Psalms for Pilgrims

I lift my eyes to you,
O God, enthroned in heaven.
2 We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy,
just as servants keep their eyes on their master,
as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.
3 Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy,
for we have had our fill of contempt.
4 We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud
and the contempt of the arrogant.
Psalm 123 NLT

1What if the Lord had not been on our side?
Let all Israel repeat:
2 What if the Lord had not been on our side
when people attacked us?
3 They would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger.
4 The waters would have engulfed us;
a torrent would have overwhelmed us.
5 Yes, the raging waters of their fury
would have overwhelmed our very lives.
6 Praise the Lord,
who did not let their teeth tear us apart!
7 We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap.
The trap is broken, and we are free!
8 Our help is from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 124 NLT

Prayer:

Father, 

          Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for being on our side when anyone is against us! We know our help is only from You. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt. In Jesus' Name we pray.

How Do You Want Your Eggs?

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 NKJV

You've probably read on the Internet the story of the cake. Want a cup of flour? How about some baking powder? Raw eggs? A swig of oil? No, of course not, but if we put the ingredients together, then add a little of this, a little of that, and add heat, the cake is going to be good.

You'll notice our promise for today reads "all" things, not each thing individually. Not everything that comes our way feels like it brings good into our lives. However, 1st Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. We can be thankful in ALL circumstances because that particular circumstance might be the baking powder. Or maybe it's the raw eggs. Whatever it is, it's a needed ingredient - God's will for our life - and when it's combined with what's already in our THANKFUL hearts and then the fire of the Holy Spirit is added, what have we got? 

Well, it may not be cake, but whatever it is will be GOOD because that's what He promised. 

Prayer:

Father,

           Open our hearts to trust You more with everything that comes into our lives. Open our spiritual eyes to see the ingredient list is being checked off as You fulfill Your purpose in our lives, working all things together for good. In Jesus' Name we pray. We love You. Amen

The Loudest Sound

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1st John 1:8-9 NKJV

I had an in-depth discussion with a friend who sadly had been caught in sin and he was trying to control the fallout. Unfortunately, he was more concerned with the fallout than repenting and seeking forgiveness. He actually didn't see it as a sin, although Scripture clearly defined it as such. He believed it was "just a bad habit"... 

I believe it is Rabbi Israel Salanter who is credited with saying, "The loudest sound in the world is the sound of a habit being broken." and while I agree with the spirit of that in part, I would venture to say that an even louder sound was Christ's heart breaking over the sinful ways of mankind. I would dare say the 40 lashes across His back sounded horrendously loud while ripping His flesh to pay for our healing. I would even go so far as to proclaim that THE loudest sound in the world was recorded in John chapter 19, verse 30, when Jesus cried out, It is finished! Finished because He had paid the price for the forgiveness of our sins...

Let us remember this Truth - If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Prayer:

Father, 

           We pray according to Your Word - Search us, O God, and know our hearts; test us and know our anxious thoughts. Point out ANYTHING in us that offends You. Forgive us, Father, and lead us along the path of everlasting life. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Re-Rigging the Load

This was written by Pr. Alan Neel

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

What can Jesus really accomplish here on earth? The obvious answer is there is nothing that Jesus canNOT accomplish here on Earth! But imagine receiving an invitation that can literally make everything in your life better. That is Jesus' invitation to those who are overwhelmed and burdened. “Just yoke up with me,” says Jesus. He has the ability to carry the weight as long as we entrust Him with the whole load. 

That means no more trying to manipulate or re-rig the burden, just trust Him completely. 

TRUST JESUS AND BE FREE TO FULFILL YOUR PURPOSE!

Prayer:

Father,

          Please forgive us for all the times we try to manipulate or re-rig our burdens in life without trusting You. Open our hearts to fully trust You and receive Your promises. Open our eyes to see Your hand of protection over us. We pray as the child's father in Mark 9:24, we believe, Father. Help our unbelief! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Gaining Confidence

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
2nd Chronicles 32:7-8 NIV

How often do we face overwhelming odds – the kind that demoralize us? It’s dangerous to be there. Not because the circumstances seem to dictate that we will lose, but because they take away our fight. Before we know it, we find ourselves agreeing with the circumstances instead of being victorious - instead of being the overcomer God has created us to be.

If that’s you – let me tell you something. There is a greater power with us – with YOU – than with the odds that you’re facing. satan is behind the attack on your life and he is already defeated. He was humiliated and defeated at the Cross. With us – with YOU – is Emmanuel which literally means ‘God with us.’ He is the Lord our God and He is mighty to save. He will help us to fight our battles. Jesus Himself assured us that He would never leave us or forsake us. And we are more than conquerors, according to His Word in Romans 8.

Do you believe that? Do you know it? Open the Word. Devour His promises. Are you gaining confidence? 

Prayer:

Father,
            I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from Your love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Bring Your Word to life for those who will read this. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

Wait

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; 

Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Psalm 27:14 NKJV

Why do we find it so hard to wait for an answer from God? Do we think He won't answer? Do we think He doesn't understand our timeline? Do we think we can just do it ourselves in our own timing? 

I hate to tell you - it all boils down to trust. Who do we trust more - God or ourselves? Do we think we can do it so we don't need to bother God - maybe save Him some time and trouble?

In 1st Samuel 10, King Saul waited the 7 days that Samuel told him to wait, then went ahead and offered the burnt sacrifices without Samuel...  Saul did NOT follow the FULL instruction. Yes, he waited 7 days. Yes, he did the burnt offerings. Seems right, doesn't it? However, Samuel had said, [wait] ...until I arrive and give you further instructions. He did not wait until Samuel arrived and lost his kingdom because of it.

Remember Daniel waited 21 days before He got an answer from God. Waiting on the Lord involves faith and prayer and patience. Will you wait? Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for wanting to run ahead of You to make things happen. Lord, we know that unless You build the house, we are laboring in vain. Help our hearts to know and understand and embrace the value of obedience in waiting on You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Not Equal

A little different format for today. 

All wisdom is not created equal. There's the wisdom of God and then there's the wisdom of mankind. God's wisdom is eternal. It's always been, it is now, and will always be. Man's wisdom changes with the wind and with whoever is propagating the latest lie.

I get a little wound up when so-called influencers attempt to negate the Word of God. If it happens on a news flash or radio blurb, I usually yell out, "Liar!" If it's in person, I do make every effort to respond in LOVE with the Truth. I try to remember that God used a donkey to talk to a prophet, so He can use me, too, as long as I stay submitted to Him.

1st Corinthians 2:6-9 The Message 

We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it’s not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. 

God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don’t find it lying around on the surface. 

It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. 

The experts of our day haven’t a clue about what this eternal plan is.

Remember that! God's wisdom is eternal. It's always been, it is now, and will always be. 

Prayer:

Father,

          Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from You by way of Your precious Son and His sacrifice on the Cross to redeem us. We are so grateful! We stand in awe, knowing Your Word tells us You use the simple to confound the wise. Give us Your wisdom, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen