Devotion for Saturday, April 21, 2018

“When I remember God, then I am disturbed; when I sigh, then my spirit grows faint. You have held my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.” (Psalm 77:3-4)

How often do you go through life with the Lord as an add-on? Is He in the center of your life, or an afterthought except in times of trouble? The Lord is the One who holds all things in His hands. It is He who is there in every time of need. Look closely and you will see that it is the Lord who has been there in every hour of need. The Lord alone will never leave you nor forsake you.

Lord, You are there, but often like an ungrateful child I go about my day as if You were not. Hold my eyelids open to see the light You have caused to shine in me that I may know that it is You who guides all things. Lead me through the troubled waters of this age that I may keep my eyes upon You. Help me now and always to simply hold fast to the truth that You alone are God.

Lord Jesus, You purposefully walked amongst us that we may see the light and follow where You lead. Yet, like sheep in a field without a shepherd, I wander aimlessly sometimes. Guide me, O Lord, to walk with You always. Lift me up when I am down and guide me according to Your purposes that I may never look anywhere but to You in, through and for all things. Amen.

 




Devotion for Friday, April 20, 2018

“My voice rises to God, and I will cry aloud; my voice rises to God, and He will hear me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; in the night my hand was stretched out without weariness; My soul refused to be comforted.” (Psalm 77:1-2)

The Lord hears every cry from the heart. He knows what will happen. Come to the Lord, lift up your voice and know that He hears you. In times of trouble, come to the Lord. In times that are good, give Him praise. In all things, place the Lord in the center, for He is the One who holds all things together. Know that it is the Lord who goes before You and that He who knows watches over you.

Lord, I sometimes feel alone, but these are only feelings. Guide me, O Lord, to walk with You knowing that You know the days of my life as a book that is already written. Help me now and always and in all seasons to lift my eyes up to You, for You are the help of all people. Lead me into Your presence and guide my heart to know that only in You is there life and joy.

Lord Jesus, You demonstrated to us how to pray without ceasing and to come before the Father’s presence. You have told us that a sparrow does not fall to the ground that the Father does not know about. Turn my life around that I would live into the promise You give by grace and know from the inside out that in every time, You are there and have plans for whatever may come. Amen.




Devotion for Thursday, April 19, 2018

“Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; let all who are around Him bring gifts to Him who is to be feared. He will cut off the spirit of princes; He is feared by the kings of the earth.” (Psalm 76:11-12)

The Lord is good and the Sovereign God of all. Those in this world who hold positions of power are there only by the grace of God. All power and authority belongs to Him. Come then into His presence and give your offerings, for all you give was really His first. He graciously supplies that we may have abundance and calls us to share what He first gave to us.

Lord, help me see the truth that You are God. You ask us to come into Your loving presence and live according to Your will. Lead me, O Lord, away from the things of this world and help me see in You the hope You alone can give. Guide me according to Your purpose to live according to Your law that I might grow in the righteousness You give through grace. You alone are to be feared.

Lord Jesus, You who has all authority and power, have come humbly that we may follow where You lead. Guide me, O Lord, according to Your will that I would forever hold fast to Your goodness, grace and mercy. Help me now and always to see in You the hope of salvation and to humbly submit as You submitted for the glory of the Father. Guide me today into the Father’s will. Amen.




Devotion for Wednesday, April 18, 2018

“When God arose to judgment, to save all the humble of the earth. For the wrath of man shall praise You; with a remnant of wrath You will gird Yourself.” (Psalm 76:9-10)

What is it in sinful man that things have to come the hard way? We bring it upon our selves and then give God the blame for the harshness that we have brought on our selves. God does arise to judgement and it comes through what He has already established. Ultimately, God takes it all on Himself and we see the wrath of all sin hanging on the cross with Jesus. There He takes our punishment for what we have done.

Lord, is it that You do not bring retribution upon us, but step back and do not stop what is coming because of what we have done? You get blamed when things go bad and are harsh, yet You are not praised when we are provided for and are given all we need. Lord, help me see through the wickedness of this age to see that You are always good, gracious and merciful.

Lord Jesus, You have come to bear the wrath of sin as You were girded with it on the cross. You did this for our sakes. Open my eyes to see the truth of what You have done and the truth of what we have done. Guide me away from the wickedness of this world and into Your glorious light of life and truth. Help me now and always to see what is right and true and to walk with You. Amen.




Devotion for Tuesday, April 17, 2018

“You, even You, are to be feared; and who may stand in Your presence when once You are angry? You caused judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared and was still” (Psalm 76:7-8)

You have created us in Your image and we reflect in small ways the truth of who You are. Of course the antics of sinful humans is angering. Help me never to stand in Your anger, but lead me to stand in Christ that I may walk in the way You have established for all. Lead me away from myself and into You that I may not be afraid of You, but love You in respect and fear of the Father Almighty.

Lord, the world tries to convince believers that You are not kind and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. But You are all of these things and more. Lead me, O Lord, to walk humbly in Your ways and to seek to not anger You. I need the grace You have given and Your countenance to rest upon me. Lead me, O Lord, and give me willing feet to always follow.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving all that I need. You have come to lift up those who look to the goodness of the Father that we may walk humbly with You our God. Guide me through the Holy Spirit to learn to listen and then to obey. Help me now and always to see the hope granted by grace and to have a willing heart to live into the promises You have made possible from the cross. Amen.




Devotion for Monday, April 16, 2018

“The stouthearted were plundered, they sank into sleep; and none of the warriors could use his hands. At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse were cast into a dead sleep.” (Psalm 76:5-6)

The Lord is Master of all. He has given us our will, but what we do will never overcome what He has purposed. Yes, the wicked rise and plunder, but the Lord is not overcome. The rebuke of the Lord is powerful and He will do what is necessary for His righteous ones to come unto Him. He loves all and calls all and as many as believe come to Him and are under His guidance.

Lord God, You know us better than we know our selves. You know our times of trouble and our difficulties. You cause to slumber those who should be awake and you allow those who should slumber to be awake. You have purpose in all that comes to pass. Lead me, O Lord, in Your ways that I would humbly walk with You no matter what comes and live according to Your purposes.

Lord Jesus, refuge of the weary and the One who lifts up the broken hearted, guide me not just in trying to figure things out, but in the way You would have me walk. Lead me according to Your purposes to live into the life to which I have been created to live. Let me not be plundered by wickedness, but help me stand strong in the righteousness You give me by grace. Amen.




Devotion for Sunday, April 15, 2018

“There He broke the flaming arrows, the shield and the sword and the weapons of war.  You are resplendent, more majestic than the mountains of prey.”  (Psalm 76:3-4)

To whom shall the Lord be compared? There is nothing that can compare to the splendor of the Lord. Above the highest mountains, more powerful than all the mighty men, the Lord is above all things. His hands are those which shaped all things and He holds all things together.

There are terrors of this world, O Lord, which come against Your faithful. They rail, but none are able to stand against You. For a night and no more, but then morning comes; You breathe a word and they come to naught. Guide me, O Lord, to not tremble at those who are in this world, but at You, the One who made all worlds. Guide me by Your light and Your life that I would forever hold fast to You.

Lord Jesus, God who has come, lead me, lead us, lead Your faithful to walk humbly through every valley of the shadow of death that we would be with You knowing that You have already overcome death and the devil. Guide me to sing Your praises and walk humbly before the Father forever, for in You, in Trinity, is hope, life and eternity. You are worthy of being praised now and forever. Amen.




Devotion for Saturday, April 14, 2018

“God is known in Judah; His name is great in Israel.  His tabernacle is in Salem; His dwelling place also is in Zion.”  (Psalm 76:1-2)

The Lord is known.  There are those who want to pretend He does not exist, but He is known.  His home is peace and He dwells in eternity.  He from whom all things come has spoken and those who hear know of His peace and long for His dwelling place.  This is the promise to the faithful, that He will be their God and they will be His people forever.  Come to the Lord gratefully and sing His praises.

Lord, there is no peace upon the earth and what You have given is ignored.  Guide me, O Lord, away from the ways of this world and into Your presence of peace and eternal purpose.  Lead me according to Your ways that I may sing Your praises here now and then there.  You are the Mighty One who lives forever and You have reached out Your hand to Your servants here that we may know You.

Lord Jesus, God in the flesh, You have given us the peace which surpasses all understanding.  You have come that we may be with You where You are.  Lead me in Your Holy Spirit, O Lord, to walk with You all the days of this life in preparation for all that is to come.  You are the One who has come that we may walk forever in Zion and dwell in Your house forever.  Amen.




Devotion for Friday, April 13, 2018

“But as for me, I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. And all the horns of the wicked He will cut off, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.” (Psalm 75:9-10)

Know that the judgement of the Lord is righteous and true. He will not allow the wicked to ruin His Kingdom. Through Him all things will be as He wills them to be. He will prevail in all things. Therefore come to His throne and offer up your praise and thanksgiving, for He has looked upon You and made You aware of the truth and reality of the ages. Lift up your hands and praise Him.

Lord, all things are in Your hands and there is nothing of which You are not aware. Lead Your people into truth that they may learn in humility to praise You in all circumstances. Guide the humble to turn to You and lower the heads of the proud that they may know that You alone are God. Let all see that history is in Your hands and that all things will come about according to Your purposes.

Lord Jesus, You have taught us to take all things in prayer to the Father. You have taught us to pray. Lead me this day to learn from You how to walk through this conflicted world to be a person of honor and praise. By Your grace, guide me in the power of the Holy Spirit to live humbly as You would have me live, doing what You give me to do for the Father’s glory. Amen.




Devotion for Thursday, April 12, 2018

“But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another. For a cup is in the hand of the Lord, and the wine foams; it is well mixed, and He pours out of this; Surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink down its dregs.” (Psalm 75:7-8)

Judgement will come when it comes, but all you have to do is look at history to see how all of the proud have fallen and in the end, wind up in death. The Lord will separate those who turn to Him from those who turn away. You, O man, look to the Lord and do not worry about what belongs to the Lord. The Lord lifts up and brings down whom He will for His purposes.

Lord, You have made me to be me and I often want to be someone other than who I am. Guide me, O Lord, in the way You have created me to be, for You are the Creator and the One in whose hands are all things. Lead me in the way You would have me go and by Your Spirit encourage me to always follow in Your way. You exalt and bring low. You are the Judge of all things.

Lord Jesus, God in the flesh, You lowered Yourself to be as one of us. Such things are too deep for me to understand. By Your example of humility, lead me to be content with the portion You have given me in life that I may learn what it is You would have me learn. You have given me grace to overcome this life’s obstacles; so help me overcome each hurdle that is before me. Amen.