Wisdom From The Psalms For 10/1/13

Psalm 89:15

Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.

Magic! No matter where the children were, they heard it. It called them from their homework, their play, their naps, their chores. In an instant, heads came up, slightly cocked, in order to hear the delicate chimes. The ice cream man! No greater sound could be found. From every corner of the neighborhood, children with beaming faces were drawn magically to the little wine cart, with its row of silver bells.

When the voice of the Lord calls out to us, may we respond to it with the same childlike glee that our youngsters demonstrate at the approach of the ice cream man. May the name of the Lord bring joy to our hearts and smiles to our faces.

Prayer: Fill me with a joy that remains untouched by the trials of the day. When I hear Your name, Lord, let me respond in jubilation. Be the source of my comfort and peace. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms for 9/30/13

Psalm 89:14

Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

"What's He going to do to me? He loves everybody. He's got to take me to heaven, or He wouldn't be God."

Jeff's statement left Cathy stunned. Was it true? It certainly made sense. What kind of loving God could send someone to hell? Maybe Jeff knew what he was talking about. Maybe it didn't really matter what a person does on earth.

Don't kid yourself. God cares very deeply about how we choose to live our lives, and as far as hell goes, only people who choose to go there make it. God has given us free will. He will not force any of us to spend eternity with Him if we don't want to. If we decide, however, that we do want to spend our eternity in heaven, then it is our responsibility to prepare ourselves, body, mind, and spirit. Our earthly existence becomes boot camp for the Kingdom. We train for the world which is to come. God is just and merciful, but He will indeed judge. It is the innocent who will stand beside Him.

Prayer: Let me not tempt Your mercy, Lord, but do everything in my power to act as I thing You want me to act. Train me to be a Kingdom person, worthy to enter Your heaven when I am ready. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms for 9/29/13

Psalm 88:12

Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? And they righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

The man fell in love with the painting. Its beauty was beyond words. He would give anything to own the painting; to possess its beauty for himself. He bought the painting and took it home with him. Immediately, he began to worry that it might get damaged. He packed the painting in a crate and locked it in an airtight vault, away from seeking eyes, where no one could benefit from its loveliness.

We have received a treasure of great value: Jesus Christ. Should we hold Him in our hearts, never letting Him be seen, or should we expose Him to the view of all who would look? We are to be the city on the hill, the light shining in the darkness, the salt of the earth. No one has the option to call himself a Christian and then keep it selfishly inside. Our faith is intensely personal, but it is never private. We possess a pearl of great price. Be proud of it and let the whole world see it.

Prayer: Make my life a picture of Your love, Lord. I want to be one more example of Your greatness and glory on this earth. Be with me to guide my steps. Amen.

 

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/28/13

Psalm 88:12

Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? And they righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

The man fell in love with the painting. Its beauty was beyond words. He would give anything to own the painting; to possess its beauty for himself. He bought the painting and took it home with him. Immediately, he began to worry that it might get damaged. He packed the painting in a crate and locked it in an airtight vault, away from seeking eyes, where no one could benefit from its loveliness.

We have received a treasure of great value: Jesus Christ. Should we hold Him in our hearts, never letting Him be seen, or should we expose Him to the view of all who would look? We are to be the city on the hill, the light shining in the darkness, the salt of the earth. No one has the option to call himself a Christian and then keep it selfishly inside. Our faith is intensely personal, but it is never private. We possess a pearl of great price. Be proud of it and let the whole world see it.

Prayer: Make my life a picture of Your love, Lord. I want to be one more example of Your greatness and glory on this earth. Be with me to guide my steps. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/27/13

Psalm 88:8

Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

Fritz had read the horrible stories about AIDS, but never gave it much thought. Now his doctor was telling him that he had the disease. Fritz didn't want to die, especially all alone, but he knew that many of his friends would make themselves scarce as soon as they found out what he had. He had become a leper, an outcast, with nowhere to turn. Facing death was only a part of it. Facing life would be even harder.

 We do terrible things to some people in our society. People who suffer greatly need our compassion and love, but instead they receive our judgment and condemnation. Christ does not ask us to accept sin, or the results of sin, but He commands us to love the one who sins. One thing we may never do is cast aside another of God's children. We do not have that right. The Lord loves all His children, and we need to learn to love all our sisters and brothers. No one need ever be alone, if we will extend our hands in love to the sick, the lonely, and the poor.

 Prayer: My God, there are so many suffering people in this world. Lead me to where they are, that I might give them something of myself that together we may become the family You made us to be. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/26/13

Psalm 88:4, 5

I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am a man that hath no strength: Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in thy grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from they hand.

Annette sat with red-rimmed eyes. She had been crying for quite some time. Everything in her life felt like it was going wrong. She called herself a Christian, but she kept doing things she knew were wrong. She asked forgiveness, but she felt like a liar and a hypocrite. She wanted God to love her, but she kept being so unlovable. One of her friends told her that she was going to hell, because God would judge her for all the lies she told and all the sins she committed. Now, she sat sobbing, not knowing what to do.

It is hard to be good when we are so weak. Even the great apostle, Paul, spoke of doing things he knew he should not do. No one ever rises completely above sin. God wants people who will try and who will strive to do better, even when they know they can't be perfect. God will judge us on the intentions of our hearts. We cannot separate ourselves from God's love as long as we desire in our hearts to be reconciled to Him. He loves us that much.

Prayer: Forgive my weakness, fill me with strength, and continually remind me of Your great mercy. Though I am not worthy, I am love, and therefore, I am saved. Hallelujah! Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/25/13

Psalm 86:15

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

Erin thought the minister would be more understanding. She had gone to him with her problems because she thought he would be forgiving and loving. Instead, he made her feel dirty and sinful. There was no love in what he told her. He just said that what she had done was evil and she had to ask God's forgiveness and hope He would hear her. How could he call himself a Christian, let alone a minister? Erin left the church worse off than when she went in.

Pastors are people, too. They make mistakes, and just because they choose to serve God does not mean they will do everything the way God would do it. Too many people place pastors high up on pedestals, only to watch them come tumbling down. Only God is capable of total love and care. His forgiveness is what really matters. Often pastors can help us find God's will for our lives, but in those cases where they do not, God will still reach down to us, lifting us in love, sharing with us His mercy and truth.

Prayer: Lord, when people let me down, be with me to help me understand them. Shower Your love upon me, and deal with me with compassion. I need to feel Your love. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/24/13

Psalm 85:11

Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

Marge had denied God's existence for years. She had grown up in a huge city, and she rarely got out of it. Her argument against God was that a loving being wouldn't allow people to live in such terrible conditions as existed in so much of the city. Argument did nothing to persuade her. Marge's mind was made up.

When she was twenty-six, she went with friends into the mountains of Vermont. Like a wide-eyed child, she soaked in the awesome beauty of the hills. One evening, at sunset, her heart was filled with an unbelievable joy, and she somehow knew that God did exist. Cities weren't God's fault, they were the creation of men and women. Nature was God's expression of reality, and that reality was too good to deny. The truth rose up out of God's green earth to convince here. Never again would she say God did not exist.

Prayer: What a wonderful world we live in, Lord. You give us happiness, and yet we create sorrow. Turn our tears into laughter, God, that we may enjoy this blessed gift of life we have been given. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/23/13

Psalm 84:11

For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Loren worked on his tan all summer. He wanted that "ruddy, healthy look." All his efforts went into the pursuit of the perfect tan. By fall, he knew he’s being the envy of all his friends and the object of desire of all the ladies.

A suntan is an outward sign. Everyone who looks sees that the person has been changed in some way. The same is true of our Son tan; the spiritual bathing we take in Christ. Do people notice a difference in our lives just by looking at us? If we have been touched by the light of Christ, people should be able to tell. No longer do we walk selfishly and in sin. Through Christ, we walk upright, and God shines forth through us. Let us work hard on our spiritual image as we do on our physical one.

Prayer: Shine Your light on, in, and through me, Lord that I might fight against darkness wherever I go. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/22/13

Psalm 84:10

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Mike had seen pictures of most of the places he visited before he went. Even so, he was not prepared for the beauty he found. Pictures lost the magnitude, somehow. Traveling across the country brought everything into sharp focus. Being in it was a thousand times better than just seeing pictures of it.

Nothing beats the real thing. Once we are touched by the grace of God, nothing else compares. What this world has to offer us is but a snapshot of what we can really have. The real thing is best. Embrace God, and all that He is, and all that He does. You'll never need anything else.

Prayer: Lord, nothing can compare with You. In my life I have experienced wonderful things, but none so wonderful as Your love. Thank You. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms for 9/21/13

Psalm 84:3

Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine alters, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.

Rosa had no place left to turn. She was in the country illegally, but for her children's sake, she had to try to stay. She found herself with her two boys on the steps of a New Mexico church. Inside, she hoped to find the sanctuary she needed. There was no hope if the church turned her away.

Many people in this country are in deep trouble for offering sanctuary to illegal immigrants. There men and women have taken seriously God's charge to care for all His children, even at the risk of personal safety and security. Some have gone to jail, so strongly do they believe.

The church should be a place where people find hope and safety. If it does not provide these things, it is not really the church. We need to reach out to those who reach to us. Only by doing so can we stand proud, calling Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Prayer: Let the feelings of my heart be made real through my actions, Lord. Help me to live out the things that I believe. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms for 9/20/13

Psalm 83: 14, 15

As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; so persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.

The fireworks lit up the Independence Day night sky. Children watched wide-eyed, and parents exclaimed appropriately at each burst. The town echoed with the booming blasts of each rocket. The show was spectacular, and everyone had a good time. A few even remembered why the celebration took place.

Some remembered that the fireworks represented all the bombs that had burst for freedom. A handful walked away from the celebration with a hope beating in their breasts. The hope was that there would come a time when no more bombs would burst, when no one would have to live in fear for their lives. Some hoped for a day when peace would rule the land.

Some fear is healthy. It brings us to our senses and forces us to look at things with a level head. War is a terrible thing. It breaks down and destroys. God wants us to consider well the consequences of war. What we do to one another, He will not undo. Perhaps a fear of the Lord would bring us to our senses. Maybe we would then realize where we stand, and we would choose to stand closer to God.

Prayer: I pray for independence and freedom for all of creation, Lord. While we celebrate and laugh at the bursting bombs, some cower in fear and trembling. Be with them, Father. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/19/13

Psalm 82:6

I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

The wood carver who made himself a son out of a stump of a tree did so out of love. He wanted someone to love and care for, to teach and to guide, to spend time with and to share with. Pinocchio was the answer to the prayers of a lonely old man. In the end, the old man's love brought the boy made of wood to life.

God carved for Himself men and women to be with Him forever. He filled them with good things. He made them to love, and care, and learn, and grow. He fashioned them out of clay, then He made them as He was. He made us just less than Himself. He calls us gods and children, the greatest of all His creation. In God's eyes, we are sacred and good. Let us do everything we can to live up to His holy expectations.

Prayer: Make me worthy, Lord, of the great love which You have given to me. Turn me from my woodenness to true life; life which comes from Your indwelling Spirit. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/18/13

Psalm 81:15

The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him; but their time should have endured forever.

Water stretched out in every direction, as far as the man could see. He didn't know what direction would lead him most quickly to safety. He kept swimming, not knowing whether the shore was any closer or not. Each direction he tried seemed as hard as the last. The current was against him, no matter which way he turned. He was so tired. Every muscle ached. His heart filled with fear and anxiety. He wondered if the nightmare would ever end.

Such is the fate of one who realizes too late that God is who He says He is. All the futility of life comes crashing in. Sadness and frustration will reign. God wants us to turn to Him so we never have to face such despair. Christ is the life jacket that keeps us afloat when life gets too much for us. Nothing else will suffice.

Prayer: The waters are rough sometimes, and I need something to keep me from sinking. Thank You for throwing me a lifeline; Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/17/13

Psalm 81:9

There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

Chrissy was a smart girl. It was hard to understand why she would want to run off to some strange communal religious group. She had been active at church all her young life. Then, out of the blue, she started hanging around with a bunch of college students who belonged to a commune called Light of Life. One day her parents came home to find a note. All Chrissy's things were gone; she was now a member of Light of Life.

Thousands of people turn to cults and sects, hoping to find something Christianity can't give them. Usually, they don't want to take the responsibility Christ gives to live a holy and upright life. It is easier to run away to somewhere where the self doesn't matter so much, then to face the problems right in front of us. Sadly, there is no place to run. Jesus is the only true answer to a life that is empty and void. Strange gods come and go. They have no staying power. They may be attractive for a while, but only God endures forever.

Prayer: When I get discouraged in my faith, Lord, turn me back to You, that I might know Your truth. Do not let me be swayed by false teachings that sound so appealing. Protect me with Your love. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/16/15

Psalm 81:2

Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

Beth was different when she was singing. Somehow the pressures of the world disappeared when the music filled her head and heart. Her whole life felt somehow lighter, brighter, when she lifted her voice in praise through song. Music was the best expression of who she was and what she believed. Music made God real to Beth.

Music is a universal language. Every culture has its music, and it is revered as one of the finest arts. Music brings people together and can move us closer to God. God loves music and the spirit from which music springs. The quality is not nearly as important as the intention of the heart. Sing out to God, and He will bless you richly.

Prayer: Music touches my heart in a special way, Lord. Speak to me through the beauty of music. Touch me day by day. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/15/13

Psalm 80:13

The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

Betty loved her flowers and plants. She spent hours pruning, planting, and paring. Her garden was her pride and joy. Betty invested so much of herself into her plants. For that reason, Betty was at war with the woodland animals that made their way into her yard. They would always get through the fences somehow and mutilate her beautiful garden. To Betty, the plants were beauty and joy, but to the animals, they were nothing more than lunch.

We have the capacity to truly appreciate the beauty and splendor of God's creation. Why, then, do so many people trash God's gift as blindly as animals destroy a beautiful garden? Why don't we appreciate nature more, and respect it? The Lord gave us His ability to see the beauty in things. Let us use that gift, and protect and defend the wonders of the world in which we live.

Prayer: Do not let me stomp through life like some wild animal. Help me to see all creation as You see it. Fill me with the beauty of this world. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms for 9/14/13

Psalm 80:3

Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

The silly-looking little clown wobbled back and forth across the tabletop. He would jerk along in a funny walk, then, as his foot cleared the edge of the table, he would rock back, spin, and head off in a new direction, barely averting disaster.

We are a lot like that clown. We head off in wrong directions and then have to change our ways time and time again in order to avoid bad consequences. The word [repent] means to turn away from or toward. God wants us to turn from the things that are wrong in our lives and to turn toward Him. If we will always try to do just that, the Lord's face will shine upon us, and we shall be saved.

Prayer: Be patient with me, Lord, I run off in so many wrong directions, but I want always to come back to You. Thank You for not giving up on me. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms for 9/13/13

Psalm 79:11

Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die.

Jack sat with his head hanging, hands dangling between his knees. Just over a year had gone by since he was convicted of murdering his girlfriend. He didn't do it, but no one believed him. Within hours, his life would be at an end, and the truth would never be known. What had his life really been for? He closed his eyes and prayed to God. Sometime during his prayer, a stay of execution came through. New evidence would reopen a case almost permanently closed.

When we despair of life itself, the Lord comes to us gently and with love. He stays beside us, bringing us comfort when we need it most. Through Jesus Christ, we have received the reprieve from death. Our prayers are heard, and the Lord will be faithful to answer every one.

Prayer: Sometimes I feel like my life is hopeless, Lord. It seems that I am serving out some kind of sentence. Lift that burden from me and let me experience life the way You meant for it to be. Amen.

Wisdom From The Psalms For 9/12/13

Psalm 78:45,46

He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. He gave also their increase unt o the caterpillar, and their labour unto the locust.

God sent plagues upon the Egyptians, who persecuted the Hebrew people. Through these afflictions, God sent the message that no one could do evil for long and get away unpunished.

 Our Lord doesn't supersede the laws of nature often, but when He does, it is with good cause. And yet, even in the face of the terrible plagues, the Egyptian pharaoh refused to believe. People who lack the love of God in their lives so often refuse to admit they might be wrong. It is easier to deny God than to do what is necessary to please Him. The Christian refuses to deny her heart, and she continually acknowledges God's great works for what they really are. In our own day, the Lord does not send many plagues to afflict us, but there are definitely enough hardships to make us want to reach out to Him.

 We need God, and thankfully we have Him, every step of the way.

Prayer: My eyes are blind to many of Your great works, Lord. I miss so much of Your greatness and love. Help me to see You in new ways each day. Amen.