Life Matter - Confidence or Dread?

"Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
    they never call on God.
But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    where there was nothing to dread.
God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
    you put them to shame, for God despised them" - Psalm 53:4-5.

 

David was once again calling out to the Lord because he was in trouble and the evildoers seemed to have the upper hand. Then he looked again and those same evildoers were overcome by God's superior power that He deployed on behalf of His people. One of the characteristics David noticed that his enemies were afraid, when there was nothing to be afraid of. This is reminiscent of what the wisdom writer wrote in Proverbs 28:1: " The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion." Are you overwhelmed with dread when there is nothing to dread? Do you live in fear of a particular sickness or disease? Are you afraid of losing your job, or of being humiliated? Do you fear poverty? What is it that causes you to cower in fear instead of boldly proceeding with full confidence in God's ability to protect and preserve you? Have a talk with yourself today and then keep the conversation going, using Bible verses, past testimonies and future goals that will enable you to move beyond dread to confidence as stated in Psalm 71:5: " For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth."

 

Today's reading - Psalms 51-55


Life Matter - Leaving an Inheritance

"Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves" - Psalm 49:5-6, 10-11.

The psalmists were all excellent writers, inspired by the Spirit of God to pen words that were poignant, picturesque, and profound. Today's verses paint a picture of the wealthy who put their trust in their riches, only to see death like everyone else, their money, property, and possessions serving no purpose as their empty, worthless legacy is buried with them in their graves. On the other hand, the righteous have nothing to fear, even though the rich throw their weight around trying to intimidate others. Proverbs 13:22 states, "A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous." How do you define a successful life? What inheritance and legacy are you leaving for your children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews? Is it only land, stocks, and money, or is it also a righteous life well-lived, a life that cared for the poor and downtrodden, that invested money and time in God's kingdom work? What do you need to do so that you will receive the endorsement from God that everyone should want to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"?

Today's reading - Psalms 46-50


Life Matter - Is God at Fault?

"If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart? Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever" - Psalm 44:20-23.

In today's passage, the psalmist was bemoaning the state of Israel, which had obviously fallen on hard times. The writer was stating his complaint that they had done nothing wrong, yet the Lord had given them over to their enemies. Does this happen in life? Do bad things happen to good people? Does God at times appear to be asleep as the psalmist asked in verse 23? The answer to all those questions is yes, and God seldom explains or justifies Himself when those things do occur. Yet those events are occasions when believers need to humble themselves and search their own heart according to the truth that Paul wrote: "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:22-24). Are you willing to examine your own heart and be open to your own wrong when considering circumstances beyond your explanation? Are you also willing to put your trust in God's faithfulness when your situation would seem to call that faithfulness into question? Do you need to release any judgment you have made against the Lord due to a situation in your life that defies explanation or reason?

Today's reading - Psalms 41-45


Life Matter - No Shortcuts

"I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods" (Psalm 40:1, 4).

The first thing to notice in these verses is that David had to wait patiently for the Lord. God does not operate according to your timetable. There is a song that says, "He may not come when you want Him, but He always comes on time." Even while he was waiting, however, David kept on crying out to the Lord for help. The second thing is that while you are waiting, there can be a temptation to take a shortcut to look to the proud or for help from those who trust in false gods. Those who do not give in to that temptation are blessed because they maintain their trust in the Lord, even when the Lord doesn't seem to be moving in their direction. Moses was a good example of this kind of trust, as described by the writer of Hebrews: "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:24-27). Are you trusting in the Lord, all the while praying to Him for deliverance or direction? Are you resorting to shortcuts, as Moses could have done, or are you doing what he did, and that is trusting in the Lord with your whole heart? Do you see the One who is invisible and persevering in your faith?

Today's reading - Psalms 36-40


Life Matter - Do Your Part

"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them" - Psalm 34:4-7.

When Adam and Eve hid from God after they sinned, it was because they were afraid. They also covered themselves with fig leaves because they were ashamed of their nakedness. Thus, fear and shame were the first consequences of the Fall and Adam and Eve's children are still encumbered with those two problems. David's report in today's passage tells us that his relationship with the Lord relieved him of those two human experiences. In order for that to happen for us like it did for David, however, we see some key action verbs in these verses that we must take: "sought, look to, called, and fear[ed the Lord]." Are you seeking the Lord until you get answers from Him, and consequently free from fear and shame? Are you looking to Him as your source of wisdom and strength? Do you call on the Lord not just when you are in trouble, but for all your life needs? And finally, do you fear the Lord, which is a healthy fear that keeps you from sin? The point of all this is that if you want to be free from the negative emotions of fear and shame that all Eve's children have, then you must be engaged in specific actions to make that happen. In other words, you do your part and God will do His to set you free.

Today's reading - Psalms 31-35


Life Matter - KISS

"One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple" - Psalm 27:4.

David asked for one thing: to dwell close to God all the days of his life, never to feel or be separated. David did not have a laundry list of wishes that He made known to God. His requests were streamlined and simple, and did not include things that would satisfy his desires and wants. David simplified his life by focusing on the most important thing, which was his relationship with the Lord. How about you? Are your desires that simple, or is your life complicated and full of drama because you want many things, like career, relationships, possessions, success, or fame? John's first epistle warned us to keep things simple, like David did: "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:15-17). Perhaps it's time to apply the words behind the acronym KISS, which stands for "Keep It Simple, Silly!" Where has the love of the things in this world made your life complex? Are you sharing your heart that belongs to the Lord with too many other things? What can you do to simplify?

Today's reading - Psalms 26-30


Life Matter - The New Covenant

"The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them" - Psalm 25:14.

The Lord is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. He is the One who initiated the covenants, which have been theologically defined as "a mutual agreement between two parties usually ratified in blood." The blood indicated the seriousness of the pact, which was a life and death bond between those who entered into it. When you are in covenant with God, He is obligated to fulfill the terms of the covenant, as are you. What are God's terms of the new covenant made in Christ? Jesus told us at the Last Supper when He said, "Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins'" (Matthew 26:27-28). God's role in the new covenant is to forgive sins. Your role is to acknowledge your sins, ask forgiveness through Christ, and accept God's forgiveness. Then you are to forgive others as God has forgiven you. Are you walking in the terms of the new covenant on a daily basis? Do you ask for forgiveness of your sins? Do you accept that forgiveness, forgiving yourself as the Father forgives you? Do you see that you can't earn forgiveness, but God grants it freely as one of the stipulations of the new covenant made through Jesus' death on the cross?

Today's reading - Psalms 26-30


Life Matter - You Done Good

"The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
    according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
    I am not guilty of turning from my God.
All his laws are before me;
    I have not turned away from his decrees" - Psalm 18:20-22.

At first, David's claim in these verses seems a bit boastful, for he declared his own righteousness to be sound and without flaw. Yet, it was a true assessment when you consider the early days of his career, when he was obedient and humble. In fact, the title of this psalm says this: "He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul." Paul gave an interesting admonition in his letter to the Romans when he wrote, "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you" (Romans 12:3). Paul's warning was not to think of yourself at all, but to think with appropriate, non-inflated judgment. Then Paul went on to speak of the fact that each member of the body has spiritual gifts, including you. You have probably chronicled your faults, but what are your strengths? What are your spiritual gifts that, when you employ them, there are good results with God's help? Where have your spiritual disciplines been what they should be? Where has God rewarded you for your faithfulness? Where have "you done good" in the Lord?

Today's reading - Psalm 16-20


Life Matter - Poor Benefits

"'Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,' says the Lord 'I will protect them from those who malign them'" - Psalm 12:5.

The poor are mentioned 21 times in the psalms, so you can be sure they are a priority to the Lord. Therefore, they should be your priority as well. At this time of year, it is common to pay attention to the poor, for the holidays remind those who have to share with those who have not. Yet the poor should not be an afterthought or priority only during the holidays, but a focal point for your giving all year round. There is tremendous spiritual benefit when you help the poor, as Jesus explained when He rebuked the Pharisees for being outwardly righteous but inwardly full of darkness: "You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone" (Luke 11:40-42). Jesus insinuated that when you are generous to the poor, it creates a clean heart in the giver, for it is an act the benefits of which can only come from God and not from the poor themselves. Are you generous to the poor? What can you do in the coming year to remember the poor on a regular basis? What more can you do at this time of year?

Today's reading - Psalms 11-15


Life Matter - Enemies of the Cross

"In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord" - Psalm 10:2-3.

David wrote with such elegance and flair, and his description of the wicked in Psalm 10 is no exception. He described their activities, and indicated that arrogance and pride were their motivators as they persecuted and tormented the righteous. David pointed out that pride distorted their priorities, for they blessed the greedy and reviled the Lord and His people. Unfortunately, it is possible for a believer to also have his or her values out of kilter, as Paul warned in Philippians 3:17-19: "Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things." Paul was not describing unbelievers in those verses, but indicating that there are some who actually walk as enemies of the cross because their priorities are misaligned. Are your priorities those of the world or of Christ? Don't answer too quickly, but spend some time praying, asking God to show you if any of your priorities are indeed flawed or misdirected and listening for His response.

Today's reading - Psalms 6-10