Monday April 13, 2026

God of hope.  There is another psalm by which the title of this blog might be arguably more fitting.  However, this is the title and source of strength in my prayer.  In our psalm this morning, the psalmist, David, begins “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, [bless] his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits (Psalm 103:1-2).  The psalmist here is calling to the depths of his own being to bless the Lord.  This reminds us of the other psalm(s), where I previously said might be a more fitting psalm for the title of this blog, Psalm 42 and Psalm 43.  In these two psalms, the psalmist is also calling to the depths of his own being to “hope in God”.  There are times in our lives when this is necessary.  There are times when circumstances are discouraging.  There are times when repentance has been made, but restoration is a battle and a process.  The enemy knows our weaknesses and short-comings, so he uses these circumstances to cause doubt and depression.  Thank God that He is faithful!  In Psalm 103, the reason why the psalmist can call upon the depths of his own being to bless the Lord is simply because God is good and He is unchanging.  Consider some of the benefits of God that the psalmist describes:  He forgives ALL your iniquity (v.3), He satisfies you with good things (v.5), He is compassionate and gracious (v.8), and He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve (v.10).  These are just a few of the things the psalmist lists.  There are three things that stand out to me in this psalm:
 (1) the psalmist is aware of some failure in his own life (recent or past, or both).  I say this because one of the benefits of God that he mentions is “He will not always accuse us or be angry forever (v.9).  Have you ever failed and had to wait upon blessings to flow again? 
(2) the description of God’s faithful love, mercy, is endless.  I have heard messages preached and songs written about verse 12 that describes God removing our transgressions as far as the east is from the west.  However, listen to the description of God’s faithful love (mercy), “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him” (v.11).  At its closest point in orbit, the planet Venus is about 25 million miles away.  At it’s closest, Neptune is 2.7 billion miles away, and that is just in our solar system.  How far is the heavens above the Earth? That is the measurement used to describe God’s faithful love towards us. 
 (3) our contribution towards blessing the Lord.  The psalmist calls upon angels of great strength and all of God’s armies and servants to bless the Lord (v.20-21).  He calls upon all of God’s works in all places to bless the Lord (v.21).  That is a mighty list, but then he concludes, “My soul, bless the Lord!” (v.22).  Regardless of your current circumstances, give some thought about the benefits of God this morning and then bless the Lord!

Thursday April 9, 2026

God Who works outwardly and inwardly.  In many ways, the miracles that God does outwardly is likely what gets remembered the most.  We recall how God flooded the Earth, parted the Red Sea, sent manna down from heaven to feed an entire nation of people for forty years, made water come out of a rock, healed the sick, cause the lame to walk, gave sight to the blind, and raised the dead.  This is not an exhaustive list of miracles, but a list that easily just comes to the mind.  I’m finishing up a book called “The Possibilities of Prayer” and in the book the author writes, “Natural laws are simply God’s laws, by which governs and regulates all things in nature.  Nature is nothing but God’s servant.  God is above nature, God is not the slave of nature” (E.M Bounds, p.90).  In our reading this morning, we read about a great miracle of sending fire down from heaven to consume a prepared sacrifice by Elijah.  However, what stood out to me was not the great spectacle that must have been absolutely amazing to see, but it was the quiet work that was not seen.  We read as Elijah prayed, “Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God and that you have turned their hearts back” (1 Kings 18:37).  There really were two miracles, weren’t they.  God was going to use the one miracle (fire down from heaven) to accomplish the other (turn the people’s hearts back to Himself).  This is found in Elijah’s prayer.  He was not asking for God to do a miracle so that Elijah could be seen or benefited in any way.  Elijah was asking God to work so that the hearts of the people would be turned back.  Elijah was not focused on himself, but God and the heart of the people.  One of my takeaways was that Elijah was faithful to pray and God was faithful to work.  So many times we try to create the “miracle”, but that is not our role.  Our role is to faithfully pray and work, while trusting God to do the work that we cannot do.

Friday March 27, 2026

Prayer.  The psalms teach us to pray, but we must set aside time to fervently pray.  God is awakening my spirit to the importance of prayer.  Listen to this prayer of David.  Remember David was a man after God’s own heart.  David prays, “Listen, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.  Protect my life, for I am faithful.  You are my God; save your servant who trusts in You.  Be gracious to me, Lord, for I call to You all day long.  Bring joy to your servant’s life, because I appeal to you, Lord” (Psalm 87:1-4).  David next goes on to describe qualities he knows about God which is why David can be bold in his prayer to God.  Did you notice what David asks? He asks God to be gracious to him, for he has called to God all day long.  When is the last time, or have we ever, spent all day long crying out to God?  In David’s petition to God, he humbles himself by confessing he is just a poor and needy person.  I don’t believe David was saying he was poor, meaning he was without money.  It is possible, however, as there were times when David was fleeing from Saul that his means of support was limited, viewing from an earthly perspective.  But, David was humbling himself before the Lord.  One of the things we learn from the earthly ministry of Jesus was that He had compassion (pity) upon the lowest of the low.  When we are so low, and it feels like we can go no lower, we can call out to God in humility, but in confidence, knowing that He shows compassion to the lowly.  I just finished a book entitled “Power Through Prayer” by E. M. Bounds.  This book was really written by a pastor for a pastor, but I would recommend it to anyone.  If you are a member of our church and reading this, this book is currently in our church library.  The entire book emphasizes the importance of prayer and there have been many good takeaways for me.  I’ll share two to close out this post.  The writer states, “The age may be a better age than the past, but there is an infinite distance between the betterment of an age by the force of an advancing civilization and its betterment by the increase of holiness and Christlikeness by the energy of prayer” (p.48).  “Prayer seems outdated, almost forgotten – an art lost in the hustle and bustle of modern life.  The greatest gift our age could receive is someone who can lead preachers and the church back to the practice of fervent, dedicated prayer” (p.84).  Sounds like quotes fashioned for today, right?  The author, E. M. Bounds, lived from 1835 to 1913.

The journey.  Our psalm text today says, “How happy are those who reside in your house, who praise you continually.  Happy are the people whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage” (Psalm 84:4-5).  Verse 5 in the KJV states, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.  Matthew Henry commentates, “They are such as have a love for holy ordinances: In whose heart are the ways of them, that is, who, having placed their happiness in God as their end, rejoice in all the ways that lead to him, all those means by which their graces are strengthened and their communion with him kept up. They not only walk in these ways, but they have them in their hearts, they lay them near their hearts; no care or concern, no pleasure or delight, lies nearer than this.”  Where are you going?  Are we seeking the Lord?  Is our current destination set on Him and are we actively pursuing Him?  This is an important question to answer because the journey will have hills and valleys, but even the valleys can be rejoiced in if we know we are drawing nearer.  The next verse of the psalm states, “As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a source of spring water; even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings” (Psalm 84:6).  The Valley of Baca is the valley of tears.  So, the psalmist is saying that on this journey, with the destination set upon God, even the valley of tears is a source of spring water.  One of our sisters in the church who is going through such a time has said that one of her favorite songs is “This Valley is for me”.  The difficulties in a journey are worth it if the destination is worthy of it.  God is worthy!

Saturday March 21, 2026

Great lessons.  This morning in our reading there were two lessons of encouragement that really stood out.  In our reading in 1 Samuel, we see that Israel had committed a terrible sin.  In their desire to have an earthly king, basically what they were saying was that they had rejected God as their King.  Samuel rehearses in their hearing all that God had done for them and how He had delivered them time after time.  They had been warned by Samuel before about desiring a king, but they wanted one anyway.  So, God anoints them a king.  After rehearsing all of the goodness of God, on the day of wheat harvest, Samuel tells the people that he will call on the Lord and ask Him to send thunder and rain so that they would recognize what an immense evil they had committed in the Lord’s sight by requesting a king for themselves (1 Samuel 12:17).  The Lord heard and answered that prayer and the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel (v.18).  So, what does a people do now that they have committed such a sin against the Lord?  Is God going to annihilate them?  “Samuel replied, ‘Don’t be afraid.  Even though you have committed all this evil, don’t turn away from following the Lord.  Instead, worship the Lord with all your heart.  Don’t turn away to follow worthless things that can’t profit or rescue you; they are worthless.  The Lord will not abandon His people because of His great name and because He has determined to make you His own people” (v.20-22).  When we fall, and even when we fall hard, we must not run away from God; we must run to Him!!
The second lesson is on the importance of prayer.  God is teaching me this afresh and anew.  When they were in trouble, they asked Samuel to call upon the Lord for them.  Remember, their decision for a king signified rejection of God and Samuel, as Samuel was the “judge” God had raised up to lead them during this time.  Yet, Samuel prayed.  He actually said, “I vow that I will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you.  I will teach you the good and right way” (v.23).  Prayer is not the least we can do.  No, it is the greatest thing we can do.  In our psalm reading, it says, “Lord God of Armies, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers” (Psalm 80:4).  We must be patient in prayer.  There are times when we have sinned and our hearts have hardened that by the time we realize the sin, much time has passed.  God is patient and longsuffering with us.  Once He has become angry, it is likely due to long-standing sin.  We must continue to be faithful in prayer, waiting upon the Lord.  The psalmist continues to pray in that psalm and in that continued prayer, he asks for Restoration (v.3, 7, and 19), for the Lord to Return (v.14), and for the Lord to Revive (v.18).  God does and will answer prayer.

Thursday March 19, 2026

Just thinking.  I was awakened early this morning and as I was praying, I began thinking of the abundant promises of God.  Our time in Hebrews reminds us that Christ is greater.  In all that God had given in the old covenant, what He has provided in this new covenant even comes with better promises.  God is not limited like man.  There is no problem too small or too big for God.  The thought though is that that not only is God able to handle the biggest of problems, but He does so with abundance.  In what I was asking for in that moment, God went even beyond what I was asking.  This caused me to begin thinking about promises and principles from God’s Word that speak of His abundance (things beyond the norm).  Here are some.  I know there are more, so maybe you can think of some and add to this list:

• Peace that passes all understanding
• Life and have it more abundantly
• Saved to the uttermost
• Joy unspeakable and full of glory
• Friendship that sticks closer than a brother
• Able to do far more than we think or imagine
• Bread enough to satisfy the hungriest of souls with baskets left over
• Drink that we’ll never thirst again
• Life everlasting
• Forgiveness of sin that is never remembered against us again
• Abundance of mercy
• Amazing grace

Please join me in praying for our church.  May the spirit of revival come and rest upon us.  Let us remember that not only is God able to provide, He can go beyond what we ask.  Let us rejoice in the goodness of God.

Wednesday March 18, 2026

Fervent Prayer.  Prayer is a subject I have recently been studying.  One familiar verse comes from James, “16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).  Have you ever wondered what effectual fervent prayer looked like?  In our psalm reading today, there was a verse that stood out that I could just not get past.  It says, “In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted” (Psalm 77:2).  When you first look at this, it is obvious the psalmist is very troubled and it clearly states “I sought the Lord”.  However, the next phrase is not obvious at first; it states, “my sore ran in the night”.  The Hebrew word translated “my sore” (yāḏ) means “hand”.  So, a more modern translation states, “I sought the Lord in my day of trouble.  My hands were continually lifted up all night long” (CSB).  The hands being lifted up is a signifier of prayer.  Much like we bow our heads in prayer, Scripture describes times of lifting up holy hands in prayer.  For example, Paul writes to Timothy “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8).  Can’t you just picture the psalmist being so troubled, and in seeking the Lord, he prays with hands raised all night long?  As I read this text, this picture reminded me of another instance in Scriptures where we see hands raised.  “Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands [were] heavy; and they took a stone, and put [it] under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun” (Exodus 17:8-12).  I wonder…what was Moses doing in lifting up his hands?  Was he praying and the lifting up in hands signified that?  I believe so!  And when his hands got heavy, he had some come along side of him so that he might be steadied, so that he could continue to pray.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Saturday March 14, 2026

God is my refuge.  In our Psalm reading today, the first part is a very familiar passage.  The psalmist begins by testifying the God is good to Israel, to the pure in heart (Psalm 73:1).  But the psalmist then confesses that his feet almost slipped, he steps nearly went astray (v.2).  As your read the first half of the psalm, we see that the psalmist had started looking at others instead of looking at God.  The wicked seem to prosper and the psalmist, who was striving for goodness and righteousness, seemed to suffer.  This is an important lesson.  This remains true today.  At first glance, it can seem like the wicked get richer and those who are pure in heart suffer.  We often hear the question, “why do bad things happen to good people?”.  But the psalmist is reminded of something when he enters God’s sanctuary (v.17).  Does it cause you to wonder what took place in the sanctuary to bring this about?  Matthew Henry speculates, “he applied to his devotions, meditated upon the attributes of God, and the things revealed, which belong to us and to our children; he consulted the scriptures, and the lips of the priests who attended the sanctuary.”  Our attendance at church is not always about acquiring new information.  It is about being reminded.  Notice how the focus moves away from the wicked, and back on to where it should be, upon God.  The psalmist writes, “Who do I have in heaven but you?  And I desire nothing on earth but you” (v.25).  He concludes, “But as for me, God’s presence is my good.  I have made the Lord God my refuge, so I can tell about all you do” (v.28).  If you look at the King James Version in verse 28, it says, “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.”.  The word “trust” in that verse is translated from the Hebrew word “maḥăsê” and it means “refuge, shelter; from rain or storm, from danger”.  There are times when difficulties, storms, come our way.  Like Peter, it can be easy to take our eyes off the Savior in the storm, but when we get reoriented and see Him as He is, we can clearly see that He is our refuge.  Being a Christian does not mean we won’t have storms; we might actually appear to have more than others.  But what it means is that we have a refuge, a place to go when the storms come.

Thursday March 12, 2026

Standy by me.  As we read our psalm this morning, a song that came to mine says, “When I’m growing old and feeble, stand by me”. In that same song, it says, “When the hosts of hell assail, and my strength begins to fail, thou who never lost a battle, stand by me.    Our psalm this morning is a plea for God’s help in old age.  The psalmist prays, “Don’t discard me in my old age.  As my strength fails, do not abandon me” (Psalm 71:9).  There are several important lessons to be learned from this psalm.  First, no matter what season of life we are in, we need the Lord.  The psalmist makes this request of God, “do not be far from me; my God, hurry to help me” (v.12).  Second, God is faithful.  God is not like man.  In general, when something gets old and is not as useful as it once was, or perhaps a newer model comes along, it gets discarded.  Now that is true for things, but I also see a trend in our culture to do the same with people.  As we get older, we are not able to do what we once did.  Growing in popularity is something called euthanasia.  This is the practice of intentionally ending one’s life to eliminate pain or suffering.  I have seen the definition of “suffering” be expanded over time to include great dissatisfaction with life.  This is sin. It is wrong.  Mankind is not like things, nor like animals.  This psalm teaches us that God is faithful in every season of life, and we are to seek Him in every season.  Third, there is work to be done in every season of life.  While you may not be able to do what you once did, there is still work, great work, to be done.  The psalmist says, “Even while I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me, while I proclaim your power to another generation, your strength to all who are to come” (v.18).  Older saints have a great responsibility and great work to do in proclaiming the power of God to those who are coming behind them.  It is necessary and important work.  Finally, there is great hope in the Lord, even in old age.  I recently had a great privilege of speaking about hope from a Christian perspective.  While the context did not allow me to go in great details, it was an open door, nonetheless, and I have been thanking God for it.  People are desperate for hope.  We have learned in Hebrews that Christ is our hope, an anchor for our souls, and Christ has entered through the vail into Heaven ahead of us.  What a Savior!  This morning, the psalm says, “You cause me to experience many troubles and misfortunes, but you will revive me again.  You will bring me up again, even from the depts of the earth” (v.20).  I’m not sure we view death as revival, but we should!  Revival is a time of drawing near and being near the Lord.  There is no greater revival than being absent from the body, to be present with the Lord!  No matter what season of life we are in, let us seek the Lord for revival, and ask the Lord to “stand by me”.

Saturday March 7, 2026

Alive!  This morning, I had the opportunity to walk outside for a few minutes.  It is such a beautiful morning and the air smells so clean.  The grass is getting much greener.  Things are starting to come alive.  The interesting thing is that in the Fall and Winter, the grass does not die, nor does the trees. They are still alive, but in somewhat of a dormant phase.  Of courses the leaves on the trees die and fall off, but the tree is not dead.  There are many applications to this natural truth.  Remember that nature and the seasons have been created by God.  I wonder if we go through seasons like this in our spiritual lives.  Seasons of difficulty and loss come, and it seems like things are dying off.  We have not lost faith, but everything around us seems to be falling, yet we still maintain our faith as we watch and pray.  This morning, our psalm reading says, “Bless our God, you peoples; let the sound of His praise be heard.  He keeps us alive and does not allow our feet to slip (Psalm 66:8-9).  It goes on to say that God tested us, lured us into a trap, placed burdens on our back, and let men ride over our heads (v.11-12).  Yes, God did that.  He may have used an enemy in the word, but God did that.  Why?  The answer: to refine and teach us.  The last part of verse 12 says, “we went through fire and water, but you brought us out to abundance”.  Are you going through something right now?  God will bring you through.  Keep looking and trusting in Him.  Find a dear brother or sister to walk with you.  Has God brought you through something?  Tell someone, especially someone who desperately needs to hear it.  “Blessed be God!  He has not turned away my prayer or turned His faithful love from me” (Psalm 66:20).  Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.  Because He lives, I am alive.  Praise God (tell Him) and tell others.

Tuesday March 3, 2026

It all works together.  I ask you to be patient as you read this blog.  It might seem disjointed at times, but it all works together.  There were quite a few nuggets I discovered in our reading today, so let me share.  First, in our Deuteronomy text, Israel was commanded to faithfully obey the Lord and to follow His commands (Deuteronomy 28:1).  They were instructed not to turn aside to the left or right (v.14).  Left or right of what?  Answer, God’s commands.  There is no subjective line, therefore, making turning to left or right subjective or obscure.  Blessings are promised for obedience, but curses for disobedience.  We might be led to believe that the curses are just weakened promises.  For example, instead of giving you a bumper crop, God will give you enough for what you need, but no extra.  Listen to just one of the curses that God promised to bring upon them if they disobeyed:  “Your sons and daughters will be given to another people, while your eyes grow weary looking for them every day.  But you will be powerless to do anything” (v.32).  It actually gets much worse.  Midway through the curses, we are given a reminder of how God desired it and how it could have been.  These curses are “Because you didn’t serve the Lord your God with joy and a cheerful heart, even though you had an abundance of everything” (v.47).  God had given them so much and God’s commands were for their good.  If only they would have trusted God, they could have obeyed His commands joyfully and cheerfully.  This is a very important perspective that we must keep.  Finally, I briefly mentioned, but want to reiterate that God promised to bring these curses just as much as He promised the blessings (v.63).  Now, lest you think like many others before us, that we will be like Frank Sinatra and do it my way, God warns, “I will have peace even though I follow my own stubborn heart” (Deuteronomy 29:19).  This will lead to destruction and the Lord will not be willing to forgive him (v.20).  Our Deuteronomy text for the day concludes, “The hidden things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29). What are the revealed things?  Answer, the commands and instructions of God.  All Israel needed to do was trust the Lord.  They would show that trust by following God’s commands and not turning to other gods.  This leads to our psalm for the day.  “I am at rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will never be shaken” (Psalm 62:1).  We read again, “Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken” (v.5).  Let us not get caught up on other things and let us not get caught up on the hidden things for they do not belong to us.  Let us look to God alone and what He has graciously revealed to us by His Word and let us faithfully follow all that God has instructed with joyful and cheerful hearts.  We will find rest in God alone!

Sunday March 1, 2026

I will rejoice.  In our psalm today, David is a Miktam for teaching. It is not know for sure what a Miktam is, but we do know this passage was for teaching.  Teaching what?  Perspective and how to pray in difficult times.  The timeframe examine appears to be a time of many victories for David.  Commentator, David Guzki summarizes, “The historical markers against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt place it sometime in the earlier part of King David’s reign, when he subjected neighboring nations. 2 Samuel 8:1-8 records David’s victories over Philistia, Moab, and Syria. 2 Samuel 10:1-19 tells of David’s victories over Ammon and Syria. 1 Chronicles 18:11-13 gives us David’s victories over Edom (and specifically in the Valley of Salt), Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek. The victories described in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles do not mention the kind of setbacks lamented in this psalm. It reminds us that the historical record often condenses events, and that the successes were real, yet not always immediate.”  Even in difficult battles that are ultimately won, there can be great difficulty in the battle itself.  The psalmist begins, “God, you have rejected us; you have broken us down, you have been angry.  Restore us” (Psalm 60:1).  Notice the psalmist attributes the difficulties to God.  I like what Matthew Henry wrote, “Whatever our trouble is, and whoever are the instruments of it, we must own the hand of God, his righteous hand, in it.”  Yet, while the psalmist ascribes the trouble to God, he also ascribes the solution.  Restore us!  As we read on, and I’ll try to be succinct, we find the reason for the hope of rejoicing for the psalmist.  It appears in verse six, “God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth”.   In essence, the psalmist says that God has spoken, a promise, therefore, I will rejoice.  The promise God spoke can be found in Psalm 89, “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David (Psalm 89:34-35).  In good times and bad, God has made promises.  And God is not slack concerning His promises as some men count slackness.  Regardless of your current circumstance, can you rejoice in the promises of God?

Wednesday February 25, 2026

In God We Trust.  It is printed on our American money.  It should serve as a reminder of where our trust and allegiance lays, but does it?  Let’s stop and consider what it really means to trust God?  Let’s test, or seek to search ourselves, as to whether we do?  Our psalm this morning says, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:3).  As you know, but I’ll say again, I’ve learned to love the psalms.  The psalmist says when I’m afraid, I will trust in God.  This brings us to the test.  What do we do when we’re afraid?  Do we seek God, His Word, and trust in His truth?  Do we find ourselves turning to other things to either ignore the fear or to physically or psychologically try and overcome the fear?  Listen to what the psalm says after he say he will trust in God.  He says, “In God, whose word I praise”.  This is repeated twice more in verse ten.  God’s Word is to be praised.  God’s Word is a help, not a burden.  Do we seek His Word in times of fear?  This is where some get off course.  Some only look to trust the God that they have heard about, or aspects of God that have become marred in people’s understanding.  I recently watched a video of a homosexual woman speak sincerely about how Christ’s earthly ministry affirms her lifestyle.  She was conservatively dressed and the video was filmed with old-fashioned pews (not padded) and a conservative-looking church sanctuary in the background.  It saddened me.  I only use it as an illustration here to emphasize the importance of God’s Word.  We must not worship ideas of God or corrupted views of God from others, but must praise God for His Word – all of it. And then the psalmist, who acknowledges time of being afraid says, “in God I trust; I will not be afraid”.  In times of fear, we turn to the Lord, praise Him for His Word, and when we are reminded of Who He is, then our fears can subside because He is bigger than all our problems.  Lastly, there is another verse that stands out.  It states, “This I know:  God is for me” (v.9).  God is not against you.  He is for you!  When fear comes because of the enemy, remember that God is for you.  When sorrow comes, remember that God is for you.  When conviction comes because of sin, remember that God is for you (He chastens whom He loves).  I sometimes fail to remind others enough, but God loves you and He is for you.  In God I trust.

Tuesday February 24, 2026

Treasure.  I knew the subject which I wanted to write about this morning but wanted to find the right word for the title.  I have found great comfort and help from the Book of Psalms, and I hope you have too.  The opening of our psalm this morning conveys that the psalmist is in a desperate state, “God listen to my prayer and do not hide from my plea for help.  Pay attention to me and answer me. I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint” (Psalm 55:1-2).  As we read on, we can feel the weight and despair of the psalmist.  I want to pause, to address a side note.  At least twice, the psalmist writes about his “complaint” or “groaning” (v.2 and v.17).  How is this different from the grumbling and complaining we have talked about in our time in Hebrews as the writer of Hebrews describes the complaints of Israel in the wilderness with Moses?  They were grumbling and complaining about God, while the psalmist is bringing his complaint to God.  One shows a lack of trust in God while the other displays faith.  As we read on in our psalm, we see a description of society/culture in the city the psalmist sees, “Crime and trouble are within it; destruction is inside it; oppression and deceit never leave it marketplace” (v.10-11). It is easy for us to look at the deterioration of our cities and feel as if this is the first time this has ever happened in the history of the world.  Yet, when I read this psalm, I can relate our current state to what the psalmist is describing, can’t you?  Then we get to the real hurt in the psalmist.  What is described is a hurt from a friend.  Had it been an enemy, the psalmist states knowing how to handle that, but the hurt from a friend is devastating.  It is in this despair that we receive great instructions.  The psalmist, trying to navigate the pain, writes “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken” (v.22), and then concludes the psalm with “But I will trust in You” (V.23).  If you find yourself restless and in turmoil like the psalmist, you have been given great instructions – cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you!  In times of hurt and restlessness, it is also important to know that you are not alone in what you are experiencing.  Sometimes it feels as if no one has ever suffered or hurt like you are hurting.  No one understands.  I title this post “Treasure” because I was reminded that someone else, the psalmist, had to endure great pain for God to use him and that circumstance to bring this word of hope.  I would not have this Word had the psalmist not endured such pain.  Ultimately, it is Christ, our Savior, who endured great pain and loss, suffering as a man, to bring to us a Word of hope.  We would not have this Good News in time of despair had He not suffered.  This Word, what a Treasure!

Monday February 23, 2026

Reasons for Commands.  When we think about the Old Testament, we probably, at least in part, think about the Law of Moses.  God gave His law to His people through Moses.  When we think about these commands, we might picture them as a list of do’s and don’ts.  One of the most popular pictures is the Ten Commandments.  Why did God give His people commands?  Why didn’t God just rescue them from Egypt and lead them to Canaan, the Promise Land, and let them live there without restrictions?  We know how disobedient Israel was in the wilderness, don’t we?  The truth is, left to our own devices, we would destroy everything, even ourselves.  This is why God has ordained government, so that there are laws and order.  But, instead of looking at these Laws or Commands as a burden, maybe we should view them the way God intended them and understand their purpose.  They were a blessing.  First, their instructions were to listen to the commands they were being taught so that they may live, enter, and take possession of the land the Lord was giving them (Deuteronomy 4:1).  They were to NOT add or take anything away from the commands (v.2).  Next, carefully following these commands would show their wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the people (v.6).  When other people (nations) hear about all these commands, they will say, “This great nation is indeed a wise and understanding people.  For what great nation is there that has a god near to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to Him?” (v.6-7).  Lastly, if we skip a couple of chapters over, we read, “The Lord commanded us to follow all these statutes and to fear the Lord our God for our prosperity always and for our preservation, as it is today” (Deuteronomy 6:24).  God’s intent for His children is good.  Commands are not suggestions.  When we obey them, we do well.  We are no longer under the law of Moses, but we are under the law of Christ.  Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).  What are the commandments of Christ?  Are we diligent to keep them?

Saturday February 21, 2026

Tough guy.  In our psalm this morning, we read about a “tough guy”.  The King James Version calls him a “mighty man”, a more modern version refers to them as a “hero”, but neither are used in an endearing way.  This tough guy is evidently boasting about the evil he is doing (Psalm 52:1).  They love evil instead of good, lying instead of speaking the truth (v.3).  They love any words that destroy (v.4).  The picture does truly depict someone who thinks they are tough.  They are constantly building themselves up to others when they talk.  They describe bad things they do, and laugh about it, and they build themselves up by tearing down others.  The theme in this psalm, though, is God’s faithful love (v.1 and v.8).  The question is asked in the opening verse as to why this person wants to boast about evil and the reasoning for the question appears to be because God’s faithful love is constant.  In other words, why would you do that?  After describing this tough guy, and ultimately their destruction, we are given a picture of another type of individual.  This person is described as a flourishing olive tree in the house of God (v.8).  This person trusts in the faithful love of God (v.8) and puts their hope in the name of God, for it is good (v.9).  Too often, our culture, and possibly even ourselves, are drawn towards the wrong type of people.  The tough guy, for a while, appears to have everything going for them.  They build themselves up so much by tearing others down, that they appear to really be a mighty man.  They even build wealth and appear to be successful.  But, destruction will ultimately come to this type of individual.  The other person, described like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God, likely goes unnoticed by others.  However, their actions are not driven by what others think.  They have a desire to be near the Lord and pleasing in His sight.  What controls your decision making and your actions?  Do you often wonder when making decisions what others might think of you?   One of the most inspiring thoughts, to me, about this passage is the consistency, or faithfulness, of God.  People change and their opinions also change over time.  So, if you are living to please others, or look mighty in their sight, it is a moving target.  It can be exhausting.  But God is not like man, for He is the same and His faithful LOVE is the same.  Isn’t that refreshing?  Learn of Him and rest in Him.

Thursday February 19, 2026

God wants you to turn to Him.  Sometimes the things we say or hear might just sound good to us, but are they true?  It may sound cliché to say, God wants you to turn to Him, but it is true.  It is especially true in times of trouble.  If you haven’t talked to someone in a while, and then you need them, do you call them?  For some, the thought process might be “I’m not going to call them just when I need something”.  I believe this might keep some from turning to God in an hour of need.  They feel as if, they neglected to turn to Him through good times, so they certainly aren’t going to just go to Him now when they need Him.  This verse stood out to me this morning, “Call on me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor me” (Psalm 50:15).  I believe the honor begins with calling on Him in a day of trouble.  Trouble must not drive us from God, but it must draw us to Him.  We should run to Him!  It shows faith and trust.  And, then, we must not fail to thank Him and honor Him when He delivers us.  Matthew Henry states, “When he, in answer to our prayers, delivers us, as he has promised to do in such way and time as he shall think fit, we must glorify him, not only by a grateful mention of his favour, but by living to his praise. Thus must we keep up our communion with God, meeting him with our prayers when he afflicts us and with our praises when he delivers us.”  It is not just cliché, God does want you to turn to Him, especially in a day of trouble.

Wednesday February 18, 2026

The love of money.  We are familiar with the verse, “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).  The money is not the problem, our desires regarding it can be.  In America, there is a focus on building up enough money for “retirement”.  There is nothing wrong with planning for the future.  I believe God wants us to be good stewards of all that He has given us.  So, how can we tell when we cross the line?  I believe it has to do with desires and trust.  If we begin to constantly worry and become fearful, it is a sign that we have shifted our trust away from God and onto money.  Our psalm reading this morning says, “Why should I fear in times of trouble?  The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.  They trust in their wealth and boast of their abundant riches (Psalm 49:5-6).  Sometimes it takes times of trouble for our true hearts and intents to be tried.  It is during time of trials that our hearts are revealed.  God has done this over and over throughout history, and the Israelites in the wilderness are just one of the many examples.  Scripture clearly states that God used the time in the wilderness to try them to see if they would be obedient.  If you are facing that trial, and you begin to see your faith is not where you thought it was, repent.  Seek forgiveness and help from God, Who is teaching and leading us constantly.  I like the next part that says about riches, “these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God – since the price of redeeming him is too costly” (v. 7-8).  But the psalm concludes at later, “But God will redeem me from the power of Sheol, for He will take me” (v.15).  This entire psalm puts riches into perspective.  We can live our entire lives trying to build up our financial portfolio, but when we die, it will just go to someone else.  You can’t take it with you!  But, we have an opportunity daily to focus on a relationship with One, Who is eternal.  When we die, He will take us with Him!

Tuesday February 17, 2026

Another reason to rejoice.  Our psalm reading this morning says, “God, within your temple, we contemplate your faithful love” (Psalm 48:9).  Stop for a moment and do that.  The King James Version renders it “lovingkindness”.  The Hebrew word used is defines as goodness or kindness, but also faithfulness.  It can also be translated as merciful.  When I think about faithful love, I tend to remember all the times that God patient dealt with me.  As I think back at my life, I see times when I was spiritually very immature.  Over the years, God has corrected me, and tenderly guided me in His paths.  He has made provisions for me over the years, and has been there for me when I cried out.  When man would have given up on me, God did not.  Now, this is not to say I have attained, I have not and I’m still pressing toward the mark.  And as wonderful as it is to contemplate the faithful love of God, this is not the reason the psalmist says to rejoice.  He then begins to talk about God’s right hand being filled with justice before stating, “Mount Zion is glad.  Judah’s villages rejoice because of your judgments” (v.11).   I believe this is primarily talking about God’s judgments as it pertains to enemies, but aren’t you glad for God’s justice and judgment in your own life?  I’m glad God deals with me and my sin.  Sin is bad!  It is not only bad in that God is holy and is an offense to Him, but sin is bad for us.  There is a reason God tells us to avoid certain things, or to give attention and do certain things.  It is for our good.  So, when we err, we should rejoice that God executes justice in our own lives.  But, on our time on earth, we will face some big enemies.  Enemies that are much bigger than us, but none that are bigger than God.  We are God’s children.  He watches over us and protects us.  This does not mean we won’t face persecution, but it does mean that we will never face it alone.  There is nothing that can happen to us that surprises God or that He is not aware of.  Again, that doesn’t mean we won’t face hardships, persecution, or even death.  As God walks with us, we can rejoice in knowing that He will execute justice and judgment.  He will ultimately make things right.  Thus, even in persecution, we can rejoice because of God’s judgments.

Friday February 13, 2026

God’s faithful love.  You might have read this as God’s steadfast love, or God’s mercy.  But it speaks to God’s long-suffering with us.  It conveys an enduring love for us, despite our failings and iniquity.  This does not mean, nor must we conclude, that God is accepting of our sin.  God is not confirming us in our sin.  God’s faithful love allows us to know that when we have sinned and fallen short, that we can go to Him and repent.  We can seek the Lord and know that He still loves us and is willing and able to forgive us.  This is important to know about God because it will help us when Satan tries to tell us there is no use in praying or repenting because of our sin.   Moses knew this about God and even reminded God about it in his praying for a rebellious people, Israel.  Moses pleads with God, “Please pardon the iniquity of the people in keeping with the greatness of your faithful love, just as you have forgiven them from Egypt until now” (Numbers 14:19).  Israel had continued to rebel against God many times in the wilderness.  This rebellion was often accompanied by complaints.  While they were complaining about their circumstances, what they were ultimately complaining about was God.  It showed a lack of faith.  And, here Moses is again making intercessory prayer for the people, and he is doing so based on the character of God, know that God is not like man.  God’s faithful love endures. 
The psalmist also knows this truth about God.  They appear to be in a season where it seems as if God is against them.  The psalmist says to God, “You have rejected and humiliated us; You do not march out with our armies” (Psalm 44:9).  What follows is a list of ways in which the people do not appear to be experiencing favor from God.  Then the psalmist says that it was not because of sin or faithlessness because in this season of their lives, they were being obedient to God (Psalm 44:17).  So, had God just gotten tired of them or moved on to something or someone else?  No, of course not.  How do we pray when we feel like God is no longer “blessing” us the way He once did?  We search ourselves and ask God to search our hearts as well to see if there be any wicked way in us.   But, we also pray, remembering God’s faithful love.  The psalmist prays to God, “Rise up! Help us!  Redeem us because of your faithful love” (Psalm 44:26).  Understanding Who God is and Who we are praying to is pivotal in praying during difficult times.

Tuesday February 10, 2026

Every Word is needful and useful.  I’m sure you have heard Paul’s instructions to Timothy quoted, saying, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).  How about the repeated parts?  I’ll be honest, the temptation can be there to try and “streamline” the reading.  For example, this morning in our daily reading we came to Numbers 7, and I honestly anticipated the contents of this chapter.  A leader from each of the twelve tribes were to present a dedication gift for the altar when it was anointed.  God told Moses that each day, one leader was to present his offering for the dedication of the altar (Numbers 7:11).  Having read this chapter before, I knew that each leader presented the same exact sacrifices, but the content of each sacrifice, exactly the same, would be repeated twelve times, and the only difference in the text is obviously who is presenting and from which tribe.  And then at the end, the number of sacrifices are summarized and listed again.  There is a temptation, isn’t there, to say, “Well after reading the contents of the sacrifices once, I know the content, so let me just read who and from what tribe”.   Let me encourage you to read even the repetitious parts.  After reading it, try and give some thought as to why God would have the writer of this book to be so meticulous that instead of summarizing, he writes the same exact thing over and over.  Here are some thoughts to consider:  (1) every sacrifice that was presented was necessary and important, (2) every person and tribe represented was special and important, (3) the requirements for sacrifice were the same, no partiality, and no tribe tried to “one up” the other.  The repetition symbolizes unity, oneness, in the Lord.  Lastly, one last thought entered my mind as I thought about why it is so important to read these repeated verses.  We live in such a fast-paced society that we are taught to streamline as much as possible so that we can “accomplish” more.  Reading these verses reminded me that we need to slow down and consider.  Every Word from God is purposeful and important.  Our work for the Lord is not always mountain-top experiences, full of what we might see as exciting miraculous works and wonders.  There is much to be said about consistency, steadiness, faithfulness, and perseverance.  Enjoy the Lord today and, remember, your sacrifice, worship, and service to Him may not be new today or different, but it matters to Him.  Pray, be encouraged, and be faithful.

Saturday February 7, 2026

Trust and Obey.  I remember a song that says, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey”.  Those two instructions came to mind as I thought about today’s blog based on our daily Scripture reading.  God instructed Israel to give the land rest every seven years, a sabbath for the land. They were allowed to sow for six years, prune the vineyard, and gather its produce for six years.  But, on the seventh year they were instructed to not sow or reap, but to give the land rest (Leviticus 25:1-7).  So, how would they be sustained?  God specifically addresses that question and states that He would appoint His blessing for them in the sixth year, so that it would produce a crop sufficient for three years (v.20-21).  In other words, they were to trust the Lord.  You can imagine the temptation, can’t you, to cheat.  You can imagine just selling the abundance from that sixth year and planting and harvesting the seventh year?  Maybe they would justify their actions by not planting as much in that seventh year, or by coming up with some other excuse as to why they needed it.  And, ultimately, we know, due to their time in exile many years later, that, in fact, this is exactly what they did.  They ignored the instructions and planted that seventh year anyway.  But God was teaching them to trust Him.  Now, we could also use this for our obedience, or lack thereof, portion of this blog.  However, let’s look at something else God tells them.  The land was not to be permanently sold because the land belonged to God (v.23).  God tells them that the land He is giving to them is still His and that they were only aliens and temporary residents.  This sets up the discussion about the year of Jubilee.  If someone was in financial hardship, they could sell their land to another, but, if they weren’t able to buy it back before the year of Jubilee, that land was to be returned to the one that sold it (so that they may return to their property) (v.23-28).  Also, if someone becomes destitute, they were not to lend silver with interest or sell them food for profit (v.36).  It was God that brought them out of Egypt to give them the land and be their God (v.37).  You can imagine the temptation to gain by not releasing the land at Jubilee, but still requiring payment, or to gain financially from a brother by charging interest or charging higher prices for food (supply and demand, we might say).  So, what was to keep them from doing this?  What would restrain them?  Twice it is mentioned – the fear of the Lord (v.36 and v.43).  The fear of the Lord would be what they would need, and need to practice, to obey and treat one another the way God was instructing.  “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey”.

Thursday February 5, 2026

Love your neighbor as yourself. This is a common phrase that we heard repeatedly, or have even said ourselves, and it is true.  This is one of God’s commands to us.  Yet this is only part of God’s instructions.  In reading through the Bible, we come across familiar passages, and we can see them in the context of other, sometimes more detailed, instructions.  Remember that even Satan himself uses portions of God’s words to draw us away from God or confuse our understanding of how God would have us to behave.  The word “love” for example has taken on a lot of different meetings and is usually associated with just feelings and emotions.  Instead, God is love and, therefore, defines love.  A good definition of love is found in 1 Corinthians 13.  In our reading today, the context of loving our neighbor also instructs us not to harbor hatred against our brother (Leviticus 19:17).  Further, we are instructed to rebuke our neighbor directly, and you will not incur guilt because of him (v.17).  When you see a neighbor doing wrong, or you feel the neighbor has wronged you, the instructions are to rebuke him directly.  We are not to talk about them to others.  No, we are to go to them directly.  John Trapp (commentator) says this about rebuking the neighbor, “Neither is this any argument of hatred, but an office of love. Friends, as bees, are killed with the honey of flattery, but quickened with the vinegar of reproof. The eagle, though she loveth her young ones dearly, yet she pricketh and beateth them out of the nest…. To withstand evil in thy brother, is the best way to do him good, and thyself too.”  Next, we are instructed not to take revenge or bear a grudge against them.  One cannot say they are loving their neighbor as themselves, as God has instructed, if they harbor grudge or seek revenge.  The context helps us to ensure the right interpretation and the right application of the instructions.  So, let us love our neighbors as ourselves.  Oh, by the way, who is our neighbor?  Seek God’s Word for the answer.

Wednesday February 4, 2026

What have we done?  The Old Testament should not be considered obsolete.  All Scripture is given to us for our learning and our good.  Yes, I thank the Lord that we live in the dispensation of grace!  I thank the Lord for His Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior and am thankful that because of Jesus, I have been made righteous.  So, why go back and read the Old Testament.  Consider our passages from today’s reading.  Particularly, consider God’s instructions to Moses for the people of Israel.  God says, “Do not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, or follow the practices of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you.  You must not follow their customs.  You are to practice my ordinances and you are to keep my statues by following them” (Leviticus 18:3-4).  God knew the people would be prone to live the way the society lived wherever they lived.  Whatever they witnessed the people in Egypt do, they were prone to start living the way they did.  When they got into Canaan, they would be prone to do the same.  In other words, there is a vulnerability to change with the culture, adopt the practices of the world.  While we are not living under the Law of Moses, we are living in the grace of God through Christ, and even Christ said, “if you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).  What have we done?  And then, at the end of that chapter, after listing some depraved examples of sinful behavior, such an abomination and detestable to God, God told them that the people of Canaan (land where they were going) had committed all of these (Leviticus 18:24).  God states that these sins committed by mankind had defiled the land, and that the land would “vomit out its inhabitants” (v.25).  The warning to Israel was that if they followed by committing the same sins, it would defile the land, and the land would vomit them out too (v.28).  Sin defiles a land.  As we look around at our own nation, can we not see and agree that this is still true?  Two lessons we might draw for this truth in God’s Word:  (1) as Christians, we are vulnerable to take on the practices of our culture.  We must, keep our eyes on Christ, repent, give attention to God’s Word, learn to pray, and not forsake the assembling of ourselves together; (2) as Christians, we must not lose sight of the goal and answer.  The help of our nation will not come from her capital(s) and the strength of a nation is not in her military power.  Our help comes from the Lord.  We must see the holiness of God, understand His compassion for mankind and His desire for their salvation, and boldly proclaim the truth in love that sin must be repented of and turned from, and that there is everlasting life in Christ only to those who believe.

Tuesday February 3, 2026

 Seek the Lord.  Let us not discount that instruction, to seek the Lord.  Are you struggling right now spiritually?  Are you in possibly one of the darkest, joyless, and most discouraging times of life – or at least, does it feel that way?  Do fears seem to overtake you? Do troubles seem to be everywhere you turn? If this is true for you, then the instructions in God’s Word is to seek the Lord.  The tendency in the darkest of times is to do something to get your mind off the pain.  The tendency is to distract your mind from the pain, even if just for a little while, to make it through the day.  Then, tomorrow, repeat the same process until a more joyful time comes. This distraction can take all forms: some turn to drinking, some turn to television, some turn to social media, and others might turn to food.  These are just some examples, but maybe it is something different for you.  Also, during these times, reading the Bible and going to church can be the furthest thing from your mind – the thought may even seem burdensome to you.  This morning, we read the psalmist say, “I sought the Lord, and He answered me and rescued me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). How about right now, just stopping what you are doing, and think about the fears and the weight of all of the decisions and circumstances that are surrounding you.  Tell the Lord.  He wants to hear from you because bringing them to Him is a sign that you trust Him with them.  Maybe you would not classify your issues as fears, but troubles that you are currently facing.  Listen to the psalmist just a couple of verses further down, “The poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him from all his troubles” (Psalm 34:6).  Are you troubled right now?  Really think about those troubles, even write them down if there are many, and then cry out to the Lord.  He wants to hear from you because crying out to Him about them is a sign that you trust Him with them.  Now, the psalmist did not say that God made the poor man rich.  I think we just assume that the poor man’s troubles were that he had no money.  I believe the poor man is used because he is the most likely to turn to the Lord in troubles because he has no other means to distract himself or, somehow, address the symptoms of his troubles with money or resources.  Lastly, notice the common theme in both, the word “all”.  One was rescued from “all” his fears and the other was saved from “all” his troubles.  There is not a fear or trouble you can’t bring to God.  The psalmist then says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,  and rescues them” (Psalm 34:7).  One indication that you fear the Lord is that you turn to Him in prayer, seeking Him, in times of fear and trouble.