Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. v1-2

Attributes of the Lord are many, including those mentioned in today's verses.  The Lord is glorious and He is strong...and the Lord is Holy.  These are all attributes I desire to demonstrate on behalf of the Lord, allowing Him to shine through me.  This is possible if I deny myself, follow Him, focus my eyes on Jesus, do not conform to the patterns of this world but instead renew my mind through the Word, etc.  By grace and faith...

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 8-10

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are strong and holy..and so much more!  I desire to love, trust and serve You because You are my Lord and Savior.  You are so full of grace, mercy and perfect justice.  I have seen all of this in my own life.  Thank You Jesus!  I am deserving of Your justice but not Your grace and mercy...I continue to struggle with anger and impatience.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. v14

As I posted yesterday, the Lord can be counted on - He is our rock as, unlike people, he "does not change like shifting shadows.  What we must understand, however, is that patience, perseverance, nearness to God are all key to our trust.

In terms of patience, God's timing is not our timing so we must "wait" for the Lord.


For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

We must persevere - with God, the Holy Spirit, prayer, brothers and sisters in Christ, etc., we can overcome as God has overcome all things:


“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

We must also hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:3, Psalm 1:1-3) because God will only be near to us if we draw near to Him, and when we are near to Him we can see God working in our lives, even though it may not be apparent at first what God is doing.  See also post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Name above all Names and my personal Lord and Savior.  You came to earth as flesh for me, knowing everything about me, and You suffered and died for me, even though You live a pure and sinless life.  Thank You Jesus!  You are the most incredible gift of all time!  I am not worth such a gift.  I continue to worry...about my kids...I am being the father You intend for me and the father they need.  Please forgive me for my worry and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.

Psalm 27

Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. v10

This is a tough one....there have been many times in my life where I would not have been able to persevere without others - family members, brothers and sisters in Christ, etc. Yet, above all, it is faith in Christ to provide for all needs that helps me persevere.  See recent post here.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:10

Key from the above verse is not just how everything comes from God, but that God can be counted on like no other.  We should have our faith in God, and not in people.  We cannot idolize people.  People change and cannot be counted on to the extent that God can be counted on.

See also post here from Psalm 146.

Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.  When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Psalm 146:3-4

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, full of love and grace for me - even though I am not deserving.  You are my rock and You always provide - You can ALWAYS be counted on.  Thank You Jesus.  Yet again, I know I am undeserving of such a God.  Yesterday, I lashed out in anger to my family and used harsh and coarse words - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.

Psalm 27

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. v5

When raising kids, it seems as if every day you are dealing with one thing or another regarding behavior that is inappropriate, wrong, or sinful.  In this category alone, I feel tested and troubled and I worry whether my kids are going the right direction - many times this results in a reaction that is not Christ-like.  Yet God calls us love others as He loves us (John 13:34-35).  When God calls us to love in this way, this includes showing love in all senses of the word and what comes to mind are the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23):

• love
• joy
• peace
• forbearance
• kindness
• goodness
• faithfulness
• gentleness
• self-control

This morning, I know I failed on at LEAST two of these counts in dealing with my kids - Father forgive me!  I have the same request that David has:

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. v4

As David does, I desire to be with God all the days of my life, in the Word and with the Spirit.  

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God, full of love for me - this I know.  I am blessed beyond what I deserve with Your love as it is abundant.  Thank You Jesus for such love. Yet again, I am undeserving.  Please forgive me for my lack of love and grace for others.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind....

Psalm 26

Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind....v2

The Bible is full of men and women who were tested by God - think of Abraham, Moses, Joseph (Genesis 37), Job, Ruth, Mary and Joseph, Peter, Paul, John, etc. We often think of tests as bad - something for which we must prepare for and expend effort.  No doubt this is true by tests also serve our good and God's glory by refining our faith and removing impurities as we become more like Jesus - see also here. 

We should all come to a place where we admit we need God, that we are "poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3).  When we invite God into our lives and heart and He becomes our Lord and Savior, we must be prepared for God to work His will in our lives.  We must understand that God ALREADY knows everything about us, our sin, and our heart.  Key, however, is that we need to willingly turn over our lives and submit full control over our lives to Him - see also here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Lord of all, King of Kings, ruler of all the universe - seen and unseen.  You are great not only because of WHAT You reign, but also HOW You reign.  You left the right hand of God and took on human flesh, suffered and died for me, knowing everything about me.  Thank You Jesus for all that You are and for all that You have done and continue to do for me.  I am not deserving of such a God.  I continue to lack in patience, I worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.

Psalm 25

The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. v14

As I read this verse, I am reminded of end times, as Zach and I are currently attending this year's BSF study of Revelation.  A study of Revelation brings many emotions - confidence that God and His people will reign forever and ever in Heaven and sin and death will be defeated for the last time; yet at the same time it is hard to think about end times without thinking about how terrifying it will be for those who do not repent and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and how uneasy it makes me feel that I should be doing more to reach the lost in my sphere of influence.  

The violence and terrifying end of the earth surely is one reason why I fear the Lord, but there are others.  For one, I know I am deserving of death (Romans 6:23) but God is full of mercy and compassion for me.  God is all powerful and capable of all things, including my destruction.  If I am not dead, God wants me to do something on earth that glorifies Him....I better get going.

My Prayer: Lord, You are truly an awesome God, deserving of our fear, respect, full attention, worship, etc.  You bless me abundantly...every day!  Thank You Jesus.  Yet I continue to worry - and I know I should not and You tell me not to.  Please forgive me and help me turn from such and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Show me your ways, 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.

Psalm 25

Show me your ways, 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. v4-5

As I posted yesterday, I desire to live a life with "clean hands and a pure heart".  This is ONLY from God, for there is no other way - see here and in particular this verse:

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians 3:8-9

 

For me, it starts with following the most important command from Matthew 22:37-38:

 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment". 

 

I should then develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness:

 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

 

I do want to have my hope in Christ all day long.

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the ONLY way, the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but through You.  You have blessed me in ways too numerous too count or mention...all throughout my life and every day.  Thank You Jesus but I am not worth such blessings.  I lack in patience and I am quick to anger...still!  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me develop a hunger and thirst for Your righteousness and to have my hope in You all day long.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior.

Psalm 24

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. v4-5

In the verse 3 David asks: "Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?"

We all want to be near to God for He is our refuge, strength, who comforts us in our afflictions and suffering, guides us, etc. Yet we sin, and when we do we experience separation from God.  We seek His forgiveness and when we do, He is full of grace and provides it...what an awesome God.  Further, when we turn from our sin and turn towards God (repentance) and we strive for renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2), God will transform our heart and life to be more like Him...with "clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false God".  The blessing of course follows....it is a promise as true as Jesus is great.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, author of heaven and earth and all of its inhabitants...You created me, and You know everything about me, including my sin...yet You came and died for me anyway...thank You Jesus!  I stand in awe!  I am not worth such love and blessing...I continue to be selfish in my life...often.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Psalm 23

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. v5

Indeed, I am blessed beyond what I deserve.  Family, friends, provision, health, etc. Most importantly, I have a God that loves me more than anyone on earth ever can...and my God died for me so that I would not be slave to my sin but instead would have eternal life.  God has been so full of grace, compassion, patience, mercy, etc. for me...again...even though I am not deserving of such blessings.  The Lord provides. 

Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. Deuteronomy 9:6

See also here.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it [abundantly (ESV)] to the full. John 10:10

 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, without a doubt You are God that blesses His children abundantly...even when we think we are not being blessed we are...the blessings overflow as David writes.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not worth such blessings...I am too easily distracted by the world and I too often "conform to the patterns of this world".  Forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

What sweet verses that David expresses about God and who He is...indeed I lack nothing and "apart from you" I have no good thing.  He comforts me, provides peace, rest and directs my path and my walk - what an awesome God You are Jesus!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

 

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6

 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

My Prayer:  Lord, indeed You are great in that ALL good things are from You and that if I am in You and abide in You I know I will find comfort, peace, rest and direction - life in abundance and for eternity!  How awesome a God are You!  Yet I am not worthy of such a God - I fail to give You my first fruits as I am easily distracted by worldly concerns...please forgive me for my worldly desires and worry.  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Thank You for Your grace and patience.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

Psalm 22

For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. v24

David is suffering in anguish, even claiming God was forsaking him (v1) yet he recognizes ultimately that God's loves all of his children, and that he will not forsake any of them regardless of their sin or circumstances - all lives matter.  

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:3-7

See also the parable of the Prodigal Son here also in Luke 15. 

I am also drawn to John 13 where God ups the ante in terms of how we are to love one another: 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

These verses in particular are striking given that God does not ignore any of His children...we must not ignore anyone either....all are deserving of God's love.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what a great God You are...You know everything about me, yet You are patient with me, full of grace and mercy for me, and You chose me then died for me...an amazing gift...the greatest gift of all time.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a gift.  I am selfish and I continue to be harsh with my words.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do and NOT ignore anyone!  Help me grow in my faith.Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and  serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Be exalted in your strength, Lord; we will sing and praise your might.

Psalm 21

Be exalted in your strength, Lord; we will sing and praise your might. v13

We should not fail to see God's strength, power, glory, daily in all things, regardless of where we are in our life. 

Creation alone is worthy of our praise.

My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summon them, they all stand up together. Isaiah 48:13

And God blesses us with His Word, His Son, the Holy Spirit.  And we are blessed with a God who is able to sympathize with us (Hebrews 4:15) because He lived as a man and was tempted as we are. He lived a sinless life and then died for us so that we could have eternal life and be free from the bondage of sin. Jesus, thank You for the greatness You are and for the greatness You are for us and the many blessings You pour out in our lives daily!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are!  You are so full of compassion, grace, patience, etc. for me...even though I am surely undeserving!  Thank You!  That You would even lift a finger for me is amazing.  You don't even need me...yet You come after me like the one lost sheep...thank You Jesus!  I love You Jesus and I desperately need You in my life.  Please forgive me for my selfishness.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You Jesus.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Psalm 20

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. v7

There are times where I place my trust in things or people or my own abilities, etc.  No doubt this is sinful...particularly in light of what I have recently posted here.  Additionally, John warns us here about placing our trust in "the world":

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:17-19

There is also Jesus' warning:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:19-20

On the subject of humans plans vs desires and plans of God, click here and here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are - without a doubt, apart from You I can do nothing...yet I know there have been times when I trust in matters of the world more so than so and I know this is sinful - please forgive me Jesus!  Thank You for Your grace, mercy, compassion, patience, etc. but please forgive me and help me turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love and trust You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

May [the Lord] give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.

Psalm 20

May [the Lord] give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. v4

Two things of note for me in this verse - that we should pray that God give us the desires of our heart AND that from that a prayer that, assuming we have God's desires in our heart, all our plans succeed.  The latter prayer should not and cannot work without the former prayer.

It starts with us knowing we need God that we are nothing without God.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

See also posts here and here. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God full of love, patience, grace, compassion, etc. for me even though I sin and I fail to be Jesus to others.  Thank You Jesus for Your love but please forgive me.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You Jesus.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. v11-12

Psalm 19

By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. v11-12

David asks a critical question here - "But who can discern their own errors?".  Yes, our Christian brothers and sisters can help us (see Proverbs 27:17, Matthew 18:15), but only God knows all aspects of all our sin, including our heart which is of course the key source of our sin.  It is ONLY through daily time with God and His word will He reveal to us our own sin and His message for us.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:2

...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an incredible God You are!  You are so full of love, patience, mercy, compassion, gentleness, joy, patience, etc.  Thank You!  I am not deserving of such a God.  I fail to dispense these fruits to others as You have to me.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You Jesus.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.

Psalm 19

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. v10

Referring to God's decrees, His Word, or His commands for us, David believes that God's decrees are both pure and of immense value - more value than of course we can measure.  The questions for us become: do we value God's decrees as David does, and if not, what do we treasure.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

 

“Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord." Malachi 1:14

 

You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep...Deuteronomy 18:4

 

We need to treat God with the value He is and go to Him daily, and to invite Him in to all aspects of our lives.

 

It's not just about money, it's about time - how do we spend our time...do we have excuses for why we can't follow Jesus:

Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:60

 

Also, don't ignore your spiritual giftings:

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 1 Timothy 4:14

If we value God we will develop a relationship with Him, we will spend time with Him, we will worship Him, serve Him, and tell others as about Him.  If we don't it is a measure of our value of Him...

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, full of mercy, grace, patience, compassion, etc. for me...even though I am not deserving!  Thank You Jesus but I continue to be harsh with those in my family.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.

Psalm 19

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. v7

Amen to that! Considering what David writes here, we should want to run to God as much as possible - right?  One would think so, but we too often run to what WE think is good for us versus what God thinks is good for us.  We must desire to run after the Lord, His words, His ways, etc.  We must trust that by chasing after HIM, He will transform our way of thinking into His way.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

When we allow God to transform our heart, mind, and life, we will be filled and only seek His ways and thoughts.  Although we will never fully know God's ways and thoughts, God does become less of a mystery to us.

My Prayer: Lord, You are an incredible God and apart from You I can do nothing.  I feel filled because You have transformed my heart and life to be more like You.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet impurities remain and sin still rules in my life...I continue to be selfish, impatient, etc.  Please forgive me for these and my other sins and help me overcome these sins and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me over others as You.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?

Psalms 18

For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? v31

For believers, this seems like an easy enough question to answer.  Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Yet when we truly examine our lives, how we spend our time, how we spend our money, etc.  Will it be clear that Jesus is our God?  This is a deeply penetrating question and my hope is that on Judgement Day Jesus does not say "I never knew you...":

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’  Matthew 7:21-23

Help me focus on the eternal.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, full of grace, compassion, patience, etc. for me even though I am not deserving of such blessings.  I continue to use my words harshly, among my many sins.  Thank You for Your blessings but please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.