January 17 -- "Guide Me to the Level Ground"

Today’s Reading: Psalms 143 & 144 

"Guide Me to the Level Ground"

Have you ever gotten lost while hiking or walking through unfamiliar territory? If you have, then you probably wished that someone with knowledge of the terrain would show up to lead and guide you out of the spot you're in and back onto the right path.  This is exactly how David is feeling as he cries out for God's Spirit in verse 10 to lead him to level ground.

This Psalm is a cry for help.  David, whose desire was to live his life according to the will of God and not according to the will of David, finds himself lost in the "dense forest" and "rocky cliffs" of life. He is tired and thirsty and hungry and needs help getting back to the clearing.
The phrase “lead me on level ground” at the end of this verse has a very interesting meaning in the original Hebrew language. This verse literally means “guide me to level plain.” It carries the picture of a being on a hike in the wilderness, caught in the thorns and thickets and surrounded by cliffs and rocks and calling out for a wise and experienced guide to lead you  confidently back into the solid level clearing. 

In the Scriptures, the “level plain” was a safe and proper place for God's children to walk – the place of holiness, righteousness, faith, and obedience. It alludes to a spiritual condition in which there is a firm foundation of solid ground underneath us – a spiritual level ground so to speak.

David knew that if his plea to fulfill God’s will with his life were to become reality, he would have to be taught and guided by His all wise and knowing God. In fact, if he was not taught by God what His will is, he had no hope of discovering that will, let alone doing it.

What about you? Do you want to live your life according to the will of God? Do you want to discover His highest and greatest calling for your life? If so, are you pleading with God to lead you to that level ground? Stop trying to figure it out with human reasoning or problem solving. Simply acknowledge your own wretchedness and cry out to Him to teach you His will and to lead you to the place of holiness and righteousness.

January 16 -- "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made"

Today’s Reading: Psalms 131 & 139 

"Fearfully and Wonderfully Made"

As the great singer, Louis Armstrong, once sang, ♫“I see trees of green, red roses too. I see them bloom for me and you. And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.” ♫ It is a wonderful world God has made. Even He thinks so! (See Genesis 1:31) As He stepped back from His acts of creation, He saw everything He had made, and behold, it was very good. Our God finished His creative work by taking delight in it – He saw all that He had made – and behold, it was wonderful in every way.

Think about how wonderfully made you are. Much like your Creator, you are a triune being – made of body, soul, and spirit.  Your body is, of course, the physical part of you designed by God to interact with the “very good” environment He created. It is your human anatomy made up of several very complex and ingeniously designed systems: skeletal, muscular, circulatory, digestive, respiratory, and reproductive systems all controlled and maintained by your unmatched brain and nervous system. Every human being – all tissues, body parts, and the organ systems are made up of billions of cells - the fundamental unit of life. Your body is truly fearfully and wonderfully made. And I think to myself…

Your soul is comprised of your consciousness, mind, emotions, and will. Your soul is mysteriously able to perceive and understand things in the intellectual or psychological world. Your soul is your personality, who you are. With your soul you think, reason, consider, remember, and wonder. You experience emotions like happiness, love, sorrow, anger, relief, and compassion. And you’re able to resolve, choose, and make decisions. With your soul, you are able to communicate and interact with other human beings. Your soul is indeed fearfully and wonderfully made. And I think to myself…

Your spirit is the deepest part of who you are.  It is the invisible life force, wind, or breath found in all living human beings. By means of this innermost part, you are able to contact God and have fellowship with Him in the spiritual realm. The spirit is the part of you that covers matters like faith, trust, worship and so on. The spirit is seen as the innermost part of your being. It is enveloped by your soul, which in turn is enveloped by your body.  It’s in your spirit that you find meaning and purpose in life. Your spirit is also fearfully and wonderfully made.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful God who made such a wonderful world!

January 15 -- "He Regards the Lowly"

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 25 & Psalm 138 

"He Regards the Lowly"

Although we were created in God’s image, sin has marred God’s creation. As a result, it seems to be built into our nature to categorize and classify members of the human race. We see some as “upper” class and some as “middle” or “lower class.” And those who perceive themselves as being in the upper class have a tendency to disregard, or even disrespect, those who they see as “lowly” (common, ordinary, unfortunate).  Some even see it as a great offense if someone attempts to break into their circle or personally approach them.

But our God is not like us! Our Lord God is high royalty – He is the only true “upper class.” He is the King. He is the Lord. As the Creator of the universe, He truly is far above all space, matter, energy, and life. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He possesses vast and endless wealth and power. “For you, O Lord, are supreme over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.” (Psalm 97:9)  As such, He has no obligation to respect or regard those who are below Him.

But here’s the amazing thing… He is not offended by any of us attempting to gain an audience with Him or personally approach Him. He welcomes all. He invites us into His “inner circle.” In fact, the Bible goes out of its way to teach us that God doesn’t see social classes the way human societies do. To Him, there is neither rich nor poor, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female. All are alike to Him. And all are loved deeply by Him. In fact, He loves us so much that He humbled Himself and became a “commoner” just so He could rescue us from sin - “Though He was in the form of God… He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and was born in the likeness of man.” (Philippians 2:5-8) Today’s key verse (Psalm138:6) says that this God – the LORD - “regards” (respects) the lowly. He gracefully welcomes the common, ordinary and unfortunate people into His presence.

And yet, so many people seem to be “afar off” from Him. If God is so welcoming, what then is the barrier that keeps so many people away?  There is only one barrier that keeps people from accessing Him. And it is not Him. Human pride is the barrier. This verse goes on to say that “the haughty He knows from afar.” The “invisible barrier” that keeps us away from our King has not been put there by Him, it has been put there by our pride and arrogance. He broke every barrier to come to us. He only asks in return that we approach Him humbly and accept His grace and love.  Those who remain haughty will keep themselves out of His “inner circle.” 

January 14 -- "A Place for Every Member"

 Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 24

"A Place for Every Member"

King David is “getting his house in order.” As part of that process, he focuses on the priests and their duties in the house of the Lord. While chapter 24 may seem like a dull and meaningless list of names and procedures and assignments, it teaches us a very important lesson about our service to the Lord. None of God’s word is meaningless – every word, every name, every person, every event, every location, every list was put there by God for our learning. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction” (Roman 15:4). One of the lessons we can learn from chapter 24 is that God has a place for everyone and a specific purpose each one is called to fulfill.

In the New Testament, we are taught about the Body of Christ and the truth that every member of His body (the Church) has a place and a specific purpose to fulfill. “All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). In the Church, though we are many, we “form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:5). As members of the “one body,” we each have been called by God to perform a specific ministry in His church and each of us has been endowed by God with the talents and spiritual gifts to perform that ministry. That includes you! God has chosen YOU for a specific ministry. And He has given you the ability to fulfill that ministry!

According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy, evangelism, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement of people. The gifts have also been categorized as those that promote the inner growth of the church (apostle, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, teaching, word of wisdom/knowledge, helps, and administration) and those that promote the church's outer development (faith, miracles, healing, tongues, interpretation of tongues, evangelism). Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 make it clear that each and every Christian is given spiritual gifts according to the Lord’s choice. Spiritual gifts are given for the edification (building up) of the body of Christ.

You have been given spiritual gifts by God so that you can help with the advancement of God’s work on earth by serving and using your special ability. Yes, you! Just as David focused on the place and specific purpose for each of the priests, so you should focus on discovering your spiritual gifts and the place and specific purpose God has called you to fulfill.

January 13 -- "Jerusalem Forever"

 Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 23 & Psalm 110

"Jerusalem Forever"

As David goes about arranging his affairs, he declares that “the Lord God of Israel dwells in Jerusalem forever” (V25). David knew that of all the places on the Earth, the Lord had chosen the city of Jerusalem as His dwelling place.

The Bible makes nearly 800 references to Jerusalem (also called ‘Zion’) as God’s chosen city. The prophet Daniel declared that Jerusalem was the city that is called by God’s name (Daniel 9:19). Jesus referred to Jerusalem as “the city of the Great King” (Matthew 5:35). God, of course, is omnipresent. He is not confined to one city or any geographic location. But, God chose Jerusalem as the place from which His name and majesty and glory would be declared to all the Earth. 

But, why did God choose Jerusalem over all the cities of the world to put His name and call His home? From his human standpoint, King David had some practical reasons for choosing Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel. For instance, its natural defense system, its fresh water supply, and its central location. But these aren’t the reasons God chose the city. God chose Jerusalem for divine reasons.

In reality, the Lord has not revealed His reasons for choosing Jerusalem as His dwelling place. (Nor has He revealed His reasons for choosing Israel as the Promised Land or the Jews as His chosen people.) The Lord is sovereign and makes His choices for divine reasons which are often unknown to us. One day, perhaps, we will understand His choices. But for now, we accept God’s truth and His sovereign choice: Jerusalem is His city – He dwells there forever!

Over the centuries, many have attempted to expel the Jews and God from Jerusalem. Many have sought to “kick God out” of His city. In fact, the city is currently occupied by both Jews and Gentiles and the Holy Temple in the heart of the city is merely a remnant. But we know with great certainty that the Lord is there and we look longingly for that day when “the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.” “On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east!” (Zechariah 14:4-5). Jerusalem is the Lord’s city. Forever. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

January 12 -- "Choosing Prayer over Retaliation"

 Today’s Reading: Psalms 108 & 109

"Choosing Prayer over Retaliation"

What is your response when others attack or criticize you? Sometimes they come at you with lying tongues or words of hate. They may even accuse you of wrongdoing or repay evil for good. It is not unusual for the follower of Christ to be maligned or slandered. The question is, how do you react when it happens to you?

That is the idea behind Psalm 109. In this Psalm, David is grieving over the way others have treated him. He feels betrayed and hurt by their lies and deceit. He describes his hurt by saying, “I loved them and now they slander me... they return my good with evil.” You can sense his sadness and distress in the words of this Psalm. Keep in mind that, as king, David had the power and authority to take decisive action against these people. He could have taken matters into his own hands and rooted out his detractors and had them punished severely. But that’s not what he does!  Instead, he takes to his knees and seeks God’s intervention. There is a tenderness in his voice when, in verse 4, he says, “I give myself to prayer.”

Instead of responding to their attacks with confrontation or by striking back, David wisely places the matter in God’s hands. He seeks the Lord and asks Him to respond to these cruel detractors. His heartfelt prayer is that God would not sit by silently while these people continue to attack him. His plea is, “be not silent, O God of my praise.”

Unfortunately, the prayer that follows is a rather rotten prayer. In fact, Psalm 109 has been called “the most terrible psalm in the whole psalter.” David prays that the people who hurt him would be hurt in return. Rather than pleading with God for their forgiveness and blessing, David takes the “low road” and prays that the Lord would ruin their lives for their hurtful attacks.  He asks God to dispatch evil upon their lives, shorten their lives, take away their jobs and their families, give them financial misfortune, and let curses rain down on them. Wow!

David’s response to pray rather than strike back is a wonderful example for us to follow. The content of his prayer, however, should not be the content of our prayers.  Jesus taught us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). Our prayer should not be one of revenge or hurt, but of blessing and salvation. As the Apostle Peter said, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:9) What should be your response when other attack or criticize you? Get to your knees and pray God’s blessing and salvation upon their lives, “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:45)

January 11 -- "Joy is Coming"

 Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 22 & Psalm 30

"Joy is Coming"

“Joy” is not a word I would use to describe myself after first waking up. I’m not grumpy per-se, I’m just a little “happy challenged” when morning comes. I might be awake, but speak to me at your own risk.

When David the Psalmist says, “joy comes with the morning,” he is not referring to our daily wake up patterns. His point is that trials and troubles don’t last forever in our lives. At some point, the darkness will lift and our joy will return. Specifically, David is commenting on the duration of God’s discipline in our lives.

There are times in all of our lives where we undergo God’s correction and discipline. Part of the process of finding wisdom and listening to our Father’s instruction includes receiving discipline from our Father. If we are to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ, there are times when God must discipline us for our “bad behavior.”

Sometimes we grieve the Lord by our insistence on sinning. Sometimes, even when we mean well, we can do foolish things and “miss the mark” of God’s righteous standards. In those times, our loving Father may choose to “jab” us with trials and difficulties to get us back in line with His perfect plan for our lives.  Part of our training is for God to administer discipline. 

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” (Hebrews 12:5-6) How does God discipline us? God can and does use various methods of discipline. He may use trouble at work, hardship at home, or challenges in the ministry. He may allow us to experience loss.  He may even allow physical ailments into our bodies. The reason we are corrected by Him is “so that we will not be finally condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:32).

Always remember, God’s discipline – when received by us – will always result in restoration of our joy in Him. Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. The result of God’s discipline is growth in holiness and maturity. And, ultimately, our dark times will always give way to the light of His presence – either now in this life – or in eternity in His kingdom.