Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 124

Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. v8

When we have troubles we too often rely on ourselves, things, or people to ease our worries and to resolve difficult matters.  I am just as guilty of this sin as anyone else.  I must rely on God and God alone, and He will provide us with all our needs and see us through all challenges.  We must also see how these challenges are either allowed by God or created by God to grow, discipline and train us.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are all I need...no good things exist apart from You.  Thank You for how You bless me beyond what I deserve.  I fall short of the Glory of God...I worry, I am selfish, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and 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 her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  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.

I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven.

Psalm 123

I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven. v1

I am very often distracted by my own thoughts and by what I see around me.  Focus on God is VERY important.  When we don't focus on God, we cannot hear Him, and we won't have the awareness to see Him where He is.

Am I too concerned with myself as Xerxes was?

Focus on God requires us to focus on His Word and what He promises...it requires faith.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  Hebrews 12:1-3

My Prayer:  Lord, You are an awesome God and worthy of my full attention and focus...Your hand produces incredible wonders in the world and in my life - You have blessed me well beyond what I deserve.  I am far too easily distracted by things of this world - please forgive me!  Help me overcome and turn from 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.  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.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure."

Psalm 122

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure." v6

Peace within the church is important.  It starts with your own heart with regards to feelings about the church - and in this regard, I have often found myself in need of forgiveness in light of sinful criticism of the church.  Feedback is often valuable but I have complained...in this of course is complaining about God Himself.  Strength in the church relies on church discipline, peace and love...we will and can have sin, conflict, and disagreements in the church, but it must be dealt with in a peaceful and loving manner.  We must submit to church leadership.  God places these leaders in our lives. On a related note, this is true of other earthly leaders in our lives, whether that be in the workplace, teachers, in our government, etc.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You have placed great men of faith in my life that have encouraged me greatly and pushed me to grow closer to You and to be more like You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessing.  I have complained and grumbled far too often - forgive me Jesus and help me turn from 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.  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 will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121

The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. v7-8

I often lament how I don't have as many people in my life that help me stay accountable in my walk with Christ.  While we need these people in my life, I should not forget that God is watching over me all the time and that if I draw near to Him, He will draw near to me:

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

With God by side, I have greater confidence that I am protected from my own sin and the influence of others' sin. See also my various posts on this.


Better still would be for me to have these "one anothers" in my life:

¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.  Hebrews 3:13

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You give me life to the full...You protect me!  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such efforts and love.  I often seek my own comforts and desires vs You and Your glory.  Please forgive me Jesus and 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 her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  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.

I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me.

Psalm 120

I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. v1

What is important to note here is not that God gives does not always give us the answer we want but that He will always hear our cry and respond. "Heard my cry" (or similar) appears in the Bible in twelve places, including in other Psalms.  The most often referred to scripture where these words appear is when God hears the plea of the Israelites during their suffering in Egypt.

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. Exodus 3:7

Yet God may not and often does not provide the response we want.  We must make every effort to understand what God is doing in our lives during those times when we don't get the response we want.


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


There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens[.] Ecclesiastes 3:1

My Prayer: Lord, You are great and You always hear my cry.  I know that You love me and that Your response is never for harm but to prosper me and to give me hope and a future.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love.  I worry - please forgive me.  Help me turn from 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.  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.

Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.

Psalm 119

Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. v165

One thing is for sure that my love of God's Word has grown.  I do love God and His Word but I still often worry and stress out...of course this means I am falling short of God's greatest command from Matthew 22:37-38: 

Jesus replied: ‘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.

Yet I know that our relationship with Jesus is one of a journey where God directs us (see biblical references in this Psalm alone to path, footsteps, etc.), and that we are running a race (Acts 20:24, 1 Corinthians 9:24, 2 Timothy 4:7) and that we should run this race with endurance and persistence (Hebrews 12:1).  The implication is that we are to expend all of our energy and effort.  We don't walk, we run.  We may stumble from an earthly perspective, but when we run with God, He directs our steps and is in control.  Any stumble we experience is designed or allowed by God as part of His plan....

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God, and I know You love me in ways that words cannot describe.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love.  I am weak, and broken.  Please forgive me for my worry and stress.  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.  Help me continue to run the race You set out before me.  Help me run with endurance.  Help me focus on the eternal.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  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.

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

Psalm 119

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. v160

In world where standards - moral, ethical, educational, etc. - keep shifting or eroding,  God stands alone as the source of truth that never changes.  He is eternal and everything about Him is eternal, including His character and His attributes.

Luke 1:37 says: "For no word from God will ever fail".

Earlier in this Psalm it says: 
 

Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. v90

 

James 1:17 says God "does not change like shifting shadows."

 

While our circumstances constantly change, a strong faith and trust in God will prevent us from being shaken.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:5-6

 

Of course, when we better understand God and become more like Him (Romans 12:2), our ability to stand firm in our faith SHOULD grow.  

 

See also biblical references to "not shaken". 

 

My Prayer: Lord, You are truth and light in world of darkness...without You I would be lost.  Thank You for being my light, my God, my Lord and Savior.  I am not worth Your love because I continue to worry far too much.  Please forgive me Jesus and 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 her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo. 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.

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.

Psalm 119

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. v147-148

Just as Moses was leading the Israelites into the promised land, he passes on a message to them, encouraging them to "[l]ove the Lord the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength":

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Daily study and prayer are critical spiritual disciplines - see posts here. Through these disciplines, we better understand God, His character, and His attributes.  We better know His will for our lives.  We are protected, encouraged, etc.  The more we know about God, the more we will love Him, for He is a great God.

My Prayer: Lord You are without a doubt a great God and without You I would be lost.  Thank You for Your guidance and Your many, many blessings.  I am not worth these blessings and Your love but You provide them anyway - Thank You Jesus.  My worry and stress continues to be a part of my life so please forgive me Jesus and 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.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  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.

Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.

Psalm 119

Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path. v127-128

God protects us from sin just as He did with Jesus in the wilderness.

Your statutes are wonderful;
    therefore I obey them.
The unfolding of your words gives light;
    it gives understanding to the simple.
I open my mouth and pant,
    longing for your commands.
Turn to me and have mercy on me,
    as you always do to those who love your name.
Direct my footsteps according to your word;
    let no sin rule over me. v129-133

Rick Warren reminds us that everyone needs light, both physical and spiritual.  Jesus is that light.  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the light of my life...You direct my footsteps, give me understanding, and so much more...thank You for being my God!  I can do no good things without You.  I am desperate for You.  I need You for forgiveness as my worry persists.  Please forgive me.  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 her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  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. 

I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.

Psalm 119

I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. v125

I know that " [e]very good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17), including faith, and wisdom.  Yet we cannot access this wisdom without taking the time to read/study God's Word and to be in prayer...and we must do both of these spiritual disciplines daily. 

 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

Give us each day our daily bread. Luke 11:3

Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors[.] Proverbs 8:34

 

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

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an incredible God You are that give me wisdom in difficult circumstances...every day, all day.  Without You I would be lost - You are truly a "lamp unto my feet" and "apart from You I would have no good thing"!  Thank You Jesus.  Yet I am not worth these blessings as I separate myself from You with my sin - worry, stress, distraction, etc.  Please forgive me for these sins and help me overcome and turn from my sins towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and 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.  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 are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

Psalm 119

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. v114

Where is my hope?  Too often I place my hope in financial security, or in my own abilities, or on the actions of others.  Instead I should place all of my hope in God.  He is the only one who can do anything, at any time.  He is all knowing.  And His motives are pure - He loves me and He promises me that He will never harm me and that He will "prosper" me  and to give me "hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).  And God always keeps His promises (Luke 1:37).

What an awesome God we have!

My Prayer: Lord You are my hope and my shield.  You encourage and protect me from harm - thank You Jesus these blessings and many more!  I am undeserving of such blessings - I worry far too much.  That I do it at all is a sin.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin.  Help me 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.  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. 

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.

Psalm 119

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. v97

I posted about scripture memorization last week, and today's verses reinforce the importance of this spiritual discipline.  "Meditating" or reflecting on God's Word all day long blesses us in many ways as stated the verses that follow:

Your commands are always with me
    and make me wiser than my enemies.

 I have more insight than all my teachers,
    for I meditate on your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders,
    for I obey your precepts.
I have kept my feet from every evil path
    so that I might obey your word.
I have not departed from your laws,
    for you yourself have taught me.
How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey to my mouth!I gain understanding from your precepts;
    therefore I hate every wrong path. 

Your word is a lamp for my feet,

    a light on my path. v98-105

When we read and study God's Word, we better understand God, His power and love, His character, and His attributes.  The more I understand God, the more likely I will be able to understand His will for my life (Romans 12:2).  What a great God we have!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I love You - the more I know about You the more my love for You grows. I know I need You in my life - badly.  I can do no good thing without You.  I would be lost without You.  Thank You for being a lamp unto my feet.  You bless me well beyond what I deserve - my words of thanks are insufficient for what You do for me.  I need Your forgiveness and protection.  Forgive me for being distracted by the things of this world - by my worry.  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 her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  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.

Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures.

Psalm 119

Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. v90

In this world, the earthly realm, people and things come and go - we should not place our faith and trust in them.  Yet we do, we idolize people, ourselves, things, etc. However, God has no equal in terms of His power, his knowledge, and His love.  He loves us and He is faithful and trustworthy like no other.  

Lord, you are my God;

I will exalt you and praise your name,

for in perfect faithfulness

you have done wonderful things,

things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19

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 1:17

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2

 My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God - incomparable in power, knowledge, and love...and my words are insufficient for how great You are. I need You desperately Jesus.  Thank You for the many blessings You pour out for me - I am not worthy.  Please forgive me for my worry and my laziness.  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 Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  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.

How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors?

Psalm 119

How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors? v84

I often see the behavior of others, particularly in the context of what they may do to me, and judge others, hoping that perhaps God will intervene to punish them.  Yet judgement is not mine - it is God's and it will come to all, including believers.


Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.  Revelation 22:11-12

There is both comfort (that ultimately perfect judgement from God awaits) and fear (a good fear - one that breeds respect of God's sovereignty and power) in these verses.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are!  You are perfect in all ways, all of the time!  I am nothing without You as I know apart from You I can do no good things and You provide for my every need.  Thank You Jesus!  I love You Jesus and I am desperate for You as I am broken.  I worry and I am easily distracted by the things of this world.  Please forgive me and help me turn from 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.  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.

Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.

Psalm 119

Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. v73

I know that "all good and perfect gifts come from above" (James 1:17).

Psalm 24 says: 

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it[.] v1

Here in Psalm 119, the implication is that that knowledge (head understanding) and wisdom (heart understanding) comes from God.

See also Job 28 and Proverbs 2. 

BTW...faith itself is also a gift from God.

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. Ephesians 2:8-9

My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God and it is incredible to watch You work - You created all things, are in all things, and hold things together.  All good and perfect gifts come from You including faith itself.  I know You love me and I cannot fully comprehend the depth of Your love.  Thank You Jesus for Your love.  I am not worthy of such love.  I continue to be distracted by things of this world - please forgive me Jesus and 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 of chemo.  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 from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

Psalm 119

The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. v72

This is not the only place in the Bible where God's word is referred to as valuable and the implication is that we should be using the Bible to invest in our lives. 

And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times. Psalm 12:6

 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

 

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:3

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and I love You!  You and Your Word ARE more valuable that silver and gold - many times so!  I know that without You and Your Word and can do no good thing and all good and perfect gifts come from above, from You.  I am blessed with gifts from You beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus.  Yet I need Your forgiveness because I continue to worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and 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 her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.

Psalm 119

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. v71

Pain, suffering, and hurt is always difficult, but it is during these times when we can see the goodness of God.  For me, God has used these times to purify me of my sin, to discipline, and to train me so that I can become more like Him.

My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Hebrews 12:5-6

 

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4

 

 See also posts here and here.

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus what an amazing God!  I deserve death, yet You are compassionate and patient with me, sparing me and instead training me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and compassion.  Please forgive me and help me turn from such sin and turn towards You instead.  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.  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.

At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws.

Psalm 119

At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws. v62 

Daily study and reflection on God's word is His desire for us.  He wants a relationship with us, and He commands us (Matthew 22:37-40) "to love Him with all of our heart, soul, and mind".  For us to honestly love God, we must KNOW Him.  As I posted here, scripture memorization is key and many believe it is the most critical practice we can undertake to know God and His character and all of His attributes.

We must believe that God is our daily sustenance and that we cannot live without Him.

See also verse 57: "You are my portion".

Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. Psalm 16:5

We must depend on God - exactly like the Israelites relied on God in Exodus 16 when God provided manna to eat:

Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’” Exodus 16:12

See also Matthew 6:9-15:

 
“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

My Prayer: Lord You are a great God able to provide for ALL of my needs - I know with my head understanding that all good gifts come from above - from You.  Yet with my heart I become distracted by cares of this world.  Thank You that You love me but 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 and the side effects from chemo.  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.

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

Psalm 119

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. v37

I often find myself being distracted by things of this world.  It is not wrong to enjoy the comforts of this world or to depend on people or things in this world, but we cannot let people or things get in the way of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

In posted the following earlier this year:


In Matthew 8, Jesus responds to a disciple that sought to attend to his family instead of focusing on God: 

Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”  But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Matthew 8:21-22

The primacy of our relationship with Jesus vs our earthly relationships is supported elsewhere in scripture:

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him.  A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” 

“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:31-35

 

Our relationship with God is the most important aspect of our lives, and we are encouraged to surround ourselves with others who act as such.

 

From Psalm 1 we are encouraged to cultivate an ongoing relationship with God - day and night:

 

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.  Not so the wicked!  They are like chaff that the wind blows away.  Therefore the wicked will not stand 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 destruction.

 

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are, You created all things, are in all things, hold all things together.  You have blessed me well beyond what I deserve - thank You Jesus for the overwhelming love You pour out for me on a daily basis.  I am not worth such love and blessings.  I am easily distracted by the things of this world - 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.  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.

Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.

Psalm 119

Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. v34

I do want understanding...I don't want to just read the words of the Bible and walk away without understanding - in both an absolute sense (head understanding) and a personal sense (heart understanding; or what is God saying specifically to me).  I want to understand God's character and His attributes.  I want to be in relationship and conversation with God.  Jesus is my personal Lord savior who is worthy of my full devotion and attention. 

And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times. Psalm 12:6

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God and Your words ARE valuable to me.  I can no good thing apart from You and Your Word.  Yet I often am either lazy in spending time with You, too easily distracted by the patterns of this world, etc.  Thank You for Your Word and for spending time with me, and for being so full of patience and compassion.  I am not worthy of such love.  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 the side effects from chemo.  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.  

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. v11

In Romans 12:2, Paul tells us that we should "not conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of the mind".  We are to do this not just to "test and approve what God’s will is", but also to protect ourselves from sin and temptation.  In Matthew 4 and Luke 4, Jesus protects himself from sin and temptation by recalling scripture from memory.  

A post here by John Piper and here by Rick Warren encourage me to focus more of my energies on scriptural memorization.  Both posts are great reads.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God worthy of my full attention and all of my energies.  You are all powerful, all knowing...and You love me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worthy of such love.  I am easily distracted by things of this world.  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 from chemo.  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 stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone...

Psalm 118

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone...v22

 Jesus is also prophesied in verse 15 with the reference "right hand of God".  Go here for where Jesus is referred to as the "right hand of God" in the New Testament.
 
Prophecies of Jesus are important because:
- they reinforce the case that Jesus is God because He is written about hundreds of years earlier then His birth; He is the Messiah written about and anticipated.
- they connect the Old and the New Testament and reinforce that You cannot read one without the other; together they comprise a single writing of God's Word

Of course there may be other reasons for why prophecies of Jesus are important. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I KNOW that You are God.  Not just because You were anticipated and written about but because I have experienced Your power as my personal Lord and savior.  Thank You Jesus for the many blessings You pour out for me and for pouring out Your blood for me.  I am not worth such love.  I worry...I have harsh thoughts and actions.  Please forgive me and 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 and the side effects from chemo.  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.