Psalm 43:2-3 – “For You are the God who shelters me… (He was in the midst of difficulty, disappointment, and sorrow of heart, and his prayer grabbed me and shook me).  Reveal Your light and Your faithfulness.  They will lead me; they will escort me back to Your Holy Hill and to the place where You live.”

We are in a new week with new obstacles and opportunities!   God desires to turn our trials into triumphs.    He wants to transform the obstacles into opportunities and enable us to ascend into His presence rather than plunge into the darkness of self.   

What we allow will grow, either good or bad.   God allows difficulty to enable us to trust, not to harm or hurt us.   He desires us to have the gift of the Kingdom and live His abundant life.   That life has far less to do with things than Him.

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, something in Psalm 43 arrested me.  It reveals the two escorts I mentioned in the title – “Light and Faithfulness.”

As I was musing on the Word, I sensed the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart and mind, and this thought cascaded over me: Light = revelation, clarity, understanding.  Faithfulness = grace, long-suffering, and patience.

Notice what revelation and grace or light and God’s faithfulness do:

• They lead us!   
• They show us the path to take and assure us that we can walk in that path.
• They escort (walk alongside us) back to His Holy Hill. 

The word “Back” is interesting because back means we have strayed from where we should be.    Maybe we trusted something or someone other than or more than God.   That something or someone might be our ability, knowledge, or perceived path or method.

They will take us to the place where God lives!  Where does God inhabit or live?  The Bible says it is in the praises of His people.  Maybe we stopped being worshippers.   His light (revelation) and faithfulness (grace) reignite a heart and desire to praise and worship Him.

In that place, we no longer fear and are able to turn trials into triumphs through trust.   If we trust Him, we do not have anxiety.  If we trust Him, we do not look at what seems to be but at what He has promised.    If we trust Him, we have peace.

The question I heard in my heart was, “Do you trust Me?”   Then I heard, “Do you truly want to give everything to Me?”   Then I heard, “Show Me that you trust Me.”

LORD, make Psalm 46:1-2 our confidence and revelation.  “God IS our strong refuge; He IS truly our helper in times of trouble.  For this reason, we do not fear…”    The rest of the Psalm reveals the difficulties faced, and in the midst of everything, GOD IS.

Verses 7 and 11 are phenomenal reminders of Who God is and His power.  “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is on our side!”   Give us pure hearts and resolute spirits filled with the Holy Spirit and the joy of God’s salvation.  We give ourselves and all of our cares or concerns to You!  You are our Light, and in You is no night or fright.

Full surrender equals full victory!

May you constantly be escorted by God’s Light and Faithfulness and be conscious of it!

Psalm 39:4 – “O Lord, help me understand my mortality and the brevity of life.  Let me realize how quickly my life will pass.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, I was brought to a new consciousness of human mortality.   I do not want to be morbid, but our brevity on earth is a reality we need to be aware of and live as though each day could be our last on earth.

In Psalm 39:4, the Psalmist prayed a prayer that we all need to pray. “O LORD, help me to understand my mortality and the brevity of life. Let me realize how quickly my life will pass.”

Time is a commodity most treat as endless on Earth.   Because we are unaware of its brevity and resist considering our limited time in the flesh, we waste time with frivolity or procrastination.

Time lost is lost at a great cost.   We should live every day with our mortality in full view.  That would propel us into action, help us avoid procrastination, and cause us to focus on purpose.

Time – how much do we have?   Something’s value is, in part, based on its rarity.  If it is in abundant supply, it is far less valuable than when it is scarce or limited.

We have been placed on earth with a purpose of heavenly importance. We invest our time (which is our lives) in what is most valuable to us. Most of us, most of the time, devote time to pleasing ourselves.   We labor to achieve contentment.   True contentment can only be found in God.

The Hebrew is, “Cause me to know my end and the measure of my days.” If we are conscious of our mortality and brevity on earth and of God’s purpose for our existence, then we will chart the course of our lives to pursue His purposes for us.

The Great Commission, Isaiah 61, and Psalm 91 become foundational elements of our lives. Matthew 6:33 becomes the starting place of every day. God first!

Investment of ourselves in God’s kingdom purposes is the only true way to redeem time. Time given to God is never wasted or lost. Whatever God has called us to do or wherever He has placed us should be where or what we invest our time in.

If we live as if today or even this moment could be our last, if God is our foundation, we will live more fully and freely than otherwise.   Stressing over a lack of time is distrust. If we pursue His purposes, we can relax because God is our hope!

Time is a gift granted to us to enable us to invest in His Kingdom. Awareness of its brevity causes us to seek His guidance and enables us to relax and rest. Psalm 39:7 gives us the right perspective: “But now, O LORD, upon what am I relying? You are my only hope!”
That’s the key – Give it all to Jesus!   Hope in Him and stop focusing on ourselves.  In Him, no time is lost.  In our own strength, no time is redeemed.

LORD, help us give you our time, hope, and dreams and live to the fullest every second. Time is our measuring tool. Eternity is God’s. In the new birth, we move from time to timelessness.   Live with the view that now is temporary. Redeem the time by investing it in Him.   We don’t need more time, we need more Jesus!

May your day be filled with a consciousness of Eternity!   Redeem the time you have and utilize it to the fullest!   Have a Great Day!

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing ² He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water.  ³ He restores my strength.  He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation.  ⁴ Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me.  ⁵ You prepare a feast before me in plain sight of my enemies.  You refresh my head with oil; my cup is completely full.  ⁶ Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days, and I will live in the Lord’s house for the rest of my life.”

As I read, prayed, and contemplated the Word of God today, I was drawn to an extremely familiar Psalm.   The Holy Spirit broke it down for me, and I share, not to impress you with some new revelation but to reemphasize the truth known.

Psalm 23 begins with the indispensable truth – God is!    God is our shepherd.   That is a vital truth.  This not only emphasizes Him as Savior but as Lord.   He is our beginning, our ending, and all in between. In the beginning, God.   This God, our Savior and Lord, is our pathway to life.   What do we have that did not originate in Him?   Only our sin.   All else flows from Him.

He provides our daily sustenance: “He takes me to lush green pastures.” He provides me with water.  The human body cannot survive without water, and the spirit cannot flourish without the water of the Word.   “He leads me to refreshing waters.” “He restores my strength.”   They that wait upon the Lord have a renewal of strength.   In Him, we have stamina.   In Him, we do not grow weary and faint. In Him!

“He leads me down the right paths.”   Guidance is critical, but notice something interesting.  It is not singular (path) but (paths). In every choice and decision of life, He guides, not drives, to the right choices. We have to cooperate, but He is leading.   If He is LORD, we have no lack of food, water, strength, and guidance. No lack!

“Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger…” Hope is my foundation.  I do not fear life, death, the devil, or people because… because He is guiding me.  He is Lord!  He is my source and sustenance.   He is my water of life.   He is my strength.   He is my guide. Therefore, fear is banished, and trust is my cornerstone.

“… Your rod and staff reassures me.”    I live in the assurance that I am protected.  That condition is one of fearlessness and confident expectation. It is life in the no-lack zone!   “You prepare a feast before me in the presence of my enemies.”

“You refresh my head with oil; my cup is completely full.”   The anointing is a full anointing that is constant, not an infrequent experience. My cup is full or overflows! His person pursues us (goodness, mercy, faithfulness), which relentlessly pursues us, looking for the opportunity to display that grace to and upon us.

The last is powerful. “I will live in the LORD’S house for the rest of my life.”   What house and what is in the house?   Was David talking about the palace God had given him, the temple not yet built, or heaven? Maybe all three!

In God’s house or presence is fullness of joy.   In God’s presence is provision, protection, power, peace, anointing, guidance, grace, strength, and life abundant.   What’s in the house?  Everything we need!  David declared that God would be his abiding place for the remainder of his earthly journey!   In that place, there is no fear, faltering, or failure!  The LORD is whatever we need when we need it and in the amount we need.

He is all we need! Focus on the Shepherd, and provision will become the natural flow. I encourage you to meditate on Psalm 23 and implement what the Holy Spirit leads you to. It is personal, “My Shepherd.”

May your day be filled with the awareness of His presence!

Psalm 11:1 – “In the Lord I have taken shelter.  How can you say to me,“Flee to a mountain like a bird.^”

As a new day dawns, we need to remember that the Mercies of the LORD are new every morning!   That is another reason to long for the morning as we await the uncovering of God’s treasures.   God’s incomparable love is overwhelming and almost unbelievable.   It never ends, nor does mine.

I am reminded of God’s faithfulness as I drink from the Foundation of the Word of God.    I love Psalm 11, where the Psalmist’s counselor urged him to hide from the difficult situations facing him.   He boldly declared, “In the LORD, I have taken shelter.  How can you say to me, “Flee to a mountain like a bird?”  

That reminds me of Fats Domino’s song – “What are you gonna do when the well runs dry?”   Just as Fats promised to stay with her, God is with us in trouble.

His counselor pressed further, planting the thought of hopelessness, asking, “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the godly accomplish?”   The response was, “The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’S throne is in heaven (the pinnacle of authority); His eyes watch…” God is never unaware, nor is He incapable of delivering us.

Why run from trouble or let the cares of life stress us to the max?  Remember who God is, where He is, and that He Knows Everything!

In Psalm 12, the Psalmist could have been speaking of our day, saying, “The godly have disappeared, people of integrity have vanished.  People lie to one another; they flatter and deceive.”   God’s response was, “I will spring into action…”

Therefore, buckle up, buttercup; God is about to strut His stuff.   He is about to show up and show out.  The Last Days move is moving.

2 Peter 2 is a powerful revelation describing this Last Days condition and move.  It speaks of God’s divine justice and explains the current shaking in the church.  God is God and is building His church and preparing the Bride for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Psalm 15 asks, “LORD, who may be a guest in Your home?  Who may live on Your Holy Hill?”    God’s response was, “Whoever lives a blameless life does what is right and speaks honestly.  He does not slander or harm others or insult his neighbor… He makes a firm commitment and keeps his word.”   The fruit of righteousness flows out of the heart and is manifested in actions.

Psalm 16:8 is a great expression of confidence – “I constantly trust the LORD; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”   No shaking for the secure!  No security for the shaken.

Our heart’s cry must be “I’m Yours, LORD.  Everything I am or hope to be is Yours.  Everything I have is on loan from heaven.  So, make the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart acceptable and pleasing to You!”

With God, we can charge an army and leap over any wall of obstacle.  Like the little lady said when asked about her faith, “If God tells me to jump through a hole in the wall, it’s my business to jump, and God’s to make the hole in the wall.”    Don’t try to do God’s job; just trust and obey.  We are overcomers through Him!

There is Victory today!  Have a fantastic, victorious day, and know that even if the well runs dry, God never runs out of water!

Job 22:21-30 – “Reconcile yourself with God, and be at peace with him; in this way your prosperity will be good.  ²² Accept instruction from his mouth and store up his words in your heart.  ²³ If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; if you remove wicked behavior far from your tent, ²⁴ and throw your gold in the dust—your gold of Ophir among the rocks in the ravines—²⁵ then the Almighty himself will be your gold, and the choicest silver for you.   ²⁶ Surely then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face toward God.
²⁷ You will pray to him and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him.  ²⁸ Whatever you decide on a matter, it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.  ²⁹ When people are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then he will save the downcast; ³⁰ he will deliver even someone who is not innocent, who will escape through the cleanness of your hands.”

The thought of the ‘Liveness’ of God or the reality that He is ‘The Living God’ flooded my thoughts today.   The Book of Job is intriguing for me on many levels.   It is believed to be the oldest book in the Bible.  The characters and events predate the Law of Moses.  Yet, within it, we discover New Testament revelations that are eternal and timeless.

In Job 22:21-30, Eliphaz’s discourse contains a picture of Grace and, simultaneously, is Pharisaical (works and earning favor).   Mankind has the propensity to try to earn favor and deserve mercy or blessing.  Grace is not earnable; it is a gift of love.

In Job 23:8-17, Job reveals an awareness of God’s omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence.  In verse 13, he declares, “But He is unchangeable, and who can change Him?  Whatever He has desired, He does!” He is God, eternal!

In Job 27:5-6, Job reminds us of a critical mindset we all need.  “…I will not set aside my integrity!  I will maintain my righteousness and never let go; my conscience will not reproach me for as long as I live.”

Tragically, too many believe the accusations hurled at them by the devil.   They live in condemnation and see themselves in the flaws rather than bathed in the blood of Jesus, forgiven, and justified.   They give up their integrity and cast away their confidence because they hear the accusations focusing on their perceived flaws.

We all have flaws and are not perfect.  However, the perfect one is in us by Grace!  We are new creations and are being transformed from glory to glory.  It is not our flaws that concern God, but our commitment to never give up.

Job 28 is almost like reading Proverbs about wisdom.  In verse 28, we find the golden nugget that helps us prevail: “The fear (referential awe) of the LORD—That is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.”

Job understood and had an intimate relationship with God, as is seen in Job 29:4 – “…I was in my most productive time when God’s intimate friendship was experienced in my tent.”

The God of Job, Abraham, Moses, Noah, and the apostles is our God.  Hebrews 13:8 is our constant confidence – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”   Hebrews 13:6, “I will never leave you, and I will never abandon you.”

That is our source of confidence.   Because of who He is, we can live with no fear.

• No fear of people.
• No fear of lack.
• No fear of rejection.

So, let’s begin to live, think, talk, and behave as if He were telling the truth.   Dare to do and be what He has directed.  The kingdom desires it, and the world needs it.  Be who you are because that’s who you are.  Two reports are before us.  We will believe one of them.  I choose to believe God’s assessment, not the devil’s.  Today is Victory Day!

May your day be prosperous and filled with the presence of God!