“He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.” (Psalm 98:3-4)

For those who know that the Lord prevails, He grants mercy and grace. Though your sins be as scarlet, yet will He grant His presence that you may know His purpose. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His love endures forever. Know that in Him are life and liberty and the ability to walk through this crazy age of rebellion with godly purpose and, in His power, blessed assurance.

Lord, keep my eyes lifted up that I may now and always abide in Your presence. Grant that I may be aware of all that is around me through the eyes of faith. Lead me to live according to Your purposes knowing that Your grace alone enables me to walk humbly in Your presence. Lift my heart to give You thanks and praise in all circumstances knowing that You alone are worthy of praise.

Thank You Lord for the gift of Your presence in my life. Keep me on the narrow way that I would now and always walk straight, knowing that I am in Your presence. Help me to live through the difficulties that come and abide in Your comforting arms of mercy. Guide me this day to do what is pleasing in Your sight. May I live a life of praise of You who alone is able to do all things. Amen.

“Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.” (Psalm 96:1-2)

The new song for the Lord is what you do with your life. You are a unique creation and there is no one like you. Please the Lord by living in His presence and walking with Him all of your days. Know that His grace and mercy will be with you if you walk humbly before Him. He is the One who has paved the way before you and will walk alongside you now and forever.

Lord, grant that I become bold in the salvation You have given me. Guide me according to Your goodness to walk in the way You have established. Lead me in Your salvation that I may now and always be in Your presence. May my life become a gift back to You for all that You are and all that You have done. You are the rock of my salvation and I seek to please You in all I do.

Holy Spirit, guide my heart to walk humbly this day in the presence of the Father. Lead me, Lord, that I would go where You direct. Keep the attitude of my heart firmly fixed upon Christ in all things that I may now and always live according to Your direction. May I walk boldly today and every day in the salvation I have in Christ and do what is pleasing in the Father’s sight. Amen.

I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever; to all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth. For I have said, “Lovingkindness will be built up forever; In the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness.” (Psalm 89:1-2)

Do you praise the Lord for all of His goodness and kindness? Or do you look to the Lord as only providing what you want? Come to the place where you are thankful for all that He has provided knowing that we live in an age that is difficult because of those who are in rebellion. Do not blame the Lord for their sin, but praise Him for providing for the just and the unjust.

Lord, I am often so conditional in my praise. When things go well, I forget about You. When things do not go well, I often look up and blame You. Bring me to the place where I praise You at all times, for You are good and Your love endures forever. Move me away from being conditional to the place where I know that Your promises are true and forever.

Lord Jesus, You know the difficulty of walking in this world of wickedness. You know what it is like to struggle with events and people. Teach me to walk in the salvation You have prepared that I may learn to take all things in stride and be thankful for Your goodness and mercy. Lead me, Lord Jesus, to be like You this day, walking humbly in Your sight and being thankful. Amen.

“But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; yes, let them rejoice with gladness.  Sing to God, sing praises to His name; lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts, whose name is the Lord, and exult before Him.”  (Psalm 68:3-4)

Live the life you have been given.  Do what the Lord gives you to do.  Enjoy the daily life as it comes.  Through it all, sing praises to the Lord who made you, knowing that it is He who created all things and shares all that He made with us.  Rejoice and be glad, for God is good and gracious and shares of His bounty.  Sing praises and live uprightly before the Maker of all things.

Lord, I become worried in the ups and downs of daily life and do not remember Your goodness.  Help me now and always to see each day the good things You have provided in my life.  Let me learn how to rejoice in all circumstances knowing that You alone are God and all goodness comes from You.  May I sing praises to You now and always, Lord, for Your goodness.

Lord Jesus, thank You for coming into this world to lead us in a new way of living.  Help me relax today.  Not be lazy, but relax and go about the business You give me to do that I may live in praise and thanksgiving for all of Your goodness.  Help me now and always to be a person of praise and to sing new songs to You for Your goodness.  Ride before me, Lord, in whatever direction You will lead me.  Amen.

Friday January 5, 2018 Devotion

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious.  Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!  Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give feigned obedience to You.”  (Psalm 66:1-2)

The Creator of all things is the One through whom all things have their being.  To give thanks and praise to the One who made you should be a natural and good thing.  Alas, in a world of rebellion, the creatures glorify themselves and ignore the One who made them.  The Lord will not force any to praise Him but looks for those who will because He is good.

Lord I understand the principle but find myself in the struggle where I see You not as the One to be praised but as an object outside of myself.  Lead me, O Lord, that I may be led by Your goodness and walk in Your ways which are right.  Help me see through the cloud of sin in this world to do that which is natural; that is, to praise You in all circumstances and sing Your glory.

To You, Lord Jesus , is all honor and praise due.  You have come not only to lead the way, but to provide the very things that are needed to bridge the gap between what is and what will be.  Lead me now and always to seek through You the glory of the Father in the grace You provide which enables me to do all things.  To You be praise and glory and honor and dominion now and forever.  Amen.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017 Devotion

“But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, for You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress.  O my strength, I will sing praises to You; for God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.”  (Psalm 59:16-17)

What is the direction, the outcome of your life?  Is it to live the few years on this earth, or is there a higher calling?  Come into the Lord’s presence and sing to Him.  Let the One who created you be the center of Your being.  It was for this that you were made.  Come and rejoice, sing songs of praise and worship the Lord your God.  He is your strength and your stronghold.

Lord, I am confused by all the offerings around me, yet they really offer nothing but momentary distractions.  Guide me in the way of life as You created it to be lived that I may live according to Your purpose.  Help me see through the nonsense of this world and focus on the things that have always been true.  Lead me in the way of righteousness for Your name’s sake.

Lord Jesus, God in the flesh, You have come to lead the way.  Help me now and always to walk in the way You have established.  Guide me according to the timeless principles You have given through Your Word.  Help me take Your hand and follow You alone through all that this world will force my way.  Help me see clearly the way I should go and then by Your Spirit guide me to walk that way.  Amen.

“Awake, my glory!  Awake, harp and lyre!  I will awaken the dawn.  I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations.”  (Psalm 57:8-9)

Look around and what do you see?  Does not the sun come up each morning?  Is not the Lord giving all that is needed for life to continue?  Has not the Lord provided for You?  Yes and more.  Awaken, and regardless what is happening around you, see that the Lord is always doing His part in the midst of every time and place.  Give thanks to the Lord for He is good and provides always.

Teach me,O Lord, to sing to You with the work of my hands.  Guide me in those gifts You have given to use them for You always.  Lead me in the way I should go that I may go there.  Open my eyes to see the beauty of the earth and all that is in it.  Let my voice raise in song and my heart swell with praise of Your goodness to all.  May others know that it is You that I praise, O Lord.

Lord and Savior, Jesus, You are leading the way for as many as come through You to the Father.  Guide my thoughts and actions this day that I may see the goodness that is all around in spite of the battle of sin that still rages.  Keep my heart in joy and away from lament, and lead me to sing a sing of praise this day through all that I do.  Help me, O Lord, to walk as You would have me walk.  Amen.

“Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.  O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise.”  (Psalm 51:14-15)

Any who say they carry no guilt walk in lies.  We all are unclean.  Only the Lord can clean us and He will for those who come to Him and willingly walk in His ways.  The natural reaction is to sing praise to the One who created all things.  Come then and learn from the Lord.  Let your heart learn to sung joyfully the praise of the Lord and declare His goodness to the ends of the earth.

Lord, my heart both wants this and does not want this.  I am in a struggle.  I confess some things, but hold back and pretend about others.  Bring me through the place where I play this game to the place of truth that I may now and always abide with You.  Send Your Spirit to nurture my soul that I may finish walking through the Valley of Death into Your abiding light of truth forever.

Lord Jesus, You are the Lamb who takes away the guilt of sin and forever banishes it for those who learn to love the Father.  Come lead me O Lord that I would walk in Your grace from where I am to where I need to be.  Help me learn from You how to be humble and holy.  Teach me to sing praises to You now and forever.  Guide me in the way I should go O Lord and then help me to walk that way.  Amen