Tag Archives: Psalms

Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Finding Peace and Strength Amid Chaos: A Promise from Psalm 29

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Out of his power, God grants peace and strength.

Peace and strength are always in demand!

We need peace as we navigate the always changing landscape of life. .

We need strength to walk toward the unknowns of the future.

The Bible tells us the Lord will give us both. Psalm 29:11 says, “The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.”

This is the same Lord described in Psalm 29 as powerful and majestic. He spoke creation into existence; everything came from nothing simply by his voice. He calms storms; nature acts as his symphony. His power and majesty are greater than any other, and he grants you and me peace and strength.

Take a moment today to reflect on the Lord’s power and majesty. Allow the Lord to give you strength and bless you with peace today.

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Today’s Enough

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How full is your calendar today? If you are like me, it is pretty full. Between work, getting the kids to school, and running errands, there is just not a lot of time for anything else. Especially worry about tomorrow. That’s why it is encouraging to find this nugget of wisdom tucked away in Matthew 6.

Jesus says, “Don’t worry about tomorrow for today has enough worries of its own” (Matthew 6:34)

As we think of all that is coming and all that may happen tomorrow, it is easy to let worry creep into our lives. However, Jesus encourages us not to worry about those events and days in the future. We are reminded the Lord has our back. He is going to take care of tomorrow. After all, today’s agenda is full; there’s no room for worry about tomorrow.

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More Than Romance

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Valentine’s Day is approaching and love is in the air, but there’s more to love than romance.

Attend a wedding, and along with the decorations and beauty of love on display, you’ll probably hear this passage read, or at least, referenced.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says:

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages[b] and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! 

This passage certainly describes the type of love a husband and wife should have for one another, but it goes farther. It truly describes the type of love Christians should strive to imitate in all of our relationships. This passage does a marvelous job describing it, and the Gospels give us explicit illustrations of how Jesus modeled it.

Jesus’ Patience

On one occasion, James and John came to Jesus desiring to be called the greatest. They wanted Jesus to promote them to places of honor. His response demonstrates his patience.

The NIV Jesus Bible remarks, “Consider the passage in the Gospel of Mark in which James and John asked Jesus to do whatever they asked of him. They boldly asked—maybe even with a hint of demand—to sit on either side of him in glory. However, rather than chiding them for such brashness, Jesus spoke to them patiently (Mk 10:35–40).”

Jesus’ Kindness

Jesus’ disciples felt Jesus was busy and would not have time to visit with some families who brought their children for Jesus to bless. Matthew records the disciples rebuking the parents and trying to send the families away, but Jesus showed them kindness. Matthew 19:13-15 says:

“13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” 15 And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.”

Jesus was not Proud

As he was approaching the time on the cross, Jesus and his disciples were in the upper room having a meal, but the disciples forgot to wash their feet. This was a dirty job, and it was usually reserved for the lowest servant in the home. Seeing the need, Jesus took it upon himself to wash the disciples’ feet. He was humble enough to perform this task. He did not consider himself to good to do it.

Jesus was not Easily Angered

According to the NIV Jesus Bible, “Jesus was not easily angered, either. The careful reader might immediately think of the Lord driving out the moneychangers in the temple. Clearly, these people angered the Lord. However, Jesus’ anger was not an easily triggered rage over something insignificant. Instead, love for his Father’s house consumed him (Jn 2:17).”

Jesus Delighted in the Truth

John 18:37 says, “37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?”

Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

Jesus Never Gave Up and was Always Hopeful

Jesus continued following God’s path even though, for him, it became unimaginably hard. He knew the Father could raise him from the grave, so he laid his own interests aside to take up the interests of the world. He truly demonstrated love.

Jesus’ Perseverance

“Scorning the shame, he endured the cross for his people (Heb 12:2). This patient, kind, truth-rejoicing, protecting, trusting and persevering love kept no record of wrongs (1Co 13:5). Because of Jesus’ death, the amassed wrongs committed by the people of God were forgiven. The love demonstrated on the cross will forever remain unmatched (1Jn 4:10),” states the NIV Jesus Bible.

Is this the type of love you are imitating?

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

NEVER

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“Never say Never” is a statement I’ve heard much in my life. Never is definitely a powerful word; something that is never happening is not ever going to take place. For the most part, we do not have the ability to make such a claim, but there are some promises in Scripture to which we can attach the word NEVER.

NEVER Leaving Us

We are promised the Lord is never leaving us.

  • Deuteronomy 31 promises the Lord will personally go ahead of us.
  • Solomon writes in Proverbs 12 the Godly are deeply rooted.
  • Jesus says in Matthew 28:20, “and be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the very end of the age.”
  • The writer of Hebrews quotes the Lord as saying, “I will never leave you. I will never abandon you.”

NEVER Grows Weary

Psalm 103 is a reminder of God’s grace and unfailing love. We do not get what we deserve; we get far more! In his grace, we can find freedom in Christ. The Lord removes our guilt and replaces it with his peace. He removes the guilt from past mistakes and replaces it with a hope for a better future. When you think of your past, do you concentrate on the guilt of past mistakes or the peace of Christ’s forgiveness?

NEVER Rejects

We can be confident the Lord is not going to reject us.

The Bible shows us the Lord will forgive the guilt of our past mistakes, and reassures us the Lord will always receive us.

  • Psalm 51:17 says, “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit; you will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”
  • 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful to forgive.”

Never is a powerful word, but remember, when it comes to these promises, we can use the word NEVER.

By the way, we are discussing this idea on our podcast episodes this weekend.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

10 Rock-Solid Promises for 2023 and Beyond!

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2023 has many more days to go. We don’t know what the future holds, and it can be unsettling to think of what might happen. Amid the uncertainty and unknown of the future, there are some certainties to which we can cling. Here are 10 rock-solid promises we can carry with us through each day of 2023 and beyond.

1. The Lord will personally go ahead of us.

We are unsure of what 2023 holds for us. As we embark on a new year, it can be frightening to walk into the unknown. It was for the Israelites.

They found themselves standing beside the Jordan River. Enemy nations and unknown land awaited, and we can discern the Israelites had feelings of fear. What was going to happen? How were they going to accomplish the goal? And, the Lord makes a sweet promise to them.

Deuteronomy 31:6-8 says, “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.’ Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, ‘Be strong and courageous!…Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

The promise the Lord makes is for personal guidance. As Israel crossed the Jordan, faced enemy nations, and traveled through an unknown land, The Lord personally went ahead of them. The same promise is for us in 2023.

As we face the enemies of bad health and financial struggles, as we walk into the unknown lands of lost jobs and new opportunities, The Lord says he will personally go ahead of us. “For God has said, ‘I will never fail you; I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5).

2. The Lord will always be there to help us.

Since he is not leaving us, the Lord will always be there to help us.

  • “Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me” (Psalm 118:7).
  • “My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth” Psalm 121:2).
  • Hebrews 13:6 says, “So we can say with confidence, ‘My help comes from the Lord, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

No matter where we find ourselves, the Lord is always willing to help us.

3. We can ask for help with confidence.

We can ask for help in any and every situation, and we are assured the Lord understands. According to the rock-solid promise of Hebrews 4, the Lord will respond with mercy and grace.

Hebrews 4:16 encourages, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

4. We can cast our anxieties upon the Lord.

There’s little doubt 2023 will bring its share of anxieties, but the Lord promises we can cast those cares upon him and he will help us find peace.

We are reminded in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Amid the anxious moments of the year, remember this rock-solid promise, and cast your anxieties upon the Lord.

5. The Lord will ensure our needs are met.

Perhaps one of the major contributors to our anxiety is concern about having enough. Enough money to pay this month’s rent; enough time to get everything done. Enough resources to meet our needs. Start looking at the bank statement and our schedules, and our anxiety level raises. The Lord has a promise for these moments. “I will ensure your needs are met,” he assures us.

In Matthew 6, Jesus points to the birds, and reminds us they do not worry about having enough food, yet they always have plenty. He points to the flowers and reminds us they do not worry about their appearance, yet they are always beautiful. Verse 33 reminds us as we seek after the Lord, he ensures all of our needs are met as well. The Lord promises we do not have to worry about having enough; he will make sure we do.

6. We can take our fears to the Lord.

There are always events happening around us invoking the natural reaction of fear, and when we are feeling afraid, the Lord promises he will help us.

  • “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise- in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4).
  • The Lord says in Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

When fearful moments creep into 2023, the Bible suggests we look to our trust in the Lord for strength.

7. The Lord will help us with heart break.

Heart break is unavoidable as we go through life, so you and I may experience a broken heart this year. I certainly hope our year doesn’t include heart break. I don’t have it on my list of wanted experiences, but if it occurs, Scripture promises the Lord will help.

Psalm 34:18 promises, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

If you land in a season of broken heartedness this year, you can rely on the Lord to help. He will walk with you through that time and into a better season.

8. The Lord will help with those tough decisions.

Hard decisions seem to always present themselves in life. You and I are put in between a rock and a hard spot. No matter what we decide we feel something is lost. The Lord offers help in those moments.

The Psalmist reminds us the Lord guides our steps and directs our paths. James 1 tells us if we lack wisdom, we can ask and the Lord will generously grant it to us. When tough decisions come, remember, the Lord will help you decide.

9. We are not alone.

There may be times in 2023 when we feel isolated, but as mentioned above, the Lord is always with us, and we have one another. 1 Peter 5 reminds us all believers are going through the same thing. We can rely on one another. We can ask one another for help. We’re certainly not on this journey of life alone.

10. The best is still coming.

It may be the best year or the worst year, but no matter how it stacks up, we’re guaranteed the best is still coming. 2 Corinthians 4 says, “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” What we go through today is only temporary and a better day is coming.

As 2023 unfolds, remember these 10 rock-solid promises. You can carry them with you because they are never going to change. If you are interested, we took a 10-day journey through these promises on our podcast.

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Never Grows Weary

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Is the Lord going to get tired of me? Is he going to stop helping me? Is he going to turn his back and ignore me? No, of course not; that would be the complete opposite of his character.

Psalm 103 gives us a glimpse into how merciful, compassionate, and gracious the Lord is toward you and me. Verses 8-11 say, “The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.”

This Psalm is a reminder of God’s grace. We do not get what we deserve; we get far more! In his grace, we can find freedom in Christ. The Lord removes our guilt and replaces it with his peace. He removes the guilt from past mistakes and replaces it with a hope for a better future. When you think of your past, do you concentrate on the guilt of past mistakes or the peace of Christ’s forgiveness?

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Asking for Mercy

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He was taking a stroll on the rooftop, looking over the kingdom he ruled, when someone caught his eye. She was beautiful, and he longed to spend some time with her. He sent for her, and she spent the night with him in the palace. The next morning, with the one-night stand over, he sent her home.

Some time later, she sent him a message informing him they were expecting a child. This was a problem because her husband had been on the battlefield for a long period of time, so the king thought he could trick the man into coming home and spending the night with his wife. After all, this would keep their affair secret. It didn’t work, so David eventually gave orders for Uriah to be killed in battle, and Bathsheba became his wife.

The Bible tells us the Lord sent Nathan to David to deliver a rebuke for his sins. It seems David is filled with guilt and shame because of his actions, and after Nathan’s visit, David pleads for forgiveness as he writes Psalm 51.

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love, because of your great compassion,” David writes. “Blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean of my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion, for it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, I have sinned. I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just…. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow. O, give me back my joy again. You have broken me, now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins; remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God, renew a loyal spirit within me.”

David realized he messed up. In recognizing his mistake, David understood the Lord would forgive him, so David asked for forgiveness. We read in the Bible the Lord did forgive David, and he will forgive us as well.

We know we’ve messed up, and the Lord invites us to exchange that guilt for the peace he offers. Jesus invites us to exchange our heavy load of guilt for his light load of peace (Matthew 11:28-30), so make that exchange today.

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Full of Mercy and Grace

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The Bible tells us a great deal about God’s character. He is an all-powerful, awesome Creator, who can begin and end events with a single word. He is a God with whom nothing is impossible. He is also a God of mercy and grace, worthy of praise. Notice what David writes in the Psalms.

Psalm 103:1-6 says:

“Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
    and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
 He fills my life with good things.
    My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

The Lord gives righteousness
    and justice to all who are treated unfairly.”

Think about the picture these words paint of God. Dwell on his forgiveness and mercy. This Psalm goes on to remind us the Lord can take away our guilt, so challenge yourself to allow the God described above to be the Lord of life today.

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She Looks Drunk

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As he watched, the priest wondered if she was drunk. She was at the temple, and it appeared as if she was praying. But the priest thought there was something odd about her appearance. Her mouth was moving but no words were coming out, and was she weeping? He approached her and boldly asked, “Are you drunk?”

She explained that she was sober. She was just so involved in her prayer that he thought she was under the influence. Her name is Hannah, and we read her story in 1 Samuel 1. We find out she is going through a really hard time, and she has come to the temple to pour her heart out to the Lord.

The Bible encourages us to pray without stopping; we should always be communicating with the Lord. In the best of times and in the worst of times, the Lord wants to help us, and we can talk with him through prayer just like Hannah, and just like David.

David exhorts in Psalm 62:8, “O my people trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.”

When David and Hannah were going through rough times, they poured their hearts out to the Lord. When they were in the best of times, they thanked God in prayer. They always prayed and left a mark in history challenging us to do the same.

Our prayers are just conversations with the Lord. They don’t have to be fancy, and we don’t have to be overwhelmed by the idea we may say the wrong thing. You see, we’re having a conversation with a great friend who doesn’t judge us by the words we use, but by what is in our heart. The Lord is always listening and always desiring to hear from us.

Spend some time talking with the Lord today. Share your thoughts with him. Ask for guidance as you plan tomorrow. Ask for help with your struggles. Don’t be afraid. He is your friend who wants to hear from you.

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“Are we there yet?”

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“Are we there yet?” Anyone who’s traveled with kids has heard this question. The excitement of arriving at a destination and the boredom of sitting in a car, train, or plane causes this question to be asked. Truthfully, no one likes to wait. None of us are giddy at the thought of long checkout lines or waiting at the doctor’s office. Patience is a hard virtue.

This is especially true when we are going through a difficult time. We just want it to end! But it seems no matter how hard we work or how hard we pray, the difficulty persists. The doctor’s phone call with test results doesn’t come soon enough. We can’t shake the agony caused by this lonely feeling quick enough. It doesn’t seem like this rough patch in life will ever end.

David could relate. He had several rough patches in life lasting an extended period of time. As he was searching and praying for an end, he came to this conclusion.

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from the Lord alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me” (Psalm 62:5-7).

We can echo David’s conclusion. The Lord is:

  • Our rock.
  • Our salvation.
  • Our fortress.
  • Our refuge.

Therefore, the rough times in life can’t swallow us. The rough times will most definitely come and try to consume us, but they will not be victorious. As David says, our victory is in the Lord. We need only to wait before him in prayer.

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