The Righteous WILL Give Thanks...

 I said to the LORD: "You are my God;

Hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation,

You have covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked;

Do not further his wicked scheme,

Lest they be exalted.

Selah

I know that the LORD will maintain

The cause of the afflicted,

And justice for the poor.

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;

The upright shall dwell in Your presence.—Psalm 140:6-8;12-13

Amen!  Such a perfect prayer for the times we are facing today as a nation!  Do not grant the desires of the wicked, Father!  Do not allow their evil scheme to prosper. Overthrow and confound them.  Let them be cast into the fire...into deep pits that they rise not up again!  

Here is the thing...

While I do pray that evil would be revealed and not allowed to prosper, I am nevertheless comforted that my God WILL maintain the cause of the afflicted.  Justice WILL come.  The righteous WILL give thanks to God. No matter what happens here on earth, we who believe, WILL dwell in His presence both now and forever. THAT is good news. Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ!

But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice,  8 and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness. 

9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 

10 And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.  (Psalms 9:7-10, ESV)

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us.

Selah

God has spoken once,

Twice I have heard this:

power belongs to God.

12 Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;

For You render to each one according to his work.—Psalms 62:8; 11-12

Taking Comfort in Being Known by God...

 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.—Psalm 139:23-24

As a younger Christian I literally winced when I prayed this kind of searching prayer.  My heart really didn’t want to know.  I was afraid of the increased trials that might come my way in order to refine and purify my heart.  There were also probably things in my life that maybe I wasn’t quite ready to give up or to put under His scrutinizing eye.  I am now pretty much a search and scrutinize away kinda person.  Lord...show me my sin...I WANT to know when I am in the wrong and not walking according to Your commandments.  My heart takes comfort in knowing my God sees me...all of me.  The good, the bad and the ugly. 

I am greatly comforted that He knows every one of my thoughts...that He watches over me and is ALWAYS with me.  I am me, and I often don’t understand me!   I am so grateful that HE does.  He knows the way I take.  He leads me.  His plans for me are good.  I want to walk in the right way.  I don’t want to have to go the long way around.  I want to go in the “way everlasting”...the way that is pleasing to God and profitable for me.  The way that ends in awaking in His likeness and living in His Presence forever.  

You Will...

 In the day when I cried out, You answered me,

And made me bold with strength in my soul.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;

You will stretch out Your hand

Against the wrath of my enemies,

And Your right hand will save me.

The LORD will perfect that which concerns me;—Psalm 138:1a; 3;7-8

Lord...I will praise You with everything I have...when I cry out you WILL answer...You Will make me bold with strength in my soul.  Oh how I love this Psalm.  How I love Your word to me, Father.

You WILL revive me...

You WILL stretch out Your hand against my enemies wrath...

You right hand WILL save me....

You WILL perfect that which concerns me...

Oh, Father give me this kind of confidence.  Increase my faith.  You are powerful and Your works are wonderful.

‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.—Jeremiah 32:17

My God is big...my God is powerful.  My God does MIGHTY AND AWESOME things....AND HE HAS POWER OVER ALL. 

The waters WILL NOT overflow me and You my God will be with me. You WILL perform all things for me and make all that concerns me perfect.

Help me to be like Joshua today who magnified the Lord to those around him and in so doing, strengthened and encouraged their faith. 

And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."--Joshua 4:5

The Just Shall Live by Faith...

 "Behold the proud,

His soul is not upright in him;

But the just shall live by his faith—Habakkuk 2:4

“The just shall live by his faith”.  There is much in this verse to think about.  What jumped off the page for me this morning were the beautiful truths of Romans 5:1-2 and Ephesians 2:8. Grace and faith go together.  Faith is our access to His grace...the proud trust in themselves but the righteous live depending on God.  By grace we are saved, through faith.  

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.—Romans 5:1-2

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.—Ephesians 2:8

The first result of our justification is that we are reconciled to God.  We are no longer His enemies. By grace, God has declared us, the believing sinner, righteous. We stand permanently and securely in God’s favor...in unmerited grace.  Our destiny is to share in the very glory of God.  This hope is certain.  Christ has secured it.  Through faith in Him, we have access to this grace in which we stand. 

We are not only saved through faith but are also to live by faith. 1 John 5:4 tells us our faith is the victory that has overcome the world.  We live, then, moment by moment, believing God’s word and obeying it, receiving. We (as believers) can now come boldly to His throne of grace that we may find mercy and obtain grace to help us in our time of need.  Because we stand securely in His grace, through our faith, we can live in His Presence and experience and exult in the displays of His excellence and power in our lives. 

Warren Wiersbe says this about living by faith.  I found it very helpful. 

“To live by faith means to believe God’s Word and obey it no matter how we feel, what we see, or what the consequences may be. This is illustrated in Hebrews 11, the famous “by faith” chapter of the Bible. The men and women mentioned in that chapter were ordinary people, but they accomplished extraordinary things because they trusted God and did what He told them to do. It has well been said that faith is not believing in spite of evidence; it’s obeying in spite of consequence, resting on God’s faithfulness.”

Ending with a beautiful quote from Spurgeon...

“Faith occupies the position of a channel or conduit pipe. Grace is the fountain and the stream; faith is the aqueduct along which the flood of mercy flows down to refresh the thirsty sons of men. It is a great pity when the aqueduct is broken. It is a sad sight to see around Rome the many noble aqueducts which no longer convey water into the city, because the arches are broken and the marvelous structures are in ruins. The aqueduct must be kept entire to convey the current; and, even so, faith must be true and sound, leading right up to God and coming right down to ourselves, that it may become a serviceable channel of mercy to our souls.”

The Mountains Quake Before Him...

 The LORD has His way

In the whirlwind and in the storm,

And the clouds are the dust of His feet.

4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry,

And dries up all the rivers.

Bashan and Carmel wither,

And the flower of Lebanon wilts.

5 The mountains quake before Him,

The hills melt,

And the earth heaves at His presence,

Yes, the world and all who dwell in it.—Nahum 1:3-5

He delivered me from my strong enemy,

From those who hated me,

For they were too strong for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

But the LORD was my support.

19 He also brought me out into a broad place;

He delivered me because He delighted in me.—Psalm 18:17-19

Verses like the ones above me remind me that I have no reason for fear.  Perfect love is mine. I have a very big, limitless, all-powerful God, who is all knowing and everywhere present, living in me.  My God is eternal and needs nothing.  He is perfect.  He is immutable.  Most importantly, He is on my side...MY GOD IS FOR ME. 

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

The God that Nahum speaks of here in this first chapter is a God who is holy and jealous, who will punish the wicked and avenge those who are His. Nineveh had been shown mercy when they repented at the preaching of Jonah. The time for mercy, however, was over.  The time for justice had arrived.  Verse 7 is my favorite...a refuge and respite for those who are His. 

The LORD is good,

A stronghold in the day of trouble;

And He knows those who trust in Him.—Nahum 1:7

Contrasting it to verse 8:

But with an overflowing flood

He will make an utter end of its place,

And darkness will pursue His enemies.—Nahum 1:8

They brought to mind the inspired words of Paul in Romans 11, reminding us “to consider the goodness and the severity of God.”  

Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness.—Romans 11:22

“But toward you, goodness.” ❤️ The nations are as a drop in the bucket to my God who works all things together for my good and His glory. Truly, I can leave ALL in His sovereign hand. 

My God is compassionate..a mighty fortress to those who place their hope in Him.   I don’t  have to live my life in fear.  He is my refuge.  I walk securely in Him.  

God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear,

Even though the earth be removed,

And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,

Though the mountains shake with its swelling.—Psalm 46:1-3

What Does the LORD Require of You?

 He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?—Micah 6:8

My God doesn’t want my outward obedience, HE WANTS ME...MY HEART...ALL THAT I AM. He wants my worship of Him to be from my inner man in accordance with the truth of His word and centered on His Son because He and the Father are One. 

He desires the pre-eminence in my life.  I can bring nothing to Him acceptable except empty hands and a heart filled with love and gratitude for what He has done for me.  When my heart is committed my actions will follow.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.—Romans 12:1-2

As I wrote the above my heart began singing the words of this song by Micah Stampley...

Holiness Holiness is What I Long For

Brokeness, brokeness is what I long for

Brokeness is what I need

Brokeness, brokeness is what You want

From me, for me.

So, take my heart and mold it

Take my mind and transform it

Take my will and conform it

To Yours, to Yours, oh, Lord—

Father, I want this too!  May my outward conduct reflect my inward love for You.  Not by might, not by power but my my Spirit, says the Lord...

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;

You do not delight in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

A broken and a contrite heart—

These, O God, You will not despise.—Psalm 51:16-17

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.—Psalm 139:23-24

True Wisdom...

 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle:

The man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal:

2 Surely I am more brutish and stupid than any man,

And I do not have the understanding of a man [for I do not know what I do not know].

3 I have not learned [skillful and godly] wisdom,

Nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One [who is the source of wisdom].

4 Who has ascended into heaven and descended?

Who has gathered the wind in His fists?

Who has bound the waters in His garment?

Who has established all the ends of the earth?

What is His name, and what is His Son's name?

Certainly you know!—Proverbs 30:1-4

As I read these verses this morning, I honestly wasn’t sure what to think.  Was Agur, the son of Jakeh, being sarcastic?  Humble? Since he was writing a proverb, I went with humble.  Agur understood that there is no wisdom apart from that which comes from God. Without God, he knew nothing, was nothing and could do nothing. Earthly pursuits are unprofitable when they are pursued as our life’s chief focus and goal instead of God.  

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?—Mark 8:36-37

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.—Joshua 1:8

Beloved, God has placed eternity in the heart of man.  We were created for His glory.  He made us for His eternal purposes.  When we trust His wisdom, His sovereignty and His plan for our life, our leaf shall not wither, and whatever we do will prosper. The book of Philippians says when we live this way, we are filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.  

Agur WAS WISE because he admitted what he could not know.  Would that I would live this way!  

Father....May I live “my” life in utter dependence on You...the One who loved me and  gave Himself for me.   

And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.—1 Corinthians 8:2-3

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.—Proverbs 9:10

Also Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 and also 1 Corinthians Chapter 2 as a good commentary on this.

 

Dwelling Together in Unity...

 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!  (Psalms 133:1, ESV)

The sacrifices that are pleasing to God....

Let brotherly love continue. (Hebrews 13:1, ESV)

Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left." (Genesis 13:8-9 ESV)

Philippians 2:2-5 (KJV)
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, [being] of one accord, of one mind. 3 [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

John 13:35 (KJV)
35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

1 Corinthians 1:10 (KJV)
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Ephesians 4:3-6 (KJV)
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all.

1 John 3:14-19 (KJV)
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

You Are Worthy, O Lord!

 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”—Revelation 4:9-11

Worthiness is ALL of Him!  The twenty four elders who represent all the redeemed of God, throw their victory crowns back at His feet because all their achievements point back to Him and are from Him.  Without Him we can do nothing.  I like the KJV of verse 11 best. It reads:

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

It reminds me that I was created by Him for His pleasure.  My life is not my own.  It belongs to Him who sits on the throne and lives forever and ever.  

Have Thine own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Thou art the potter I am the clay

Mold me and make me after Thy will

While I am waiting yielded and still

Have Thine own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Search me and try me Master today

Whiter than snow Lord wash me just now

As in Thy presence humbly I bow

Have Thine own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Hold over my being absolute sway

Filled with Thy spirit till all can see

Christ only always living in me

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Pollard Stebbins

Have Thine Own Way, Lord lyrics © Hope Publishing Company

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1, ESV)

For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.  The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.  (Psalms 33:9-11, ESV)

"Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. (Acts 14:15, ESV)

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, (Ephesians 1:11, ESV)

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!"  (Revelation 5:11-12,  ESV)

Out of the Depths...

 Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD;

2 Lord, hear my voice!

Let Your ears be attentive

To the voice of my supplications.

3 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with You,

That You may be feared.

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,

And in His word I do hope.

6 My soul waits for the Lord

More than those who watch for the morning—

Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the LORD;

For with the LORD there is mercy,

And with Him is abundant redemption.

8 And He shall redeem Israel

From all his iniquities.—Psalm 130

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD." “Lord, hear my voice!”  

These two verses brought great comfort to my heart this morning.  No matter where I am, no matter what I am facing, I can pray.  Whether I am in the depths of soul deep despair or on the heights of Mt Hermon, I can express my heart to Him who does all things well and who makes my way perfect. My help comes from God, who made heaven and earth.  I can leave ALL my cares with Him who hears me when I cry. I am heard and that is all I really desire.  I can trust Him to answer according to His perfect and infinite wisdom.  The depths won’t swallow me...my God is for me and He knows what is best. He hears my cries of faith and will act and answer for my good and His glory.  From everlasting to everlasting, You are God. 

But as for me, my prayer is to You,

O LORD, in the acceptable time;

O God, in the multitude of Your mercy,

Hear me in the truth of Your salvation.—Psalm 69:13

Bow down Your ear, O LORD, hear me;

For I am poor and needy.

2 Preserve my life, for I am holy;

You are my God;

Save Your servant who trusts in You!

3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,

For I cry to You all day long.

4 Rejoice the soul of Your servant,

For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,

And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;

And attend to the voice of my supplications.

7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,

For You will answer me.—Psalm 86:1-7

The pangs of death surrounded me,

And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;

The snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called upon the LORD,

And cried out to my God;

He heard my voice from His temple,

And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.—Ps 18:4-6

He sent from above, He took me;

He drew me out of many waters.

17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,

From those who hated me,

For they were too strong for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

But the LORD was my support.

19 He also brought me out into a broad place;

He delivered me because He delighted in me.—Ps 18:16-19

Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him

For the help of His countenance.—Psalm 42:5b