Exalt The Lord Our God Who Reigns Forever Greetings Reader The Psalmist in Psalm 99 encourages us to not only exalt the Lord but also to bow before Him. Why? The first four verses point to His holiness. Then the fifth verse sums up how we should respond. It says, "Exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!" We can apply this Psalm by following these steps. Revere God in Worship. Pursue Justice in Daily Life. Embrace Both Mercy and Discipline. Exalt the Lord Publicly and...
6 days ago • 1 min read
Find Hope Even When God Seems Far Away Greetings Reader In Psalm 102, we discover encouragement and find hope when God feels far away. The Psalmist showed us how to trust His presence in seasons of distress while uncovering hope for future generations. As we live with an assurance of God's presence, the foundation of our faith strengthens, which changes our perspective. · When fear says, "God left you," Faith answers, "He reigns forever." · When guilt says, "Your sin separates you." Grace...
9 days ago • 1 min read
How To Overcome Your Sinful Desires Greetings Reader We can’t classify all our desires as sinful, but we may have some sinful ones lurking within us. 1 Samuel 12 records one of Israel’s desires so sinful that they begged Samuel to pray for them. Samuel taught Israel how to overcome their sinful desires through remarkable wisdom. We can also draw on his wisdom to help us navigate questionable choices. Don't forget to examine the life application to help us overcome our sinful desires. God...
13 days ago • 1 min read
Make Commitments To The Lord And Keep Them Greetings Reader Commitments we make carry a lot of weight. While people often start strong with fresh determination, many promises collapse under pressure, distraction, or self-interest. God, however, expects us to honor any commitment we make. In Psalm 101, David committed to the Lord by using the term "I will" 11 times in the eight verses that make up this chapter. They serve as samples and templates for us as we commit ourselves to God. Enjoy...
16 days ago • 1 min read
Rejoice In The Lord, All You Who Love Him Greetings Reader Many Psalms focus on rejoicing in the Lord, like the one we will look at today. The opening verse of Psalm 97 begins with a powerful declaration. It places the majesty of the Lord on display, and the last verse calls His people to rejoice in Him. This Psalm challenges us to rejoice in the Lord by loving Him and hating evil, by trusting in His protection, and living in His light. God reigns with unmatched power and mercy. Even though...
20 days ago • 1 min read
Let The Message Of Christ Fill Your Life Greetings Reader In the clarity of Colossians 3, the Apostle Paul jotted down two lists. The first one describes how we used to live before Christ became part of our lives. · Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger,...
23 days ago • 1 min read
Shout To The Lord And Sing For Joy! Greetings Reader Psalm 98 is one of those Psalms I love to read because of its uplifting contents. As you read it, you'll want to sing, shout, and offer praises to the Lord. Even on days when nothing seems to go right, if you can get past your heaviness, open your Bible (or app) and read this Psalm, it will help to change your outlook for that day. God wants us to join in with the symphony of His creation each day as we prepare to enter into His presence...
27 days ago • 1 min read
The Unfailing Love And Hope of The Lord Greetings Reader I know that today is Friday 13, but on a more positive side, tomorrow is February 14, Valentines Day. So, I thought it would be appropriate to offset the day many consider unlucky by talking about a subject that will never go wrong, the unfailing love of God. Psalm 130 begins with a cry of desperation but ends with a declaration proclaiming that God Himself will redeem Israel (and all His people) from every kind of sin. That's the...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Failing To Seek God Can Lead To Compromise Greetings Reader Joshua made it a habit to seek the Lord from the very moment God called him to lead the Israelites. Joshua 9 tells us about a time he failed to seek God and the consequences. The Israelite leadership made a big mistake by agreeing to a deceptive covenant imposed by the Gibeonites. People today would back out of an agreement made in those terms in a heartbeat. They would say that God understands. They would quickly change their tune...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read