Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/3/13

Psalm 76:5

The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.

Bob didn't need anybody. He had always done things on his own. He thought he would do well in sports, but he couldn't play as part of a team. He thought he would settle down and have a happy marriage, but he couldn't stand having to answer to another person. He couldn't hold a job because he could neither take nor give orders graciously. No, Bob didn't need anyone, which was a lucky thing. No one needed Bob.

We were created to live with and for one another. When we think the universe revolves around us, we upset god's intended order. Our goal in life should be to reach out to a s many of God's children as we possibly can. When we learn to walk with others, we have learned to walk with God.

Prayer: Lord, do not let me become spoiled and conceited. I want to share my life and to share the lives of others. Help me to know others better, and in so doing, know You better, too. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/2/13

Psalm 75:6,7

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Evelyn came from Charity Hill, the most expensive section of town. She had always received everything her heart desired, and she considered herself to be one of the finest people she knew. Jane came from Cheesebox, the poor side of town, so named because all the houses there looked like cardboard cheese boxes. She had never had much of anything special, and felt she really didn't deserve better, anyway. Both women worked for an ad agency that wanted a new production designer. Evelyn knew she would do well in the position. To her dismay, Jane did even better.

Things don't always work so well in real life. The rich often get richer while the poor sink lower. And yet, God has promised that in the end, justice will always carry the day. God knows every heart and every situation. He will set all things right, if we will only trust in His wisdom.

Prayer: Nothing I do, Lord, will increase Your love for me, but still I want to do all that I can. Search my heart and know that I do truly love You. Help me to show that love. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/1/13

Psalm 74:21

O let the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.

A government official was asked why more wasn't being done for the poor and starving. He answered, "We have no right to impose our culture on their chosen life-style. These people do nothing to better themselves, so they must want to live as they do. What should we be expected to do, in a case like that?"

Why do we look for ways to shame the poor and destitute? Of course, there are a few who are poor because they choose nothing better for their lives, but they are a distinct minority. All too often, poor people are made out to be lazy, evil, and greedy, when nothing could be further from the truth. The poor are our brothers and sisters, and they are worthy of our help, just because Christ said so. God blesses the poor and those who help them. Take hold of your blessing. Help someone in need.

Prayer: All your children deserve dignity and respect. Let me give all people the respect that I would give You, Lord. Humble my heart when I feel myself looking down on those around me. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/31/13

Psalm 74:20

Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

A new government had seemed the best solution. The overthrow had taken place a new government was installed, and then something had gone wrong. The new president sat enthroned in a palatial estate, where no one could get in to see him. The proposals of the new majority went unheeded. The oppressors had not been eradicated, they had merely changed faces and places. The people were betrayed, and the cruelty continued.

Broken promises. They litter the land of most countries. Trust is offered, then it is trampled on. A man or woman's word is only as good as the individual chooses to make it. Thank God that He is constant and true. His covenants are eternal. God never turns from His people, and they never need to fear that they will be forgotten. Let us work in our lives to copy God's commitment to covenant in the promises that we make.

Prayer: Make my word was good as the finest gold, dear Lord. Help me to accept the fact that I am lied to each day, and to forgive those who offer up the lies. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/30/13: PSALM 74:9

Psalm 74:9

We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

A friend lamented to me, " Our problem today is that the voice of God is silent. We have not prophets. What we need is a good Jeremiah or Isaiah."

The crowd that listened to Jeremiah and Isaiah lamented to their contemporaries that what they needed was a good prophet like Elijah. In every age, the people long for a different voice than the one they are hearing. God speaks to us in many different ways. The trick is to be open to His call.

 We often don't see signs because they are not the signs we hope to see. Almost everything that God communicates to us means that we must be willing to give and to serve. The only communication that God has made with no duty involved on our part was His Son, Jesus Christ. Looking for signs and longing for prophets does us no good. God has made known what He wants us to do. The job is before us. Let's do it.

Prayer: Lord, I am not even doing the things I already know I should do. Why then do I look for something more? Help me to do what I can now, and make me open to Your messages as they come in this age. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/29/13

Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Pete faced the idea of death with calm. In his day, Pete had been a strong, good-looking man. He had watched himself grow old, but that was okay. He had lived a wonderful life. Sometimes he wished he were young again, but mostly he was happy with where he was in life. Even though his flesh grew wrinkled and his heart didn't pump quite as well as it had before, his mind was still sharp and his spirit was good. To live was wonderful, but dying would be okay, too. He'd done well on earth; maybe it was time to see how he'd fare in heaven.

Christ makes us strangers to the earth. His home is in heaven, and when He dwells with us, He prepares us for our true, eternal home. The longer Christ is with us, the more He readies us to leave this place, to enter into heaven. Death need hold ho fear. On the other side waits God and an eternity spent in His loving care.

Prayer: With Paul, I can claim that to live is Christ, to die is gain. Whatever Your will for my life, Lord, whether long or short, help me to accept it. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/28/13

Psalm 73:13

Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

Lisa tried so hard to be a good girl. She did what she knew was right. Many of her friends were immoral and wild, but she had always been quiet and sweet. For what? Everytime she came home, her parents interrogated her, trying to find out if she had done something she shouldn't have done. She had never given her parents any reason to mistrust her, and yet they treated her like a dangerous criminal. It wasn't worth it. Sometimes she felt like going out and doing something wrong just to justify her parents' suspicions.

Our world is upside down. We reward the wrongdoer and we chastise the righteous. To be good is equal to being somehow deficient. Words like , [purity], and [purity] have taken on negative connotations. To be good is foreign or alien to the majority. The key is not to give up. The Lord will reward those who persevere in the face of persecution and frustration. God loves the pure in heart, and it is well worth it to hold on for His sake.

Prayer: Be with me, Lord, to cleanse me, to strengthen me, and to help me deal with people who think wrong is right. I want to be Your child. Not a child of the world. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/27/13

Psalm 72:11

Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

Imagine a world where everyone acknowledged God and promised to try to live by His will. Imagine leaders who were committed to love and peace and justice. Imagine a world where people forgave one another instead of living for revenge.

 Imagine world where no one felt the need for bombs and guns and wars. Imagine. God gave us a beautiful world and gave the choice of what it would become to us. He said, "Imagine!" Is this the best we could do?

Prayer: Lord, where have we failed to be Your people on earth? Guide me as I try to be the person I think You want me to be. Help me to strive for the world I imagine this one could be, with Your aid. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/26/13

Psalm 72:6

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

Bud looked out on soil with cracks so wide you could put your hand in them. The summer had been brutal. Weeks ago, Bud had given up any hope of a harvest, but now he wondered whether he would even have a farm much longer. The sky remained cloudless. So many people cursed the rain because it spoiled picnics and closed parks. Foolish to cruse the rain. It was the lifeblood of all that lived Bud wondered what he would do if the drought lasted much longer.

Many of us have experienced spiritual drought. We find ourselves in a desert of doubt and apathy. Nothing seems to be the way we want it to be, and frankly, we really don't care. We wonder if God is listening; all we hear is the echo of our own voices.

 God's loving touch is so necessary in our lives. We cannot live without the water that Jesus offered the woman at the well. This living water quenches the spiritual thirst and brings our drought to an end. Ask God for the living water. He will issue forth a flood to wash you and refresh you.

Prayer: I am waiting, Lord, for Your Spirit to rain down upon me and soak me with Your loving kindness. Drench me in the waters of love and life. Amen

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/25/13

Psalm 72:4

He shall judge the poor of the people; he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor

.

A story. A man of humble means walked along a road and encountered Jesus seated on a rock with a thin child on His lap. The man looked at Jesus, threw himself down before Him, and worshipped Him. Jesus sat, unmoved. The man praised Jesus, and still Jesus was impassive. In frustration, the man asked Jesus what was wrong. Jesus looked down to the child in His lap. The child had grown thinner and was on the verge of starving to death. The man turned away from Jesus in disgust and walked on his way.

While we worship Jesus, people are dying. Jesus holds those dying children in His arms. To come before Jesus means to come before the needy of this world. Jesus said unless you do good unto your brothers and sisters, you have not done good unto Him. We cannot expect Jesus to pay attention to us unless we're willing to pay attention to the things that matter to Him. Let us join with our Lord in being saviors to a world in need.

Prayer: Forgive me for wrong priorities, Lord. I worship often in word, but not in deed. Let my actions reinforce the faith I confess with my heart. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 2/24/13

Psalm 71:20

Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

The Indian boy shivered in the night, his third since he had been let go. He had one week to kill a wild animal with his bare hands and find his way back to his home camp. If he succeeded, he would be considered a man. This was the most important rite of passage of his entire life. He was afraid to be alone, and he had failed to catch an animal yet, but he had learned much, he was sure things would work out by the end of the week.

Many times we must go through adversity and hard times in order to learn and grow. The lessons we learn are invaluable, even though we would often rather learn them some other way. The Lord allows us to meet adversity because He knows we must endure it in order to be better people. He does not allow adversity because He is cruel, but because He is kind and wants the best for His children.

Prayer: I know that I will face many challenges and ordeals, Father, and I will try to accept them. Help me to be strong for those times, and to bring honor and glory to You. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/23/13

Psalm 71:9

Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

Once, older people were revered for the wealth of knowledge and wisdom they possessed. Today they are often treated as an inconvenience. They are shoved aside and ignored. Certainly, this is not true in every case, but that is happens at all is a tragedy.

 Older men and women are gifts from God. They are the conquerors in this life. They have fought the battles, and they have war stories to tell that can benefit us all. To have lived a full and fruitful life should be a joy, not a burden. In a society gone youth crazy, the need for the elderly is greater than ever. They provide the balance we need. Theirs is the voice of reason and experience. Theirs are the spirits of perseverance and triumph. They have walked our roads before us, and they can guide us when times get rough. Reach out to the older branch of God's family. Reach out and grasp the treasure.

Prayer: As I grow older, Lord, let me not worry whether or not I will be welcome. Open my heart to older people, and have me treat them as I will one day want to be treated. Amen

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/22/13

Psalm 70:1

Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.

Kathy thought she was going to scream. The man came into the office and paced back and forth until she had gotten off the phone and was able to ask him what he wanted. He fidgeted at the desk, telling her that he was a very busy man and didn't have time to wait around. She told him to have a seat. In the next five minutes he sat drumming his fingers on a table looked at this watch a dozen times, asked twice whether it would be much longer, and intermittently sighed heavily. Kathy had no patience with people who lacked patience themselves.

Patience is not a strong virtue in the twentieth century. We are a people of instant gratification. We want what we want when we want it. We don't like to wait. Unfortunately, we worship a God of eternity who chooses to operate on His time schedule, not ours. Therefore, patience is a vital component of the happy Christian life. Ask the Lord for patience. You'll need it.

Prayer: Father, I need to learn to wait graciously and patiently. Fill my heart with peace and give me a spirit of acceptance, that I might know happiness even when things don't happen fast enough to suit me. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/21/22

Psalm 69:21

They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Sometimes we think things are going really bad in our lives. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking we're worse off than anyone else. When we feel sorry for ourselves, all we need do is turn to the story of Jesus' last few hours on earth. There the man who knew no sin became sin for us, so we might have eternal life. He was tripped, beaten, spit upon, and when, as His dying request, He asked for a drink to wet His lips, they put vinegar before Him instead of water. No kindness was shown the Prince of Peace, the one who had done nothing in His life to warrant such cruel mistreatment.

 Compared with the trial and misfortune of our Lord, we have very little to complain about. To even compare ourselves to Him is to open ourselves to shame. Christ endured torment and death upon a cross for our sake. Now, He abides with us to help us endure every trial.

Prayer: I can hardly believe all that You did for me, Lord. You walked this earth so that I might one day walk with You in heaven. Thank you for giving me so much. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/20/13

Psalm 69:4

They that hate me without a cause is more than the hairs of my head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

Being king isn't easy. Either people love you or they hate you. The same is true of every position of power and authority. Presidents, deans, prime ministers-the list can go on and on-all these people have to face the passions of the people they lead. Even God, Himself, has to face such problems.

 God is not loved by everyone. There are those who, for whatever reason, have chosen to reject God. There are those who curse Him as regularly as we praise Him. We are the subjects of the greatest sovereign in creation. Our Lord rules us with justice and love. We might not agree with everything He does or everything He calls us to do, but we owe Him our allegiance and loyalty. Be loyal to the Lord, and He will rule over you justly and with compassion.

Prayer: It is easy to bow down befog re a ruler of such love and grace, Lord. In every age, You have ruled fairly. I pray for all those who do not know Your greatness and Your goodness. Break through with Your light into their lives. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/19/13

Psalm 69:3

I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

There comes a point where there are not more tears to cry. The sadness remains, but the waters dry up. It is in this calm after the storm that we can make sense of things. David cried unto the Lord often. He needed to vent the emotions and pressures that built up inside him. Being the king of a headstrong people was not easy.

 David experienced periods of intense joy, but also of excruciating heartache. He learned the value of a purging cry. In moments of desperation, David let down all his defenses to stand exposed before God. In those times, God was sure to come to him and offer David all the comfort he needed. In our times of desperation, the Lord will give us comfort, too.

Prayer: When there are not more tears to cry, Lord, fill me with Your peace and consolation, Father. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/18/13

Psalm 69:1

Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

The canoe creaked once, twice, then a seam began to split. Water rushed in through the gap and filled the bottom of the small boat. The nearest bank was hundreds of feet away, and the current was swift. Jill and Ann began to scream and bail water as fast as they could. Trying to fight panic, they grabbed hold of their life jackets and plunged into the river. Their counselor saw their plights and acted. She moved up on them quickly and fished them out of the strong current.

As we fight to stay afloat in life. It seems like new leaks spring up every day. Luckily, the Lord of the fleet is watching over us, and He will never let the water rise above our heads. His loving kindness keeps us afloat and rescues us when troubled waters threaten us.

Prayer: I'm trying to keep my head above water, Lord. Thank You for being an island in the stream, where I can climb out of the water, rest from the struggle, and re new myself for the swim ahead. Amen.

Wisdom From the Psalms For 8/17/13

Psalm 68:19

Blessed by the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.

When we ask God for our daily bread, what do we mean? Is it merely food to nourish our body? Is it all the basic necessities of life? Does it include the bread Jesus spoke of: the Word of God? It is all these things and more. Our heavenly Father wants us to have everything we need to affirm His image within us.

 God never calls His children to tasks they are not ready for, and He will not abandon us without the resources we need to succeed. Our God provides us with everything we need to be the best people we can be. Call upon the Lord to load you daily with benefits. He will do even more than you expect.

Prayer: Lord, I do not even know what I need to be better than I am today, but in Your wisdom, You see my every need. Give me what You will, in order that I might be an honor and a glory to You. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/16/13

Psalm 68:5

A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

Andy was a saint. It wasn't enough that he had a wife and a large family to take care of. He chose to adopt every person he met who was in need. He befriended a young boy in the neighborhood who had no father, and spent precious time with him. He sought out the widows and single women on the block and offered to do whatever they needed done around their houses. He never took payment for what he did. Instead, he shared a Christ like love and spirit, and served everyone unselfishly.

The Andy’s of the world are those rare individuals who take seriously their call to be perfect as God is perfect. They strive to be the best people they can be, and they do this by exemplifying love and sacrifice. God gives us the Andy’s to prove that it can be done. We, too, can walk in the steps of Christ, if we will only give ourselves totally to God. It means nothing more than giving to God what He has given to us.

Prayer: I want to walk in Your footsteps, Lord. Help me to be willing to share with others what I have been given. Teach me to use my time, my talents, my gifts, and my service to show Your glory. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/15/13

Psalm 68:2

As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

The conference room was a fog of cigarette smoke. Everyone sat red-eyed, both smoker and nonsmoker alike. It was hard to utter a sentence without choking. Finally, someone discovered switches that turned on exhaust fans. The room cleared, and breathing was possible once more.

Evil is as oppressive as a thick cloud of smoke. It envelops people and chokes them, making it impossible for them to function. The Lord will one day dispel all evil as a fan dispels smoke. On that day, all good people will breathe richly of the fragrance of God, and no more will we be covered by the haze of sin.

Prayer: Lord, send the breath of Your Spirit to cleanse me of all sin. Free me from the oppression of all that I have done wrong, through Your blessed forgiveness. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms for 8/14/13

Psalm 66:20

Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

Think of it! God is actually waiting to hear from us. It's not that God doesn't have other things to do, but that there is nothing He'd rather do than spend time with the children He loves. It boggles the mind to realize that God loves us that much. He has made us to be like Him, and He anxiously awaits our call.

 Offer your prayers to God. He will hear them, and He will send His mercy upon them.

Prayer: Hear me, O God. Though I may have nothing of much importance to say to You, I need to know that You will listen to me and respond. I love You, Lord. Amen

Wisdom From The Psalms for 8/13/13

Psalm 66:6


He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.

Professor Marsh shook his head emphatically. He maintained that the story of the Red Sea was phony. Dr. Reed proposed that maybe they crossed somewhere else. Brother Allwell said true believers knew it happened just as it was written. For hours the men argued and fought. No one changed his mind, nothing was gained, faith was never spoken of, and the promoters of the debate thought, all in all, it was a great success.

What is the big idea? The fact is, the Hebrew people escaped the finest fighting force of its day by crossing a body of water that stopped the Egyptian army. A miracle is a miracle is a miracle. The [how] is not nearly as important as the fact that it [how] happen. Our God is a God of miracle and wonder. Praise Him for what He does, rather than for how He does it, and you will find your faith grows by leaps and bounds.

Prayer: When Your miracles get reduced to topics for debate, I find I lose interest, Father. Refresh me with the strangeness and awe of Your power, Lord. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/12/13

Psalm 66:5


Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.

In the days of Jesus, a common usage of the word meant "incredible." To be terrible meant to be beyond belief. God truly is beyond belief. We cannot begin to understand all He has done and He continues to do in our world. A walk through the country will expose us to more miracles than we can count. A look at the night sky will fill us with wonder to the core of our being.

God has offered us untold questions to explore and contemplate. Come and see the works of the Lord. They are incredible!

Prayer: Lord, I do not pretend to understand You, but I do surely love You. Show me new wonders and teach me new questions, that I might come to know You better each day. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/11/13

Psalm 65:13


The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

Each year the rice paddies were laid out and the tender plants were planted. Each year the people of the village waited with anxious hope, looking to see whether the storms would come and wash the fields away. Many times, the people would watch as their hard labor was destroyed, but other times they rejoiced to see their crops full and bountiful. After each harvest, the village offered a portion of their harvest to God, thanking Him for his mercy and grace.

What do we offer to God when we are blessed with good things? Do we even remember to say thank you? The Lord has given us so much, and we should always and everywhere give Him thanks and praise.

Prayer: In bad times, please be my strength; in good times, celebrate with me, Lord. Thanks for being with me, doing so much for me, and giving so much to me. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms for 8/10/13

Psalm 65:11


Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.

Dick was thankful. The year had been a good one. He wasn't a wealthy store owner. He lived from week to week, and it was vitally important to him that things work out well. He watched friends of his go under all the time. There was no such thing as a sure thing in business anymore. The lord had been good to Dick, and he was indeed grateful.

Not everything in life does the way we would like it. Sometimes we make out okay, other times things just don't seem to work out. In both cases, the Lord is with us, and He wants to help us make the best of things. God has given good things to His children, and when one thing doesn't work out, we can rest assured that something else is soon to come along. When things do work out, we need to remember to give thanks to the one who made it all possible.

Prayer: You give so many good things, Lord. Help me to see past the things that are wrong in my life and see all the things that are so right. Thank You for all the blessings You have given me. Amen

Wisdom From The Psalms for 8/9/13

Psalm 65:7


Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

The two boys stood out on the rocks, looking at the crashing waves. They tried to shout above the roar of the surf, but finally gave up. The water thundered as it hit the rocks. Both boys were a little frightened and a little thrilled by the deafening sound.

When we get a little cocky and conceited, a trip to the ocean can bring us back to reality really fast. The water rolls into shore in great, whitecapped waves, hits the rocks, sending spray high into the air, and crates a noise that obliterates every other sound. The sound of the water on the rocks is the voice of God thundering out through creation, "it is good!" Human beings in all their wisdom and genius have created nothing to compare with the least of God's creations. His power, might, and majesty humble us and help us to remember that He alone is God.

Prayer: Show forth Your might through Your creation, O Lord. Remind me of Your greatness and power throughout the day. You are wonderful, Lord, and I thank You that I can worship You. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/8/13

Psalm 65:6

Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power.

Todd's teacher talked about the mountains he had visited just the summer before. The teacher said that thousands of years ago, the mountains weren't nearly so high. With each passing year, they jutted higher and higher. Amazing power err pushed them skyward. Todd had walked along the ridge of one mountain, taking for granted that it had always been there. The world was a really fascinating place.

It is wonderful to think of our God as the creator of all that is. There is so much that truly is fascinating, and we cannot begin to understand it all. God set the mountains in their places, and He changes them ever so slightly all the time. A God powerful enough to do all that is a God worthy of our praise and devotion. Put your faith in God, and you will be moved no more easily than a mountain can be.

Prayer: Lord, You have done so many wonderful things. Your power is beyond imagining. Send that power to me, that I might stand fast in my faith and be unmoved in a world full of temptation. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms for 8/7/13

Psalm 64:2

Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity.

The charges were ridiculous. Didn't people have anything better to do than create perverse fantasies about other people? Cliff had been helping Judy through a really tough time in her life. The two had spent many long hours together, often sitting up through the night in Cliff's apartment, talking. Now, a select committee from the school was calling into question Cliff's fitness to teach "young, impressionable minds." Important matters would take a backseat to an imagined scandal. It was ironic that when a person tried his hardest to do something good, his motives were most suspect.

Doing what is right and good is sometimes risky. There is always someone who will question our motives and try to undermine the good we hope to accomplish. Be assured that God sees all things, and He will richly reward those who continue to do right, even in the face of stiff opposition.

Prayer: I need to know that You are on my side and that You will not leave me to fight on my own. I am constantly made aware of how hard it is to do good things. Fill me with perseverance, Lord. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/6/13

Psalm 63:9-10

But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.

Tracy couldn't believe the girls at school would be so cruel. She never did anything to any of them, but they were always finding some way to hurt her. It was all she could do to keep from telling them all off. Her mother told her to ignore them, but that was hard to do. Her mother also said that they would eventually have to pay for all the nasty things they did, but Tracy wished that day would come soon.

No one likes to be picked on. Some people love to spend time making others unhappy. These people will have to answer to God for their actions. We are called to love one another and to look for ways to give one another encouragement. While the nasty people will answer in shame for their deeds, the kind will rejoice with Christ in heaven.

Prayer: Help me to shrug off the unkind words and actions of the people around me. Lift me above the hurts that come from unthinking and cruel people. Teach me to respond in love, no matter how I am treated. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/5/13

Psalm 63:1

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul th irsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.

The rock face extended straight up. Terry was halfway up, and his arms ached. From the ground it hadn't looked nearly so great a distance. The sun was scorching, and all Terry could think of was a cool drink of water. He would give anything to be able to stop and drink, but there was not safe place to even think of doing it. The more he thought of water, the worse his thirst got. He comforted himself by thinking the next drink he took would be the best he'd ever had.

We often don't appreciate the simple things in life until we are unable to enjoy them. Taking god's gifts for granted is easy to do. Clean air, water to drink, food on the table; these things come easily to most of us, and so we are not as thankful as we might be if we didn't have them. Many in our world have to do without. Remember than even the most basic of our needs is met by the loving grace of God. Thank Him for everything He has given.

Prayer: For the air that I breath, the warmth of the springtime sun, the food that nourishes me, and for so much more, I lift my voice in thanks and praise to You, Lord. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/4/13

Psalm 62:10

Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

Glenn prayed for things to get easier. Every day he lifted his concerns to the Lord. Each day he faithfully read the Bible and thought about the Lord's loving works. Finally, his financial woes began to turn around. He thanked God for hearing him and helping him. His wealth began to increase, but as it did, Glenn turned less and less to God. He rarely prayed, almost never did he turn to God's World, and he spent his time thinking of all the wonderful things he could do with his new found wealth. Glenn attained a level where he could have been called a rich man.

 At the same time, Glenn attained a level of spiritual bankruptcy. The cost of wealth is often our very faith. Let not the wealth of the world turn you from God. There is the devil's finest work.

Prayer: Forgive me when I let things come between us, Lord. Material wealth is nice, but not if it means that I lose my relationship with You. Help me be satisfied with what I have, and keep my mind and my heart on You. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 8/3/13

Psalm 61:2

From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Eric ran back and forth behind the crowd. The parade was coming, and he really wanted to have a good spot to watch it from. Everyone was so much taller than he was. Wherever he went, somebody was standing in front of him. In frustration, he began to cry. Suddenly, two strong hands lifted Eric up and placed him on shoulders high up above the mass of people. From the vantage point of the stranger's shoulders, the entire parade was easy to see

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Sometimes we need a boost. Problems loom too large, and we can't see our way around them. Pressures build up, and we don't feel big enough to cope with them. God sees all that and He is ready to lift us up; to give us a new vantage point. Reach up to the Lord, and He will lead you to Himself, a rock which is higher than any problem we might have.

Prayer: Pick me up, Lord, and hold me in Your loving arms. Protect me from the pressures of the day, and remove the heaviness from my heart. Inspire me with the knowledge that You and I together can handle anything. Amen.

Wisdom FromTthe Psalms for 8/2/13

Psalm 60:2

Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh

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Bombs burst, shaking the walls of the nearby houses. Villagers huddled inside, wondering when the thundering blasts would end. Finally, the assault slacked off, and quiet replaced the horrendous noise. Cautiously, people made their way from their homes to view the devastation that lay around them. Their once-scenic village lay mostly in ruin, the bombs having torn apart the beauty that had existed before.

Wars come and end, and always God has slowly and carefully covered the scars of battle with beauty once more. His great power stands against the worst that humankind can do. So far we have not done irreparable damage, and by God's grace we never will, but it is good to know that the Lord is with us, to heal all wounds and make all things new.

Prayer: The power of humankind does not even compare with Your might, Lord. Save us from our own destructiveness, and renew Your creation, which we carelessly destroy. Amen.