To God be the glory
let all creation cry
Praise and honor to Christ,
Word of God, Word of life.
Ps. 20
Our God is mighty. He saves with the power of His right hand
those He has anointed (believers in Jesus and those He is bringing near to
Him.) We trust in the Name of the Lord our God, because He is trustworthy. He
does not disappoint. We rise up and stand firm. When we celebrate victory, we
will shout for Joy and declare glory to God, for it is He in whom we have
placed our trust. It is He who has given us the victory!
What does this look like in my day? Month? Year? I don’t go
to a literal battle…yet I do everyday. I go to battle against the messages and thoughts
that cause me to fear the future, that would cause me to feel alone, that cause
me to covet, etc. I trust not in my own wisdom or strength, but in the promises
of our God who saves. I trust in His Word as truth, for it is like pure gold
and sweeter than honey to my soul. His Word says that every good thing comes
from the Father of Lights (James 1) and that He is working everything together
for my good (Romans 8) and that nothing can separate me from His love (Romans
8). I can rest assured that everything that God asks me walk through is good and will
produce perseverance (James 1). As I place my trust in Him and remember His
many promises to hear my cry (help, Lord!), He fills me with hope and joy.
Ps. 50
Harsh. God knows the intents and motives of the heart. You say one thing,
but you do another. V. 16 But to the wicked, God says: “What right have you to
recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and
cast my words behind you.” You join in with those who are wicked, you use your
mouth to speak against others and to slander them. You thought God was lawless.
God will not stand for this.
“He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and He
prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.”
When I read this, it causes me to immediately examine my
ways. Do I recite God’s word and then turn around and speak unkindly? What
does that mean? The messages of the world, the religious words and patterns, are engrained in me.
So, yes. When I agree with the ways of the world and act on it, when I speak
against those around me and slander them (even in my mind), I’m walking as those
to which God refers. What is the antidote to this? The last verse. It takes
humbleness to truly be thankful, TO EVEN NOTICE what God has done. We know that
God speaks about pride in His word. James 4:7-12. Thank you, Lord for so
quickly giving us a way of escape for our very natural response, our automatic
response sometimes, and for your grace and Holy Spirit which works in us to
elicit a different kind of response. A response which gives life to us and
keeps us close to you, and protects us. You know, Lord, that one day we will
stand before YOU. You have that day in mind and you are very purposefully
bringing the humble closer to purity with that day in mind. You are worthy of
praise!
Ps. 90
Praise! “Lord, YOU have been our dwelling place throughout
all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth
and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, YOU are God.” God is the
beginning, was at the beginning, is the creator and sustainer of all things. He
sees generation after generation.
The weight of days. The weight of everyday. I feel this
weight. I feel the weight of day after day. The same things day after day.
Because we fear God, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a
heart of wisdom.”
When I read about my sin, about salvation, about God’s
wrath…I see Jesus on the cross, taking my sin, taking God’s wrath, and
gratitude fills my heart. Praise is on my lips. Because of Jesus, I will not be
subject to God’s wrath. I full accept His discipline because by it I know I am
loved (Hebrews, James), but I know that Jesus took God’s wrath on His shoulders
so that I would not have to.
The weight of days…”Satisfy us in the morning with your
unfailing love, that we may sing fro joy and be glad all our days.” “May your
deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the favor
of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us–yes,
establish the work of our hands.” It all points back to God and His grace as He
works in the details of our lives. If I see myself and my wisdom working out
the details, whom do I have to praise at the end of the day. Me? My wisdom? My
strength? “In the last days men will be lovers of themselves (2 Tim 3). That
certainly has been a natural way of my mind and heart, but now that I see that,
it is like dust in my mouth. It chokes, it suffocates, and I run from it. God
is at work in the details, I seek His wisdom, and at the end of the day I have
Him to praise and worship. And it is He that establishes the work of my hands.
I have direction and purpose. I praise His love and faithfulness! I am seen and
known by Almighty God, and His wisdom and strength worked out the details of my
life and He deserves all of my praise and worship. I give it, and am filled
with joy!
Ps. 140
Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; protect me from men of
violence, who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day.”
This isn’t a physical thing in my very comfortable life in the US. It just
isn’t a thing. I know there are places in the US where this is a thing. I know
there are people who struggle with enemies. I do not have any. I have thoughts
that I need to be more vocal about my stand with Christ. For now, I know that I
have an enemy who devises evil plans against me. (Romans 8) Our struggle isn’t
against flesh and blood…
V. 6 is the cry of my heart against those plans that are
devised. My head turns, my eyes lock with Jesus, and I am saved. I am saved though, all
the while, even while my head is turned away. The words in v. 6…I say, I cry.
Words. Out loud. I declare that it is God who hears, God who shows mercy. He is
my strong deliverer. He comes when I cry. I love that I have a prayer against
those who devise evil against me. God is just. God works and will fight on our
behalf, we need only be still. (Ex 14:13-14).
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