Hebrews 4:12 tells us, For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (NKJV) In other words “God means what He says. What He says goes. His powerful Word is sharper than a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey” (The Message).
The thought of being cut by something so sharp is frightening! To have my thought-life laid open to reveal all its secret places is something I dread and long for simultaneously. Yet, in order for me to come to the place of obedience, I know that I must choose exposure to and saturation by the living and powerful Word of God. Then and only then will any desire I have to “speak the truth in love” be marked by the sincere desire for what is best for the other person, rather than a desire to “speak my mind.”
As the writer of Hebrews says, only God’s Word has the power to reveal the thoughts and attitudes of my heart or yours. That means I must be slow, very slow, to speak and pray what the writer of Psalm 12:3-4, so rightly penned, “May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks proud things, who have said, ‘With our tongues we will prevail.’ Our lips are our own, who is Lord over us?”
Simply put, I do not own me, my lips or my heart! God owns all of me! He is Lord over me and He would have my words be seasoned with grace and thus be an instrument for His righteous purpose…not mine.
My question for you:
Are the words that you speak to others seasoned with grace and love? Are they instruments for His purposes?
Selah,
Stephanie
Stephanie Paul, wife and mother of two grown children. An “instrument of change” in the Redeemer’s Hand, in the lives of wounded and hurting women. Currently serving as a part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Woman of Character Program Director.
Can you honestly say “I’m rejoicing in the Lord, always; again, again & again? This means: over and over again, and again!!!! Sounds a bit redundant, and it is because God wanted us to know that rejoicing is not a one-time experience.
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice (ESV).
I know the benefits of “rejoicing in the Lord always, again and again…….” It doesn’t take me long to know when I’m not rejoicing, because I will worry, fret and become anxious. If I let anxious thoughts rule my mind it will create a sick heart. The mind is powerful and can create thoughts that will rule and rob us of rejoicing in the Lord. Satan can put thoughts in our minds if we permit him to; trust me, these negative thoughts will take root in our lives. I believe that Satan doesn’t know what is in our minds/hearts: ONLY God knows what is in our hearts. But don’t be fooled because Satan knows the circumstances around our lives; he knows what will cause us to worry; he knows the circumstances in our lives; he knows that we believe in God; he knows our fellowship with other believers and some……..
Many years ago I was in a very disturbing circumstance and I kept rehearing things in my mind. It was all I talked about. You see at that time in my life “life was about me;” not for the good of others. I thank God for the godly woman that He put in my life. This godly friend’s words to me “you are not tired enough yet to surrender your life to the Lord”…..ouch! Those words cut, bruised, hurt, but were so true. I was a believer but not trusting in God’s sovereignty. This godly woman is now with the Lord. I love this woman who loved me enough to be honest. This woman taught me what it is to Rejoice in the Lord always, again, again and again…..
What’s the cure? God’s Word! And godly counsel! Are you willing to surrender all to Jesus? I am, and every morning when I wake up I make a choice – trust Him in all areas of my life: He is trustworthy.
I want to encourage you to read and meditate on the book of Philippians to learn about Paul’s life and how he rejoiced in the Lord through his horrendous trials. Paul learned to be content. Paul knew the benefits of dying to self. Philippians 1:21 – For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 2:4 – let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (ESV).
After reading and meditating on these powerful four chapters in Philippians go to the Psalms and begin praying as David prayed. As we focus on God’s Word and apply it to our lives we will know the benefits of His love, mercy, grace, patience, kindness, goodness, longsuffering in our lives. We can have a heart of contentment; a heart that is FREE from expectation. God is Sovereign! The joy robbers in Philippians: Chapter 1 – Worry; Chapter 2 – Circumstances; Chapter 3- Wrong belief; Chapter 4 – Disputes between believers/indifference.
In closing I want to end with a verse that I tell my 8 grandkids, ages 10 through 24: “The Golden Rule” Matthew 7:12 – Treat others how you want to be treated (my emphasis).
Ladies, let us love one another and encourage one another as we walk through this journey of life on earth. And let us sing songs and hymns in our hearts so we will pass on the joy of the Lord.
I am sure many of you have studied about the Tabernacle of Moses. I have often used the tabernacle as a model for prayer. It is a very meaningful and helpful guide. However the Old Testament Tabernacle of Moses, for a brief time, was set aside and the Tabernacle of David replaced it. It is the Tabernacle of David I would like to consider today.
David set up the tabernacle on Zion’s hill: the hill the Jebusites reluctantly gave up. I am sure they did not know that they gave up that land because God decided He was ready to make use of it, but give up the land they did and God used it. Psalm 78:65-72 says, “Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine. And He beat back His enemies; He put them to a perpetual reproach. Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph, And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved. And He built His sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which He has established forever. He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds; From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands” (NKJV). Yes, God chose a shepherd, a man after His own heart and gave him a sanctuary in which to worship Him day and night, 24/7.
There was no veil in David’s Tabernacle. For about 40 years David led his people in worship. He and the people enthroned the Lord on their praises. It all must have seemed so strange. David was not a high priest. Only the High Priest was permitted to go into the Holy of Holies and that was only once a year. There was a VERY thick veil between the Holy of Holies and the people. But all of that changed…for here was David as Ps. 73:17 explains…going into the sanctuary of God. It was there David found wisdom. It was there he communed with God. But the days of David’s Tabernacle were brief. It seems God used it as a prototype of the face-to-face worship that we now have available because Jesus came into the world and once and for all rent the veil that separated us from His presence.
May I ask you to consider that the real battle this Christmas is over the glory of God? If Jesus is the Lord of your life, His glory is in you and His glory can be released through you. There is no veil keeping you from entering into His presence. What keeps us from His presence is our stuff, our fears, our self-focus, our pride, in short our flesh. But dear one, we can choose this Christmas to step on our flesh and the things of this world. We can choose to worship the Lord our God in Spirit and in Truth. By His grace we can let go and let God fill your heart with His glory. How amazing is that!!
We can even come together as a body and this same glory can be manifested in our churches in a greater dimension than we have ever known. Yes, let us win this battle this Christmas. Praise Him and give homage to Him through worship, let the atmosphere be filled with His glory. Now that will surely be a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Patricia Wenzel
WOC Graduate
For further study: Mediate upon Psalm 92, 149, 150
Some information above taken from:
Worship as it is in Heaven by John Dickson and Chuck Pierce, Regal, 2010
Hebrews 13:3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them-those who are mistreated-since you yourselves are in the body also.
On Thanksgiving evening, we traditionally have “Christmas” with our son Matt, our daughter-in-law Deb, and our three grandchildren, Kate, Nate, and Caleb in Olathe, Kansas. It was my turn to open my present from all of them. I slowly opened the box and I saw a beautifully cut and dressed wooden nativity set. I was instantly taken back to the 1990’s. I felt like my father had just walked in the door, but my dad died in 1996. Where did this nativity set come from? Deb filled in the answer. It seems that she came across the box of unassembled pieces in her garage. She used to help my dad; he did the cutting, and Deb did the painting, and signed all of the pieces, “Grandpa and Me.” This box of pieces had survived at least three moves, including a cross-country move and a span of about twenty-five years, but when Deb found the box, she knew what she must do: assemble, paint, and dress the figures and give it to me as a Christmas gift. Did I cry when I heard the story? Of course. Did I feel that Deb and all of my family felt my pain? Oh my, yes. Did my tears ruin the day? I don’t think so. I think we had an unforgettable day…a day when my dad was remembered and Deb showed her love for me and for Grandpa by remembering.
Perhaps you may feel that calling hurting people prisoners is misconstruing the meaning of the above verse, but I’m sure those who are victims of Sandy, the recent snow storm, those who have faced financial or job loss, or those who are dealing with the death of a dear friend or a loved one would agree that they feel imprisoned. The Bible says that we are to feel we are chained to them. I think that means we are to identify with their pain.
When the Panorama fire in 1980 caused many of our friends to lose their homes, my son tried to think what he might miss the most if he lost everything in a fire. He bought items such as umbrellas, toothbrushes, flashlights, a sewing kit, and puzzles.
When our 17-year-old son was killed by a drunk driver, a friend brought a sackful of “goodies” to my house which included all kinds of paper products: plates, cups, napkins, tissues. Others brought meals all packaged for the freezer; others were simply present. All of the efforts helped and were remembered. I felt alone and that I carried a sign around that said “I AM A BEREAVED PARENT; I DOUBT THAT YOU KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO ME.” So everyone stayed away from me and left me alone. I clung to those who seemed to care and weren’t put off by my seemingly negative attitude. Their gifts were simple and definitely not fancy, but those gifts said, WE CARE AND WE WILL BE WITH YOU AS LONG AS YOU NEED US.
Do you know someone in need? Are you “chained” to them? Are you feeling their pain? The Christmas season is the perfect time to reach out and let them know you care.
I can think of no better time to reach out to hurting people than the Christmas season. Christmas can be a very lonely time for hurting people.
Our Decembers are long
and hard to bear.
Our lives seem so full
of pain and care.
As we slowly loosen
our grip on our grief,
We make room for Hope and Peace,
What a sweet relief.
Reach out to those you know are hurting this season. Let them know you care because Jesus cares.
James 4:17 “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
Marilyn Willett Heavilin
Marilyn Is a wife and mother; author & International conference speaker
Author of Roses In December,
December’s Song
Becoming A Woman of Honor,
Profound Common Sense
When Your Dreams Die,
Grief Is A Family Affair,
I’m Listening, Lord
Lately, I have been hearing a lot about being “thankful.” We just celebrated Thanksgiving last week, and we’ve heard so many stories about people feeding people with great needs. Some people became homeless, or misplaced for a time from “Sandy,” and if that wasn’t enough then came the “Nor’ Easter” that added to the devastation. Most people lost power for a day while others lost their power for a week or more. I believe God uses ALL things for His glory: and Sandy and the Nor’ Easter were two disasters that He used to bring people together. Churches reaching out, individuals reaching out, agencies reaching out, and it still is happening: people helping people. The Keswick maintenance team, working above and beyond their ability to get power back for the ministry, was awesome. It was God working in and through them giving them the wisdom and stamina that they needed.
On a personal note: I am so very thankful that God used these recent disasters to bring two sweet elderly neighbors to our home. We opened our home to this sweet couple when we found out that they have no children and no family to turn to for shelter. I saw God at work: half of our community had power after one day, while others in our community were powerless for a week. We just so happened to be the part of the community that had power. So, with that we knew that we were to open our home. We noticed that some of our neighbors left to stay with family, while this very elderly couple remained home. We invited them over and they graciously accepted our invite. Hey, I would too if I were cold and hungry! We were so excited to see God’s hand in this matter. I was praising God so much that I never even got tired of having company. The only issue was they wouldn’t sleep over: they said “they’d be OK under the blankets.” They came over during the day and stayed into the late night.
Here’s a chuckle: I go to bed at 9 most nights, but they are night owls. Ha, I prayed for God to keep my eyes open because I wanted them to stay late to keep warm. After a week of getting to know these sweet people we learned so much about them. The second day I popped the question “I would love to hear your life’s story.” They shared their story and we were blessed to hear of their love for one another. We not only got to know our neighbors, but now we have a relationship with them. Our prayer is to show them Christ’s love, and to anyone whom the Lord sends our way.
Our Pastor yesterday spoke on Matthew 9:8-26. He said “There are 2 factors that will bring someone to Jesus 1) Great Need; 2) Genuine Faith. Matthew 9:20 – The woman with a great need had the faith to touch Jesus’ cloak: Jesus said to her “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.
Think about this “When Jesus has the last word those who hope in Him, are made to laugh again.” Life’s circumstances may be horrendous but when Jesus has the last word we will laugh again.
As I write this devotional it is four days since “Sandy” hit full force into New Jersey. During the days preceding the arrival of “Sandy” many of us prayed and interceded on behalf of our state. We said the words Jesus said to a storm long ago: “…’Hush Be Still’…” (Mark 4: 39b). We proclaimed Psalm 91 and rested in the Word, “I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” (Ps. 91:2).
In a book I have titled The Name Book, I looked up the meaning of the name “Sandy” and found it means Defender; its spiritual connotation is Guardian of Truth. The book also gives a Scripture with each name. For Sandy the Scripture given is 1 Tim. 6:20 “Guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge” (NLT). We asked the Lord to change “Sandy’s” assignment. We asked the Lord to use her to cleanse the body of Christ, to blow the fresh wind of His Holy Spirit over us and draw us to Himself and then use us to be defenders and guardians of truth.
“Sandy” came with great force, leaving our state changed forever. We were personally without power for three days, nothing more. We could not complain about such a minor inconvenience when families lost their homes, possessions and even lives. I found myself longing to see God work all that had happened for good. I wanted to see light and to be His light in the midst of it all. I wanted to avoid godless or foolish discussion. I wanted to be a defender and guardian of Truth.
A few days before “Sandy” I found this quote at www.chabad.com:
Exposing the Light
Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson
“All the world’s problems stem from light being withheld.
Our job then, is to correct this. Wherever we find light, we must rip away its casings, exposing it to all, letting it shine forth to the darkest ends of the earth.
Especially the light you yourself hold.”
Speaking of light: let’s look at Isaiah 60:1…… “Arise, shine; for the light has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you, And His glory will appear upon you. And nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising” (NASB).
Over these “Sandy days” the Lord graciously ripped away darkness and allowed me to see LIGHT – an area church made a warm meal for people who were without power over a period of about five hours. A second area church, hearing of what was happening, emptied their refrigerators and provided more food for the effort. Imagine Baptists and Roman Catholics working side by side to be LIGHT in the community. Neighbors, emergency workers, strangers and friends all smiled in the midst and they enjoyed the LIGHT. They were able to go back to their work and homes refreshed and hopeful.
Walking down the street the Lord allowed me to see neighbors helping each other so that every need appeared to be met. The LIGHT was shining. One lady took branches of a pine tree that had fallen and began to decorate her house for Christmas a little early. She had a big smile on her face and now admired the branches that only a short time before were garbage on her lawn. I laughed with this woman who I did not even know. The LIGHT was shining!!
And the Lord allowed me to be LIGHT in my neighborhood too. What a joy!!
Ladies, by the time you read this devotional it will likely be December. You will probably be preparing to celebrate when God, who so loved the world, gave His only Son to be the LIGHT in the world. And now whoever believes in Him can have the assurance of eternal life and carry His LIGHT. Jesus was and is and will forever be the ultimate LIGHT of the world. (Taken from John 3:16; 8:12)
Remember that song you learned when you were little – “This little LIGHT of mine, I’m gonna let it shine”. Come on…….let’s sing it. I can’t hear you!! Really, this Christmas let’s sing with child-like faith and be the LIGHT in the place where God has planted us. Let us not hide our LIGHT but shine it brightly so that it will give LIGHT to all who come into our presence. Let others see Jesus in us and glorify our Father who is in heaven (taken from Matt. 5:14-16).
Merry Christmas,
Patricia Wenzel
WOC Graduate
Referenced above: The Name Book by Dorothy Astoria, Bethany House Publishers, 1997.
Job 3:25,26 What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest, only trouble comes (NLT).
Job had lost much. He lost his children, his business, his health and his upright standing in his community that came with respect. He was filled with sorrow. Complaining over and over about all that had befallen him despite his blameless living. He could not comprehend how all this had happened to him after living a blameless life. We know by reading the Book of Job that he did live a blameless life. He had hoped to avoid all the “bad” things that can happen: And was confused to find that his upstanding living had not spared him from tragedy.
With that being said, I know that there have been times in all our lives where we have asked that question: WHY? Why had some horrible tragedy fallen upon us or someone so close to us? Didn’t God love me/us? Why did He allow this? I tried to live a blameless life and for what? So many questions and so few answers. We can lose sight of the truth of God’s Word and His promise of love for us. Our measuring gage becomes our circumstances and not the truth of Gods promise.
What Job didn’t realize is that God’s love was not defined by Job’s prosperity, his family, his health or his approval with the “in crowd.” But it was defined by his Word: His Truth. Nothing separates us from the love of God.
Romans 8:39 No power in the sky or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (NLT).
So next time you are questioning God’s love for you, I encourage you to look at your means of measure. Is it God’s Word? His Truth? His promises? Or is it the always changeable unpredictable things in life?
“Praise Lord, my soul. While I live, I will praise Lord. I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist” (Psalm 146:1-2).
This psalm and each of Psalms 146-150, begins and ends with the exhortation, “Praise the Lord” (Hallelujah). Thus, these Psalms are known as the Hallelujah Psalms because they begin with the Hebrew word Hallel, from which we get the word Hallelujah.
A sub note here is that the word Hallel or Hallelujah first occurs in the Psalms in Psalm 104:35 and it only occurs 23 times in the Psalms (104:35; 105:45; 106:1, 48; 112:1; 113:1, 9; 115:18; 116:19; 117:2; 135:1, 3, 21; 146:1, 10; 147:1, 20; 148:1, 14; 149:1, 9; 150:1, 6). There is also no psalm of David that contains the word Hallelujah.
But, what does it mean to praise the Lord? I found a website that listed seven ways to praise God, all based on Hebrew words and supported by Scripture. Here they are in a nutshell: (http://www.geocities.com/ourallinall/sevenwaystopraise.htm)
• Towdah is the sacrifice of praise. It’s to look to God even when things aren’t going your way … when your world is upside down … when you don’t feel like turning to God. It’s like the little placard that says, “Praise the Lord, Anyhow!” The writer of Hebrews had the spirit of towdah in mind when he wrote, “… let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which pledge allegiance to his name” (Hebrews 13:15) .
• Then there is Yadah. Yadah is the act of lifting up your hands in devotion to God. If you do a search on images of praise, this is what you find most often–individuals with their arms lifted high to the Almighty. The writer of Lamentations expresses the spirit of yadah when he says, “Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens” (Lamentations 3:41).
• A third form of praise is Barouch. It means to bow or kneel. In the extreme, it means to fall prostrate before the Lord in total surrender to his majesty. Psalms 95:6 invites us, “Oh come, let’s worship and bow down. Let’s kneel before Yahweh, our Maker.”
• The next form of praise is Shabach. Literally, it means to shout–to lift up your voice to the Lord in gratitude for the blessings you have received. Isaiah told the people, “Cry aloud and shout, you inhabitant of Zion; for the Holy One of Israel is great in the midst of you!” (Isaiah 12:6).
• Then there’s Zamar. It refers to playing an instrument to glorify God. We get a big dose of this in the 150th Psalm, where it says,
“Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet! Praise him with harp and lyre! Praise him with tambourine and dancing! Praise him with stringed instruments and flute! Praise him with loud cymbals! Praise him with resounding cymbals!”
• Of course, there’s Hallel. It not only means praise the Lord, it refers to dancing as a particular form of praise. Psalm 30 says it best: “You have turned my mourning into dancing for me. You have removed my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness” (Psalm 30:11).
• Last, but not least, there’s Tehillah. It’s a combination of all-of-the-above: Singing, shouting, dancing, clapping and rejoicing before the Lord. It’s hard to find one scripture to cover it all, though Psalm 47 comes close. It says, “Oh clap your hands, all you nations. Shout to God with the voice of triumph!” (Psalm 47:1).
The word Hallel should not be used or taken lightly as it is a word that describes praise to God. When used it needs to be used only as a genuine expression of praise to the Lord. How do you choose to praise Him? Next time you want to lift up praise to God – be creative… there are many ways to praise Him. However, you choose to praise, the idea is that you need to pPraise him continually throughout our life. If the psalmist, filled with the Spirit, had to preach to himself in order to sing God’s praises all of his days, then certainly we must do the same (John Calvin makes this point, Calvin’s Commentaries [Baker], on Ps. 146:1-2, p. 285). Praising God every day as long as you live won’t happen naturally or because you have a cheery disposition. It requires a Godward focus, where you see every blessing and trial coming from His loving hand.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 146: 5-10 ESV)
In my last Victory Call I concentrated on the first 2 verses of this Psalm, which basically stated that if we are to receive God’s blessing, we are to always praise Him (146:1-2). Verses 3-4 remind us to always trust God over any human. Charles Simeon put it crisply (Expository Outlines on the Whole Bible [Zondervan], 6:499), “We cannot expect too little from man, or too much from God.”
I want to concentrate for just a moment on the rest of the Psalm. First the psalmist states his case (v. 5), that you will be blessed when you trust in the Lord. He comes full circle (v.10), showing that when you trust the Lord in your weakness, because He reigns forever, you will praise Him forever. In between he supports his case (vv. 6-9), showing that the almighty, faithful Creator comes to the aid of the weak who cast themselves upon Him. The psalmist makes four points here:
(1) The Lord is able to bless you because He is the almighty Creator of heaven and earth (146:6a). “Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them” We have seen this theme repeatedly in the psalms. You can trust in God because, in contrast to the mortal “helpers” of verses 3-4, the Lord is the almighty Creator.
(2) The Lord is able to bless you because He is forever faithful (146:6b). He “keeps faith forever.” He never goes back on His covenant promises. So, as the writer of Hebrews (10:23) exhorts, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
(3) The Lord is able to bless you because He delights to sustain the weak and needy (146:7-9). The psalmist gives a quick list of people in dire straits that the Lord sustains or delivers. He mentions eight things:
First, the Lord “executes justice for the oppressed” (146:7a). Often, wicked, powerful men oppress God’s people. In His inscrutable purposes, God often delays judgment, as the Book of Revelation shows (see Rev. 6:10). But that same book shows that although judgment may be delayed, it is 100 percent certain. All wrongs will be righted. No oppressor will escape.
Second, the Lord “gives food to the hungry” (146:7b). In Psalm 145:15-16, we learn that the Lord provides food for all of His creatures. Thus we can trust Him to provide for our needs.
Third, “the Lord sets the prisoners free” (146:7c). They may be imprisoned unjustly, or it also could refer to those who are imprisoned by various sins or guilt or troubling situations beyond their ability to break free. The Lord is able to deliver the prisoners, no matter how securely the enemy guards them.
Fourth, “the Lord opens the eyes of the blind” (146:8a). Although there are no cases of the blind being healed in the Old Testament, the Lord told Moses (Ex. 4:11), “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”
Fifth, “the Lord raises up those who are bowed down” (146:8b). We saw this in Psalm 145:14. Whatever your burden, cast it upon the Lord and He will lift you up. Even if you are bowed down with sin and guilt, bring it to the cross and plead the blood of Jesus. He is the friend of sinners!
Sixth, “the Lord loves the righteous” (146:8c). Why is this in the midst of a list of people with overwhelming problems? Because the righteous are often oppressed and persecuted because they follow the Lord. But as Jesus said (Matt. 5:10), “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Seventh, “the Lord protects the strangers” (146:9a). Often, those who are foreigners are shunned or ridiculed or discriminated against. They feel lonely and as if no one cares for them. But the Lord cares for and protects them.
Eighth, “the Lord supports the fatherless and the widow” (146:9b). So the psalmist’s point is that when we are weak and needy, we should trust in the Lord to bless us. Charles Simeon (ibid., 6:501) wrote, “Let nothing, on the one hand, be deemed too great to carry to him; nor, on the other hand, account anything so small that you may engage in it without his aid.”
(4) The Lord is able to bless you because He thwarts the way of the wicked (146:9c). Or, as Isaiah (48:22) succinctly states, “‘There is no peace for the wicked,’ says the Lord.”
The psalmist has stated his case, that you will be blessed when you trust the almighty God as your help and your hope. He has supported his case by showing that you will be blessed when you trust in the almighty, faithful God, because He delights to sustain the needy who cry out to Him. Then he wraps up his case by coming full circle: The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord! (vs.10)
All of us who share our hearts through Victory Calls have these days. Whether we are distracted, seeing only the fullness of our plate of things to do, or our swirling thoughts refuse to come together, at times we are unable to think and create full sentences. But then an email shows up in my inbox saying all that wants to burst from my heart but can’t seem to make it’s way out on paper. So, today I share words of another because my own don’t seem to express it nearly as well.
“The sun beat down on the glossy water, gracefully reflecting sweet pigtails and a precious smile. Fondly I gazed at my sixth child, a special gift from God in her own right. We were walking together in the lazy river at the local pool.
Well, if you can call it ‘walking together.’
Anyone out there have a terrific temper-tantrum-throwing two-year-old?
(I see that hand.)
Sweet T was having a lovely time exhibiting her endearing attitude of not wanting to hold my hand in the water. So even though the water was up to her neck, she bobbed her way along the side…
Fiercely independent;
Refusing my assistance;
With no desire for my help in the least little way,
Until…
We reached ‘the buckets.’
A series of 4 rows and 4 columns of buckets that dump water right over your head at varying patterns. Too many for a toddler mind to comprehend.
The only hope is to escape at just the right window of perfectly-timed opportunity.
There was no bell sounding that the buckets were ahead. No warning that my pretty girl could readily identify other than seeing them.
Just the sudden urgency that something was bigger than she.
Water up to her neck was one thing, but water coming down from above at the same time? She would literally be in over her head.
This she sensed. This she saw. This she felt.
And then, Toddler T became completely dependent. A call for ‘Oh, no. The buckets!’ paired with ‘Help me, Mommy!’ made it evident that the earlier charade of complete and total independence was …
history.
I chuckled to myself over her response.
But the whisper in my heart asked:
‘What is so funny, Child of God? You act just like that temper-tantrum throwing toddler. You want me to stand by you, but you bob along your merry little way. I’m here for you, Daughter of Mine. But if you will just rely on Me completely, depending on Me fiercely, you will find that you are not alone. That independence and freedom you seek will be found in Me. Not without Me. Those buckets? They are for your good.’
And I prayed.
‘O Lord. Send more buckets my way. Fill them to the top, brimming over; so that when they pour out, I will be relying fully on you. If that is what it takes for complete surrender, I humble myself. Because the buckets are what make me…
Fiercely dependent.'”
Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.
I wish I could give credit to the author who pens the right illustrations and words that echo in my heart, but I could not find her name on the devotional.
Today may you and I be fiercely dependent!!!
Kathy Withers
Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 26 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local Church and has previously served as a Teaching Director for Community Bible Study. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.
Victory Call 