Our Helper and Our Shield

O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. The Lord remembers us and will bless us. He will bless the people of Israel and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly. (Psalm 115:9-13) God is our helper and our shield. He is always there to help us and protect us. He will never leave us. He knows each one of us better than we know ourselves. He hears us when we cry out to him and he remembers us. He sees everything. I find great comfort in knowing that wherever I am and whatever I am going through, God is with me. When I need him, I can call out to him and he will listen. In knowing all of this, wouldn’t it then make sense to trust him? If he knows more about me and my circumstances than I do, wouldn’t it make more sense to trust him and submit to his authority and his plan for my life? Wouldn’t it make sense for you to do so as well?

The Authority of God

What does it mean to submit to someone’s authority? To submit to someone’s power and authority means that you are surrendering control over to them. This means that you are obedient to what is asked of you. The power and authority of God vast outweighs anything or anyone else on this earth. Ask yourself: Am I truly submissive to the power and the authority of God? Am I obedient to him? Have I surrendered control to him? In Psalm 114, the psalmist illustrates that all of creation is submissive to the power and authority of God. “The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs! What’s wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way? What happened, Jordan River that you turned away? Why, mountains, did you skip like rams? Why, hills, like lambs?” (Psalm 114:3-6) God is in control of all of creation he has authority over all that he created. The mountains, oceans, rivers, trees, and animals all are under the control of God. Where human beings differ is in our God-given ability to choose, or our free will. We have the ability to decide whether or not we will be submissive to God and obedient to Him. God is all powerful and we are not. God is strong and we are weak. If you know that God is much more powerful than anything here on earth and more powerful than anyone here on earth, then wouldn’t it make sense to submit to his authority and power? We all struggle with wanting to do things our own way and we all struggle with trusting and submitting to the power and authority of God because we want that control ourselves. Ask yourself: Am I truly submissive to the power and the authority of God? Am I obedient to him? Have I surrendered control to him?

No One Like Him

There is absolutely no one on this earth who is as compassionate, loving, and merciful as God is. Even the most compassionate person you know pales in comparison to God. Psalm 113 speaks of God’s compassion and mercy. “Who can be compared to the Lord our God who is enthroned on high. He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people!” (Psalm 113:5-8) In God’s eyes, a person’s value has nothing to do with wealth, appearances, what they have done, or even a number. Unlike the world, God sees value in everyone. Think about the answer to this question today, How do you respond to people that society has treated as less valuable?

Confdence in the Lord

How do you react when something undesirable happens in your life? What about when something tragic or difficult comes your way? How do you respond? Psalm 112 says this, regarding a righteous person, or someone who is obedient to the Lord, “They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly” (7-8) Think about yourself for a moment. How do you react to bad news? Do you have confidence in the Lord to take care of you? Are you fearless and confident? It has most certainly taken me a while to get to the point where I can honestly say that I know for a fact that God is always with me and that no matter what comes my way, he will be by my side. Even though his Word plainly says this many times and in many different ways, I was still not confident in it as true, for me at least. Now that I have seen God working in my own life and I have seen all that he has done for me, I know that when bad news comes my way, I can confidently trust in God to take care of me, and he will. Even if I didn’t confidently trust in Him to take care of me, he still will. It is so much easier when troubles come my way, if I trust in God to take care of me and see me through them. How much more stress does it add to my life if I don’t have confidence in the Lord and I fret and worry about all the things in my life that are difficult to deal with? I’d say quite a bit. The truth is that no matter what you are going through in your life God will take care of you. It may not look the way you would have wanted it to, but in God’s grand design, everything will work out according to his plan for your life. Consider Hebrews 13:5-6 which says, “…For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Now, that’s the truth! God will never leave you, or fail you, or forsake you, or abandon you. He is always and forever with you each and every step of the way. Whatever you are going through, God will take care of you. Are you confident in him to do so? Do you trust him? “Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey”

All That God Does is Good

All that God does is good. That is the theme of Psalm 111. The Psalmist writes about all the things that God has done and praises him for them all. “Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people. How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord! He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant. He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations. All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy. They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity. He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has! Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!” (Psalm 111) Think about each one of these things that speak of not only what God does, but also his character. God is righteous and just. He is merciful and gracious, powerful, trustworthy, and good. He keeps his promises, and everything he does is good. What has God done for you? Take some time today to praise him for all that he has done and for who he is.

The Coming Messiah

Psalm 110, written by David, is a Psalm that speaks of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus quotes this Psalm in Mark 12:36 in order to prove that he is the Messiah. For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’ (Mark 12:36 / Ps 110:1) Through Psalm 110, David was clearly announcing the coming Messiah. Jesus Christ was coming to redeem the world. Jesus Christ was coming to specifically redeem you and me so that we could be saved from a life of sin and through the Lord, be victorious over all those things that try to trip us up. It is the Lord’s plans and purposes that will prevail over every stronghold in your life that threatens to strangle the life right out of you. He will be victorious! “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Holy, Holy is He. Sing a new song to him who sits on Heaven’s mercy seat. Holy, Holy Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

Lies, Gossip, and Slander - Oh My!

Lies, Gossip and Slander – these three things can completely destroy someone’s reputation. They can ruin lives. If you have experienced these things at your own expense, then you know just how damaging they can be. I worked with a bunch of women in a group home not too long ago, what I discovered caused me to leave that group home immediately. It started out with a couple people talking about me and saying nasty things about me. Once I heard about it (from someone who was actually contributing to it) I decided to do the right thing and approach the person who was the loudest. I casually spoke to her and said, “Hey, I would appreciate it if the next time you have a problem with something that I am doing that you would come to me first, so we can discuss it.” She was taken completely off guard by this and apologized immediately, which is not what I expected to happen. After this it calmed down a little, but the person who came to me initially to tell me that someone was talking badly about me, continued talking badly about me and saying some pretty nasty and hurtful things. I came into work one day to find a very nasty letter in my mailbox that she had written. The accusations and the hurtful things she wrote in the letter actually brought tears to my eyes. I had thought it was over with. After bringing the letter to my boss’ attention and seeing that she did absolutely nothing about it, I took it to her boss and he immediately pulled me out of that house and assigned me to another one. I was out of that environment for good. If you have ever experienced gossip at your own expense it can be very difficult to handle. Now that you have seen a little bit of the receiving end of gossip, slander and lies, have you ever been on the delivery end? Have you ever spoken wrongly about someone else? There have been moments in my own life when I have been completely frustrated with someone and instead of going to them to talk it over, I have confided in some of my friends. This is a form of gossip folks. When the person is not there to defend themselves, it is gossip. In Psalm 109, David is dealing with people who are gossiping about him, slandering him, and cursing him. After hearing all that his accusers where saying about him, David asked the Lord to rescue him from it. “Help me, O Lord my God! Save me because of your unfailing love. Let them see that this is your doing, that you yourself have done it, Lord. Then let them curse me if they like, but you will bless me! When they attack me, they will be disgraced! But I, your servant, will go right on rejoicing! May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may their humiliation cover them like a cloak. But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising him to everyone. For he stands beside the needy, ready to save them from those who condemn them.” (26-31) David had the right attitude about the whole situation. He decided that he would continue to praise and honor God while he dealt with his accusers. He knew that God was on his side and that God would take care of those who were talking falsely about him. He maintained his attitude of praise, even in the midst of a storm. If you have ever been gossiped about, you have some idea of how David felt. If you have been the one caught up in gossip, then perhaps this is a chance for you to see how it effects the ones who you gossip about. Gossip, Slander and Lies are ugly, horrible things that no one should ever participate in. If you have, it’s never too late to ask for forgiveness. If you have been gossiped about, God can bring healing.

Are you Confident in the Lord?

To be confident in something means that there is a strong belief or full assurance in it and that there is great certainty about it as well. In Psalm 108, David writes, “My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!” (1) David was confident in the Lord. He had full assurance in him and he was absolutely certain that God would come through for him and his people. David was also keenly aware that he couldn’t do much without God’s help. He relied on God’s strength instead of his own. “Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.” (12-13) To be confident in the Lord also means that you trust Him. When you say to someone, “I have confidence in you”, what you are saying is, “I know you can do this and I trust you to do this.” Do you have confidence in the Lord? Can you honestly say to God, “God, I know you can handle this problem in my life. I trust you do handle it. I have confidence in you to handle it” ? Whatever you are facing in your life, there comes a point when you need to decide if you are going to try and handle your problems on your own and stumble your way through them, or if you are going to trust God to handle your problems and watch him gain the victory for you. Is there something in your life right now, that you need to trust God to handle? Don’t waste your time trying to handle it on your own. Some of the best advice I ever received was, “Stop” trying” to trust God. Just do it.” Give your problems over to God. He can handle them far better than anyone else can. Do you have confidence in Him?

Have You Been Redeemed? Then Tell Others!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. (Psalm 107:1-2) Psalm 107 gives many examples of people who were in distress. Each and every one of these people called upon the Lord in their time of need and were rescued. “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom; he snapped their chains. Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.” (13-15) When we are in trouble, God knows it. When we cry out to him in our time of need, not only does he hear us, but he rescues us. Can you think of a time when the Lord rescued you? Feeling totally trapped in the darkness of depression, I struggled to even do the daily tasks that were required of me, let alone participating in anything that I enjoyed. It was difficult to be in that state of mind and until I called upon the Lord to deliver me from that darkness, I was stuck there. God sent many people my way to encourage me, to lift me up, and to tell me how much he loved me. There is no coincidence that what I heard was what I needed to hear. God had planned it that way. God has plans for each and every one of us that are far beyond what we can even begin to fathom. In order to see these plans, it takes trust in God and obedience to him. Even though we may not see the reasons, God has a plan for us that will require us to trust and obey. Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. Oh, how much truth there is in that line of an old hymn. When we call out to God to rescue us in our time of need, we need to trust that he hears us and will rescue us, but we also need to obey him and do whatever he asks of us along the way. Then after we have been redeemed, shouldn’t we tell others what God has done for us? Certainly! God can use our story to propel someone else into a life of obedience to the Lord. Have you been redeemed? Then speak out! Tell others! "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. (1,2)

God's Love and Faithfulness Endures Forever

Psalm 106 is not only a story about God’s faithfulness, but it is also a story about humanity’s sinfulness. Even when the Israelites chose to go their own way, time and time again and it angered God, he still chose to show compassion and mercy and love to them. “Again and again he rescued them, but they chose to rebel against him, and they were finally destroyed by their sin. Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries. He remembered his covenant with them and relented because of his unfailing love.” (43-45) Most of us know of the many times the Israelites chose to rebel against God and how they chose to go their own way instead of listening to what God was telling them. How many of us are really willing to recall all the times we have rebelled against God? How many times have we forgotten what God has done for us? If we took the time to think about these things, we would be able to see just how faithful God has been to us. We would also see just how sinful we have been. I am far from perfect. I have sinned quite a bit in my life and I have gone after what I wanted instead of what would honor God. Remembering all that I have done to rebel against a God who loves me so much causes me to be much more thankful for all the forgiveness, mercy, and love that he has offered to me, not because I deserve it, but because he wanted to. God is faithful to us even when we are so very unfaithful to him. Think about the Israelites and how many times they just weren’t getting what God was trying to teach them. Think about all the times they rebelled against God and went their own way. Then recall all the times you have done so yourself. God has been faithful to you and to me, even if we fail to recognize his faithfulness. Take some time today to reflect on God’s faithfulness towards you and thank him for never leaving you or forsaking you. He loves you enough to be faithful to you despite your sinfulness. Do you love him enough to praise him for it? “Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (1)

Continually Seeking God

Part of the reason David was a man after God’s own heart is because he was constantly in a state of praise towards God. Even when things were difficult for David, he never forgot to praise God. In Psalm 105, David recalls all that God had done to free the Israelites from the hands of Egypt. He brought forth those memories in yet another effort to Praise God for what he has done. “Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.” (1-4) David encouraged others to remember what God has done and continually praise Him as well. David was constantly in a state of praise towards God, but he was also continually seeking God. In some ways, I think maintaining a constant attitude of praise allowed David to continually seek God. He was totally in awe over all that God had done not only for him, but also for his people. I’ve heard it said that “Life is like a game of hide-and-seek. You are either hiding from God or seeking Him” I really think that statement has some validity to it. Think about it for a moment. Are you seeking God? Do you maintain a constant state of praise towards God? Or Do you maintain a state of unhealthy fear towards God that causes you hide from Him? You may be wondering, what seeking God really looks like. Well, based on the life of David, who was a man after God’s own heart, someone that seeks God is fully dependent on Him. David was dependent on God and he trusted God to take care of him. Someone who is continually seeking God is continually praising God in all circumstances. To be continually seeking God, He must be who you turn to for direction and guidance. Now, of course David was not perfect. He made mistakes and there were times when his focus and trust were not totally on God, however, seeking, praising, and trusting God were very important to David. They were a priority in his life. Ask yourself if they are a priority in your life. Are you continually seeking God? Do you praise Him in all circumstances? Take some time today to seek the Lord. Praise Him for all that he is done, that is one sure fire way to maintain an attitude of praise.

God Will Take Care of You

God designed each and every thing in all of creation with great attention to detail. He created everything for a reason all of creation is meant to work together like one great symphony, each playing a part in the masterpiece. Not only did God create everything, but he also takes care of everything. He provides food, and water, and shelter for everything here on earth. This goes for you and I as well. God created us and he supplies us with all that we need to survive and all that we need to worship him. Psalm 104 is all about this very thing; the God of the universe taking care of his creation. “O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures… May the glory of the Lord continue forever! The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made!” (24, 31) God takes pleasure in all that he has made, this includes you and I. After I lost my job, I had no idea how I was going to pay the bills. I had no idea where I was going to live or how I was going to eat, but God did. He provided for me a place to live and food to eat. He made sure that I was taken care of. There was always just enough. This was my evidence that God would always take care of me. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:25-27) God will take care of you. He loves you greatly. Trust him to provide all that you need for each and every day. He will provide it. “Be not dismayed whate'er betide, God will take care of you; beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you… All you may need he will provide, God will take care of you; nothing you ask will be denied, God will take care of you. God will take care of you, through every day, o'er all the way; he will take care of you, God will take care of you.”

Let All that I Am Praise the Lord

David was a man after God’s own heart and even though he made some pretty big mistakes in his life, he was still seeking God and trying to follow God in obedience each and every day. His hope and encouragement for each day were found in the Lord. In Psalm 103, David begins with saying, “Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.” (1) Let all that I am praise the Lord. What exactly does that mean? David says “with my whole heart I will praise his holy name.” David wanted his relationship with God to be 100% real. His desire was to be totally devoted to God. Throughout the Psalm, David mentions the reasons he praised and wanted to praise God. First, he praises God for all that He had done for him. “Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things…” (2-5) Second, David praises God for His character, or for who He is. “The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love, toward those who fear him, is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.” (8-13) David also takes the time to remember that his life is fleeting, but God will remain forever. David knows that he needs God more than God needs him. “For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him.” (14-17) David sought to genuinely praise the Lord for everything in his life. He praised God for all that He had done for him. He praised God for who He is. He even took the time to remember that his time on the earth was short and that God would remain forever. He knew of his need for God and continually sought after Him. This is why David was a man after God’s own heart. His continual love for and devotion to God allowed him to keep his focus on what (or Who) was important when he was struggling, and it allowed him to let praise overflow from his heart and pour out from his lips. “Let all that I am praise the Lord” When was the last time you took some time to praise God for all that He has done for You? Have you praised God for who He is? Do you recognize your great need for Him? Are you a man/woman after God’s own heart? Think about these things today and allow the praises to flow from you freely. Let all that you are praise the Lord.

God Never Changes

“Everlasting God; the years go by but you’re unchanging. In this fragile world, you are the only firm foundation. Always loving, always true, always merciful and good – so good! Yesterday, today and forever, You are the same. You never change. Yesterday, today, and forever, You are faithful and we will trust in you.” (Vicky Beeching)

There are so many changes that happen in our lives, that sometimes it is hard to keep up with all of them. Our circumstances change, our relationships change, our health changes – everything changes, except for God. He remains the same throughout all eternity. The psalmist points this out in Psalm 102. “Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. But you are always the same; you will live forever. (25-27) Wow, even the foundations of the earth and the heavens will change, but God will remain the same forever. Isn’t it comforting to know that when you are going through difficult circumstances in your life that God will not only be there, but he will remain the same and will never change when everything else around you changes? I think so. In psalm 102, the psalmist is overwhelmed with trouble all around him, but he praises God for remaining the same throughout it all. If you look at all that is around you, it is easy to see how fleeting it all is. We make changes in our lives constantly; new jobs, new friends, new place environments, marriage, kids, and so much more. Sometimes the changes are not ones we make on our own; job loss, declining health, and death are just a few to mention. Throughout all circumstances in our lives – the good and the bad, God remains the same loving, faithful, and merciful God that he has always been. We can trust him to take care of us and provide for us. He is always faithful, always loving, always true, always merciful, and always good. I am so thankful that when things in my own life get tough, I have God to lean on and depend on. He will take care of me and he will take care of you. We can trust him with everything, because he will always be there with you and with me each and every step of the way.

Who are You Under the Influence of?

The more you spend time with people and the more you are in an environment, the more you start to become like those people and the more you desire that environment
In Psalm 101, David wrote out his desire to rule and live in such a way that would be honoring to God. “I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil. I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride. I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me. I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence. My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the Lord from their grip.” (Psalm 101) That’s quite a hefty list of things David is vowing to do, don’t you think? David desired to honor God in all that he did and this is why he vowed these things. Surrounding yourself with people who are positive influences in your life will enable you to be able to live your life to honor God. If you are immersed in a negative environment with people who constantly tempt you to turn your back on God, eventually you will fall. David strived to live his life in a way that honored God, but he even made mistakes. We all make mistakes. We all sin and fall short of God’s expectations for us. By surrounding yourself with people who are positive influences and who love God, you will be able to learn from them and be encouraged to live your life in a way that is honoring to God. David was a man after God’s own heart and even though he wasn’t perfect, his life is still an example to us as someone who was dedicated to honoring God. Is yours?

Preparing for Worship

I love to lead worship, but more importantly I love leading people into the throne room of God where they can praise him and thank him for all the wonderful things he has done for them. God has certainly gifted me with musical ability and leadership ability, but if I am not prepared myself, then leading people into worship becomes difficult. Psalm 100 is all about preparation. It tells us how we should approach God in worship, and where our hearts should be when we worship. “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation” (1-5) We should enter into God’s presence with joyfulness, gladness, and thankfulness, not only because of what he has done, but because of who he is. God is good and he only does good. He created each one of us. He loves us greatly. He is always faithful to us. We belong to him. There are so many attributes of God that you can think upon to get your heart and your mind ready for worship. Think about all of this the next time you find yourself entering in to his presence to worship him. Prepare yourself before you worship him by thinking of all the ways that God has helped you and blessed you, but also think upon his goodness, faithfulness, and mercy; and let the praises pour out of you.

God is Faithful

It is difficult to trust people in a world full of disappointments. I used to place so much stock in other people only to find myself being disappointed and let down time and time again. It was difficult for me to understand how people could say one thing and do something entirely different. Here’s an example. My friend and I had made plans to go away to her family’s cabin one weekend. I was packed and on my way to meet her at her house when I received a call from her stating that she had some errands she needed to run and she would call me when she was finished. Ok, I thought, I can wait for that, even though I was already 5 minutes from her house. Well, the minutes went by and then hours and still no call. I called her, but she didn’t answer. She didn’t return my calls; in fact she never called me back. Not even the next day. I was upset and angry and incredibly disappointed. I was looking forward to this trip for months and then this happened? I couldn’t believe it. I’m sure there are many of you who have been disappointed at one point or another by someone in your life. They have let you down and maybe even upset you or made you angry. It is difficult to trust people who constantly disappoint you in one way or another. It really is. Here is something I learned. Pay close attention. Every person in your life, it doesn’t matter who they are, or what kind of relationship you have with them, every person will disappoint you at some point. Doesn’t sound very encouraging, does it? I had to remind myself that no one on this earth is perfect. We all make mistakes. We all disappoint people. Sometimes we just can’t help it. God is totally different that anyone you could possibly know. God is faithful. When you call on his name, he hears you. He shows up all the time, in fact, he is typically waiting for us to show up and meet with him. In psalm 99, the psalmist speaks of God’s faithfulness. “Moses and Aaron were among his priests; Samuel also called on his name. They cried to the Lord for help, and he answered them.” (6) God is in the business of faithfulness. He is always there for us when we need him. Sometimes we may feel like God has disappointed us because we didn’t get our prayer answered the way we wanted it to be answered, but realize this; God’s ways are higher than ours. His plans are better than ours. He answers our prayers in the way that is best for us. We can only see this fleeting moment, but God can see all of eternity. He knows what is best for us. Here’s one final note, and it’s a big one. You can never disappoint God. Let me repeat it again. You can NEVER disappoint God. The only way you can do something to disappoint him is if you did something he didn’t expect and since God is all-knowing and ever present, well that is impossible folks. If you have people in your life that you are holding a grudge against because they disappointed you, forgive them. If you have disappointed people, then perhaps it is time you asked them to forgive you.

The Righteousness and Justice of God

Have you ever been so happy that you couldn’t resist the urge to burst into song? In Psalm 98, the psalmist is experiencing just that. He is so full of joy over who God is and what he is done that he can’t help but to burst into shouts of praise towards Him. “Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power! The Lord has announced his victory and has revealed his righteousness to every nation! He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!” (1-6) The psalmist is so full of joy that he continues to praise God and encourage all of creation to praise God as well. “Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the earth and all living things join in. Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy before the Lord…” (7-9) The psalmist is so full of joy over who the Lord is and what the Lord has done. The end of the psalm tells us exactly why the psalmist is so joyful. “… for the Lord is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness” (9) Right now, you might be thinking, “Wow, he was that excited about God coming to judge the world? That doesn’t sound like something to be joyful about” The psalmist was that excited and joyful about the character of God and the promises that God has made over the judgment on the world because he knew that God is loving, righteous, and just. He knew that God would be fair in his judgment as well. God is the ultimate judge and knowing that he is righteous, just, fair, and loving caused the psalmist to rejoice in the coming judgment of the Lord. There has never and will never be a more righteous, and just judge.

God's Power

Storms can be a pretty powerful sight to behold. If you have ever sat and watched one, you can see just how powerful they really are. Some storms are so powerful that there isn’t much that can stand up against them. Often the storms we face in life can knock us down and affect our lives in such a way that it is difficult to stand up against them. God is far more powerful than anything we could ever face. Whether that would be a storm in the physical sense, or a storm that alters the course of our lives, God is far more powerful. God is righteous and just and all of creation is under his great power. In Psalm 97, you can see a hint of the power of God. “Fire spreads ahead of him and burns up all his foes. His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth” (3-5) All of these things that seem so incredibly powerful to us, pale in comparison to the power of God. This goes for our circumstances as well. They may threaten to knock us down and destroy us, but God is far more powerful than any of it. God’s plan and purpose for our lives will prevail over anything that could and will come our way. “For you, O Lord, are supreme over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods” (9)