Devotion for Saturday, September 21, 2019

“Answer me speedily, O Lord; my spirit fails!  Do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like
those who go down into the pit.  Cause me
to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to
know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.”  (Psalm 143:7-8)

In times of trouble, the Lord is always near.  We may be far off, but the Lord is near.  Do not despair, nor seek the way of the wicked.  Come into the everlasting and constant presence of God all the days of Your life.  He who created You knows you and will vindicate you in His time.

Lord, teach me to see through the wickedness of this world and to know
that only in You is there hope and a future. 
Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would forever walk with
You.  Teach me Your precepts and help me
to apply them to my everyday living.  You
are the One through whom all things have their being and apart from You,
nothing has being or purpose.

Come, Holy Spirit, and teach me
the way of Christ my Savior.  Lead me in
His example to become more like Him each day. 
Guide me in the goodness of Your mercy that I would now and forever
abide in Him and He in me.  Lead me in
the way of righteousness, most especially in those times where my heart is far
off.  Raise my eyes to see Your
countenance upon all I think and do. 
Amen.




Devotion for Friday, September 20, 2019

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on
the work of Your hands.  I spread out my
hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land.”  (Psalm 143:5-6)

Look at the story of God saving
His people.  He did so despite their
behavior.  God loves His creation and
those whom He has made.  He provides for
us all.  Walk in the provision of the
Lord giving thanks for His goodness and mercy. 
Look for what the Lord has promised and be guided by the truth of all
that He has done and will do for those who walk in His salvation.  Come to the Lord.

Lord, I am sometimes lazy and just look at this moment.  I then react depending upon how I feel in this moment.  Lead me, O Lord, to walk in the goodness of Your grace and mercy and to know Your kindness. Lead me, O Lord, into the way of everlasting life.  Guide me now and always to abide in You in the promise that You are abiding in me.  Guide my soul to always long  for You.

Lord Jesus, You have prepared the journey of salvation for all who believe.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of salvation that I would always walk in the way of righteousness.  Lift up my soul to look beyond the moments I find myself in and to live according to Your everlasting goodness.  You have come to lead the way.  Lead me, O Lord, and give me encouragement to always follow.  Amen

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Devotion for Thursday, September 19, 2019

“For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life to the
ground; he has made me dwell in darkness, like those who have long been
dead.  Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed
within me; my heart within me is distressed.” 
(Psalm 143:3-4)

There are times when life seems
overwhelming.  Things are not as you
imagined they would be.  This too is a
part of this life in this age.  It is a
reminder that this age does have aspects that are not quite right.  Do not linger in the temporary time of this
wickedness, but see beyond your circumstances the goodness which is also
present.  God has created what is good
and He calls you into what is good, right and salutary.

Lord, let not my heart be overcome by the adversity of this world but rather
transformed by the truth of Your goodness. 
Guide me through the malaise of this age to see the truth of Your
eternal goodness.  Through Your mercy,
lead me in the way of righteousness that, no matter the circumstances around me,
I may live into the life to which You have called me by grace.

Grace giver, Jesus, lead me this
day no matter the circumstances in which I find myself.  Lead me along the narrow path that daily
conforms my life to Yours.  Help me now
and always to see the truth of Your presence shining on me through in this age
of shadows.  Guide me according to the
plan of the Father to prosper in righteousness and live a life that is more and
more conformed to You.  Amen.

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Devotion for Wednesday, September 18, 2019

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications!  In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your
righteousness.  Do not enter into
judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no one living is righteous.”  (Psalm 143:1-2)

Your hope is not built upon your
ability to be righteous.  Good works
accomplish nothing in the equation of salvation.  Your hope is based upon the mercy of God and
the grace He gives by faith.  Live then
knowing that it is the Lord who has done this and not you yourself.  Trust in the Lord and all of His ways, for He
alone knows all that is needed.  Be guided
by the grace and mercy of the Lord.

Lord, You know the struggle I have. 
You know how my heart hears your call, but also hears the tug of the
wickedness of this world.  Guide me, O
Lord, in the way You would have me go. 
Lead me according to Your goodness to see through the haze of this world
and know that You have given the words of eternal life.  Lead me O Lord and I will be led.  Guide me O Lord and I will follow.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead
the way.  Guide me by Your grace to
follow You all the days of my life.  Lead
me according to Your goodness to take Your life into mine and increasingly
become more like You.  Help me through
the obstacles that come along the way. 
In Your grace and the Father’s mercy, lead me to do what is pleasing in
Your sight.  You are my Savior.  Save me this day.  Amen.




Devotion for Tuesday, September 17, 2019

“But my eyes are upon You, O GOD the Lord; in You I take refuge; do not
leave my soul destitute.  Keep me from
the snares they have laid for me, and from the traps of the workers of
iniquity.  Let the wicked fall into their
own nets, while I escape safely.”  (Psalm
141:8-10)

There are times when it feels as
though the Lord is not near.  Keep your
eyes upon the Lord and know that He is always near.  Be led by the truth of His presence and not
the lies of the wickedness of this age. 
The wicked will trap themselves, but those who look to the Lord will
continue in freedom.  Live a life that is
led by the freedom of the Lord and know His goodness.

Lord, You know that I am struggling daily with the things of this
world.  It is all around me.  It seems for at least awhile that the wicked
prosper.  Lead me away from thinking I
can understand Your justice and instead focus on the fact that You are good and
merciful.  Keep my eyes upon You always
and help me walk through each day in the guidance of Your Spirit to do Your
will.

Lord Jesus, You know the struggle
it is in this world with those around You who were either pressing into wanting
something or else seeking to destroy You. 
Help me follow Your example and always look to the Father for guidance
and encouragement.  Keep me on the narrow
path of Your salvation that I would now and always live according to the will
of the Heavenly Father.  Amen.




Devotion for Monday, September 16, 2019

“Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my
persecutors; for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I
may praise Thy Name: the righteous shall compass me about; for Thou shalt deal
bountifully with me.”  (Psalm 142:6-7)

What does the world do with
those who are faithful?  They scatter
them like bones tossed in anger and hatred. 
Do not look to the world, but to the Lord who is the One who vindicates.  Come into the Lord’s presence and be lifted
up by His countenance.  Be led by the
goodness of the Lord and live into the life to which you have been called by
grace and through faith.

Holy Spirit, You know what is going on in my heart.  You know the circumstance of my life.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way I should go.  Illuminate the path before me that I may walk
in Your light.  Guide my heart to look to
You alone amongst all that is going on around me.  You are my helper.  Help me live through this life to be a faithful
witness of the truth You have revealed through Your Word.

Lord Jesus, Word made flesh, You
have come into our midst to lead the way. 
Help me this day to look to You and live according to Your example.  Guide me in the goodness of the grace You
purchased for us from Calvary.  May I be
led all the days of my life solely by Your provision.  You are the One who is the way, truth, and
life.  Lead me, O Lord, according to Your
goodness.  Amen.

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Devotion for Sunday, September 15, 2019

“I cried unto the, O LORD; I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in
the land of the living.”  (Psalm 142:5)

It does not matter how you feel this day.  The Lord still loves you and His plans will continue forward.  It you feel good and life is well for you, give thanks; if all are against you, look to the Lord.  The Lord knows all that is needed and has provided, even before you ask, for all of what you need.  In all situations, do not turn away from the Lord, but see His face and learn to love Him as He first loved you.

Lord, I am often conflicted in this world and I go into the world
without my loins being girded.  Guide me,
O Lord, to live out all of Your precepts that I may live in this world of
wickedness without rejecting the life that You give me.  Guide me, O Lord, in Your mercy to see that
in You alone is the hope for all people in every age.  Help me to live the life to which You have
called me.

Lord Jesus, You know what it is
to walk amongst people who reject You and what You have come to
accomplish.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way
of truth that I would walk humbly beside You and live in the way You have
called me to live.  Lift me up according
to the Father’s will to do what is right and pleasing in Your sight.  Lead me all the days of my life to be Your
humble servant.  Amen.




Devotion for Saturday, September 14, 2019

“When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path.
In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked on
my right hand and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge
failed me; no man cared for my soul.” 
(Psalm 142:3-4)

The Lord will guard you in all
of your ways if you will turn to Him.  He
will watch over your coming in and going out from this day forward.  Trust in the Lord above all things and know
that He who knows you guards your footsteps. 
Be guided by His goodness and mercy and know that it is He who will
accomplish all that He has promised.  Do
not set your heart on any evil thing, but be guided by the Spirit of the Lord.

Lord, You have promised to watch over me.  Guide me O Lord in the way You would have me
go and keep me from stumbling along the way. 
Lead me in the way of the righteous and help me to walk with You in all
of Your ways.  Let me not be caught up in
the work of the wicked, but be uplifted by the countenance of Your love and mercy.  Lead me O Lord in the way You would have me
go.

Lord Jesus, without You this
would be impossible, but with You all that is promised is assured.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of goodness that
I would walk in Your ways all the days of my life.  Lead me in the way of righteousness that I
may increasingly become like You.  Help
me in every time of need to travel the good path and see that You are walking
alongside me.  Amen.




Devotion for Friday, September 13, 2019

“I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I
make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before Him; I showed before Him
my trouble.” (Psalm 142:1-2)

The cry of every human heart is
for relevance and meaning.  We were
created to lift our hands to the Lord in praise.  We are hardwired to look to the Lord in and
through all things.  Everything else is a
replacement.  Come to the Lord, you who
are weary.  Come to the Lord and find
your rest.  Know that in the Lord alone
is the hope and the future He has created for those who come to Him.

Lord, You know the state of my heart. 
Guide me, O Lord, in that way I should go that I may now and always
abide in You as You have promised to abide in me.  Lead , O Lord, in Your goodness to live into
the hope You give by grace through faith. 
May I learn to come to You in all circumstances and lift my hands to You
in praise, thanks and in need.  May I be
faithful in Your sight.

Lord Jesus, You have come that we
may go with You.  You alone have the
words of eternal life.  You alone are the
hope for all people.  Lead me, O Lord, in
the salvation You have made possible that I would now and always abide in You
and You in me.  Let not anything come into
the way of my walking humbly and faithfully with You.  Lord, make haste to hear my cry when I cry to
You.  Amen.




Devotion for Thursday, September 12, 2019

“Let not a slanderer be established in the earth; let evil hunt the
violent man to overthrow him.”  I know
that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the
poor.  Surely the righteous shall give
thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence.”  (Psalm 140:11-13)

Look at the reality that even
our entertainment includes stories where the bad guy does not win.  We all long for justice and for goodness to
prevail.  Evil may seem to prosper for a
moment, but it will fail.  Only the
goodness of the Lord is forever.  Only
the way of the Lord is everlasting.  Come
and walk in the way of the Lord and live life as it was designed to be lived.

Lord, I have a very limited view and do not see beyond my own
circumstances.  Lead me, O Lord,
according to Your goodness that I would now and always walk humbly with You, my
Lord and God.  Keep me from the paths of
the wicked and bring me to walk alongside You. 
In You alone is there hope and a future. 
In You alone is there truth and justice. 
In You alone is there life.

Lord Jesus, You have given Your
Spirit to be in me and with me always. 
You abide in me.  Guide me today
and every day to walk humbly in Your presence. 
Lead me according to Your goodness to see that in You alone is the hope
of the ages.  Keep me abiding with You this
day according to Your goodness that I would be led by You and not the
circumstances in which I find myself. 
Amen.