“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!” - Psalms 84:11-12 The psalmist ends Psalm 84 with another blessing for those who trust in God. Worship is believing in Jesus and what He says. This is what truly matters in life. The Lord is a sun to us because He shines on us and is the brightness of our days. He is a shield to protect and guard us against our foes. He is the only one, true, possible source of grace, honor, and true glory. That simple trust...
“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You; Whose heart is set on a pilgrimage.” - Psalm 84:5 Another blessing found in Psalm 84 is for those who draw their strength from the Lord and set their hearts on meeting together to worship. For those in the psalmist’s day who were making their way to God’s house, worship was abiding with God. Not everyone could live in Jerusalem, or at the House of God like the Levites. Likewise, most of us reading this don’t work at a church, but we make our way there multiple times a week to worship and serve. We go through the “Valleys of Baca,” the valleys of weeping, the times of disappointment, the times...
“…and they cried out to the Lord,… So Judah defeated Israel on that occasion because they trusted in the Lord, the God of their ancestors.” 2 Chronicles 13:14b, 18 We see the character of our Heavenly Father throughout the scriptures. In 2 Chronicles 13 Israel was divided, and the northern kingdom of Israel was attacking the southern kingdom of Judah from both sides. In verse 14 it is recorded that King Abijah of Judah and his people looked to the Lord and cried out for help. Even though Abijah was a very evil king, he looked to the Lord in a time of deep crisis and the Lord answered. Look at the willingness of our God to respond swiftly to...
“Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.” Isaiah 40:3-4 Looking back over the past year, feelings of gratitude are mingled with regret. Gratitude for how our Heavenly Father has sustained us and carried us through, and possibly regret over missed opportunities or mistakes. The spectrum of emotion varies equally regarding our outlook of a brand new year, and for 2020, a new decade. From wide-eyed wonder and expectation of great things for some to melancholy indifference for others, the scale of hope is as varied as there are...
“Be not afraid, only believe.” - Mark 5:36 As citizens of heaven, we are called to a life of faith. Faith in our Heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally, but who also requires faith to please Him. Jesus is the master teacher of faith and trust, always leading people past the signs, miracles, and works to a further revelation of Himself. When Jairus came to Jesus in desperation over his ailing daughter, he sought a quick healing work, but the Lord delayed. This delay was not a mistake or an act of indifference; it was not an inconvenience to Jesus to minister to this young girl, but it was an opportunity to grow Jairus in faith. Jesus showed compassion to...
