“Let the sea roar and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.” (Psalm 98:7-8)

The earth is filled with its own rhythm. The Lord reflects who He is through what He has made. Look around and see all that the Lord has made and know that it has its own rhythm which He has implanted in it. Be guided by the Lord and His goodness and know that in Him alone is the only eternal hope. He is righteous and will guide those who come to Him in His righteousness.

Lord, open my eyes to see Your goodness and mercy. Open my eyes to see the beauty of all that You have created. Guide me according to Your goodness to walk in the way that I have been created to walk. Clear my eyes that I may see more clearly and do those things which You have given me to do. May I be guided by Your goodness and mercy all the days of my life.

Lord Jesus, You are the example of One who walked in the Father’s will. By Your example and Your leading, guide me today and every day to walk as I should walk in this creation of Yours. Lead me in the upward path of becoming like You that I may see and understand how I fit into Your creation. Raise me up to become like You, a willing and obedient child of the Heavenly Father. Amen.

“Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns; indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.” Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains; let the field exult, and all that is in it.” (Psalm 96:10-12a)

The Lord is just, and sees all that happens. A bird does not fall from the sky that He does not know about. The earth knows His voice and listens when He commands. Creation exalts the Lord, for He is the One who made it. Join with the rest of creation and praise the name of the Lord with your life and your being. Be one who acknowledges the Lord in all things.

O Lord, how often I do not praise You or think upon the goodness that You have given me. Guide my heart to see more clearly the truth of all that You have done. Lift my countenance to give You praise at all times and in all circumstances. Guide me, O Lord, in Your goodness to see the beauty of Your work and the promise of Your mercy and grace that I may be forever Yours.

Lord Jesus, You have paved the way that I may walk now and forever in Your presence. Lift me up this day to walk humbly in the Father’s presence knowing that I am always before You. Teach me the way You would have me go. Lead me into the righteousness You give that I may humbly become the child of God that is promised through the grace You have purchased. Amen.

“O Lord, God of vengeance, God of vengeance, shine forth!  Rise up, O Judge of the earth, render recompense to the proud.”  (Psalm 94:1-2)

The proud stand before the Lord and boast of their greatness.  They seek their own ends and use the children of the Lord for their own purposes.  Generations come and call upon the Lord to stop the proud from their destruction.  They who seek the Lord only need to look to see that the proud go to the grave and are remembered no more.  Look to the Lord and live humbly in His sight and by His provision.

It is hard Lord to live in an age that is so filled with contention.  There are many who seek their own will and do not live according to Your Word.  Help me to see that this is but a short age that will come to nothing.  You have a purpose for everything; so help me to understand that if I walk in the way You have established for me, I will be uplifted and strengthened according to Your purpose.

Lord Jesus, You have come to save all who turn to You.  By grace, You lift all who believe out of the pit to walk upright before the Father.  Guide me this day to walk humbly with You knowing that no matter what comes in this life it is but for a short time.  Prepare me in the way You have established that I may walk by faith and do what You give me to do all the day long.  Amen.

“A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is God in His holy habitation.  God makes a home for the lonely; he leads out the prisoners into prosperity, only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.”  (Psalm 68:5-6)

This world makes much ado about nothing.  Do not be politically correct, but be corrected by the One who knows all things and walk in the way of His prosperity.  Do not gain things in this world, but build up the eternal ways of the Lord in your heart that you may know the bounty of the Lord which is available to all.  Come then into His presence and do not be thirsty, but filled with His goodness.

Lord, I get caught up in wanting to be like this world.  Help me shed such desires that I may walk humbly before You,my God and Savior.  Lead me through the desert paths of this world and their false mirages to see clearly the goodness that is right before me.  Lead me in the way of eternal prosperity that I may abide in the richness of Your love.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead us in the narrow way of true wealth, which is abiding in You now and forever.  Humble my heart that I may see the goodness that comes by Your  grace and live into the everlasting life You have made possible for all who believe.  Lead me, O Lord, and give me a heart that will follow You alone through all that will come until we meet face to face.  Amen.

“Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.  Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth.”  (Psalm 67:3-4)

Lord how much better would this world be if they just stopped fighting against the truth, seeking to replace it with their idea of the truth.  Alas, the world continues its battle and I along with them.  Bring me to the place where I praise you in spite of what those around me do.  You are the righteous judge and it shall be as You determine.  Guide me to live in that knowledge always.

Lord, You know the struggle in my heart.  I desire those things which are of no value and flee from Your statutes which are more precious than gold or silver.  Judge my heart that I may be freed of those things which hinder me, and lead me in Your ways now and always to be one who praises You in season and out of season.  Righteous judge, give me Your righteousness.

Righteousness Incarnate, Jesus my Savior, guide me in the way of truth that You have established that I may be guided in Your  way now and always.  Lead me forth from this moment to live in the truth that all things are known and that You are guiding me in the way I should go.  Help me see through the cloud of this age to become and be the person You have created me to be.  Amen.

“The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.  And men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth!”  (Psalm 58:10-11)

In a world filled with wickedness, it is hard to distinguish where justice lies.  The Lord knows, but we do not see His hand of justice at work.  The Lord is patient, but we, in our limited lifetimes want revenge now.  The Lord will judge and He will judge righteously.  Just trust in the Lord in all of His ways and know that He will lead all who turn to Him into the ways of righteousness.

Lord, I am easily led in so many directions by all of the wickedness in this world.  Guide the thoughts of my mind and the attitude of my heart that I would hold fast to the truth You have revealed.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way I should go and then help me walk in this way.  Grant that I would see Your hand upon this world and know that You are working all things together for good to those who love You.

Lord Jesus, in great love You have come to lead as many as would follow You in the way of truth.  The world is already judged and You have come for those who will come through You into light and life.  Guide my heart this day, O Lord, that I would look to You and Your ways and follow in them as You direct and lead.  By Your Holy Spirit, lead me this day.  Amen.

Thursday, November 23, 2017 Devotion

“Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods?  Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?  No, in heart you work unrighteousness; on earth you weigh out the violence of your hands.”  (Psalm 58:1-2)

All of the things we imagine are in our heads.  They are our creations.  They have no life other than what we give them in our minds.  But the Lord is forever.  What can we do that will outshine the Lord?  What can we create but things that are manipulations of what the Lord has already created?  Look to the Lord, the Maker of all things and see that He alone is God.

Lord, we think ourselves clever and manipulate Your creation.  You know all things and have put everything into its order.  Guide the meditation of my heart to see in You the hope of eternity and the marvel of all ages.  Guide my lips to speak Your praise knowing that You alone are worthy of all honor and praise.  By Your guidance, take my heart from where it is to where it needs to be.

Lord Jesus, You know the difficulties of this world.  You also know the marvels of the creation.  You have come to lead the way for as many as would follow You into truth.  Lead me this day to walk humbly with You through all that is around me.  Lead my heart so that it looks to You for all things.  Guide me, my Savior, in the way of Your salvation that I would become like You.  Amen.

“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  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.”  (Psalm 51:3-4)

Against the Lord have we sinned.  Yes, but what about sins against another?  All sin is ultimately against the Lord, which is why Jesus was able to forgive sins.  He forgave not only what was against others, but because all sin is ultimately against Him, He was able to forgive us.  This is why there was puzzlement that He forgave sins.  Yes, God forgives and His forgiveness is complete.

Lord, I have sinned against You even when I have sinned against my neighbor.  Help me I pray to live life in repentance that I would see that there are no small sins, but only sins against You.  Lead me to see my heart changed to be so intimate with You that I never forget this simple principle.  Lead me to live life righteously and teach me to look to You always and for all things.

Lord Jesus, the magnitude of what You have done is greater than I can begin to imagine.  Help me, I pray, to see in You the hope of glory and the truth of the grace I need.  Lead me in truth so that I may forever hold fast to what You have done from the cross.  Lead me today and always to know that against You only have I sinned, but the by repentance You will restore me to wholeness.  Amen.

In crises the people cry out to God.  Even those who do not believe.  Yet during most times they remain silent.  The evidence of the Lord is all around and any who will look only need to open their eyes to see.  Yet many will not.  The godly ones gather together and look to the Lord.  In Him is all that is needed.  Come to the Lord while you may and learn from Him truth and life.

Lord, like many around me I am a fair-weather friend and do not look to You at all times.  Lead my heart away from where it is to where it needs to be.  Guide me according to Your principles to live into the life to which You have called me.  Help me now and always to be with You and in You following where You lead.  Guide me to live into the covenant You have established.

Lord Jesus You have come to reveal God.  Guide me now and always to live in the way You have established and keep me from veering off of the path.  You have made the possibility of living in the covenant established possible through Your grace.  Lead me by grace to live into the life to which You call me.  Help me now and always to live seeing You as my Lord and Savior.  Amen.