Wednesday, December 27, 2017 Devotion

“Who have sharpened their tongue like a sword.  They aimed bitter speech as their arrow, to shoot from concealment at the blameless; suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear.” (Psalm 64:3-4)

The wicked of this world shoot arrows of contempt and lies at those who seek the Lord.  Calling others what is in their heart, they prey on the guilt of sin that is there, while they themselves could care less about truth or what is right.  It has always been this way.  The insensitive prey on the sensitive and blame them to shame them.  Be not one who blames, but one who turns to the Lord in every season.                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Lord, I have been affected by the wickedness of this world.  I have desired what is right, but listen to the voice of the wicked. Guide me according to Your purposes that I may forever hold fast to the truth You have revealed.  Let me not be distracted by those who would seek to destroy me, but to be led by Your Spirit all the days of my life.

Lord Jesus, You are the hope of every person.  You have come to save us from ourselves and the world.  Guide me in the salvation You have given that I may forever hold fast to the truth of Your presence and purpose through grace.  May I now and always look to You first for all things, knowing that You alone are the author and finisher of my faith.  Lead me this day, my Savior.  Amen.

“He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.  My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword.  Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be above all the earth.”  (Psalm 57:3-5)

The Lord’s salvation has come, just as He promised.  It is He who came and became one of us.  He knows our weaknesses and He knows our need.  The Lion of Judah, the One from whom the scepter shall never pass, is the One who offers His hand to each of us.  It is the hand of truth and He shall lead all who follow forever in the presence of the glory of God.

Who fears the Lord but the one who encounters truth.  The Lord is truth and He offers grace and mercy to those who seek Him and humble themselves before Him.  His is the everlasting glory, before all time and forever.  Stand fast in His presence and all else that is passing away will seem of no worth in comparison to what He offers in the way and truth He gives which leads to eternal life.

Lord Jesus, the One who has come to end the warfare for those who believe, lead me this day to rejoice in the true glory of the Father You have revealed.  Guide me not so much to know as to understand that all I need do is follow You all the days of my life.  You are the truth revealed, promised long before and in You is the hope of all generations.  May you be exalted through me this day.  Amen.

“You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking what is right.  You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. But God will break you down forever; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent, and uproot you from the land of the living.”  (Psalm 52:3-5)

The wicked tongue shall not survive.  Why do you cling to that which is already condemned?  Come then into the rest of the Lord and give up the vain ways of this world.  DO not cling to that which is destructive, but come into the hope of glory that comes through grace.  Live into the life into which You have been called through grace by faith.  Let your wicked heart be uprooted and replaced with a heart like Christ’s.

Lord, You know all the complexities of the heart and the ways in which it plays games with me.  Blot out my iniquities and take away those things which hinder me from living life as You have designed it to be lived.  Guide me O Lord into Your grace that I may begin again the journey to which grace calls me.  Help me through all obstacles to live, speak and have my being in You.

Lord Jesus, You have come to forever shatter the wicked and their ways from ruling in life.  Though there remains this season in which the wicked endure, let me not be counted among them.  Instead, guide me by Your grace to come into the life to which You have called me by Your provision to seek the goodness You offer.  Help me now and always to cling to You, the finisher of my faith.  Amen.

“Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?  The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.  Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit.”  (Psalm 52:1-2)

Wickedness has always been around and in the midst of our comfort we do not see the evil plotted by those who are bent upon destruction.  From the heart and out of the mouth comes deceit, malice, envy and bitterness.  The call of the Lord is to have a new and clean heart that abandons the heart of this age for the eternal goodness of the Lord.  Be not wicked, but come into the righteousness of the Lord.

At many levels, there is within me that which can and does behave like those who practice wickedness.  You, O Lord have called me into a new life that no longer rebels against the goodness You have established, but desires to come into the truth that in You alone is hope.  Come Holy Spirit and renew in me a right spirit that I would hold fast to You and the goodness You give.

Lord Jesus, in the face of the rebellious age, You have given the means of forever escaping the self-destructive ways of this world.  Guide me O Lord that I would live in Your grace and live into a life that seeks righteousness.  Help me now and always to hold fast to the truth You have revealed that I might become like You and do the Father’s will on earth as it shall be done in heaven.  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

“You let your mouth loose in evil and your tongue frames deceit.   “You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother’s son.”  (Psalm 50:19-20)

It is not what goes in the mouth, but what comes out that defiles and destroys.  What is in your heart is revealed in what comes out of your mouth.  Take care to see the wickedness that is a part of this generation that has polluted your thinking.  Turn to the Lord and He will clean you from the inside out.  See that the Lord who saves will bring you to where you need to be.

Lord, I may pretend to the world which sees me, but You know my heart.  You know the things that go on inside of me and the ways in which I think and speak that are not pleasing in Your sight.  Guide me by grace to repent and come before You willing to be cleaned that I may speak what is right and fitting.  Lead me in Your ways O Lord and through Your Spirit help me to follow.

Lord Jesus, You know what it is to walk in this world in the midst of all its strife.  By Your example and through Your grace, lead me to live as You lived in this world holding fast to what is true and being faithful to the Father’s will.  May I learn from You to do the Father’s will in and through all things knowing that I shall become like You just as the Word promises.  Amen.