Psalm 51:1-9 - David's Plea for Forgiveness

Psalm 51:1-9
¹ Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
³ For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
⁴ Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.

⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
⁶ Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
⁷ Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
⁹ Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.

Message: David's Plea for Forgiveness

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

I've heard that this Psalm is a great prayer for a sinner, pleading for God for His forgiveness. These words here so clearly convey our need for the Lord's love and forgiveness.

Blot out my transgression...wash me thoroughly from my iniquity...cleanse me from my sin...you know...i know...i have sinned, against you God...against you I have done evil. You have every right to judge me for you are blameless. In sin, I came into the world, but what you desire me if truth and wisdom. Purify me then. Make me clean. Wash me so I will be whiter than snow. As a clean vessel, i then will hear joy and gladness from you and I will rejoice. Hide your face from my sins that continue to be committed and see my sins no more. 

It is clear throughout scripture that God's message to people is "Believe." But that belief is predicated on one idea and that is that I am a sinner or I have sinned. It is true, that over time, and even as we age, most of us rid much sin in our lives, but the reality is we are still sinners, whether the quantity is 1 sin or 100. God has always said in scripture that their must be atoning sacrifice for sin. Sin separates us from God and to restore that relationship their must be atonement. Throughout history, he has provided that atonement. For many years it was blood sacrifice in the form of an animal on an altar, a temporary fix, but at all times, people looked forward to a permanent fix- Messiah.

This is what we are asked to believe. Believe God and believe that he has our best interest in mind and that he has provided us with the answer. And at its core there is the recognition that I have sinned and my transgression needs to be removed by a Savior. This is the message then of these verses from Psalm 51. It is the recognition that I have sinned and God is the one that cleans me. Thus, I believe.

But, within acknowledgement of sin and believing that God provides the atonement for my sin, is also then the desire to not sin. But, this desire, I believe, comes about after believing and putting the trust in God's provision, for God then gives us a new heart, with the ability to see our sin for what it is, know that it displeases God and then the desire to go and sin no more. This is an about face that now occurs in the life a believer. It doesn't mean that I will always no longer hate sin for their will be moments that I don't trust God's provision and seek out my own solutions, which often result in sin; but it means that my overarching focus is to live for Christ and deny self, walking by faith, not by sight.

Promise: Christians are new creations in Christ.

Jesus Calling: December 31

As this year draws to a close, receive My Peace. This is still your deepest need, and I, your Prince of Peace, long to pour Myself into your neediness. My abundance and your emptiness are a perfect match. I designed you to have no sufficiency of your own. I created you as a jar of clay, set apart for sacred use. I want you to be filled with My very Being, permeated through and through with Peace.
     Thank Me for My peaceful Presence, regardless of your feelings. Whisper My Name in loving tenderness. My Peace, which lives continually in your spirit, will gradually work its way through your entire being. 

Isaiah 9:6
English Standard Version
For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 
2 Corinthians 4:7
English Standard Version
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
 
John 14:26-27
English Standard Version
²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

My Prayer
Jesus, Father, Spirit, thank you for this year and guiding me through it. You are showing me more each day that you are in fact in control of me, my life, my world, this world and I can trust you for it all. There have been many different challenges this year, that you have brought our way. But, through them all, you sustain us and keep us with You. Many challenges remain but thanks for the simple reminder that you are with us, you are near, as we are your treasure.    

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Proverbs 12:13-14 - The Good Fruit of Righteous Speech

Proverbs 12:13-14

¹³ An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
But the righteous will escape from trouble.
¹⁴ A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words,
And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.

Message: The Good Fruit of Righteous Speech

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

What an interesting passage as I am dealing with personnel issues at work that stem in large part to the words that are being said.

It is interesting that verse 13 doesn't say a man is ensnared, but says an evil man. It is contrasting the evil and the righteous. A man that sins with his lips is an evil man and will be caught or brought into trouble by the wickedness of his words. But the righteous will escape from trouble. Thus the righteous man who is wise, inoffensive, and holy with his words, whereby he pacifies man and pleases God, will be favored and protected because of his words.

Verse 14 looks at a mans words bearing fruit contrasting it with his deeds. Thus a man's words when they are pious and profitable discourses will bear fruit. And the work of his hands will naturally follow. This man will make good friends.

Promise: We cannot underestimate the value of a good word.

Jesus Calling: December 30

I am Leading You along a way that is uniquely right for you. The closer to Me you grow, the more fully you become your true self--the one I designed you to be. Because you are one of a kind, the path you are traveling with Me diverges increasingly from that of other people. However, in My mysterious wisdom and ways, I enable you to follow this solitary path while staying in close contact with others. In fact, the more completely you devote yourself to Me, the more freely you can love people.
     Marvel at the beauty of a life intertwined with My Presence. Rejoice as we journey together in intimate communion. Enjoy the adventure of finding yourself through losing yourself in Me. 

2 Corinthians 5:17
English Standard Version
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
 
Ephesians 2:10
English Standard Version
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
 
I John 4:7-8
English Standard Version
⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

John 15:4
English Standard Version
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Ephesians 1:13-14 - God's Gift of Perseverance

Ephesians 1:13-14
¹³ In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Message: God's Gift of Perseverance

Time: Paul wrote this letter while in prison, probably in Rome about 60AD. He wrote to the churches around Ephesus to display the scope of God's eternal plan for all humanity-for Jews and Gentiles alike.

What the Lord is Saying:

The first 3 chapters of Ephesians focus on what a person should believe. Paul here defines faith. He defines grace. In this first chapter, Paul reminds us of what we now have in Christ. He states he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing (v.3): 

• He chose us
• He predestined us
• In Him we have redemption through His blood 
• He made known to us the mystery of His will 
• In Him also we have obtained an inheritance 
• In Him you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit 

It is this last point that I focus on today, from this reading. After listening, having believed, I am sealed in Him. The crux or the turning point of faith remains one thing: belief. The turning point of salvation remains here, believing in the gospel, the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for the redemption of our lives. And once we believe, it brings in a litany of blessings. And the first step toward believing is listening. I think of a gal in my office who has begun going to church and is enamored by the music and the message. Lord, may she believe. 

The Spiritual blessings mentioned above all define our new condition in Christ, but the last one, being sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit means that my new new condition has been given a helper. It means that a torch has not simply been passed and I must now run this race on my own. Instead, God remains with me, in the work of the Holy Spirit, enabling me to will and work for his good pleasure. Works have been created for me for in advance. And to carry those works out I will need a helper to guide me into all truth. The natural world will continue to try to place its mark on me and my life, despite my new condition in Christ. I will continually be pulled into the marketplace, to believe what the culture is putting forth for my life. So I need and must have His Presence with me, guiding me, strengthening me, carrying me, instructing me. Thank You God for sending your son, for dying for me, redeeming me, and setting me apart for your will and service. And thank you for not leaving me alone to live and work, but for sending your Spirit to come alongside me and live in Me so that I can navigate each day. Help me to remember this Lord. You are not simply near. You are here, with me.   

Promise: He remains within us to move us effectually to persevere.

Jesus Calling: December 29

Trust Me with every fiber of your being! What I can accomplish in and through you is proportional to how much you depend on Me. One aspect of this is the degree to which you trust Me in a crisis or major decision. Some people fail miserably here, while others are at their best in tough times. Another aspect is even more telling: the constancy of your trust in Me. People who rely on Me in the midst of adversity may forget about Me when life is flowing smoothly. Difficult times can jolt you into awareness of your need for Me, whereas smooth sailing can lull you into the stupor of self-sufficiency.
     I care as much about your tiny trust-steps through daily life as about your dramatic leaps of faith. You may think that no one notices, but the One who is always beside you sees everything--and rejoices. Consistently trusting in Me is vital to flourishing in My Presence.

Psalm 40:4
English Standard Version
Blessed is the man who makes
    the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
    to those who go astray after a lie!
 
Psalm 56:3-4
English Standard Version

³ When I am afraid,
    I put my trust in you.
⁴ In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?

Psalm 62:8
English Standard Version
Trust in him at all times, O people;
    pour out your heart before him;
    God is a refuge for us. Selah
 
Isaiah 26:3-4
English Standard Version

³ You keep him in perfect peace
    whose mind is stayed on you,
    because he trusts in you.
⁴ Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

I Corinthians 3:1-4 - No Such Thing

I Corinthians 3:1-4
¹ And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. ² I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, ³ for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? ⁴ For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?

Message: No Such Thing

Time: This epistle was written to the church that resided in Corinth of Achaia. First Corinthians is a response to a letter that Paul received from the Corinthian church, and that letter was probably a response to another of Paul's letters. This letter was composed in Ephesus around AD 54-55, and such topics as division, sexual immorality, lawsuits, marriage, Christian liberty, order of worship, and the resurrection are covered in this epistle.

What the Lord is Saying: 

My first glance at this passage has Paul writing that his words had to be written in a way that they could understand. He used words that were like milk and thus, easy to digest. It reminds of the people that I often speak with, at the mall or online with the online ministry I am involved in. I am reminded that my words should be simple and easy to digest, not speaking over people, with a lot of Christian language, until I understand that they can handle those words. The reason those in Corinth couldn't understand was Paul recognized that the were "still fleshly" and "walking like mere men." They had jealousy and strife among them.

This passage in a way parallels with a passage I studied two days ago: I John 2:19 -- They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. I say this because as I speak to people it is a challenge to discern where people are at spiritually. Some might have Christian language, but it is really hard to know if they are of faith. My conversations with people are rarely sitting down for long conversations, but rather are snippets of time. So, when I do speak, my word usage I think needs to sound "milk" like until I know my audience can sustain more solid food. 

The Tabletalk reading today gave the concern that many think a Christian can be carnal meaning saying a sinners prayer, but not making God Lord till much later. But, Lordship is a package deal. We are often shedding sin from our lives in varying degrees,, throughout our life, but fruit should be manifest at all times. A Christian is one that bears fruit. The passage doesn't say they are not spiritual men, but that they still act at times like they are fleshly. 

Promise: I need to be sensitive to people, realizing that all are at different stages of spirituality. The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth.

Jesus Calling: December 28

I AM your refuge and strength, an ever-present Help in trouble. Therefore, you don't need to be afraid of anything -- not even cataclysmic circumstances. The media are increasingly devoted to fear-inducing subject matter: terrorism, serial killers, environmental catastrophes. If you focus on such dangers and forget that I am your Refuge in all circumstances, you will become increasingly fearful. Every day I manifest My grace in countless places and situations, but the media take no notice. I shower not only blessings but also outright miracles on your planet.
     As you grow closer to Me, I open your eyes to see more and more of My Presence all around you. Things that most people hardly notice, like shifting shades of sunlight, fill you with heart-bursting joy. You have eyes that see and ears that hear, so proclaim My abiding Presence in the world. 

Psalm 46:1-3
English Standard Version
¹ God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

Psalm 89:15
English Standard Version
Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
    who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Matthew 12:22-32 - A Sin Unforgivable

Matthew 12:22-32
²² Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. ²³ All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” ²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”
²⁵ And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any 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 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹ Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, 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.
³¹ “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. ³² Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

Message: A Sin Unforgivable

Time: The date of Matthew's composition is anywhere from 55-60 AD probably in Antioch of Syria. The writing is most likely to the Jews. His purpose was to show them that Jesus of Nazareth was the expected messiah and both his genealogy and his resurrection were legitimate proofs of this.

What the Lord is Saying: 

This is an interesting section of scripture and one that probably has been hotly debated regarding its meaning. The passage clearly is focusing on the Holy Spirit. Looking it over, I see that Jesus healed a blind and mute demon-possessed man. Afterwards, he spoke and saw. The Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons according to Beelzebul. The question was not whether or not a demon could be cast out, but by what authority. In order for the kingdom of God to reign then demons can only be cast out by the the Spirit of God. Jesus is saying that Satan has no reason to cast out his own demon from a man and therefore take down his own kingdom. Jesus says that the demon must be bound in a man before it can be cast out. If someone is not with Jesus, they are against Jesus, so the demon-possessed man is against Jesus. He then transitions to sin and blasphemy of the Spirit and the unforgivable sin.

In just talking about the sin issue here, it is of note that all sin is forgiven, except one, which means cursing God. rejecting God, denying Him, murder, adultery, or breaking any of the commandments -- these are all forgivable. There is great comfort in what God has done.

But something of great importance here is this particular sin -- blasphemy. Blasphemy is the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for a deity. If there is a sin that seems to be totally disregarded in our current society, it is not showing reverence to God's name. 

For the meaning of this passage I am looking at the words from Tabletalk for September 2, 2015:

The Pharisees see that Jesus has just freed a man from demonic oppression and that many people are thinking that He must therefore be the Christ. Some of these Pharisees attribute Jesus' ability to exorcise demons to Beelzebul (Satan). This error is significant because our Savior notes that the finger of God is behind His power in spiritual warfare. By the Holy Spirit He casts out demons, which should be evident to all. The Lord then teaches on the blasphemy of the Spirit, thereby indicating that it consists of attributing demonic activity to Jesus. In other words, calling a work of God the work of Satan is what is in view with respect to the blasphemy of the Spirit.

This is what the Pharisees did in relations to Jesus' healing of the demonic man's blindness and inability to speak -- asserting that Jesus was actually doing the work of Satan.

Promise: Those who blaspheme the Spirit are hardened against Him and have no fear of offending Him. 

Jesus Calling: December 27

I am preparing you for what is on the road ahead, just around the bend. Take time to be still in My Presence so that I can strengthen you. The busier you become, the more you need this time apart with me. So many people think that time spent with Me is a luxury they cannot afford. As a result they live and work in their own strength -- until that becomes depleted. Then they either cry out to Me for help or turn away in bitterness.
     How much better it is to walk close to Me, depending on My strength and trusting Me in every situation. If you live in this way, you will do less but accomplish far more. Your unhurried pace of living will stand out in this rush-crazed age. Some people may deem you lazy, but many more will be blessed by your peacefulness. Walk in the Light with Me, and you will reflect Me to the watching world. 

Isaiah 64:4
English Standard Version
From of old no one has heard
    or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
    who acts for those who wait for him.
 
John 15:5
English Standard Version
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
 
Psalm 36:9
English Standard Version
For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light do we see light.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

I John 2:19 - Those Who Go Out From Us

I John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.

Message: Those Who Go Out From Us

Time: A date of authorship ranges from around 65 AD to AD 95-110. John, the son of Zebedee, one of the 12 disciples is said to be the author. The main theme is love and fellowship and is written to those who are already believers.

What the Lord is Saying:

As a reminder, this is a book written to believers. In verses 15-24 is given the division title of "Do Not Love the World" and it contrasts love of the world versus not. Thus, if you are not, then you have the love of the Father in you.

Verse 18 speaks of the anti-Christ which is defined in verse 22 as anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ. More specifically, in verse 19 is the explanation of people that are walking with Christians, living with them, walking alongside them, going to church, practicing disciplines, but they were not really of us. It is said that there are two different types of faith: professing faith and possessing faith. There are those that accompany faith and faith practices for reasons that are not about living faith in our lives. I think this is a really hard concept because so much of the Western Christian is embodied in the ways of the world and end up looking like a full-time follower of the world and those things of the world and just a part-time Christian.

One example of this type of person that is only professing faith is they don't remain or persevere -- otherwise they would have remained with us. There is a lack of consistency. This is something that is concerning because there are disciplines of the faith that some do not perform. People willingly go to church, but few show up to share their faith on outreach night or when there is a prayer meeting gathering, few attend. They put up with church, living it on a part-time basis, but are not willing to make it a full-time commitment.

Some might use this text as a marker to describe those who fall away from the faith, but rather it is a picture of those who are wolves in sheep's clothing. They never had true faith to begin with. When push comes to shove, they flee. But, its possible that someone has true faith and falls away for a season, but then returns. Sometimes I think people pass judgment on someone but do not see the full picture of their life.

Promise: When we see people seemingly falling away, we should pray for a repentant heart, but ultimately trust God for the outcome of their life.

Jesus Calling: December 26

I AM the Gift that continuously gives -- bounteously, with no strings attached. Unconditional Love is such a radical concept that even My most devoted followers fail to grasp it fully. Absolutely nothing in heaven or on earth can cause Me to stop loving you. You may feel more loved when you are performing according to your expectations. But My Love for you is perfect; therefore it is not subject to variation. What does vary is your awareness of My loving Presence.
     When you are dissatisfied with your behavior, you tend to feel unworthy of My Love. You may unconsciously punish yourself by withdrawing from Me and attributing the distance between us to My displeasure. Instead of returning to Me and receiving My Love, you attempt to earn My approval by trying harder. All the while, I am aching to hold you in My everlasting arms, to enfold you in My Love. When you are feeling unworthy or unloved, come to Me. Then ask for receptivity to My unfailing Love. 

I John 4:15-18
English Standard Version
¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷ By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Deuteronomy 33:27
English Standard Version
The eternal God is your dwelling place,
    and underneath are the everlasting arms.
And he thrust out the enemy before you
    and said, ‘Destroy.’
 
Psalm 13:5
English Standard Version
But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Joshua 4:1-9 - Stones of Remembrance

Joshua 4:1-9

¹ “Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, ² “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, ³ and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.’” ⁴ So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; ⁵ and Joshua said to them, “Cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. ⁶ Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ ⁷ then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”

⁸ Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the Lord spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there. ⁹ Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.
Message: Stone of Remembrance

Time: The Story of Israel from the conquest of Canaan to the Babylonian exile. It is framed by two set-piece speeches, the first by God commanding the conquest of the land, and, at the end, the last by Joshua warning of the need for faithful observance of the Law (torah) revealed to Moses.The time is 1406 BC to 1375 BC.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Tabletalk uses this lesson to speak about eternal security. Reformed Christians, however, often use the term perseverance of the saints. Eternal Security can at times refer to easy believe-ism where a person makes a decision for Christ, but after turning away and even going a different way is still considered save. Yes, Reformers think about John 14:15 that mentions that if we love Him we will keep his commandments or at least desire to keep them.

Promise: The Lord has been a provider in the past so he will a provider in the futrue.

Jesus Calling: December 25

As you wait attentively in My Presence, the Light of the knowledge of My Glory shines upon you. This radiant knowledge transcends all understanding. It transforms every fiber of your being: renewing your mind, cleansing your heart, invigorating your body. Open yourself fully to My Presence, be awed by My glorious Being.
     Try to imagine what I gave up when I came into your world as a baby, I set aside My Glory, so that I could identify with mankind. I accepted the limitations of infancy under the most appalling conditions--a filthy stable.That was a dark night for Me, even though angels lit up the sky proclaiming "Glory!" to awe-struck shepherds.
     When you sit quietly with Me, the process I went through is reversed in your experience. As you identify with Me, heaven's vistas open up before you--granting you glimpses of My Glory. I became poor so that you might become rich. Sing hallelujahs to My Holy Name!

2 Corinthians 4:6
English Standard Version
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
 
Philippians 2:6-7
English Standard Version
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
 
Luke 2:13-14
English Standard Version
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

2 Corinthians 8:9
English Standard Version
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Psalm 95 - Listening Like Sheep

Psalm 95
¹ O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord,
Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
² Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
³ For the Lord is a great God
And a great King above all gods,
⁴ In whose hand are the depths of the earth,
The peaks of the mountains are His also.
⁵ The sea is His, for it was He who made it,
And His hands formed the dry land.

⁶ Come, let us worship and bow down,
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
⁷ For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Today, if you would hear His voice,
⁸ Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
As in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
⁹ “When your fathers tested Me,
They tried Me, though they had seen My work.
¹⁰ “For forty years I loathed that generation,
And said they are a people who err in their heart,
And they do not know My ways.
¹¹ “Therefore I swore in My anger,
Truly they shall not enter into My rest.”

Message: Listening like sheep

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

The Psalmist begins this shout to the Lord, this song by thanking the Lord for our salvation. Thank you God for saving me. Therefore, we come before the Lord with thanksgiving. Let us shout joyfully to God with a song of praise. God is a great God and a great king. In these first 3 verses is a very simple praise to our God. We call upon his name. We come with thankful hearts. We don't come to the Lord with hearts that need. We come first with a heart of thanksgiving. Lord, I want a thankful heart.

And after praising God, I thank him for what he has made, his creation. He has crafted the depths of the earth, all the way down below to the peak of the mountains. I thank God for my salvation and I thank Him for what he has made.

Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. I come before him and kneed.

Be alert to the hearing of his voice and if it comes listen. Do not harden or look to your own way.

The people of Massah in the wilderness, states another way, was the fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 

We need to be guarded against neglecting the Lord and His way. We need to be careful to always know the Lord's ways.  

I don't sense anyone fears the Lord in this way. Many ignore the Lord, but many are not fearing him and his ways. They are expecting everything to be all right. The wrath of God though is evident against those that don't take any interest in following Him. 

Promise: Praise God. Praise his creation. Worship Him. Stay close to Him. Don't turn away.   

Jesus Calling: December 24

I speak to you from the depths of eternity. Before the world was formed, I AM! You hear Me in the depths of your being, where I have taken up residence. I am Christ in you, the hope of Glory. I, your Lord and Savior, are alive within you. Learn to tune in to My living Presence by seeking Me in silence.
      As you celebrate the wonder of My birth in Bethlehem, celebrate also your rebirth into eternal life. This everlasting gift was the sole purpose of My entering your sin-stained world. Receive My gift with awe and humility. Take time to explore the vast dimensions of My Love. Allow thankfulness to flow freely from your heart in response to My glorious gift. Let My Peace rule in your heart, and be thankful. 

Psalm 90:2
Amplified Version
Before the mountains were born
Or before You had given birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are [the eternal] God.
 
Colossians 1:27
English Standard Version
To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Colossians 3:15
English Standard Version
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Psalm 93 - God's Eternal Reign

Psalm 93
¹ The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
² Your throne is established from of old;
You are from everlasting.

³ The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
The floods have lifted up their voice,
The floods lift up their pounding waves.
⁴ More than the sounds of many waters,
Than the mighty breakers of the sea,
The Lord on high is mighty.
⁵ Your testimonies are fully confirmed;
Holiness befits Your house,
O Lord, forevermore.

Message: God's Eternal Reign

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

God's Reign or his royal office as king; his sovereign rule. The Lord God has embodied strength, fully clothed in it. God is our strength and so, therefore, our world is firmly established. God's throne is forever. He is eternal. His creation testified of who He is. He is Holy.

It is our calling to declare the goodness and majesty of is Creator. I'm sitting here, 2016, and hearing a TV in the background and wondering, are we in fact declaring our Creator's goodness. Do we pause to do this? Would our lives look any different, if it was 250 years ago? I wonder. We have conveniences today that seem to only distract us. But, still, am I declaring the goodness and majesty of the Lord.

Lord, I'm concerned that I let myself get distracted and I find myself thinking too much about pleasing me. My days praising You are really rather a few minutes here and there, at prescribed moments, along with others. Help me to encounter your greatness more.
Here are Matthew Henry's words on this chapter:
The majesty, power, and holiness of Christ's kingdom. - The Lord might have displayed only his justice, holiness, and awful power, in his dealings with fallen men; but he has been pleased to display the riches of his mercy, and the power of his renewing grace. In this great work, the Father has given all power to his Son, the Lord from heaven, who has made atonement for our sins. He not only can pardon, but deliver and protect all who trust in him. His word is past, and all the saints may rely upon it. Whatever was foretold concerning the kingdom of the Messiah, must be fulfilled in due time. All his people ought to be very strictly pure. God's church is his house; it is a holy house, cleansed from sin, and employed in his service. Where there is purity, there shall be peace. Let all carefully look if this kingdom is set up in their hearts.

Promise: We need to keep revering God's name.

Jesus Calling: December 23

I am King of Kings and Lord of lords, dwelling in dazzlingly bright Light! I am also your Shepherd, Companion, and Friend--the One who never lets go of your hand. Worship Me in My Holy Majesty; come close to Me and rest in My Presence. You need Me both as God and as Man. Only My Incarnation on that first, long-ago Christmas could fulfill your neediness. Since I went to such extreme measures to save you from your sins, you can be assured that I will graciously give you all you need. 
     Nurture well your trust in Me as Savior, Lord, and Friend. I have held back nothing in My provision for you. I have even deigned to live within you! Rejoice in all that I have done for you, and My Light will shine through you into the world. 

I Timothy 6:15-16 
English Standard Version 
¹⁵ which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

Psalm 95:6-7
English Standard Version

⁶ Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
⁷ For he is our God,
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice,

Romans 8:32
English Standard Version
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
 
2 Peter 1:19
English Standard Version
And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.


Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Ecclesiastes 8:16-17 - Embracing our Finitude

Ecclesiastes 8:16-17
¹⁶ When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should never sleep day or night), ¹⁷ and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot discover.

Message: Embracing our Finitude 

Time: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Finitude is the state of having limits or bounds. As a reminder Solomon has been called the wisest man in the world. I love verse 17 and have memorized the first part of it. Personally, I can accept that I do not know everything. I am a finite creature, with limits right now. God reveals himself in ways he deems appropriate. There are amazing ways of providence and redemption that he has displayed in my life and for those things I can trust him. There are many things I do not understand and for those I must hold on to the truth of what I do know and trust God that his plan is established. 

People everywhere are saying, "I know." But, we don't really know. No one knows it all. What people do is come up with something that feels safe to them, that makes sense within the bounds of who we are. Yet, to be a child of God is to recognize that I have limits in my understanding.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has made everything beautiful in its own time, and he has set eternity in our hearts, yet so that no man can find out the work with God has done from beginning to end." So in these verses, 16 and 17, what is it that Solomon is saying that is different from what he previously said? 

In verse 15 is the words that man has nothing better to do under the sun that to eat, drink and be merry. Verse 16 is the reason verse 15 has been stated. He is arguing now for this conclusion. 

Here are thoughts from Rev. Joseph Benson, a Methodist minister who lived to be 74, dying in 1821. Over the course of 7 years, 1811-1818 he published his notes from the Old and New Testament. He was a contemporary of John Wesley. living in Cumberland, England.

he had diligently studied wherein man’s wisdom consists, and had observed the restlessness of men’s minds and bodies in other courses; and to see the business — To observe men’s various designs and employments, and their unwearied labours about worldly things. For there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep — Having now mentioned the business which is done, or which man doth, upon earth, he further adds, as an evidence of man’s eagerness in pursuing his business, For even by day and by night he — The busy man; seeth not sleep with his eyes — He grudges himself necessary refreshments, and disquiets himself with endless cares and labours.

It is clear that I am to be a student of God's word, desire to read it and know it. But, at the same time there is a freedom in Christ, that I can trust in what God is doing. I am not to worry. I am not to fret. I am to pray if something of concern comes to mind. I am not in control. If there are things I do not understand, it is better to enjoy life than to be obsessive about uncovering those mysteries. This is what I conclude from Benson's words. Man, if left to his own devices is restless. The whole work of God cannot be grasped, so there is no reason to toil to discover it.

I found this quote from the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary published in 1871by Robert Jamieson, Andrew Robert Fausset and David Brown, who lived in Glasgow, York, and and Glasgow, respectively.

I saw that man cannot find out (the reason of) God's inscrutable dealings with the "just" and with the "wicked" here (Ec 8:14; Ec 3:11; Job 5:9; Ro 11:33); his duty is to acquiesce in them as good, because they are God's, though he sees not all the reasons for them (Ps 73:16). It is enough to know "the righteous are in God's hand" (Ec 9:1)

We simply conclude that God is good. His ways are good. We will not understand his dealings with the just and wicked, but we can conclude the righteous are in God's hand. 

Promise: We are to enjoy life and we can, because God is in control. We are to live in the comfortable enjoyment of God's blessings. I

Jesus Calling: December 22

Come to Me, and rest in My Presence. As you ponder the majestic mystery of the Incarnation, relax in My everlasting arms. I am the only Person who was ever sired by the Holy Spirit. This is beyond your understanding. Instead of trying to comprehend My Incarnation intellectually, learn from the example of the wise men. They followed the leading of a spectacular star, then fell down in humble worship when they found Me.
     Praise and worship are the best responses to the wonder of My Being. Sing praises to My Holy Name. Gaze at Me in silent adoration. Look for a star of guidance in your own life, and be willing to follow wherever I lead. I am the Light from on high that dawns upon you, to guide your feet into the way of Peace. 

Luke 1:35
English Standard Version 
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God."

John 1:14 
English Standard Version
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Matthew 2:9-11
New King James Version 
⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Luke 1:78-79
Amplified Version

⁷⁸ 
Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise (the Messiah) from on high will dawn and visit us,
⁷⁹ 
To shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
To guide our feet [in a straight line] into the way of peace and serenity.”

My Prayer
[Take 3 minutes, close your eyes, and be quiet before the Creator.]

------------------------------------------------------------------


Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.


Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Psalm 111 - The Great Works of God

Psalm 111

¹ Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart,
In the company of the upright and in the assembly.
² Great are the works of the Lord;
They are studied by all who delight in them.
³ Splendid and majestic is His work,
And His righteousness endures forever.
⁴ He has made His wonders to be remembered;
The Lord is gracious and compassionate.
⁵ He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will remember His covenant forever.
⁶ He has made known to His people the power of His works,
In giving them the heritage of the nations.

⁷ The works of His hands are truth and justice;
All His precepts are sure.
⁸ They are upheld forever and ever;
They are performed in truth and uprightness.
⁹ He has sent redemption to His people;
He has ordained His covenant forever;
Holy and awesome is His name.
¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;
His praise endures forever.

Message: The Great Works of God

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

This is a beautiful Psalm of praise extolling the works of the Lord. I give thanks to him with my whole heart, with all that is in me. Lord, I am not sure I praise you like this but I want to. I want to see your works and remember them and let them be my strength. You work is splendid and majestic. Your righteousness or your goodness endures forever. There are wonders throughout this world and they possess your handiwork. You are full of grace and you are compassionate. You give us the hand of providence. You make good on your promises. You show us your power through creation, through weather, through suffering. Everything about you is truth and justice. Your precepts are upheld forever and ever. They are performed in truth and uprightness. You have redeemed your people. You have ordained your covenant forever. Holy and Awesome is His Name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Give me understanding. Your praise endures forever.

Promise: Keep praising the works of the Lord and praising His Name all the days of my life. 

Jesus Calling: December 21

My plan for your life is unfolding before you. Sometimes the road you are traveling seems blocked or it opens up so painfully slowly that you must hold yourself back. Then, when time is right, the way before you suddenly clears -- through no effort of your own. What you have longed for and worked for I present to you freely, as pure gift. You feel awed by the ease with which I operate in the world, and you glimpse My Power and My Glory.
     Do not fear your weakness, for it is the stage on which My Power and Glory perform most brilliantly. As you persevere along the path I have prepared for you, depending on My strength to sustain you, expect to see miracles -- and you will. Miracles are not always visible to the naked eye, but those who live by faith can see them clearly. Living by faith, rather than sight, enables you to see My Glory. 

Psalm 63:2
English Standard Version
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding your power and glory.
 
2 Corinthians 5:7
English Standard Version
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
 
John 11:40
English Standard Version
Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

My Prayer
You are power Lord. You are Glory. Oh, I adore You. Your Glory is seen by all, each day whether recognized or not. The sky above keeps on going and never stops just like Your love for us keeps on going and never stops. The trees are rooted in the ground, branched out, like the way You have taken up residence in me with deep intertwined roots that will not be shaken. Throughout all time people have witnessed this- Your Power and Glory. This world is trying so hard to push you out and pretend You are not present, that humanity is the ultimate ruler. Forgive us Lord for wanting to be in charge. Forgive us for taking what you have created and calling it a mistake and thinking we know better. We think we are so powerful, that we can decide when life is lived. Forgive us Lord. Thank you that through all of this you still offer us a gift, a free gift, that we can't earn even as we try. We don't deserve the gift but that doesn't change you giving it to us. Yes Lord, Yes Lord, I have looked upon you. I believe and I see the Glory of God!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Proverbs 27:2 - Praise from Others

Proverbs 27:2
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.

Message: Praise from Others

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Wise people do not praise themselves, they let others extol their virtues.

Do I ever go out of my way to communicate to others that I have succeeded?

Rev. Joseph Benson Commentary -  Except it be really necessary, either for thy own just vindication, or for the honour of God, or for the edification of others, in which cases this hath been allowed and practised by wise and virtuous men.

Matthew Henry Commentary - There may be occasion for us to justify ourselves, but not to praise ourselves.

Albert Barnes Commentary - Praise to be worth anything must be altogether independent.

Proverbs 15:25
The Lord will tear down the house of the proud,
But He will establish the boundary of the widow.

Ecclesiastes 7:8
The end of a matter is better than its beginning;
Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.

Jeremiah 50:31
“Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,”
Declares the Lord God of hosts,
“For your day has come,
The time when I will punish you.

Promise: Reject self-trust and rely on Him for salvation. 

Jesus Calling: December 20

When I joined the ranks of humanity, born into the humblest conditions, My Glory was hidden from all but few people. Occasionally, streaks of Glory shone out of Me, especially when I began to do miracles. Toward the end of My life, I was taunted and tempted to display more of My awesome Power than My Father's plan permitted. I could have called down legions of angels to rescue Me at any point. Imagine the self-control required of a martyr who could free Himself at will! All of this was necessary to provide the relationship with Me that you now enjoy. Let your life become a praise song to Me by proclaiming My glorious Presence in the world. 

John 2:11
English Standard Version
This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
 
Luke 23:35-36
English Standard Version
³⁵ And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” ³⁶ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 

Psalm 92:1-5
English Standard Version
¹ It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
² to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
    and your faithfulness by night,
³ to the music of the lute and the harp,
    to the melody of the lyre.
⁴ For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
    at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

⁵ How great are your works, O Lord!
    Your thoughts are very deep!

Thoughts on December 20, 2018
Today's reading reminds me that the Jesus we have before us is not always the Jesus that people want. Jesus, on this earth, was a man of humility. He didn't answer His accusers maybe in the same way that Hollywood would script it. He remained humble and He remained a servant. His death and resurrection were his mission. His focus was redemption and saving me and you and bridging the gap between us and God that we are incapable of bridging (though we still try and try, but remain unsuccessful). On this earth, he lived as a man and took on the pain of a man. Yes, he could have gotten out of it but He didn't. And yes our Praise of Him should be present even more than it is. By Grace, through faith, we are united and have peace.

My Prayer on December 20, 2018
Lord, as I inch toward Christmas Day, I hate that getting gifts bought, wrapped, and mailed often is my mission and then I want to sit back and enjoy the day. But I want to thank you for providing me that enjoyment. I don't deserve it. I never will. But you continually show me that you are in the redemption business and You will always shower Your love on me to free me both now, today, and for all eternity to Rest with You. You have Lord made me glad by Your work and the works of your hands I sing for Joy. O How Great are your works, O Lord! O How Great. Keep me focused on those works as I work, as I enjoy, as I receive gifts, as I give gifts, as I gather with people I love, as I walk by people I don't even know. Lord, I need You and need Your strength in me. Thank you for saving me. I'm still not understanding why you saved me but I'm not going to focus on that, but instead focus on praising Your name.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Psalm 89:38-52 - How Long? O Lord

Psalm 89:38-52

³⁸ But You have cast off and rejected, You have been full of wrath against Your anointed.
³⁹ You have spurned the covenant of Your servant; You have profaned his crown in the dust.
⁴⁰ You have broken down all his walls; You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
⁴¹ All who pass along the way plunder him; He has become a reproach to his neighbors.
⁴² You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries; You have made all his enemies rejoice.
⁴³ You also turn back the edge of his sword And have not made him stand in battle.
⁴⁴ You have made his splendor to cease And cast his throne to the ground.
⁴⁵ You have shortened the days of his youth; You have covered him with shame. Selah.

⁴⁶ How long, O Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire?
⁴⁷ Remember what my span of life is; For what vanity You have created all the sons of men!
⁴⁸ What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.

⁴⁹ Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord, Which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?
⁵⁰ Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants; How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
⁵¹ With which Your enemies have reproached, O Lord, With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.

⁵² Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.

Message:  How Long? O Lord

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

[Having focused on God up this point and His provision, the Psalmist takes a shift and begins to humbly express his disagreement and disapproval with God.]

Lord God, it seems you have cast off and rejected your anointed. You have invested in your people, but now You have been full of wrath against them. You have broken down all his walls and all the means of protection and safety. What was a stronghold is now to ruin. Those who pass along the way of him plunder him. He has become a reproach to his neighbors and all who walk along his way. Am I really the anointed? Are these called out ones really your everlasting family and kingdom? His enemies rejoice; they seem to have the power now. The sword which was a shield has been turned back and now I can't nor your people defend oneself. Our splendor ceases and throws his throne to the ground. My days are shortened [The youthful and flourishing estate of David’s kingdom was very short, and reached not beyond his next successors, and it had been languishing, by degrees, till this time, when it seemed to be dead and buried.] How long, O Lord? Will you hide Yourself forever? Will your wrath burn like fire? How long will this present state continue? Remember how short my span of life is or is it all vanity what you have created? All men are mortal and miserable alone. We can not deliver our soul from the power of death? Where are your promises, your former lovingkindness and mercy, O Lord? Where is all that you swore to David in your faithfulness? We have boasted of all that you have done for us in the past. We have been vain and confident; remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants. We wait for Your anointed, the Messiah to come. But whatever at any time may be our distress, either as a community, or as individuals, still I believe, I hope, I will still bless, and praise Jehovah, whose word is true, whose works are faithful, whose chastisements are mercies, and all whose promises are, in Christ Jesus, yea and amen, for evermore. Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.

Promise: Our creator has kept His covenant with David, raising Jesus from the dead as proof of His steadfast Love to the Davidic line. Our Father is always truthful to His Word.  -- Tabletalk, August 21, 2015