I Have Instructed You Today…Even You

 17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,

And apply your heart to my knowledge;

18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;

Let them all be fixed upon your lips,

19 So that your trust may be in the LORD;

I have instructed you today, even you.

20 Have I not written to you excellent things

Of counsels and knowledge,

21 That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth,

That you may answer words of truth

To those who send to you?—Proverbs 22:17-21

The Lord speaks to us through Solomon here…I have instructed you today, even you.  That got my attention this morning. What does He tell us to do so that our trust may be in the Lord? Read 17-19 again. 

17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,

And apply your heart to my knowledge;

18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;

Let them all be fixed upon your lips,

19 So that your trust may be in the LORD;

Pretty simple…

He goes on to remind me (and you) that He has written to us excellent things of counsels and knowledge that we might know the certainty of the words of truth.  Wow…

Beloved…God has given us all we need in His word.  It will answer every question, calm every fear, comfort every grief and turn away every doubt.  Hide His word within your heart. Fill your soul with the Bread that comes down from heaven and eat what is good. 

1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts,

Come to the waters;

And you who have no money,

Come, buy and eat.

Yes, come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without price.

2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.

Hear, and your soul shall live;—Isaiah 55:1-3

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;

9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold,

Yea, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,

And in keeping them there is great reward.—Psalm 19:7-11

And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.—John 20:30-31

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them." 6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, "'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."—Romans 10:5-13

It is Good to Give Thanks to the Lord…

 It is good to give thanks to the LORD,

And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;

2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,

And Your faithfulness every night,—Psalm 92:1-2

Today as I read these verses the prophet Daniel came to mind because Scripture tells me that when Daniel wanted to do something he purposed in his heart ahead of time to do it.

Similarly, I want to be intentional with giving thanks to God, with praising Him, with declaring His lovingkindness in the morning and speaking the testimony of His faithfulness to me at night. How perfect to begin each day by being reminded and assured of His love and end the day by looking back on His faithfulness. 

Here is the thing…The Spirit of God tells us to do these things not because God needs our praise, but because doing this helps us because it encourages our faith.  As I regale my God (and my own heart) with the specifics of His love and faithfulness toward me that day,  I create what I call a rainbow path behind me that serves to bolster me and keep me from falling (and fearing) when my faith inevitably falters in times of testing.  In short, I need the reminders!  

Beloved…It is good to praise and give thanks.  It is good to declare His lovingkindness each morning and His faithfulness at night.

Father, Your lovingkindness is always before my eyes!  Your graces toward me are steadfast and sure and as numerous as the the sand on the seashore.  By Your Spirit who lives within me, help me to see them and offer to You a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for each one.  Looking at me as I go about my day, causes my heart to sink and lose perspective...Help me to instead, look to You and remember your continual gifts of grace.  

Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.—1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.—John 1:16

Praise the LORD!

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD?

Who can declare all His praise?—Psalm 106:1-2

In My Insufficiency…

 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."—Romans 8:15

14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him,

And show him My salvation.”—Psalm 91:14-16

Daily, it seems, that the proverbial rug is being pulled out from under my feet. My heart at times literally shakes in fear.  How do I respond?  How do I choose to live?  In my insufficiency, I look up. My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  By His Spirit of grace, I respond in faith and cling to my God. 

A might fortress is our God!  The Spirit of God is the Spirit of adoption, who gives us the right to cry out "Abba, Father!" 

Beloved…God's perfect love for us casts out fear and builds for us an unassailable fortress of security. If the living God and creator of all things treats us as and calls us His beloved sons and daughters, how are we going to come to any harm?

If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us—Romans 8:31-34

The God of the Universe speaks in verses 14-16 of Psalm 91 outlining the blessing that will come to those who cling to Him in love. He will not only be our companion in times of trouble and deliver us, but He will also provide for us, protect us, honor us and show us His salvation. 

  

Oh Father…my heart wants to follow hard after You…to honor You with my trust and my obedience.  By Your Spirit, Father, make this desire a reality.  I want You…I want Your truth to permeate every aspect of my being and my life.  Fill me with Your fullness!  You way, O God, is perfect and Your word proven. You are a shield to all who place their trust in You.  You will provide for me, protect me, be my companion in times of trouble, deliver me and honor me. With long life You will satisfy me and show me Your salvation.

Keep me as the apple of Your eye;

Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,—Psalm 17:8

As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;

I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.—Psalm 17:15

O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;

You maintain my lot.

6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Yes, I have a good inheritance.

7 I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel;

My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

8 I have set the LORD always before me;

Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will rest in hope.

10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

11 You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.—Psalm 16:5-11

Who Will Deliver Me?

 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.—Romans 7:14-24

There is much dispute in regard to exactly who Paul is referring to in this portion of Romans 7.  (Believer, Unbeliever, Carnal Christian, Legalist) I am of the opinion that since Paul uses the personal pronoun “I” he is speaking of himself as a believer who loves His Lord but struggles in his flesh to do the right thing. I, for one, am so glad that the Spirit of God through the godly Apostle Paul included this passage in Scripture.  My heart resonates with each and every thought. Paul’s honesty as he writes about his struggles encourage and help me to be open and transparent with my own sin.  It is such a comfort to know that Paul experienced the very same things I experience in my own walk with my Lord. 

The closer I draw to God the more I see just how very far I fall short of His righteous standard.  Looking at that positively, the more I see just how far I fall short, the more I see my need for Christ.  And that is such a good thing.  The best part of this passage, however, is that after Romans 7 comes Romans 8 whose first verse lightens my heart and makes it rejoice and sing!

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,—Romans 8:1a

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.—Romans 8:31-34

In Christ, I am forgiven. Truly where sin abounds, God’s grace abounds much more!  O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Abiding Under the Shadow of the Almighty…

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”--Psalm 91:1-2

Our example for these verses has got to be Jesus Himself.  He lived His life here on earth in absolute unbroken communion with His Father in Heaven depending on Him completely to do the work that He was called to do. He did nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but only did and spoke those things that His Father in Heaven directed Him to do or say. He committed Himself utterly and completely to His Father.  Truly He dwelt in the secret place of the Most High!!  By faith, choose God as your refuge.  In Him, in Christ we will find all that we need not only for this life but we also find the promise of the next.  

As I read these two verses I wondered where the secret place of the Most High God was...I had an idea but there is nothing like looking through Scripture and allowing the interpretation to come through the word.  Here is what I found. The secret place of the Most High God is in His presence.  Read Psalm 31:20.

You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; 

The secret place is in the very presence of God...the Holy of Holies...the Mercy Seat...the throne room of our Father in Heaven.  This is where our God hides us.  Hebrews says our access  is by faith and that we can come boldly to His throne that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. That is where we will find our help!  That is where we will find our rest, our strength and our peace...where Hebrews also says we find our strong consolation and lay hold of the hope set before us...in Him.  David speaks to this also saying this in Psalm 27.

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. For in the time of trouble  In the secret place of His tabernacle  He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. He shall hide me in His pavilion;--Psalm 27:4-5

The Psalmist deepest desire was to dwell in the house of the Lord and to live for His purposes...to spend time with God in communion, inquiring of Him and gazing upon His beauty and wondrous attributes. Do as David did and  hide yourselves in the tabernacle of God.

AND if you are dwelling in the secret place of the Most High then you are under the shadow of His wings.  The wings of the cherubim covered the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies and the Shekinah glory cloud hovered over the mercy seat.  It is there that you are sheltered...in the very presence of God.  

For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 

You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you.  And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, ..." --Exodus 25:22

The Lord told Moses in Exodus 33:14 that His presence would go with Him and that He would give Him rest.  God went before the Israelites on their journey through the wilderness in a pillar of cloud by day and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.  When the cloud moved, they moved...when the cloud stopped...they stopped.  He was always with them...

In Him, the Bible tells us, we live and move and have our being. He is our covering...He is the Becoming One...He becomes whatever we need!  We (ME!) have Him  living inside. This treasure lives in our earthen vessel.  Whether we live or die, we are with Him. 

Beloved…meditate on this.  If you believe, this is your reality.  He, the God of the Universe, dwells inside each one of you.  You can commune with Him always...praying unceasingly.   Feeling desolate and alone..His presence is with you.  Feeling confused and unsure or in need of guidance...He is your truth and speaks to you through His word.   Feeling unworthy...He died for you...He is your life.  Feeling frightened...He is your peace and your rock.  Feeling grief and sadness...He is your comfort. Feeling weak...He becomes your strength.  Feeling attacked and persecuted...He is your strong tower and goes before you.  Pray and ask Him to increase your faith to live out your life in His presence. Your God, does go with you...wait on Him and walk with Him in perfect communion.  Commit yourself to Him...Lift up your soul to Him.  Make God your habitation and take refuge under the shelter of His wings and abide in His perfect love.  

The promises to those who take shelter in Him are powerful and many! Read them and be encouraged! 

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. --Psalm 27:5

You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah --Psalm 32-7

For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah--Psalm 61:3-4

 

Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,--Psalm 17:8

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.  For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.--Psalm 36:7-9

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me.--Psalm 57:1-2

then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.--Isaiah 4:5-6

  

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.--Psalm 18:2

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.--Psalm 46:1

 Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress.--Psalm 71:3

 I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, "You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. --Psalm 142:5

The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, 'Destroy!' --Deuteronomy 33:27

My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah --Psalm 62:5-8

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; 'For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.' " --Isaiah 12:2

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength. --Isaiah 26:3

Five Encouraging Lessons from the Book of Esther…

 Esther 6:1-3 (NKJV) That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. Then the king said, "What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?" And the king's servants who attended him said, "Nothing has been done for him."

Centuries before Esther, King Saul had disobeyed the Lord by failing to execute His judgment on Agag and his people. While Samuel had been the one to comply with God’s command in light of Saul’s rebellion, the Agagites themselves survived.

One of Agag’s far-flung descendants, Haman, plotted to annihilate the Jews in Persia, motivated solely by pride and hatred of Mordecai, Esther’s uncle and guardian.  Mordecai’s offense: failing to acknowledge Haman’s lofty position in Ahasuerus’ court. The King fully supported Haman’s genocidal scheme. At the prompting of Haman’s equally vicious wife, and in furtherance of his insane enmity against Mordecai, he plotted to commence the genocide by having Mordecai hung on a gallows he ordered built on his own property.

That very same night, Ahasuerus had insomnia, and he “just so happened” to order the records from five or so years before to be brought to him for his review. And the next day, Haman “happened” to be the first to arrive at court that morning, and was forced to render honor to his sworn enemy, Mordecai, in ways that he  had suggested to the King, thinking that he wanted to honor Haman himself. In a “surprising twist”, shortly thereafter, Haman was hung on the very gallows he had constructed for Mordecai.

Although God is not mentioned in the Book of Esther, His will and purposes are clearly evident throughout. I take 5 encouraging lessons from the events in Esther, exemplified by the passage above.

 1.It is clear that what the wicked mean for evil God can and does use for good.

 2.The plots and schemes of the rulers of this world, however powerful they may believe themselves to be, cannot stand against our Sovereign and Holy Lord.

 3.Oftentimes the weightier the threat against God’s people, the more spectacular His deliverance.

 4.There are no accidents or happenstance in God’s providential rule over all time and space.

 5.More often than not, God works His will behind the scenes according to His perfect timing and in ways that we may never know on this side of eternity.

Haman thought he was in charge. So did King Ahausuerus. They were both so very wrong. Haman lusted after the destruction of God’s people. He and his family were destroyed instead. It was more than a little ironic that he was executed on the gallows of his own making.

Imagine the dread and horror of the Jews anticipating their annihilation. Imagine their joy when rescue came so unexpectedly and from such a surprising source; a young Jewish woman held captive in the court of a powerful monarch.

God’s grace and mercy changes everything.  I want with my whole heart to be like David when he cried out in Psalms 56:3… 

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

Devotional by Bill…

Him Who Justifies the Ungodly…

 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,—Romans 4:1-5

Romans 4 was part of my Thru the Bible reading plan this morning.  Verse 5 was my favorite because in it Paul gave me a new description of God:

"Him who justifies the ungodly."

Our God does not wait for us to become godly, or righteous on our own apart from Him, before welcoming us into His family. Because of our faith in Jesus, God justifies us in spite of our sinfulness. How gracious!  How AWESOME.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!  

Reminds me of the God Who Stays, a song by Matthew West.

You're the God who stays

You're the God who stays

You're the one who runs in my direction

When the whole world walks away

You're the God who stands

With wide open arms

And You tell me nothing I have ever done can separate my heart

From the God who stays

My shame can't separate

My guilt can't separate

My past can't separate

I'm Yours forever

My sin can't separate

My scars can't separate

My failures can't separate

I'm Yours forever

No enemy can separate

No power of hell can take away

Your love for me will never change

I'm Yours forever

From Everlasting to Everlasting, You are God…

 1 I cry out to the LORD with my voice;

With my voice to the LORD I make my supplication.

2 I pour out my complaint before Him;

I declare before Him my trouble.

3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,

Then You knew my path.

In the way in which I walk

They have secretly set a snare for me.

4 Look on my right hand and see,

For there is no one who acknowledges me;

Refuge has failed me;

No one cares for my soul.

5 I cried out to You, O LORD:

I said, "You are my refuge,

My portion in the land of the living.

6 Attend to my cry,

For I am brought very low;

Deliver me from my persecutors,

For they are stronger than I.

7 Bring my soul out of prison,

That I may praise Your name;

The righteous shall surround me,

For You shall deal bountifully with me."—Psalm 142

In the midst of trial and trouble, I have found that no greater comfort can be found than in praying through the word of God...especially through the Psalms.  This particular psalm was written when David was in a cave hiding from Saul and his minions.  Now I have never prayed from the depths and the darkness of a cave, but I have been in some very dark places physically, emotionally and spiritually and prayer ALWAYS makes my night season light about me.  Praying brings my soul out of its prison and enlightens my eyes to see my God’s good and sovereign hand on my life. 

This effect of prayer on my heart and my mind doesn’t last forever, nor does it usually  change my circumstances, but it does change me a little more each and every time I lift up my empty and helpless hands to Him.  Prayer for me rights my thinking and makes room for the Spirit of God to transform me more and more into His image. As I behold Him and turn my heart upside down before Him...leaving all of what is poured out in His capable hands...my heart is lightened and my countenance changes. Joy mixed with relief fills my heart, because I remember that I am not sufficient. My God wants to relieve me of my burdens.  He wants me to bring them to Him always. 

What a gift we have in being able to come boldly to His throne of grace to obtain mercy and grace to help in our time of need.  God is for us...He is on our side...He fights for us.  We stand in His grace and favor...He WILL deal bountifully with us.  There is so much in life that is just too big and too hard for me.  My heart can be overwhelmed so easily.  How wonderful to know that He knows my path and the way in which I walk.  My God can and will handle all that comes my way.  I can trust Him in my good times, but I can especially trust Him when my heart is brought low or when refuge has failed me and like the psalmist, I feel that no one cares for my soul.  Oh Lord, I have trusted in Your mercy...Your unfailing, grace giving and never changing love, and I am helped.  

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

2 Before the mountains were brought forth,

Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.—Psalm 90:1-2

O Give Thanks..Psalm 107

 O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;

For His mercy (compassion and lovingkindness) endure forever!—Psalm 107:1 

Such good advice!  Praise the Lord!  BECAUSE no matter what is happening in our lives or in the world…

The LORD is good!  His compassion and lovingkindness toward us as believers endures forever.  

Beloved…the Lord is our joy! 

Read thru Psalm 107 and let the tears of relief and joy flow.  The Lord is on our side. He is merciful…He is kind. He hears the cries of those who belong to Him. He dwells in us and His Presence goes before us. We stand forever in His favor and are destined for glory. 

The Lord is my strength and my song and He has become my salvation. 

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will rest in hope.

10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

11 You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.—Psalm 16:9-11