Friday, December 22, 2017 Devotion

“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You.  So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.”  (Psalm 63:3-4)

Do you live for yourself or have you learned that your life belongs to the Lord?  Yes, you want to live, but true life is only in the Lord and His promise that you will live forever.  Though you die, yet shall you live.  To bless the Lord is to live in Him.  Otherwise, it is contention.  Bless the Lord and be blessed by living in His lovingkindness, knowing that in Him is life and liberty.

Lord, I struggle for meaning in life, but here it is right before me.  Living in You is life.  Yet I continue the struggle.  Help me I pray to overcome the obstacles in my life that get in the way of the simplicity of love and faith to which You have called me.  Guide me in Your purpose that I may abide in You now and always.  Lead me to be a blessing to others as You are to me.

Lord Jesus, You who has removed all the obstacles that get in the way of our eternal relationship, lead me ever deeper into the truth You have revealed for us all.  Guide me according to Your purpose that I may live in Your will now and forever.  Help me learn to do what is pleasing to the Father that I may truly be a blessing.  Teach me to listen, learn and do what is right always.  Amen.

Saturday, December 16, 2017 Devotion

‘How long will you assail a man, that you may murder him, all of you, like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?  They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position; they delight in falsehood; they bless with their mouth, but inwardly they curse.”  (Psalm 62:3-4)

Be not like the ones who outwardly show a seeming conformity to the ways of God, but inwardly are as far away from Him as the ones who outwardly deny the Lord.  Do not be led by the way of man, for it goes nowhere, but be led by the truth of the Lord, for He is truth.  In Him is life, for He is the creator of life.  Seek His counsel and learn the ways of the Lord that you may live now and forever.

Lord, there is so much falsehood all around.  The world offers so many options, but they lead nowhere.  Guide me in Your Spirit to see the truth You are and have revealed for those who seek after You.  Let me inwardly praise You and seek to live my life according to Your eternal principles.  Help me, O Lord, to live the way You would have me live now and forever.

Lord Jesus, You have come to save all those who through You, turning to You and following You, seek the true life.  You are life.  You are the way and apart from You no one can go where You lead.  Help me now and always to see this simple truth and from the inside out be conformed to what You have established through faith.  Guide me today, Lord Jesus, and help me go where You would have me go.  Amen.

“Arouse Yourself to help me, and see!  You, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to punish all the nations; do not be gracious to any who are treacherous in iniquity.  They return at evening, they howl like a dog, and go around the city.  Behold, they belch forth with their mouth; words are in their lips, for, they say, “Who hears?”  (Psalm 59:5-7)

Keep your eyes upon the Lord and His ways.  Walk in the counsel of the Lord and know that those who do wickedness will come to their own wicked end.  Do not cast your pearls before swine.  Come into the Lord’s presence and walk humbly before Your God.  Know that the Lord, who sees all, will keep you in His ways and will speak His Word to your ears.

Lord, all around are those who mock You and do not look to You for their sustenance.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way I should go that I would walk in that way.  Help me now and always to seek You alone in all things knowing that You have the words of eternal life.  Let my lips speak Your goodness and my feet walk in Your ways.  You will bring recompense in due season to all who mock You.

Lord Jesus, You took upon Yourself all of the mockery of the nations.  Guide me in Your ways, O Lord, and keep me close to Your teaching.  Let me not hear the ways of the wicked, but instead listen and heed Your eternal way of truth.  May I now and always be in keeping with what You teach me, with Your Word on my lips, meditating on the good portion You have shared by grace.  Amen.

“For behold, they have set an ambush for my life; fierce men launch an attack against me, not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord, for no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.”  (Psalm 59:3-4)

We often pay the recompense for our own sin in this world although forgiveness is granted to us by grace.  There are times though when others will attack with no real provocation and simply accuse and malign.  In a world of wickedness, these things do happen.  The Lord knows.  Look to the Lord who knows all things and be comforted by His grace to persevere in every time of trial.

Lord, as a sinner, I want revenge when it is by no fault of mine that I am being persecuted.  Grant that I would rest in Your grace and realize that You alone are able to handle every injustice, for You alone are able to discern what is right and fitting in every circumstance, Lead my heart to turn to You at all times and know that only in You can I find true peace that surpasses all understanding.

Lord Jesus, You have experienced the rebellion of the wicked first hand and know the false accusations that were raised against You.  In Your compassion and by Your understanding, lead me through these times of trial that will come that I may keep my eyes upon You and trust in Your never-failing support through all the tribulations of this world.  Lead me through Your grace dear Jesus.  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.

“They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they dug a pit before me; they themselves have fallen into the midst of it.  My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!”  (Psalm 57:6-7)

In the midst of the turmoil of the world, many will lament, curse God and join in the fray.  But will that change the rampant sin that prevails?  No, it will not.  Praise the Lord in all seasons and know that You have His promise that everything will work for His glory.  Know that the Lord is good in the midst of all that is not good.  Let your heart be steadfast and praise the Lord at all times.

Lord I often spend time in laments, but not in praise.  Praise is not an emotion, but an attitude.  Guide me to see in You hope and a future.  Lead me into the life to which You have called me that I would go with hope in You.  No matter what happens in this life, lead me O Lord to walk in Your ways, praising You for all that comes.  Keep my heart steadfast upon You.

Lord Jesus, You know the pain and suffering more than any other, for You took it all upon Yourself.  Help me know that this is true that I may walk with You confidently trusting in all that You have done.  Let me work through every adversity while You are shaping me day by day to be more like You.  Lead me, O Lord, and grant my feet the ability to follow.  Amen

“Your vows are binding upon me, O God; I will render thank offerings to You.  For You have delivered my soul from death, indeed my feet from stumbling, so that I may walk before God in the light of the living.”  (Psalm 56:12-13)

In this world of mixed up ideas, the Lord makes promises that only He is able to keep.  Who gives life?  Who can raise the dead?  Whose ability holds all things together?  It is the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  Trust in the Lord with all of your might and let Him make up for any weakness that you have.  He will deliver your soul so that You can walk with Him forever.

Lord, I become confused by all of the promises, words and persuasions bantered about in this world.  Guide me through the morass of this world to stand before You covered in the righteousness You alone give.  Bring my heart to the place where I render thanksgiving for all of Your goodness and know that in You there is hope and a future.  Lead me, O Lord, for You alone know what is needed.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead the way for as many as would come by grace through faith, trusting that You have given the words of eternal life.  Lead me this day to see in You the hope of glory and the firmness of the promises You have delivered.  Teach me how to praise and worship, knowing that only in You is there hope and a future.  Keep me from stumbling so I may walk with You now and always.  Amen.

“Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thess. 4:18)

St. Paul didn’t act as though he had more than he really had.  He had words, and they were good words.  Words can open minds, console hearts, and change futures.  Words from God, founded on the acts of God, can do even greater things: they can raise the dead.

Here in central Wisconsin, we can know how words work just by looking at the great hunting season that unfolds this month.  Consider how much talk accompanies hunting; think of the photos that people post of their kill to illustrate the stories that they tell.  That conversation encourages hunters in their hope and accompanies them into the woods.

It’s a reflection of the greater glory of Jesus Christ.  His life has authored a deathless word, the Holy Gospel that not only speaks of forgiveness now but also of the world to come.  This holy Word we must steadily proclaim, more and more, to encourage one another and reveal to this present world that there is a happy future to be had.  In the end, that sacred conversation of the Church is the hope that will accompany souls into the woods, however dark the woods may be.

LET US PRAY: Speak, O Lord, we will hear You, for Your Word alone is life.  Amen

Pastor Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau

“You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in Your bottle.  Are they not in Your book?  Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; this I know, that God is for me.”  (Psalm 56:8-9)

The Lord knows the days of our life.  He knows what we need long before we ask.  He allows all the things that happen to occur for His purposes.  Trusting in the Lord is the result of faith and knowing that all things are in His hands is the truth.  Come then to the Lord and be not afraid.

Lord, all around me is the evidence of a world that is not quite right.  Help me, I pray, to see through the fog of this world the truth of Your Word.  Guide me according to Your never-failing principles to walk humbly on the earth knowing that You alone are God of all.  Your book is written and in it is that page onto which You have written me.  Guide me to live as You would have me live.

Lord Jesus, You are the author and finisher of the faith for all of those who come to You.  Lead me to follow and open my ears to speak as You speak that I would be guided by the truth of eternity.  Though all around me is chaos, settle my heart to simply trust in the grace You provide knowing that only in You is there hope and a future.  May I truly follow You all the days of my life.  Amen.