You have found favor in the eyes of God. He will be your everlasting light, (Isaiah 60:19) and your shield, your very great reward. (Genesis 15:1) Walk before Him with all integrity, sincerity, and honesty and He will not hold back any good gift from you.
Tag: psalm
II Chronicles 20:15 “He said: ‘Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.’ “
In so many struggles we can find ourselves totally defenseless…outmanned and outmaneuvered. And as the fighting escalates, we are worn down and demoralized by the toll it takes on us…mentally, physically, and spiritually. For when you are ill-equipped for battle…you have no chance. Why then do we think we have to do all the fighting, when God tells us He’s got our back? Spiritual warfare is His specialty, not ours. All He asks of us is to stand and watch Him work. For in Psalm 91:7-8 says, “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes…”
Psalm 119:130 ” The unfolding of Your words give light; it gives understanding to the simple.”
If you’re like me, you’ve read a particular passage in the Bible numerous times, when sudden you read it again and it jumps off the page at you…for the Holy Spirit wonderfully reveals the scripture in a completely different light and with such clarity that it’s like reading it for the very first time. This unfolding of God’s word is like a light shining in a dark place…it is the lamp for our feet and a light for our path. (Psalm 119:105) This unfolding of His word, takes what was once a mystery and makes it known to us…it takes what was once hidden but now is revealed to us.
Psalm 118:22-23 ” The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”
The story comes out of Matthew 21:42 where Jesus is quoting this Scripture to the chief priests and elders of the Temple…whom were not too happy about Him accusing them of rejecting the Messiah…namely Himself, Jesus. Continuing in the next verse, Jesus countered with, “Therefore, I tell you that the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” Jesus was offering the gift of salvation to Gentiles…building His Church from those willing to accept Him as Savior. And as Believers in Christ, we are the Church. To paraphrase Ephesians 2:20, We the Church, are God’s people, built on the foundation of all martyred apostles and prophets, with Jesus being the chief cornerstone.
Psalm 18:1 ” I love You, O Lord, my strength.”
I praise You Lord. For when I am weak, You are my source of power. When I am frail in mind and spirit, You support me and give me endurance. When I feel feeble and ready to give up, You reinforce my backbone and give me toughness to move ahead. In Exodus 15:2 it says, “The Lord is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation.” I will make music in my heart, for You have given me victory on all sides. Amen.
Psalm 145:13 ” Your Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and Your dominion endures through all generations.”
David had seen earthly kingdoms rise and fall in his lifetime. But this Psalm of praise he wrote exalted God for His limitless Kingdom…continuing from the ancient past into the infinite future. David was celebrating God’s sovereignty…His reign over all things…and the eternal scope of His rule. And we also praise You, God, today for Your faithfulness… for kingdoms will rise and fall…but Your Heavenly Kingdom is without end. Amen.
Psalm 25:4-5 “Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.”
Make Yourself known to me, Lord. Instruct me in Your ways… for only You are the source of all truth. As it says in Job 34:32, ” Teach me what I can not see.” For my hope and my life is in You. Amen.
Psalm 88:18 ” You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.”
I’ve seen this first hand with my elderly parents the past year. Almost weekly, a close friend, neighbor or acquaintance dies…usually from old age, but that still doesn’t lessen the blow of their passing. Even though death and dying is a part of life, we still mourn and experience sadness in our loss. The Psalmist here is lamenting to God that his friends, parents, or maybe children are gone…leaving him in a very dark place in his life. We all at sometime in our lives will feel just like this Psalmist…grappling with the loneliness and sorrow of losing loved ones. And that’s OK. Giving ourselves permission to grieve is a healthy and vital part of the grieving process. It’s OK also to feel lonely. That person we’ve known so well has left, and what remains is a void…a gapping hole in our heart of palatable sadness. It’s at that time that cherished memories help to bridge the chasm of grief. Sharing those memories with others is also a way of slowly moving out of that dark place into the light. For God knows exactly how you feel…He understands your pain…you may feel lonely, but with Him, you’ll never be alone.
Psalm 107:21 ” Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men.”
The Lord loves to bless you in small gestures that only you would recognize. Little blessings are a way that God shows you just how special you are to Him, and that He too cares about ever aspect of your life. These unexpected little blessings should come as no surprise though…for God’s kindness and mercy is unending towards you…His love for you is unmeasurable…His desire to give you good gifts is part of His being.
House Rules – If you drop it…pick it up.
When you’re taken down by sin, you have two choices before you. One is to succumb and give in, beating yourself up and telling yourself how bad you are and that you’ll never amount to anything. The other is to get up and ask the Lord what you can learn from that mistake. Don’t wallow in the guilt and shame any longer, lean on God…for He will sustain and strengthen you and raise you up out of the mud and mire. For it says in Psalm 145:14, “The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.”
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