The Daily Dose

Fill up your heart

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  Matthew 12:34

What is in your heart?  Is it love?  Is it grace?  Is it forgiveness?  How can you even know what is in your heart?  I hope there is love, grace and mercy for others there, but how can I be sure?

Today’s scripture says that what your heart is full of will come out in what you say?  When you stub your toe or make an error, do you speak blessings or cursing?  What about when you are irritated or upset with someone?  Do you criticize them, or do you pray for them and bless them?

I recognize that many people have been through some terrible struggles and have been deeply wounded, but the test of true healing is what is coming out of their mouth.  Are you still focused on the pain of the past or do you have hope for the future with God’s help.

If you have open wounds and hurts, there is good news.  There is healing available.  It starts with turning it over to your heavenly Father and then turning your focus on to His goodness.  The blessing and cursing part will take a little practice, but if you are purposefully praying for those who have hurt you and speaking life and God’s Word into the situations that are surrounding you, your heart will fill up with these thoughts and these words.  If you are holding on to past hurts, replaying them over in your mind and letting the pain of the events haunt you, your heart will fill up with bitterness and resentment.

What you are speaking is what you are filling your heart with.  Begin to fill your mouth with good words and God’s words.  When the enemy tries to remind you of those past traumas and the damage that was done, begin to pray for those who did that evil and speak God’s healing into the situation.  That is where your freedom will come from because by your words you will be justified/set free or by your own words you will be condemned. (vs.37)

Today I want to encourage you to speak life into every issue, situation and circumstance you encounter today.  Begin to turn your perspective toward filling your heart to the overflow with blessings.  Use your negative feelings as a prompt to remind you to pray and ask God for the strength to forgive and let go of the pain.  Then bless others and be an encouragement to others who have suffered from the past.  Be the one who is always looking to help others, not the one who only talks about their own past problems.  Get your healing today and fill your heart of with the blessings of heaven by filling it up with God’s Word and His love.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 12:31-37

31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

 

Gather them in

_{He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.  Matthew 12:30}

You don’t have to have the title of Missionary to gather people into the kingdom of heaven.  You can do it wherever you are.  You can talk about the love of Jesus everywhere you go.  Whether at work, school or in your own town and neighborhood, you can share the good news of salvation wherever you are.

The same is true about confusion.  You can be the kind of person who plants seed of joy peace and rest, or you can be the type that sows the bad news with gossip, strife and chaos.  You can even be someone who thinks they are sharing the message, but with a heart of condemnation and pride, just to be the one with the last word and to prove you are right.  You don’t really care about people; you just want others to know that you are smarter because you know the way to salvation.

Jesus talks about these two types of people in today’s reading, in fact, He was actually talking to these two types of people.  There were some that had come to Him for help and healing, but the Pharisees were there too.  They were there because they wanted to discredit Jesus and tell the crowd that He was using the power of the ruler of the demons.  They wanted to be the ones that were drawing the crowds that Jesus did, so they were constantly trying to make Him look bad and make things up about Him.

Jesus’ response? He said before you can be effective in the kingdom of darkness, you have to first bind up the one that is causing the trouble (the devil).  Then He tells the crowd, including the Pharisees, “if you are not with Me, you are against me and if you are not gathering others in, you are scattering them.

This is an extreme accusation and worth considering even today.  Am I with Him helping to plant the seeds of His goodness grace and mercy? Or am I just expressing my frustrations at other people’s incompetence?   I find myself falling into the pit of criticizing and complaining about others whom I don’t understand.  Instead, my reaction should be one of love and compassion for those who may not know how much God loves them.

Today I want to encourage you to be patient with those in your life.  When frustrations with others come, and they will, make the decision now to love them and bless them with the God kind of love.  Pray for others to know the great gift of salvation that Jesus died to give us and be the one who bring peace and unity into every situation.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 12:22-30

22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”

25 But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges.

28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

30 He, who is not with Me, is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

He healed them all

But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.  Matthew 12:15

Jesus never turned anyone away when they came to Him for healing.  He was always ready to respond to someone who came to Him in faith.  In today’s reading, Jesus healed a man in the synagogue and then those who followed Him out, had faith to believe for healing because they saw it happen to the man with the withered hand.  The scripture says He healed them all!

Somewhere, many people today have gotten the idea that healing was only for certain people that God decided would be healed.  There is no evidence for this in the scripture.  Jesus plainly said, anyone who would come to Him would in no way be turned away (see John 6).  Even in the Old Testament it says He heals all our diseases. (See Psalms 103)

He will not turn us away when we come to Him in faith.  Whether a sickness or disease?  Through treatments or even something that looks uncurable, nothing is too difficult for Him to heal.  The truth is, it is up to us to go to Him in faith.  We cannot go with the mentality that it probably won’t make a difference or just assume that because I am a Christian, Jesus should just heal me.  It has to be an intentional step of faith.  Through faith is how we received our salvation, and through faith is how we receive anything from Him.  Hebrews 11:6 says, without faith it is impossible to please or reach Him.  You must believe that His is and He rewards those who diligently and purposefully seek Him.

Today I want to encourage you to walk with Him daily and continually cultivate your own personal relationship with Him.  Make the Word of God final authority in your life and believe that God your Father is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Believe that He only wants good for you and even though it may take some time, He will see you through every struggle and every affliction to get you through to victory, but you must hold on.  Don’t be discouraged about setbacks or slow progress.  Only believe that He is working all things together for your good because you love Him, and you have a mission to complete. He will accomplish that plan in you until it is finished.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 12:9-21

9 Going on from that place, He went into their synagogue,

10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

11 He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?

12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand. ”So, he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.

14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus, God’s Chosen Servant.

15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed Him, and He healed all who were ill.

16 He warned them not to tell others about Him.

17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.

19 He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear His voice in the streets.

20 A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out, till He has brought justice through to victory.

21 In His name the nations will put their hope.”

Mercy and grace

For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”  Matthew 12:8

The Sabbath was a big deal in Jesus’ day.  In fact, it was a big deal all through the Old Testament.  One of the ten commandments is:  Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy or separated.  It had become such a strict rule that there was no room for error with the Pharisees that they were watching everywhere to make sure everyone was keeping the Sabbath the way they wanted it to be observed.

In today’s reading, we see the Pharisees at it again.  The saw Jesus’ disciples picking some grain in a field to eat on the Sabbath Day because they were hungry.  They immediately brought the charge to Jesus.  At that point, Jesus gave a brief lesson on Sabbath, but then He ended the lesson by telling them He is Lord, even of the Sabbath.  He wasn’t telling them that it was ok for Him to break the rules because He was God in the flesh.  His point was that the Sabbath was made for man to take a day of rest.  It was never intended to control people to keep them from working.  Jesus also told the Pharisees that He desired people to be merciful more than He wanted them to be kept in line by a set of rules.  Loving people is what matters to God, not controlling their behaviors.

In today’s world, we also have become a bit legalistic.  Oh, I know it’s not to the point that we don’t do anything on the Sabbath.  However, we are quick to judge others when we see them doing something wrong.  I’m not even talking about the actual commandments in the Bible, I’m talking about wrong in being different than.  Mercy and grace are not the first response most people have when someone is not following procedures and policies.  Usually, people just go directly to condemnation and even ridicule.

Jesus said He wants us to be merciful with one another.  He wants to see His people with a different mindset.  This is not a tolerance of sin mindset, but rather a love perspective.  When we look at others, our first thoughts should be to see how much God loves them and then decide how much love them.  Jesus said:  I am Lord even of the Sabbath, so go ahead and love God and love people and you won’t have to worry about keeping the rules, because Love is the new commandment that fulfils all the rules. (see John 13)

Today I want to encourage you to be merciful, not legalistic.  Make a conscience decision to love others.  When you see someone doing the wrong thing, make every effort to love them.  You don’t love their sin or their bad behavior, but you remember that you have missed it at times too and if the person is shown love, then the Holy Spirit will draw them closer to God and the God way of living and loving.  Decide today to not pick at what is wrong in the world, love the people who are living in the world despite their shortcomings.  Remember, the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 12:1-8

1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.

2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.

5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent?

6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.

7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

 

Rest in Him

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

Rest!  It’s a good thing!  It’s different than peace because peace is something that God gives, but rest is something we enter into, on purpose.  Today’s scripture says (You) come to me, then I will give you rest.  Glory to God!  With all the struggle and anxieties in life, it’s so wonderful to have a place of rest, and that place is in Christ Jesus.  A rest that we don’t have to wait for, we can enter in immediately. Whenever we are feeling the uneasiness of day-to-day life, and even when we are facing the stresses in life, we can easily enter in by getting quiet and submitting (unloading) everything to Him.

But how?  How do you unload these burdens and get into the  rest of my Savior, that God kind of rest?   Jesus says in this passage “take My yoke on and learn from me.”  A yoke?  That sounds like more work.  A yoke is not a reference we commonly use today, but in the days when Jesus was speaking, everyone could understand this picture.  It was used to team up a pair of oxen and then attach them to a plow so they could work together to pull it.  You may be saying, “that doesn’t sound very restful to me.”  However, Jesus said, “get into the yoke with me and I will make your labor/burden easy and light”.  He’s saying that I don’t have to struggle through life when I have attached my life to His, because when the hard times come, He pulls the load and carries the weight.  My part is to enter into His rest.

There’s only one question left and that is how do I get into the yoke with Jesus?  He answers that question for us.  He says, “learn of me and of my gentle and lowly (humble) heart.”  By becoming a person of humility, submitted to God and His word I can then enter into His rest.  By turning all the care over and taking on God’s Word (Jesus) instead, I then enter in.  This is where our relationship with the Lord grows.  When we “get in the yoke” with Him, we are spending time with Him, talking to Him, walking with Him and trusting and speaking the promises of His Word.

Today I want to encourage you that no matter what you are going through, you don’t have to struggle.  Enter into your Savior’s rest by getting into the “yoke” of life with Jesus.  Humble yourself by submitting to and obeying His Word then apply it to all your circumstances.  Let the force of God’s Word do the work on your troubles while you take a rest.

Today’s scripture reading:  Matthew 11:25-30

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

For the next five days, I will not be able to write a new message so I will be sending out a “Dose” from the Journal series from the book of Matthew. I hope you will enjoy these excepts from the latest Daily Dose book coming out at the end of the year.

You are greater!

“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  Matthew 11:11

John the Baptist.  Jesus said he was the greatest of all prophets.  In fact, Jesus said he was the greatest of those born.  The reason was because he was the one who prepared the way for the Lord’s ministry here on the Earth.  John was the forerunner, the one who announced Jesus to the world.  He made the announcement when Jesus began His ministry here in the world: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the word.” (see John 1) John was the greatest prophet because he was the last one before the coming Messiah, Jesus, came.

The second part of the verse is the astonishing part.  Jesus said, “Even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John.”  Jesus was not talking about those in heaven.   When He referred to the “kingdom of heaven,” He was talking about heaven on earth, after his death, resurrection and ascension into heaven.  He was speaking about those who would receive salvation through His blood sacrifice.  The New Testament Church, the body of believers.

This truth is something that has slipped away from us in today’s world.  We, like the prophets, have the power of the living Spirit of God on the inside of us.  We have been raised up from the grave with Christ Jesus to sit together with Him in heavenly places.  We were once dead, but now we are brought to life through Christ Jesus.

Before salvation came into the world, God had chosen one person at a time to give His message to throughout the ages. They were never well-dressed, smooth talking, political minded, or famous religious leaders.  Then He sent John the Baptist, a rough around the edges man out in a deserted place.  He was bold in his witness that Jesus was coming.  He wasn’t afraid to speak up and speak out against anyone who was disputing his teaching and his message. 

Now, God still speaks today and to those who you could consider “less than important”.  We sometimes get the idea that if we can just get the right politician in office, or if we can just have that great pastor come and preach, then the world could be fixed.  The truth is that politicians and pastors are not the solution to the world’s problems. God’s message of salvation is the only hope for the world and we every believer carries that message with them each day.  We are His messengers!

The point is that just because you may not have a well-known, popular platform, you still have a voice and the Word of the LORD has come to you in the scripture.  It is now your job to tell the “good news” that Jesus, the Messiah and Savior of the world, came and He took away the sin of the world.  You are greater than all the prophets of old because you have that great salvation that they were all waiting for before His arrival.

Today I want to encourage you to be the voice of one telling the message that the kingdom of heaven has come. You are God’s voice in the earth now so share the salvation message wherever you are in life.  Some may accept it readily and others may just listen for now, but seeds of God’s Word are being planted and He will send the next person along to water them.  Soon new baby Christians will be born all around us and the whole world will know that Jesus is LORD!

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 11:1-19

 1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.

2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples

3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

7 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

10 For this is he of whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

Who will prepare Your way before You.’

11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.

15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

16 “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions,

17 and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

We mourned to you, and you did not lament.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’

19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

 

Fullness of Joy

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”- Psalms 16:11

I remember when I first started writing the Daily Dose Devotional back in 2019.  It is hard to believe that it has been going on for five years now.  What a blessing it has been to me to write each day as the Lord puts an encouraging message on my heart.  Truthfully, I am happy to share it, but I know I am the one who benefits most from it. 

The key verse today is one that I memorized at a very young age, but only now am I beginning to really understand it.  It is fitting that the first time I heard this scripture was in a story I was told in junior church back when I was in elementary school.  I never understood why it stuck with me all of these years because I thought it was something that you could only experience once you died and went into the presence of God for all eternity.

Now, I realize that I don’t have to die to be in the presence of God.  In fact, I go there every day.  I set aside special quiet time to sit in His presence and to commune with Him.  I can attest to the truth of this passage that when I do, I experience His fullness of joy in my life.

Even though we are going to go through things in this world, as we follow the path that God shows us and stay in His presence each day, we can have that promise of fullness of joy.  This was evident in the Apostle Paul’s life. On one occasion, he and his partner had been beaten and thrown into prison but instead of being afraid or angry, they rejoiced!  Acts 16:25 says “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”  How could they do that?  Number one, they knew they were on God’s path, the path of life.  And secondly, even though they were in prison, they could still be in God’s presence.  They knew that no matter where they ended up, God was with them!!  Now that’s something to rejoice about.

We can have that fullness of joy each day too by following the path He shows us and knowing that no matter what is on that path, God is with us.  He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. (See Hebrews 13::5) So, no matter what life throws your way today, remember that God is with you and will get you through it.  There is nothing too difficult for Him!!

Today I want to encourage you to set time aside each day to spend in the presence of God.  Begin to follow the path of life He is showing you.  Then as you go through your day on His path, remember that He is with you and goes with you wherever that path leads.  His joy is available to you all day long simply by recognizing that when you follow the path He designed for you, you remain in His presence.  Let that joy inspire you to rejoice in your life no matter what the circumstances are around you.  In this crazy, messed up world that we live it, we need His presence more than ever.  Keep Him in mind as you go through your day and talk with Him along the way.  He will always be there for you the more you determine to be on His path, the easier it will be to rejoice in His fullness of joy!

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 16

1 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.

2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.”

3 As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”

4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take up their names on my lips.

5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot.

6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.

7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.

10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

11You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

It’s your choice

Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?  Who may dwell in Your holy hill? – Psalms 15:1

 As I thought about Psalms 15 before writing this morning, I took a few minutes to contemplate the opening questions in this chapter.  Lord, who may live where You live and who can stay at Your holy place?

As I continued to read the list of qualifications that come next in this Psalm, it occurred to me that we all have the opportunity to be with Him.  Anyone can abide in His tabernacle and dwell in His holy hill that wants to live their lives according to the stipulations to get there.  God doesn’t make that choice for us, we decide.

As I list the attributes that are required in this Psalm, take time to consider your own life and where you may have areas that need improvement?  Of course, none of us are perfect so we cannot always get it perfectly right, but with God’s help, we can improve and become more aware of areas where we struggle.

1. Walk uprightly/honestly.
2. Works of righteousness and doing good for others
3. Be honest in your heart.  Don’t try to make your way the right way. 
4. Do not backbite or speak evil of others even if it is the truth.  Instead, speak the love of God over others.
5. Do not do evil to your neighbor.  Ever, even if you believe they deserve it or have done something evil to you.
6. Do not scold or reproach your friends because to be a good friend you will love at all times.
7. Despise the vileness of evil people, but again you do not have to speak about it.
8. Honor those who fear the Lord even if their doctrine is a little different than yours. Let the Holy Spirit search their heart.
9. Swear to your own hurt and do not change. This means you do what you say you will do when you say you will do it.  Keep your word and don’t make up excuses.
10. Do not lend your money for interest, instead give expecting nothing in return like Jesus commanded in Luke 14.
11. Do not take a bribe to condemn innocent people even if you feel like they deserve it.  God is the judge.
12. When you do these things, you will never be moved

This doesn’t sound that hard to do, in fact, it is really a list of things not to do.  You have to intentionally say or do things against this list in order to move away from God.

After reading though this passage again, It makes me ask why do some people choose to walk away from God?  Why are there people out there, many people who choose to live some place rather than with their heavenly Father and Savior Jesus?  Doing the right thing is not harder than doing the wrong thing, it just isn’t as popular as doing the wrong thing.  When living life according to God’s Word and ways, you will live a more peaceable and pleasant life.  You will enjoy life and feel good about the choice you make and know that you are honoring your loving Father and the precious people of the world that He sent His Son to die for and rescue from the evil world around us.

So today I want to encourage you to align your life with the characteristics in Psalms 15.  Start today to be more intentional to walk out an honest and true life.  Do good for others whenever possible and be honest with yourself in all things.  When you mess up, admit it and take it before the Lord and get rid of it.  Make His way your way in all areas of life.  Don’t speak evil of others, ever.  Just don’t do it.  Remember that God sent His Son for all people, and they all have the opportunity to choose Him as long as they are breathing.  Pray for those far from God to be brought near to Him.  Don’t do evil to your neighbors and don’t feel the need to correct your friends, just be there for them.  Don’t get sucked in to evil activities but recognize that they can defile you if you do.  Honor those who fear the Lord and keep your word.  If you say it, consider it a promise and then do it no matter how you are feeling about it later.  Don’t lend money, use it as a tool to reach others far from God.  If you get it back later, that’s great but if not, it is a seed planted in the heart of the receiver.  Don’t try to pin anything on innocent people or even shift the blame when you are the responsible one. After you do these things, you will always be close to your Father in heaven!  Remember it is your choice to abide in His tabernacle and you are the one who decides to dwell with Him.  Make it your life goal to stay close to Him.

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 15
1 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

2 He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart;

3 He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;

4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the Lord; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

5 He who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

Finding hope in God’s goodness

Terror will grip them, for God is with those who obey him. The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed, but the Lord will protect his people. – Psalms 14:5-6

 As I am reading through the book of Psalms it seems like these chapters were written much more recently than during the time of King David.  The things that he wrote about so long ago, sound like they could have very accurately been written yesterday.  As David described the condition of the world when he was here, it doesn’t sound like much has changed.  Oh yeah, maybe we are a little more comfortable and seemingly more civilized, but I guarantee you that the hearts of people over all are just as dark as they were back in King David’s day.

In the same way that people are the same as they have always been, so God is also the same God that He has always been and always will be.  Psalms 14 says that God is looking from heaven to see if there is anyone who understands or is seeking God for navigating this life.  He is watching over His people and looking for those who are ready to start following wisdom and His ways instead of stumbling in the dark like the foolish of the world do.

Hopefully, that is where He finds you and me.  Not groping around in fear and ignorant ways like those who have no hope or help.  Hopefully, God’s people will be found trusting in His protection and provision instead of trusting in the uncertainty of politicians, world leaders and even selfishness.

In the world we live in today that used to look like a gradual decline but now has escalated into a landslide decent from moving in God’s direction to now doing things as it seems right in our own hearts, God’s steadfast love and grace are still abundantly available to every person on the face of the planet.   There is no shortage in supply and there is no limit to accessing His gifts.  What a contrast Psalms 14 gives between human waywardness and our heavenly Father’s divine faithfulness.  Despite the extreme differences, this Psalms still offers hope and encouragement for those who seek God in the middle of a world that tends to run away from Him.

As part of the family of God, we are comforted in knowing that God is with us through all the craziness of the earth today.  No matter how overwhelming the evil around us might seem, our Father in heaven lives with those who are faithful to His call and direction.  His presence brings peace and courage to stand against the challenges that we face each day.  We can run to our Father for refuge, and He will not only protect us personally, but He will also ensure that we will have all that we need to get our mission and life assignment done right in the middle of the darkness we live in.  We find shelter and strength as we purpose to walk closely with Him in our everyday life, trusting His wisdom in every area and decision we make.

Today I want to encourage you that even though it looks like there is nothing new under the sun, to seek God diligently!  Go after His plans and His purpose and trust Him for the empowering grace to follow His leading.  Your pursuit of His ways are not in vain and your efforts are seen and valued by His watchful eyes.  As you determine to live according to His will and ways, you can trust that God’s presence will be your constant companion and guide.  Life is challenging and sometimes leaves you feeling vulnerable and oppressed but be assured today that God is your refuge and will protect and support you when facing adversities.  He cares for you deeply and will hold you up in every struggle you have in life.  Put your hope and trust in Him today and stay confident that His salvation and restoration are not only possible but also promised to those who are seeking Him. Let that hope empower you to endure hardship by knowing that God’s deliverance is a sure thing, and His plans are always good.

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 14

1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.

2 The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

3 They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, no, not one.

4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call on the Lord?

5 There they are in great fear, for God is with the generation of the righteous.

6 You shame the counsel of the poor, but the Lord is his refuge.

7 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord brings back the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Remind yourself

But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.  I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me. – Psalms 13:5-6

 Some days I wake up and just feel low.  Even though there is nothing really wrong in my life, there are still days that I have to stir myself up.  Because I have created the habit and space to spend time with my heavenly Father each morning, He always helps me to fix my heart and perspective on Him and the purpose for today.  Whenever those days happen, I remind myself to be thankful for all that God has done in my life and is still doing today.  I thank Him for His faithfulness and that I know He loves me and leads me step by step through life.  Then I ask Him for some encouraging moments or words to help me shift my thinking from this temporal world to His everlasting Kingdom.

In Psalms 13, David wrote out some things he was feeling that day.  He was discouraged because he felt like he was facing his struggles in life all alone.  He even asked God why He was hiding from him and why God had forgotten about him.  He appeals to the Lord to hear and enlighten his eyes so he won’t sleep the sleep of death and his enemies will not prevail against him.

By verse five of this Psalm, David is stirred up and reminded himself that he has trusted in God’s mercy, and he remembered that his heart rejoiced in His salvation.  David actually begins to sing to the Lord because God had always come through for David and faithfully dealt bountifully with him all the days of his life.

It is the same thing for us today.  Even though most of us will never go through the trouble that David did, we still have a lot to rejoice about.  We will probably never have the king of our land seeking us out to try to kill us and it will be pretty unlikely that we will ever have one of our children rise up to take our home and kingdom from us.  But that doesn’t mean we will never have days that we need to be encouraged.  Like David did, we can talk it over with God.  We can ask the questions that are in our heart about the circumstances we are going through, but ultimately when we shift our attitude to be thankful for all He has brought us through in the past, that is when we will begin to have peace and understand the purpose of the path we are on.

Today I want to encourage you to make time to talk about your life with your heavenly Father.  Set aside a special time to connect with Him personally.  Chances are you are feeling some unsettling emotions of your unknown future, but remember He has it all planned out.  Press into Him today and ask Him to keep you on the path of His plan for your life.  Put a guard up against the external voices that will plant doubt and fear in your heart.  Instead, spend time meditating on His promises from His word.  Then remind yourself about the complications He has brought you through in the past.  Only then will you be able to keep your mind fixed on the blessing of abundance in your world and only then will you be able to “see” how He has been carrying you through the whole time.

If you have never received His peace and joy through His provision of salvation in the blood of Jesus, do that right now.  He will not only come into your heart and life and save you, but He will also keep you in all your ways from this day forward as you commit them to Him.

Pray this prayer from your heart to receive Him today:  God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for the rest my life here in this world. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 13

1 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?

2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

4 Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

5 But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

6 I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.