II Samuel 22: 2-4 ” The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior – from violent men You have saved me. I will call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.”

The Lord is my stability in an uncertain and constantly wavering world.  He is my safe refuge where I am able to retreat, rest, and rebuild my shattered hopes and dreams.  The Lord is my advocate and protector when I cry out for mercy.  The Lord is my Lord.

Luke 18: 7-8 ” And will not God bring justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly.”

We may think God is delaying and procrastinating, and not hearing us clearly.  But His timing is always perfect.  And when the time is right, all fairness, truth, and honesty will be revealed.”

Proverbs 3: 1-2 ” My son, do not forget My teaching, but keep My commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.”

Sure, there’s eternal benefits to obeying the Word of God and His commands.  But there are many practical benefits and blessings we may not always think of…things like health, peace, and security, which eludes the world, but for Believers… are just a wonderful part of living our life for the Lord.

Proverbs 1:8 ” Listen, my son to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”

As children we may not look like we’re listening…but our heart is attentive.  As teenagers we roll our eyes and sigh…thinking our parents are so out of touch and old fashion…but our heart is listening.  And when we finally reach adulthood with some age under our belt, we look back at all the godly instruction and disciple we’ve received by our parents…and decide,  they really did know best.

Ecclesiastes 2:13 ” I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness.”

Groping around in pitch blackness can be dangerous.  The consequences  can be just as hazardous when spiritual darkness blinds us to the risks and pitfalls of this fallen world.  When light invades the darkness, the darkness must flee.  When life, salvation, and wisdom come into us…the spiritual darkness must also take  flight.

Jeremiah 29: 14 ” ‘I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all nations and places where I have banished you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.’ “

Sometimes we manage to banish ourselves from God’s presence by bad decisions we’ve made…sometimes the Lord disciplines us by starkly exposing our disobedience and lets us think about it in the desert for a while.  Either way, God promises His forgiveness and reconciliation to all who seek Him.

Jeremiah 29:12 ” ‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.’ “

When we seek the Lord…He will be found, and He will listen.  When we summon His aid…He’s right there to help.  When we plead for mercy…He hears and moves on our behalf.  You have God’s undivided attention anytime you call to Him…for He wants to  shoulder the burdens you’re carrying.

Jeremiah 29:11 ” ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ “

The plan and purpose for your life was written before the beginning of time.  Every goal, aspiration, and ambition has been planned for you beforehand…every aim, consideration, and course of life has been especially designed for you only by the Lord Himself.  He desires only the best for you.

I Chronicles 15:29 ” As the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal, daughter of Saul, watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.”

She could have been down in the street with the rest of the people singing and praising God…for the Ark of the Covenant was finally coming back to Jerusalem.  But instead, the bitter Michal watched from afar.  And when she saw her husband, King David, acting quite unbecoming for royalty , she publicly mocked him.  Her contempt continued to fester, blinding her from the true jubilation of the people and their sincere thankfulness to God.  King David attempted to explain this gratitude and joy to her in II Samuel 6: 16-23, when he told her, “I will celebrate before the Lord.  I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.”  When the masks come off…when the pretentiousness is dropped…when we get real before the Lord and worship with all our might… Heaven moves – hearts are changed- the Lord is pleased.

Joshua 22:5 “But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to obey His commands, to hold fast to Him and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.”

This verse brings together the very essence of what every Christian strives to do on a daily basis.  We are to love God and in doing so, love others.  We are to imitate His ways… obey His word…and resist the pull of the world, cleaving only to God…for in that is eternal life and unspeakable joy.