Devotional Thoughts

Psalm 93:2    "Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting." It seems one of the greatest mistakes anyone can make is to question the authority of God. At an early age, it was taught that you should never ask God, "Why".  I think there might be different levels of thought concerning that word.  If I am confessing to God that I do not understand a situation and at the same time I am professing He is the source of all understanding, then it seems the question might be a viable one.  If I am questioning His authority in bringing something about in my life, then I am on a very dangerous edge. "Thy throne is established of old." The very seat of God's authority has always been. There has never been a time when God "was not," nor a time when His authority was overruled. We read back in Psalm 29:4, "The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty." We read in Psalm 33:9, "For he spake, and...

Psalm 92:4-5    "For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.  (5)  O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep." There are circumstances in life that do not make us glad. Be certain of that. There are things that happen which weigh us down and take our breath away.  There are times when our hearts are completely broken and we do not know which way to turn. Yet, in those times, the Word of God teaches us to "Rejoice evermore" and "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  (2 Thessalonians 5:16, 18 ) In those troubling times, how could God expect us to rejoice and give thanks? First, notice God does not tell us to be thankful FOR those things; rather, IN those things give thanks and rejoice.  For me, that is possible because I didn't have to take those steps and continue in those times by myself.  There have been so many times that...

Psalm 91:4    "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler." Quite honestly, this morning I seem to be at a loss of words. But I'm looking at these words of the Psalmist and asking the Lord to please apply them to me. I need the covering of the feathers of His wings. I need to abide under His shadow. I need His fellowship just now. I want to trust Him. I need Him to be my shield and to fight my battle because I can't do it without Him. "Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; (6) Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.  (7)  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee." (Psalm 91:5-7) I read those verses and from my heart I say, "I need this."   No matter how much time you think you have to prepare, I find that...

Psalm 91:1-2   "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  (2)  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." I remember when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. The television cameras were rolling when they saw a man who was roaming the streets. He apparently was a homeless man, but had been offered help in escaping the storm. He refused. They asked why he was still on the street when the hurricane was hours away from striking the city. I can't remember his exact words, but they were something to the order that he wanted to see if he could withstand the storm. I've often wondered what happened to that man. Did he find a secret place to hide from the storm? You and I face storms of life. Some are physical. Some are emotional. Some are spiritual. Sometimes we are guilty of being like that homeless man and think we are strong enough to face those storms on our own. Can I...

Psalm 90:12    "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."  I am made to allow my mind to go back to many days through my life as I sit in this dark, quiet room this morning. Just a week or two ago, Judy said she loved to hear me typing my devotions in the morning. Now I sit and pray she can hear the clicking of the keys on my laptop. Teach us to number our days, O Lord. We tend to take so much for granted in life, don't we?  I look back on my life and think how I have been so guilty of this. I never thought of a day such as this as I sit here and hear the hard but shallow breathing. I know she would get on to me if she knew I was writing about her. She has never wanted to be the center of attention. There were days when I would be off doing whatever I felt I was supposed to be doing in the ministry. Hopefully some of it was good. Maybe some of it was too self-centered. The entire time, she plodded along raising the children and of...

Psalm 90:10    "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." Genesis 3:24    "So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." I include the Genesis passage to say, "Thank you Lord for the flaming sword." Can you imagine what this world would have been like if God had not placed the Cherubims and flaming sword to "keep the way of the tree of life"?  Imagine Adam going back into the Garden and partaking of the tree of life after having eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Imagine him being alive after these 6000 plus years. He would not be the same Adam as the day God drove them out. He would be ravaged with disease and weakness and sorrow of life. There would not be enough...

Psalm 90:9-10    "For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.  (10)  The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." There is a cloud that hangs over our heads from the moment we are born. It is called death. Paul speaks of it in 1 Corinthians 15 as being the last enemy that shall be destroyed. The writer of Hebrews speaks of it in this manner:  "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;  (15)  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Hebrews 2:14-15) The cloud that hangs over us consists of the words "enemy, power of death, fear of death, and bondage."  If we...

Psalm 90:1-2   "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.  (2)  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." "Thou art God."  As I begin this sentence, my heart tells me that my mind cannot begin to comprehend the vastness of this subject.  God is...   When did God begin?  How many times have we heard that question? How did you answer it?  The usual answer is, "God has always been." That's true, isn't it?  But can our small minds really comprehend just how vast our God truly is?  We can say with Moses, "Lord, you've always been there for us." (thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.)  I can look back on my life, uneven as it has been, and say, "I do not remember a time when I didn't believe in God and love Him."  Maybe there were times when I didn't love him as I should have, but I canno...

Psalm 89:15    "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance." We have heard the joyful sound:   Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Spread the tidings all around: Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Shout salvation full and free, Highest hills and deepest caves, This our song of victory, Jesus saves, Jesus saves. (excerpts from "Jesus Saves" -  William J. Kirkpatrick, composer) This morning I would like to share some of my "joyful sounds" that mean so very much to me. I pray they will bless you as you read them again. Maybe you can add some of your favorites and let's encourage one another. "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." (Isaiah 43:1) "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23:1)  "the sheep hear his voice: and he c...

Psalm 89:5-8    "And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.  (6)  For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?  (7)  God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.  (8)  O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?" "The heavens shall praise the Lord." Think about that. We stand in awe when we go out at night and look up at the stars. Every morning, we know the sun rises in the East and sets that evening in the West. The time of sunrise on any given day can be established months (if not years) in advance.  The birds sing praises at the top of their voices. The seasons remain, and always will remain, at a constant. Yes, there may be variations as some winters are colder than others and so...

Psalm 89:3-4    "I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,  (4)  Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah." Even before I opened my computer to begin writing, I thought about this word covenant. I knew it was going to be in this 89th Psalm, but I could not remember which verse would begin the thoughts of the covenant. Covenant is a very important word, but I'm not so sure how important it is held in the minds of some people. There was a time in our country that "a man was as good as his word." Bankers did business with a handshake.  If someone said they were going to do something, you could be assured that only an emergency situation would prevent them from doing it. And even then, they would find a way to get it done. Today, ball players want a new contract every other year even though they are already making more money than anyone should ever have or could rightfully spend. It is a...

Psalm 88:14-15    "LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?  (15)  I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted." Psalm 89:1-2     "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.  (2)  For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens." Recently, I mentioned the life of the child of God is like a roller coaster ride. Today, I picked two verses from Psalm 88 to show that very contrast when seen in comparison with the two verses from Psalm 89.  In the first set of verses the question is asked, "Why hidest thou thy face from me?"  Then we read in the beginning of Psalm 89, "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever!"  I realize these two Psalms were written by different individuals, but it also shows the variation of emo...

Psalm 87:1-3    "His foundation is in the holy mountains.  (2)  The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.  (3)  Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah." I go back to the 48th Psalm to bring my thoughts concerning Psalm 87.   "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.  (2)  Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.  (3)  God is known in her palaces for a refuge." (Psalm 48:1-3) There is a definite connection between these verses. The foundation (beginning) of our fellowship with the Lord is in the Old Testament word, Zion. The New Testament meaning for Zion is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is often said that a person can worship the Lord just as well on the river bank as in church. Though it is true that we can worship God wherever we m...

Psalm 86:4    "Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul." It seems the life of a Christian is one of ups and downs, highs, and lows, hills and valleys. The Promised Land of Canaan was described as a land of hills and valleys.  How is it we can be so close to God in one instance and then come crashing down the next? This 86th Psalm is titled, "the Prayer of David."  Notice the ups and downs of this Psalm: Verse 1 - "I am poor and needy" Verse 2 - "I am holy" Verse 3 - "I cry for help" Verse 5 - You are "plenteous in mercy" Verse 6 - Please listen to me Verse 7 - I know you will answer Verse 5 - You are "ready to forgive" Verse 17 - show "me a token for good" Throughout the Psalm, we are taken from great depths to wonderful heights of grace. But through it all, David is doing one thing: "unto thee, O LORD do I lift up my soul." (verse 4)  Why?  "F...

Psalm 86:1-4    "Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.  (2)  Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.  (3)  Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.  (4)  Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul." My first instinct is to ask, "Have you ever felt a need for the Lord as this Psalmist is expressing?" But as I type that first question, I should really ask, "Is there anyone who has never felt such a need for the Lord?" In the past months, there have been times when I have received the answer to my prayer even as I would finish praying. In those needs, I have cried out for mercy and I know He has heard me for the answer came immediately.  As the answer for relief came, my heart has been filled with joy for I know the Lord heard and answered. There are other requests for which I am waiting for the answer. I know that in His time...

Psalm 85:7-10    "Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.  (8 )  I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.  (9)  Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.  (10)  Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." The question had just been asked, "Wilt thou not revive us again, O Lord?" And now the mercy of the Lord must be seen and experienced as they contemplate the meaning of revival. I admit to you that it is difficult to see things from their perspective in that the Messiah had not come at that time. They were solely depending upon their obedience to the law in order to know the mercy of God.  "Show us mercy. Grant us salvation. I will hear what God says, for He will speak peace unto His people." Have you ever been at the place in life where you sought ...

Psalm 85:5-7    "Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?  (6)  Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?  (7)  Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation." Israel was going through a rough and dry time. Nations had risen against them. There was inner turmoil within the nation. Greed, jealousy, the desire for power and prominence ruled the minds of many people. In the meantime, there were those who sought to serve the Lord and go about their daily business with dignity and purpose. It was this last group of people who could see the hand of the Lord even in the judgment against the land. It was this group of people who continued to seek the Lord and His mercy.  "Lord, will you continue to be angry against us? Will you draw out your anger against everyone, even though it is a few that seek to turn away from you?"  I wonder if in their hearts and minds they were say...

Psalm 85:1-3    "LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.  (2)  Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.  (3)  Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger." The writer of this Psalm speaks of all our sins being covered. "Thou has forgiven the iniquity of thy people."  In another place, the Psalmist writes, "Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven." Sometimes I have to wonder if in our carnal minds, we are not fully capable of realizing just how terrible the least sin (as man would count it), transgresses against the glorious beauty of heaven and the incredible amazing grace of God.  How many times do we stop to say "Thank you Lord for the forgiveness of my sins."  I admit that when I ask the Lord to forgive me for something that I feel to be a "big sin" and I experience that feeling ...