do (healing?) and be ready to accept that God might move in a different direction.

That brings us back to this Psalm. David had prayed for healing and he was healed! Part of his rational in prayer was that He couldn’t praise God for healing if he wasn’t healed. He knew God was able. He knew God was worthy. So he prayed with boldness for healing and he was healed.

PRAYER

Father, Thank you that you are a God who is able to do the most incredible of things. Thank you that you are are God of healing. Thank you for the healing that has taken place in my own life! I am grateful for the ways you demonstrate you’re amazing love and grace for us. I pray for those I know who need healing today. I ask for you to do what only you can do in their situation. I rejoice at every glimpse of heaven we see in your healing hand. I also confess my trust and dependence upon you to do your will. We trust you to guide us through suffering and death (Psalm 23) as much as we do in healing and life! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

A Song For The Storm (Psalm 29)

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PSALM 29

A Psalm of David.

Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the LORD glory and strength.

Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The LORD is over many waters.

The voice of the LORD is powerful;
The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars,
Yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.

The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
The LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”

The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the LORD sits as King forever.

The LORD will give strength to His people;
The LORD will bless His people with peace.

A SONG FOR THE STORM

In this passage we see David look out at a storm cloud on the horizon. He then uses the storm to show us the voice of the LORD speaking to his people. Some Psalms are best read at sunrise or sunset or even in the midst of the night. This Psalm is best read in the midst of a storm. It is said that in the early churches as they gathered on stormy days that they would read Psalm 29. With that in mind we will open up and begin to look at this psalm, a song for the storm. 

This song reminds us that God is sovereign over heavenly beings. Angels are commanded to offer Him worship because He is worthy of worship. Imagine that, we are telling angels to sing and offer praise to God. (We do this with some of our hymns too, like the Doxology, “Praise Him above ye heavenly Host“). Angels are eager to worship God. It is good and it is right that He is to be given praise!

The “voice of the Lord” peals like thunder through this Psalm seven times! It is interesting that the gospel writer John records this incident in his gospel.  [John 12:27-32 NKJV] (27) “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. (28) “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, [saying], “I have both glorified [it] and will glorify [it] again.” (29) Therefore the people who stood by and heard [it] said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” (30) Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. (31) “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. (32) “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all [peoples] to Myself.”

The storm moves across the Israelite landscape mocking of BAAL the storm God of the Phoenicians. The real God of all creation is at ease in the midst of the storm. He sits, ruling over all.

Storms are powerful and wonderful. They can stormy weather can be terrifying and miserable. God used a storm to bring the great reformer Martin Luther to where he began to seek after the Lord. In a similar way, He used a storm and the calm response of Moravian passengers on a ship, to being John Wesley to saving faith as well. God speaks in the midst of the storms.

Next time bad weather is rolling through, I”ll be pulling out my bible and reading Psalm 29.

PRAYER

Father, thank you for this incredible passage that helps us use the weather to recognize your glory, your holiness, your greatness, and to come to a place where we are in respectful fear and honor of You. We confess that you are worthy of all praise! Thank you for weather that commands our attention, changes our plans, and provokes us to praise the God of the storm. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

How You Pray Will Determine Your Praise (Psalm 28)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 28

1 [A Psalm] of David. To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock: Do not be silent to me, Lest, if You [are] silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. 2 Hear the voice of my supplications When I cry to You, When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary. 3 Do not take me away with the wicked And with the workers of iniquity, Who speak peace to their neighbors, But evil [is] in their hearts. 4 Give them according to their deeds, And according to the wickedness of their endeavors; Give them according to the work of their hands; Render to them what they deserve. 5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, Nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them And not build them up. 6 Blessed [be] the LORD, Because He has heard the voice of my supplications! 7 The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. 8 The LORD [is] their strength, And He [is] the saving refuge of His anointed. 9 Save Your people, And bless Your inheritance; Shepherd them also, And bear them up forever.

PSALM 28:1-9, NKJV

How You Pray Will Determine Your Praise

David comes back to thank the Lord because he know that God had heard his prayer.  HOW OFTEN DO WE COME BACK IN THANKSGIVING FOR ANSWERED PRAYER?  We are good about coming to God with our AGITATIONS but what about our ADORATION. HOW YOU PRAY WILL DETERMINE HOW YOU PRAISE.  

In Luke 17:11-19 10 Lepers are cleansed, but only one came back to worship at the feet of Jesus. I’m sure the others were grateful to some varying degree, but the one who came back was fully bought in to Jesus. Too often we don’t mind pestering God with a wish list of our wants when part of our job in prayer is to recognize that God has moved in the past. He has heard and He has answered prayers before and we should be grateful. Those who only come to God tired and numb in the middle of an emergency are missing the fullness of His Grace. In a large way their relationship has become transactional instead of relational. Like a homeowner coming to the contractor with a bunch of job orders and requests, we have lost sight of the grace of God that has brought us this far in the first place.

A good practical place to practice gratitude is to journal (prayers) and to go back and then see how God answered them. I admittedly am not that great at it. But it does wonders to help me remember everything that was going on at a certain point in my life.

Finding yourself low on praise? Start thinking about all the ways the Lord has blessed you over the years. Think about the prayers you have prayed. How has he answered. How have those times been good or bad. How is God’s grace evident in your life today?

PRAYER

Father, thank you for your great grace. I see every day your kindness to me and have experienced an abundance of your blessings. There were many times where I go t myself in a jam and you were faithful to see me through. There were times when I was lured away and enticed by sin and you called me back to faith and repentance. There were parts of my life that have been hard, but you have always been present. Thank you for hearing my prayer. Help me to be intentional about turning back my prayers into praise. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

The LORD Is My Light (Psalm 27)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 27

[Psa 27:1-14 NKJV] 1 [A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD [is] the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I [will be] confident. 4 One [thing] I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. 5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. 7 Hear, O LORD, [when] I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 8 [When You said], “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.” 9 Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me. 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. 12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. 13 [I would have lost heart], unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

PSALM 27:1-13, NKJV

THE LORD IS MY LIGHT

David knew God personally! He knew God by name! Everywhere you see capital L-O-R-D the divine name of God appears in scripture. David said that the LORD is “My” light and ‘My” salvation. And strength of “my” life! He wasn’t some foreign entity, He was close, He was personal, He was familiar. David had been on many adventures with the LORD before. 

My son used to be scared of the dark. It wasn’t really the dark that scared him, but it was the unknown. It was the mystery of what might be out there. His mind filled the darkness with monsters. So we gave him a light… and do you know what? Those monsters became shirts hanging in the closet, a ball cap on his shelf, a stack of books on his night stand. The light revealed the way things really were. 

When David says, “The LORD is my light.” He is saying, God is the one who makes sense of the word. 

The famous author, C.S. Lewis, once said, “I believe in Christ as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” 

The Lord himself is my LIGHT! This is not that God provides the light, but that God is the light. It is interesting to note that when you read about the days of creation that on the first day God made light, but He didn’t make the sun until the fourth day. Some theologians say then that God Himself was the light of the first three days. We are also told in Revelation that the sun and moon will be no more! Where then will we get our light.. God Himself is the light in heaven. 

[Rev 21:23 KJV] 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb [is] the light thereof.

[Rev 22:3-5 KJV] 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name [shall be] in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

In fact that is part of what makes heaven heaven. There is no darkness. Nothing is hidden. Everything is revealed. It is filled with grace upon grace. Goodness upon goodness! 

We didn’t get very far in meditation on this Psalm today, but there is lots to it. How about you? What jumped out to you today in your reading of God’s word?

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for being the Light of The World! I am grateful that through you and by you we see the world as it is. Thank you for your grace for the things we do understand. We pray for grace and patience for the things that we struggle to see. We are grateful for your kindness to us and we look forward for the day when our faith will be by sight. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

A Life Of Integrity (Psalm 26)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 26

[Psa 26:1-12 NKJV] 1 [A Psalm] of David. Vindicate me, O LORD, For I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the LORD; I shall not slip. 2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart. 3 For Your lovingkindness [is] before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth. 4 I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, Nor will I go in with hypocrites. 5 I have hated the assembly of evildoers, And will not sit with the wicked. 6 I will wash my hands in innocence; So I will go about Your altar, O LORD, 7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all Your wondrous works. 8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house, And the place where Your glory dwells. 9 Do not gather my soul with sinners, Nor my life with bloodthirsty men, 10 In whose hands [is] a sinister scheme, And whose right hand is full of bribes. 11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; Redeem me and be merciful to me. 12 My foot stands in an even place; In the congregations I will bless the LORD.

PSALM 26:1-11, NKJV

A LIFE OF INTEGRITY

When I was in college, there was a soda machine that had a broken part. If you put your money in and put your hand in to hold open a flap, you could get two soda’s for the price of one. I don’t know who first discovered the secret to the soda machine but it presented an ethical dilemma for all of us religion students down the hill. Do you take the extra soda as a blessing from God? Do you give it to someone else? Do you leave it for the vendor? Do you call a number on the machine and let someone know and risk upsetting your neighbors who were enjoying the deal? As we were debating the issue, one of the guys spoke up and said, “I’ll never sell my integrity for 50 cents” (the going rate for a can of soda back then!). That stuck with me.

I’m sure that there are lots of folks who were stealing 50 cent drinks that if they were given an opportunity to steal $50,000 would turn it down. But then again the person who steals $50,000 probably didn’t start out at $50,000. This is where integrity matters most, the small stuff. You can’t be a person of integrity in the big things only.

At this point in his life, David confesses his integrity. He leans on God and counts the blessings that integrity has brought to his life. He is careful with his friendships and those who influence him.

Of course we know the rest of the story. David takes a 50 cent peak at Bathsheba from his rooftop that leads him to bigger compromises and almost costs him his entire kingship before it’s all over! Integrity is one of those things that can be ruined in an instant and over an inconsequential matter.

PRAYER

Father, I so desperately want and need to be a man of integrity. For the sake of my family I need to walk in holiness. Examine my life for compromises. Establish holy friendships. Keep me from the desire to please others to the point that it would compromise my integrity. Let me speak the truth with love to those you have called me to serve. Let me not hold it back, but lovingly and persuasively share your grace. I want to walk with complete integrity before you. I pray that you keep me from temptation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.