Promise for Today - Our Own Lives

1. I love you, O Lord, my strength. 

2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
Psalm 18:1-3 ESV

Three verses. Three powerful, defining verses of who David believed God to be.

1. Lord
2. Strength
3. Rock
4. Fortress
5. Deliverer
6. God
7. Refuge
8. Shield
9. Horn of my salvation
10. Stronghold

11. Worthy to be praised

Do we believe God is all these things? Yeah, but do we believe God is all these things in OUR own lives?

Prayer:

Father,
            Help us to see past and get past the hurts and history of our lives to rejoice in the redemption of our lives which You have provided. Let our lives be living testimonies of You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Psalm 62 - A Calm Resolve to Wait for the Salvation of God

Only in God do I find rest; my salvation comes from Him.
Only God is my Rock and my Salvation— my Stronghold!—I won’t be shaken anymore.

How long will all of you attack others; how long will you tear them down as if they were leaning walls or broken-down fences? The only desire of this people is to bring others down low; they delight in deception.  With their mouths they bless, but inside they are cursing. Selah

Oh, I must find rest in God only, because my hope comes from Him! Only God is my Rock and my Salvation — my Stronghold! — I will not be shaken.

My deliverance and glory depend on God. God is my strong rock. My refuge is in God. All you people: Trust in Him at all times! Pour out your hearts before Him! God is our refuge! Selah

Human beings are nothing but a breath. Human beings are nothing but lies. They don’t even register on a scale; taken all together they are lighter than a breath! Don’t trust in violence; don’t set false hopes in robbery. When wealth bears fruit, don’t set your heart on it.

God has spoken one thing— make it two things— that I myself have heard: that strength belongs to God, and faithful love comes from You, my Lord— and that You will repay everyone according to their deeds. Psalm 62 Common English Bible

Prayer:

Father,

          So let it be written. So let it be done. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Movers and Shakers

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.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.
Psalm 62:5-7 NLT

The world is full of movers and shakers - people who specifically set out to get things done. And they will move and/or shake whoever and whatever to make it happen. I must admit, at times I am a little envious of them because I don't think 'slip and slide' has the same connotation as 'move and shake'. However, not all movers and shakers are a good thing. Some are steam rollers meant to take you out or make you a mover and a shaker - moving you out of the way and shaking with fear! 

However, yesterday I heard a great exhortation - Hold the Line! It doesn't matter what comes against you. Hold the Line! It doesn't matter what the world throws at you or what you're losing or who is leaving you or what bill needs to be paid or what the doctor said - HOLD THE LINE! If God is our Rock, how can we be moved?

Psalm 46:1-4 reads, God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Be the living epitome of 1st Corinthians 15:58 - Be stedfast, unmoveable! 

There will always be movers and shakers - good and bad. Don't be moved - In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

Prayer:

Father, 
         My soul will wait silently for You alone, For my expectation is from You. You only are my rock and my salvation; You are my defense; I shall not be moved. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Sink No Further *

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…

Isaiah 43:1b-3a NKJV

My friend had her house leveled. The house was built on top of piers and those piers have sunk as far as they can, down to the solid rock foundation. They will sink no further. It turns out that my friend has hoped and prayed that her house was built on piers, so that was incredibly good news!!

And her good news is a direct result of THE Good News. When she told me this story, it hit me as such a picture of the goodness and mercy of the Lord. The last few years, she has been building her life on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ. Matthew 7:24-25 reads, Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.

The storms of life come. That’s just the way it is. In our text for today, God doesn’t say IF you pass through the waters, or IF you walk through the fire. The Scripture states WHEN you do. And WHEN we do, He WILL be with us… Christ our Rock, our sure foundation, so we’ll sink no further.

Prayer:

Father,

         Your Word is as solid as it gets. Help us to hear and comprehend and then to stand on it. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen