Friday, February 29, 2008
PSALM Justice Will Be Done - Not By PSALMone But By The God Of Justice...
The first time I read through psalm 58 I was like ‘wah, these are sure some pretty rough words that the psalmist have used.’ If you read fromv6-9, you might agree to the statement that I have made.
V6-9
Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
tear out, O LORD, the fangs of the lions!
Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows be blunted.
Like a slug melting away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child, may they not see the sun.
Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.
One might ask: What is the psalmist doing? Why is he bent on punishing the wicked?
Well keep in mind that the psalmist is not planning on how he would punish the wicked but rather asking God for justice. It is also highlighted that this is one of the psalms that is arranged to the tune of “Do Not Destroy”. This shows that the purpose of this psalm is really not to seek out our own judgment on how to punish other people but rather love them. If there was any judgment to be done, God would do it according to His righteousness as it is mentioned that man only devise injustice in his heart, his hands mete out violence on earth.
Be encouraged if you are facing trouble with some politics in your marketplace, for surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.
V6-9
Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
tear out, O LORD, the fangs of the lions!
Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows be blunted.
Like a slug melting away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child, may they not see the sun.
Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.
One might ask: What is the psalmist doing? Why is he bent on punishing the wicked?
Well keep in mind that the psalmist is not planning on how he would punish the wicked but rather asking God for justice. It is also highlighted that this is one of the psalms that is arranged to the tune of “Do Not Destroy”. This shows that the purpose of this psalm is really not to seek out our own judgment on how to punish other people but rather love them. If there was any judgment to be done, God would do it according to His righteousness as it is mentioned that man only devise injustice in his heart, his hands mete out violence on earth.
Be encouraged if you are facing trouble with some politics in your marketplace, for surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
PSALM Beliefs, Attitudes And Intentions...
Well, I have some catching up to do. I have been busy studying these few days and it has taken a toll on my body. I actually fell severely ill, a really bad flu if you put it. Thank God for the healing that is taking place, I feel much better now. I am very encouraged lately to even want to make my every effort to spend time with God.
Indeed these few days have not been easy for me, as much as I want to write my devotions, my body just can’t take the immense pressure that it was going through. But one thing is still for certain as psalm 57:7: my heart is still steadfast for God. Even when I was sort of bedridden for the past day or so, my heart was calling to God. I needed the Lord to sustain me, to heal me. In him, I will seek refuge until the disaster (virus) has passed.
There is a process called the B-A-I that I have learnt from marketing. It stands for Beliefs – Attitudes – Intention and is actually part of a customer’s buying process. I feel that I can apply this to the situation I’m in now.
Belief
What are my beliefs? I am certain that God will help me to overcome this sickness for He is ever faithful in His love for us. I believe that God is my healer and I can find my rest in Him.
Attitude
What is the attitude that I have? For I know that God will heal me and I can find my rest in Him, hence I will place my trust in Him. My heart will be steadfast for Him and I will trust in His love and faithfulness.
Intention
What will be my intention then? I will exalt Him for who He is, for the Lord is true to His word. I will praise Him and sing of His great love!
‘For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.’- Ps57:10.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Monday, February 25, 2008
PSALM Darkness Never Too Dark For God...
‘In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?’ That was the repeated idea of psalms 56. Just like the many psalms we read, psalm 56 emphasized on trusting God even in the darkest moments in your life.
It is seen in psalm 56 that David has been captured by the Philistines. Even when he was held captive, he never fails to put his trust in God.
When he was afraid, he trusted in God. When he calls for help, it is not man that he calls but God, for he knows that God will save him and is the only one who can save him.
What can a mortal man do? A man’s strength is limited but God’s strength is infinite.
A man maybe king over his kingdom but God is king of the universe, the king of kings. When God stands, the tall trees and mountains bow…when He speaks, the fiercest of oceans is still.
David recognizes the sheer power of God. More importantly, he recognizes God’s willingness to help him, to deliver him from his troubles. That’s the reason why he said, ‘In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?’
Do we recognize this same God that David recognizes? Have you had problems that you have been running away from? Today, God wants you to trust in Him that He will deliver you from your problems and be the light that will guide you through the darkness in your life.
It is seen in psalm 56 that David has been captured by the Philistines. Even when he was held captive, he never fails to put his trust in God.
When he was afraid, he trusted in God. When he calls for help, it is not man that he calls but God, for he knows that God will save him and is the only one who can save him.
What can a mortal man do? A man’s strength is limited but God’s strength is infinite.
A man maybe king over his kingdom but God is king of the universe, the king of kings. When God stands, the tall trees and mountains bow…when He speaks, the fiercest of oceans is still.
David recognizes the sheer power of God. More importantly, he recognizes God’s willingness to help him, to deliver him from his troubles. That’s the reason why he said, ‘In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?’
Do we recognize this same God that David recognizes? Have you had problems that you have been running away from? Today, God wants you to trust in Him that He will deliver you from your problems and be the light that will guide you through the darkness in your life.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Sunday, February 24, 2008
PSALMone Whom We Can Put Our Trust In...
‘Cast all your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.’ Psalm55:22
Psalm 55 shows the psalmist feeling distraught not only because the ‘voice of the enemy’ and ‘the stares of the wicked’ have brought down suffering upon him, but also because he has been betrayed by someone close. A companion, a close friend of the psalmist.
As seen from v12-14, ‘If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God.’
It is hard enough for the psalmist to deal with enemies and it is even harder to face the fact of a betrayal by a close friend. Can you imagine the shock, the hurt and anger that he was going through? As seen in v4-5, ‘My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.’
I believe that the psalmist’s close friend was also a man who serve God just like the psalmist, however his behaviour changed as seen in psalm 55.The change in the behaviour of the companion of the psalmist is seen from v20-21: ‘My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, they are drawn swords.’
What does this show? It shows that everyone has the potential to turn their backs to God. That is the reason why we have to pray for ourselves, to be a brother’s keeper to our fellow spiritual brothers. The devil never fails to prowl in the shadows. He can give you the idea that serving God is nothing more than a religion. Know that serving God is more than just a religion; it’s having a RELATIONSHIP with God, our heavenly Father.
Though the psalmist felt distraught and troubled, he knew that he could trust no one else besides God, for he knows that God will never betray him. V16-19 shows the psalmist calling out to God and more importantly, it shows the psalmist trust that he has in the Lord.
Even in the midst of my exams, I know that I can trust in the Lord for the wisdom, the rest and the knowledge that He would provide me with in preparation for the exams.
So who would you trust in today? I like what the psalmist say at the end of psalm 55.
But as for me, I trust in you… I trust in God.
Psalm 55 shows the psalmist feeling distraught not only because the ‘voice of the enemy’ and ‘the stares of the wicked’ have brought down suffering upon him, but also because he has been betrayed by someone close. A companion, a close friend of the psalmist.
As seen from v12-14, ‘If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God.’
It is hard enough for the psalmist to deal with enemies and it is even harder to face the fact of a betrayal by a close friend. Can you imagine the shock, the hurt and anger that he was going through? As seen in v4-5, ‘My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.’
I believe that the psalmist’s close friend was also a man who serve God just like the psalmist, however his behaviour changed as seen in psalm 55.The change in the behaviour of the companion of the psalmist is seen from v20-21: ‘My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, they are drawn swords.’
What does this show? It shows that everyone has the potential to turn their backs to God. That is the reason why we have to pray for ourselves, to be a brother’s keeper to our fellow spiritual brothers. The devil never fails to prowl in the shadows. He can give you the idea that serving God is nothing more than a religion. Know that serving God is more than just a religion; it’s having a RELATIONSHIP with God, our heavenly Father.
Though the psalmist felt distraught and troubled, he knew that he could trust no one else besides God, for he knows that God will never betray him. V16-19 shows the psalmist calling out to God and more importantly, it shows the psalmist trust that he has in the Lord.
Even in the midst of my exams, I know that I can trust in the Lord for the wisdom, the rest and the knowledge that He would provide me with in preparation for the exams.
So who would you trust in today? I like what the psalmist say at the end of psalm 55.
But as for me, I trust in you… I trust in God.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Saturday, February 23, 2008
PSALM Blessed Present From God!
Psalm 54 is a very simple and short psalm to understand. I consider it the one of the most significant birthday gift from God to me. I like the simplicity of this psalm. In fact, I can form 3 Ps from v2, 4 and 6, the even numbers of the verses.
1) Pray
V2: ‘Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.’
How blessed is someone who prays to God. When you believe and trust that God will answer your prayer, it will be answered. Just like how Jesus heals the 2 blind men in Matt 9:27-29.
Jesus asked the 2 men whether they believe that he can heal them from their blindness, and they believed and were healed. For Jesus says, ‘according to your faith will it be done to you.’
2) Proclaim
V4: ‘Surely God is my help; The Lord is the one who sustains me.’
How blessed is someone who has God as his helper in times of need. Recognize and even declare in your heart that the Lord is your sole helper in times of
i) Needs
ii) Uncertainties
iii) Troubles
I find that these 3 moments are the more prominent moments that the psalms have mentioned so far and it applies to all of us. There are indeed times where we experience troubles, uncertainties and even times where we need something. Acknowledge that He is the provider, the helper, the decision-maker of your lives.
3) Praise
V6: ‘I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good. ‘
How blessed is someone who praises the name of the Lord. Praising the Lord is good, praise the Lord for all the things He has done in your life. In fact, live a life that is pleasing to God, so that the people would see your good works and praise the Lord. Praising God also means of showing your adoration to Him, so would you praise God today?
Blessed am I to receive this psalm today for it assures me that the Lord hears my prayers, He is my helper and I would praise Him for His goodness in my life.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Friday, February 22, 2008
PSALM Familiar Reminder...PSALM 'Good Thing' To Do...
Psalm 53 is a unique psalm because it is actually identical to psalm 14 in terms of meaning. Since psalm 53 was a replica of psalm 14, I decided to read up psalm14 again. Other than a few different usages of words, I derive that the meaning of both psalms were the same.In my mind, I thought ‘Psalm 53 wasn’t there by mistake; God arranged it to be there for a reason.’ So what was the message that I got out of psalm 53 then? A consistent and familiar reminder: The need for us to have total reliance on God. The message was brought out clear in both psalm 14 and 53 that God has not found any man who does good, any who understand, any who truly seek Him.
Now why did I say it was a reminder for all of us to fully rely on God then? Know that by our nature, we can never be the person that God wants us to be. We can be seeking God, doing our quiet time today and even be holy for that day yet we can also become a different person another day, doing sinful things and just as the bible says, doing nothing good.
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We can only be the person that God desires us to be through Jesus. I feel that salvation doesn’t end at the point where you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. In fact, I feel that it is the beginning of a journey, of following what Jesus would do and indeed by doing so, we are not only saved, but we also save others in the process. I sense that this is the good thing that God is referring to me in psalm 53 today.
It all leads back to the Father’s heart…that none should perish. Indeed I pray that we will do the ‘good thing’ God wants us to do and that everyday, God’s people would say ‘salvation is here!’
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Thursday, February 21, 2008
God PSALMs Up My Life...
God spoke to me in a very interesting way today in the midst of busy studying my modules. As I was taking down my exam particulars from my school account, the life mission statement that I wrote about a year ago just sort of pop out of no where.
It has indeed been a long while since I last read my LMS and I was wondering why my LMS just suddenly popped out when I did not even make any attempt to even open it. Well God was reminding me of something that I wrote, the requests that I made. So without further ado, here is my LONG LMS.
To live a life of purpose, meaning and enduring joy, I will be the leader of my own life; making my dreams come true by realizing my chosen Vision, guided by universally admirable Values, driven by an enduring Purpose and fired by undying Passions.VALUES: Values that guide my conducts in life shall be the same admirable values that I have found in the person that I respect,such as beingLoving, Obedient, Forgiving, Compassionate, Resilient, Honest
VISION: Envisioning myself becoming a person who:Jesus thinks is Loving, Forgiving, Obedient.My father thinks is Responsible, Honest, Courageous.Timothy thinks is Compassionate, Responsible, Honest.
PURPOSE: My Meaning and Purpose in Life can be derived from the following statements:
In 5, 20 and 80 years from now, I hope to be surrounded by the most important people in my life. This is who they are and what I plan to be doing:
5 years:
I will be in serving my NS. I will meet new people in my camp and I will make it a point to bond to them. I will be praying for those who did not receive salvation. When a chance arises, I will share with them my faith and the God that I put first in my life.
20 years:
I will be serving my church as one of the leaders and be living my passion in ministering to the poor if I’m appointed to go for missionary trips. If God bless me with the `helper` whose heart is after God and we share similar goals, I would be married with at least 2 kids and I will teach them about leading a Christian life as well as seeing through their early years in education.
80 years:
If God blesses me with a long life, I will be enjoying most of my time with God and my family. I will also see my sons and daughters serving the Lord. I will see my children getting married and having grandchildren. More than ever, my main focus will always be to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness in my life till the day the Lord takes me away with Him.
I will be willing to die for:
my faith as a Christian, if it means being persecuted by the nations because I believe that God love us so much that He send His One and Only Son to die for us. He has created many miracles in my life and He was always there for me even when I was at the lowest point in my life and I am willing to lay down my life for the Saviour I believe in.
If I have all the money and time in the world, to do anything I wanted (e.g. I’ve just won 10 millions Singapore dollars in a lucky draw), I would like to do following things:
If I have all the time and money in the world, I will use it to serve God in anyway, be it ministering to the poor. Donate 10% of my money as tithes to God, and always give whatever I have to the poor as I know God will always provide and not short-change me..Spend part of the money and my time on my family to travel around the world and make sure that they live a comfortable and happy life..Spend part of my money and time on the hobbies I like and experiencing life to the fullest.
If I have only 100 days left to live, I would like to do the following things:
Doing meaningful things like helping the poor and needy, spending more time with God and believing that He will save me.,Spending more time with my family, spiritual family and friends. Treasuring them each and everyday and talk to them about the happy memories I had with them in the past, do all the things I always wanted to do..
If I could spend one day with any person who ever lived, this is who it would be, and what I would ask:
My father, because I have not been able to spend quality time with him since my mother passed away. I would ask him what I could ever do as a son for him.
This is what I feel represents me, and why:
Angelfish, I care more about the welfare of others and always encourage peace.
Well it may not be long for some people but it certainly looks lengthy enough for me. Though it wasn’t really a perfect LMS for me, there were certainly many things that I wrote which had something to do with God. Indeed, God was reminding me whether I was putting Him first in my life, do I trust in Him for the things that I ask for. Will I carry out the things that I had listed down in my LMS?
As we grow older, it’s a process that the way we think changes and indeed I realise that want my life to be more fulfilling. There are many things that I want in my life. Though my thinking back then when I was doing this LMS was different from the way I think now, I still know 1 thing for certain as said in psalm 52:9 ‘I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.’ And that will never change.
Indeed when I look back at my life, I have seen the goodness of the Lord in my life. For the Lord is my sufficiency and he would bless me with the desires of my heart. Blessed is the Lord for all He has done in my life. I believe that He would be more than willing to bless you today if you decide to put your trust in Him.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
PSALM Prayer of Confession
Today’s psalm emphasizes on confession. In psalm 51, we see David confessing his sin to God, a sin that he thought nothing of until the prophet Nathan accused him to his face of the sin that he had committed.David, the greatest king of Israel’s history could have had Nathan killed for his daring public confrontation or he could have thrown him to prison and denied the accusation. However, David knew that Nathan spoke for God and instead confesses his sin openly to the Lord, indeed showing that he is a man after God’s heart. He recognizes that God was the true king of Israel and he humbled himself instead of letting the pride of a king get the better of him.
I admire David’s humble heart and character. How many of us can be like David? Do we recognize God as the King of kings and the Lord of lords? Do we know our place before God? Do we even recognize the fact that we are sinful in nature? David does, he recognizes that he has been sinful since the time his mother conceived him. He also asks the Lord to cleanse him from his sins and to wash away his iniquity.
Psalm51 has indeed been a reminder for me to confess any sin that I have yet to confess to the Lord. It says in 1 John 1:9 that ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’ I think that this psalm is very suitable as a prayer of confession for many of us and since pastor encourages us to pray through the psalms, would you use this as your prayer today?
I like what v10-12 says:
‘Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.’ Indeed, I would make it my prayer today.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Lord Is Looking For PSALM Who Honor Him...
I have been studying intensively for the past few days or so for my final semester exams. I thank God for the strength that He has given me and even the time to do my daily devotions.Psalm 50 is a psalm that shows us that God does not need our gifts. Some people think that by doing more good deeds, they can bargain with God what they want and what they want God to do. Well, God wants to let His people know today that He is not a manipulative God.
Ultimately, when the people of the past sacrifice thank offerings to God, it is really a way of showing that they honour the Lord. The Lord really has no need of any sacrifices or burnt offerings. For the Lord is rich beyond our imagination as seen from His response in v9-13. The world and all that is in it is His…
There really isn’t anything much that we can bring before the Lord except our thanksgivings, worship and praises and the way we live our lives. It’s all about honouring Him. What matters most to Him is the attitude that we take towards Him. Even for my studies, I know that I study not only because I want to have good grades, but also because I want to use my grades to honour the Lord. To use my education as a form of worship to Him.
However busy I may be, be it studying for my exams or doing some co-curricular activities, I make it a point to draw close to the Lord. Know this, God honours those who draw close to Him. No matter how back-to-back my activities are, I will make my very effort to set aside time to spend with my heavenly Father.
Truly, God does not see the physical self but rather the heart of a worshipper. As said in 1 Samuel16:7b, 'The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'Indeed God will judge and see the intentions of our hearts. Let he who bring God a sacrifice of praise prepare the way of the Lord so that He may show him the salvation of God.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Monday, February 18, 2008
Money Can’t Buy PSALMone’s Life
Indeed money can’t buy someone’s life. That was the theme for psalms 49. Money can do many things but the one thing that it cannot do is that it can’t be an escape mechanism from the grave. For in psalm 49:7-9, it says ‘No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him- the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough- that he should live on forever not see decay.’V7-9 gives us a clear picture that those who treasure their wealth will never be able to bring it into the kingdom of God. As said in v17, for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. Not only that, it also tells us that the tombs of those who treasure their wealth will remain their houses forever and their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.
The bible says that the ransom for a life is costly and that no payment is ever enough. So what is the only way of redemption then?
In v15, ‘But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.’
The only way of redemption is through God. God has indeed redeem us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. For it says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Know this, God is the author of life and death and psalm 49 sums it up with v20, saying that ‘man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.’
Would you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ today?
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Sunday, February 17, 2008
PSALMone Who Will Guide Me Through My Uncertainties...
‘Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.’ ‘For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.’I didn’t felt too good today, especially after service. Something in me is making my heart impatient and it affected the attitude of mine during my reunion dinner with my distant relatives. In my quietness I wrote down what was bothering me and I prayed that God will change this heart of mine. Indeed, He is faithful for my attitude change after the dinner and I was even able to play and joke around with my younger cousins.
God, I know that you know what is bothering me and I pray that I will indeed surrender this issue fully into your hands. A thousand times I may have tried yet I fail but I know that only through you am I able to live this life of surrender. I recognize that you are my solution and my guide to this matter in my heart.
For you are my God and I will sing to you praises and play to you songs of worship. I pray that I will put Your kingdom first and let Your heart’s desire be my desire. I want to do everything to please You and I know that when I look to You with a heart that truly seeks You, You would show me Your lovingkindness. I believe that when I ask with faith, You will surely answer me. God no matter what happens, I am committed in serving you with all my heart and I believe that you will be my guide even to the end. Amen...
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Saturday, February 16, 2008
PSALMthing The Father Desires...
I went to the last cluster prayer meeting today and felt that it has indeed been a fruitful time of spending time with not only my spiritual family, but more importantly spending time worshipping our Father and singing to Him praises. So what does the prayer meeting have to do with psalm 47 then?Well, I was reading psalm 47 this morning and I thought that it was a pretty normal psalm. It mentions a lot about praising God by singing or by shouts of joy, something we do often. However, by the end of today’s prayer meeting, psalm 47 spoke out to me in a new way. At a deeper level, it actually talks about God’s people gathering together to praise Him.
Now what about God’s people then? Know that the Israelites often thought of themselves as exclusively God’s people, however in this psalm it mentions that the nations will gather not only as an assembly to praise God but as the people of the God of Abraham. This means that each and every one of us are actually insiders included in God’s covenant with the Israelites.
I was reminded of the heart of the Father in today’s cluster meeting. Know that the God’s desire is that he doesn’t want anyone to perish. Do we have the same desire as God’s heart? If we do, we ought to follow what Jesus is doing now at the right hand of God. Just as He is interceding for us all, we should be praying for our friends who have not been saved. No matter what they have done to you, whether good or bad, know that God loves them and He wants them to be save. God loves the sinners but hates the sin.
Pastor Jo also mention that if should we have an enemy, that would be the devil. The devil will indeed be prowling like a lion in the shadows, stopping us from doing what God intended us to do. No matter what the devil does, he is never bigger and more powerful than God. Know that when we submit ourselves to God, the devil will flee.
The devil may deceive you, saying that you are not worthy to come before God to worship Him because you are sinner. However, I was reminded of Jude 24-25 which says ‘Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.’ It is not the devil who would decide whether you are able to come before God but God Himself and Jesus says come as you are.
God’s heart indeed goes out to His people. He does not want anyone to perish and He wants His people to gather as one assembly to worship Him, to sing praises to Him. Will you align the desires of His heart with yours today? Will you live a life of surrender to Him today? If you do, know that you will indeed be greatly bless by Him.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Friday, February 15, 2008
PSALM Will Witness And Be Still...
Psalm 46 reminded me of the song ‘Still’ by Hillsongs. Indeed I will be still even when the earth gives way and know that God is my fortress. I am always encouraged to know that God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in trouble.This semester has been tough for me but I am glad that even through this stormy season, God has always been there to help me, to make sure that I do not stumble. In the stillness of my heart, I know that there is no one like Him.
How great is our God? You have to witness the works of God to know how great He is. As said in v8, ‘come and see the works of the LORD’.
For ‘He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.’
When nations are in uproar and when kingdoms fall, He only needs to lift His voice and the earth will melt.
Would you put your trust in God today? For if He can make the earth melt just by lifting His voice, wouldn’t it be even much easier for Him to help you with the troubles you are facing with?
For the key idea of psalm 46 is found in v7 and11, that ‘the Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.’ Just like 7 Eleven, God is always watching over us 24/7 and know that He never slumbers. In Him we will find our sense of security, in Him we find our strength. When you put your hope in God, He will never let you go…through it all.
Be still, and know that He is God…
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Spending Valentine's Day With PSALMone Special...
Psalm 45 is a unique psalm compare to all the other previous psalms. It is a wedding song that shows the excellence of the king as he prepares to take a bride. It seems pretty weird at first that this wedding song of such noble theme is found in the book of heartfelt prayers.We might ask ourselves, ‘why is this poem in psalms and not in another book such as in songs of songs.’ It was even more interesting and timely to discover that this psalm falls on Valentine’s Day.
I felt that God was trying to send a message to all of us. Valentine’s Day for some, may be a day to do something special for your love ones or even just to spend time with them. Similarly, God wants to spend time with you because He loves you and today He wants to remind all of us about the time where Christ will receive the bride.
This psalm may seem like it is only referring to a king’s marriage, but more than that, it really is about God’s marriage to humanity.
V6-7 made sense only when ‘the Anointed’ came in Jesus and it is through verse 6 that we know that the king turns out to be God. A clever and successful king would assure his people of prosperity as well as stable leadership for years to come. Jesus was the king that was referred in psalm 45. His welfare represented the welfare of his people. Hence, v6 says that God’s throne will always last and He will rule His kingdom with justice.
Indeed God saw in His heart from the beginning of time that we were going to shine as His bride even as He offered up His life. Just as the same way someone would do something special for their love ones, God has also did something special for us, something which would perpetuate our memories through all the generations.
Indeed God is really preparing us for the coming of His kingdom, for the wedding that is fitting for a King. Let us as a church, shine as His bride and be anointed with the oil of joy.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Thursday, February 14, 2008
PSALMone Whose Love Never Fails...
After reading Psalm 44, it was clear to me that God’s love never fails.To be a Christian, suffering for God’s sake would be something that we should expect. But why must we suffer?
In psalm 44:1-8, the psalmists recall of the things that God has done for them in the past, praising His name all day long for His goodness. However, a huge contrast can be seen from v9 onwards. The psalmists felt that God was not with them. They suffered persecutions after persecutions though they have not forgotten God nor have they been false to God’s covenant. They also acknowledged that God knows the secrets of their heart and would have long discovered whether they have sin against Him. They were confident that their hearts were faithful towards God. However, they had to face death all day long for God’s sake. Why must they suffer?
There maybe times where we may not feel God’s presence in times of troubles though we may have been doing what is right in God’s eyes. There may even be times where our prayers and faith in God have not produced any result. So why do we have to go through all these sufferings?
As seen in Romans 37-39, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. We need to know that nothing would be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. God allows us to face death all day long because He has something good in store for us. We have to die more to ourselves and be more alive in Christ. It is said in the bible that the truth will set you free, since Jesus Christ is the truth; it means that in Him we will be set free. Set us free from what then? Free from the laws of sin and of death.
We have to act on what Gal2:20, which says ‘I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.’
If there is one thing that makes us different from the psalmists, it would be that we were made known to the good news of what Jesus did for us. The psalmists did not know about the good things that were in stored for them.
In psalm 44:26, the psalmists ask God to rise up to help them, to redeem them. Know that when Christ died for us, we were redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Why did God sent His One and Only Son to die for us? For God so love the world, His love never fails. I am sure that though the psalmists faced death all day long, they knew that God would indeed redeem them because of His unfailing love.
Maybe you might have some unanswered prayers today that God has not given you the desires of your heart, but would you trust that God would answer it in His own time, in His own pace. For God’s love never fails and He wants to bless you with only the best.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
PSALM Secret Prayer Made Before You...
‘Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.’ Psalm 43:5Psalm 43 is a short psalm and as mentioned in my previous post, it is a continuation of psalm 42. I held a prayer meeting in my school today and felt compelled to read today’s psalm as a cell. It may have been a little last minute holding such a prayer meeting without preparing a prayer list; however I knew that if there is one thing I wanted them to do, it would be to search deep down their soul and check the condition of their hearts.
What is more important in their lives? The troubles they are facing or the delight in the Lord? The desires of their heart or the desires of the Father’s heart? Where does God stand in their lives?
During the prayer meeting, I prayed in my quiet ways that God would indeed touch their hearts, giving them a new delight in the Lord. My desire for them is that they would put their trust in the Lord (whether it’s the posting of their schools as well as the choice of their courses), trusting Him that their future is indeed secured in Him.
For it says in psalms 43:3-4, Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.’ I pray that God will be their lamp that will lead them in the right path, for He is the way, the truth and the life. Let their hope, joy and delight be in the Lord.
I will say to my soul as of today, ‘Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.’ For He is the Lord of my life and the Shepherd that guides me in the light of His truth and my lips will praise Him for His goodness.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Monday, February 11, 2008
PSALM Souls Will Be Set Free ...
Psalm 42, the first psalm in book II of the book of Psalms. I have finally caught up with the devotions on psalms.I thought that this psalm was pretty interesting as it gave an idea of doing some soul searching. Not only that, it is interesting to know that psalms 42 and 43 constitutes one psalm. I shall look into psalm 43 tomorrow. Let’s look at psalms 42.
It can be seen that there is a repetition in v5 and v 11:
‘Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.
This repetition really prompts you to do some soul searching and check whether that you are putting your hope in God, whether you will continue to praise Him despite the times where your soul just feels so downcast.
We can see in v 1-2 that the psalmist’s desire was to meet God. For he says, ‘As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?’
Great was the desire of the psalmist for he was eager to meet God. I was reminded of one of the verses of psalms that I have previously memorised.
‘God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You.’ Psalms 63:1-3(NASB)
We will praise Him because His lovingkindness is better than life. How many of us are actually eager to meet God? Some may say that they are too ashamed to even see God, let alone meet Him. But know that Jesus says come as you are, for the Father is eager to meet His children and he will forgive those who truly choose to repent.
I am not ashamed of the gospel and my lips would praise Him for His power and His love has saved my soul. My soul indeed thirsts for Him, just like a deer that pants for streams of water. He is a necessity in my life and He will always be here in my life.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
PSALMone Who Regards For The Weak...
‘Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.’ Ps 41:1-2In psalm 41, we see that the Lord blesses someone who has regard for the weak. I thought that the blessing for psalm 41 can be summed up in verse 12, ‘In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.’
The one who has regard for the weak can be sure that God’s presence is forever with him. The Lord is indeed pleased with someone who has regard for the weak. He will watch over those with a heart for the poor, the needy and the weak. He assures them that He will be with them to the end of the ages.
Great is the love of God and he honours those who aligns their heart with His. For God is an everlasting God, the God of ages.
I pray that God would indeed give us a heart that goes out for the weak, for the world is getting colder each day. If we aren’t concern with the weak, who would?
God’s heart goes out to the weak and if you ask Him for the things He delights in, He will surely answer you. Do you delight in God? If you do, then you would do things which please the Father’s heart.
Would you ask God for a new heart today?
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
PSALM Will Ask For A Pure Heart...
Psalm 40 shows a rather positive and polite tone in the psalmist compared to some of the previous psalms like psalm 39. Through out psalms 40, it can be seen that the psalmist is praising the Lord of His goodness, acknowledging that God is his help and deliverer.He is not shy in proclaiming of the Lord’s greatness and he tries to show the Lord’s unfailing love and how His love has helped him through the storms in each and every. A few questions struck me as I was reading psalm 40…can we be like the psalmist? Can we praise God in anything that we do? Can we praise God when we are in an unfavorable situation too? The answer is definitely yes but we have to put in our effort.
We have to acknowledge the fact that by our own human nature, we will tend to complain whenever things don’t go according to our way. That is why we have to die to ourselves and be more alive in Christ and that takes effort. By effort, I mean praying and asking God for a pure heart, to be right before His eyes. I believe that when we truly seek the Lord, we will delight in Him and praising Him will be something natural for us all.
Humble yourself today and ask God for a pure heart today…
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Each Man’s Life Is But PSALM Breath...
Each man’s life is but a breath. Psalm 39 somewhat shows the idea of the psalmist wrestling with God. In a way, they try to make sense out of their suffering, however when they ask God for help, they receive none. This shows that there may be times where God will allow us to experience struggles. Know that He allows this because He wants to discipline us to rely on Him, to seek Him earnestly.Psalm 39 also gives the repeated idea that each man’s life is but a breath as seen in v5 and v11. It just goes to show that we are nothing without God. As said from v4-6, ‘Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.’
God’s grace goes beyond what men can ever possibly think. It’s purely grace that we are even called to be heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. There may be times where you may complain to God about the sufferings you are going through. But think about it, God allows things to happen because He wants you to learn something out of it.
So psalm 39 really shows that wrestling with God has value even when you fail to find answers. Be patient and God will indeed hear your cry and answer your prayer.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
The Purpose Of PSALM Testings..
‘O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Saviour.’ A psalm of David. A petition.I felt that this psalm really showed the lowest point of David’s life. V17-18 stood out for me. It mentions that David was on the verge of falling and that his pain is ever with him. I felt that the cause of his pain was because he was still troubled by his sin.
As I reflect on what I could learn from psalm 38, 2 things came to my mind.
1) Am I still troubled by my sins?
Am I still clinging on to pass hurts or holding any thoughts of anguish in my heart. For God is able to judge the intentions and thoughts of our heart.
2) Do I trust God?
Do I really trust in God? I realize that the reason why God put me in this unfavourable position was because He wanted to see whether I would trust Him in delivering me out of this situation.
Numerous are his enemies who hated him without reason, he has become a man who does not hear, whose mouth does can offer no reply. I have this sudden thought that I could relate to how David was feeling. I can never talk as freely as I could in class, I can never hear ‘happy’ things but only slanders. In fact, I was reminded of the situation I faced back when I was secondary 3. I was in the top class and everything, but did I felt happy? The class was cold towards me at the point of time and even some of the teachers did not have a good impression of me. So what did I do? I did in what was probably the dumbest decision I ever made, I gave up. I decided to retain for a year, hoping for the better. And things did get better, I was top of the class and I was in a class where I got the respect that my heart desired. I even did well in my O levels. Little did I realize that God made such things to happen, each decision that I made was already predetermined by God.
As I was reminded of this past experience, I had a new revelation of what God was trying to teach me. He was putting me in a similar yet tougher situation because He wanted to remind me that He was always there for me. He was testing me to see whether I would trust Him for the miracle to happen.
Thank you God for this reminder and test that You have given me. I am reminded not to take You for granted and I will continue to trust in You for the miracles in my life. Make our lives many miracles…
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Life May Be PSALMwhat Unfair, BUT God isn’t!!!
Is life unfair? Well Psalms 37 gives us a basic answer: the success of the wicked will not last, while the long run people who do right will flourish. Psalms 37 is somewhat an encouragement for us to continue to trust in the Lord that He will be the one who will bring you through the storms, through the seasons.For it says in v3-4, ‘Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.’
It goes on to say in v5-6, ‘Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Trust in the Lord and He will indeed prosper you, however the blessings can only come if you be still before Him and wait patiently for Him. Do what is right in the Lord’s eyes in all the things you do and you can be certain that the Lord will uphold you with His hand. For the Lord loves the just and does not forsake his faithful ones.
I was encouraged by what the psalmist said in v25-26. Throughout the psalmist life, of troubles and anxieties, he has yet to see the righteous abandoned by God and unable to provide the needs of their children. In fact, they are generous and they lend freely and because of their act of generosity, their children will be blessed.
Life may be unfair at times, BUT God isn’t. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. I hope you will make this your prayer today.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Friday, February 8, 2008
PSALMthing Invisible Yet Beautiful...
How great is our God? How great is His love? Psalm 36 tells us that the Lord’s love is forever unfailing. In Him we find refuge, in Him we find life. His love reaches to the heavens, His faithfulness reaches to the skies, and His righteousness is like the mighty mountains, His justice like the great deep. The Lord preserves His creation and He gives them drink from His river of delights. For with Him is the fountain of life and we find life in Him.
In v9, it says that in His light we see light. What does David mean when he says ‘we see light’? By nature itself, light is invisible yet everything is invisible till light strikes it. We need light to see and so it is with God. Though we can’t see Him, but in His light we see and understand His love in all that surrounds us. Look at God’s beautiful creation all around you. Each explicit detail was already decided before everything began. Indeed God is a great artist with a great sense of creativity. Under his loving influence, we come to appreciate the things around us.
Not so the wicked. We see in v1-4 that God’s generosity stands in complete contrast to the vain plotting of the wicked. They have no fear of God in their eyes. They flatter themselves and find neither fault nor sin in them. Their words are wicked and deceitful and it is said that they have ceased to be wise or to do good. They even commit sinful course on their beds and do not reject what is wrong. They do not see God’s light at all, His goodness and unfailing love has been veiled by their sinful acts.
Great is our God. Great is His love. There may be times where you may feel that you nobody loves you. Know that it is just a deception from the evil one, for God will always be there for you. To stand by you, to shower you with His unfailing love. Rejoice for the God’s love reaches to the heavens.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Psalm ExPSALMples to follow...
Why are the psalms so unique? Well it was written at a time where David was running away from Saul and David was possibly experiencing the lowest point in his life. Pastor Eugene preached on psalm 34 last Sunday and I thought he preached it pretty clear and simple. I like the way he makes his sermon simple and straightforward, it’s fairly easy to understand. Anyways, he gave us some characteristics of a man whose heart is after God. Without a further ado, let me present you the points:A R E A L man of God…
1. R EFLECTS the presence of God.
Psalm 34:5 ‘Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.’
Do you look to Him? Do you have the desire to draw close to Him?
Psalm 34:1 ‘I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.’
Do you praise the Lord at all time? Do you have the desire to live a lifestyle of praising God?
Psalm 34:2 ‘My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.’
David boasts of the Lord even in times of affliction. How big is your God? How great is your God? Will you boast of the Lord even in times of affliction?
These are some points which will reflect whether you have the presence of God.
Would you come closer to God?
2. E XPERIENCES the provision of God.
Psalm 34:6-7 ‘This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.’
David was referring to himself. He calls to the LORD in times of trouble and the Lord hears him. Do you call to the Lord in times of trouble? Do you trust that the Lord will answer you?
Psalm 34:8 ‘Taste and see that the LORD is good’
Taste is really taking your time and think through what God has done is your life.
Do you have a story to tell of the goodness of God? Do you take God at His word?
Psalm 34:9 ‘Fear the LORD’
What happens when the fear of the Lord comes to you? There are two things that can happen:
a. You will trust in God
b. You will be obedient to His word
Would you come and taste of His goodness?
3. A DVANCES the purposes of God
Psalm 34:11 ‘Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.’
The fear of the Lord can be learnt, it can come upon you. But how do we learn it? The answer is found in Psalm 34:13-14.
i) Keep your tongue from evil ii) Your lips from speaking lies
iii) Turn from evil
iv) Do good
v) Seek peace
vi) Pursue it
God wants to engage the next generation with compassion and love. God wants to empower the next generation for transformation.
As said by Peter Tsukahira, “For transformation to occur, we must first impact the Root of Culture.” For the Root of Culture today is found in the next generation.
Would you come and listen to Him?
4. L IVES-OUT the promises of God
Psalm 34:19 ‘A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all’
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, BUT the Lord delivers him from them all.
Psalm 34:22 ‘The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.’
We are encouraged to live in the promises of God. When God gives us a promise, He is giving us a picture which we may be part of. So would you come and rest in the Lord?
So what does the real man whose heart is after God do? He:
- Comes closer to God
- Comes and taste His goodness
- Comes listen to His word
- Comes and rest in the Lord.
Would you be a REAL man of God today? I know I do…
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
PSALM May Sing, PSALM May Play And All Will Shout For Joy!
Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy’ Psalm 33:3Psalm 33:3, one of my favorite verses in the bible. Talks about singing a new song to the Lord, playing an instrument skillfully and shouting for joy for the Lord deserves all our praise and worship.
It is also a very personal verse for me as it was the verse that spurred me to be a Levite for God and to offer my worship to the Lord at a whole new level. I remembered making a promise to myself about a year ago that if there is one thing that I would like to do with my guitar skills, it would be to make the best music that I could produce to God.
God deserves all our praises…It is a joy to worship the Lord. I remembered feeling really sick during one of the days for choir rehearsal. Instead of deciding to stay at home and rest, I chose to come and serve the Lord, and bear in mind that I actually had an oral assessment on marketing the next day. So why did I made the decision to come for the rehearsal then? I believed that when I worship the Lord, He will restore my soul. So I came as I am, sick and all… and truly, God is a faithful God. Not only was I feeling better by the end of the night, I also got the assurance from God that He honors those who draw close to Him. Indeed God keeps His promises, as I was not only completely healed the next day, but I was also told by my tutor that I have done well for the assessment. These are just one of the many testimonies that I can share and I share this because I want you to know that God’s goodness in my life can be in yours too.
‘Sing to him a new song’
Reading the psalms has indeed been a blessing for me. The psalms were indeed songs that were meant to be sung. Though we do not know exactly the tune of it, there is actually no right or wrong way to how you declare the psalms. I believe that Jesus would say to you, just come as you are and sing to him a new song. When I write songs, the lyrics that are written are for my Living God. It is the attitude of saying it is all from God Let a new song arise from your lips…
‘Play Skillfully’
Why should we play skillfully? Is it because we want men to adore us or because we want to make the best music for our creator? I know that I desire to improve my guitar skills for I want to give my best to God.
‘Shout for Joy’
Do we shout for joy when we sing praises to God? If we truly delight in Him and want to give our best to Him, we would shout for joy because the King is living among us. When people know God, they come to life with a jubilant song on their lips
Let us lift our voices and sing of his unfailing love today for we put all our hopes and dreams in him.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
PSALM Special Prayer To Make
‘Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.’Remember what psalm 31 mentions about how the Lord preserves the faithful? Well psalms 32 goes on to elaborate on the benefits of faith. For the Lord’s unfailing love surround the man who trust in him and he will rejoice in the Lord and be glad.
So how can we be faithful then? Well we must learn how to be righteous as God will credit righteousness on the basis of faith. In v6, it says ‘therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you’. Not only that, we have to learn how to live a prayerful life too. Now then, what is prayer?
A prayer is:
1) A conversation with God
2) Praise and Worship
3) Confession
4) Petition
5) Asking for forgiveness
6) Spiritual warfare
One thing to note, there are certain conditions for a prayer to be effective. I will highlight 2 conditions:
a) You do not hold anything against anyone else
It says in Matthew 6:14-15, ‘for if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.’
Keep in mind that psalm 32:1 says that ‘blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.’
As seen from Matt6:14-15, it can be said that blessed is he who forgive others for their transgressions.
b) You do not harbour unconfess sin in your heart
For it says in psalm 66:18 that the Lord will not hear those who regard wickedness in their heart. So what should you do then?
Acknowledge your sin and confess your transgressions to the Lord as said in psalm 32:5 and the Lord will forgive you.
The reason why I highlighted this 2 points is because they are essential in leading a prayerful and righteous life. As said in James 5:16, ‘the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much’. Know that by being prayerful and righteous, we can then be faithful and God preserves the faithful.
So help me to live a prayerful and righteous life God, teach me how to be faithful to you.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
PSALM wonderful God Is Our God..
For most of us, reading psalm 31 might seem like a repetition of some of the other psalms we have read. So what do you think God is teaching us here?To remember all the things that the Lord has done for you. To rely on His great love for He has not handed you over to the enemy but have set your feet in a spacious space. It is not the attitude of saying that this is just another psalm, but an attitude of saying that ‘God without You, I will never even be able to stand here today.’
God has been faithful to me for the past few weeks. I was reminded of the situation I was in when I read v11-18 and how God has always been my refuge all this while (V20). God has always been there for me and He wants me to know it.
Know that the God that has always been with me will also be with you. He is always waiting, waiting for you to draw close to Him. For the Lord preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. No matter what kind of situation you are facing today, be strong and take heart, for the Lord will be your hope.
How great is God’s goodness, how great is our God. Today, its just a simple reminder: Would you shine your light today?
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Monday, February 4, 2008
Who Needs PSALM Security? I Know I Do...
Psalm 30 was a psalm that acknowledges the tough times that come as living as God’s child and how we would feel secure when we call upon His name. It is actually a very assuring psalm too.It can be seen from v1-3 that these verses complement with each other.
V1- I will exalt you, O Lord,
For you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
V2 – I called to you for help
And you healed me.
V3 – O Lord, you brought me up from the grave;
You spared me from going down into the pit.
V4 - Sing to the LORD, you saints of his;
Praise his holy name.
These 4 verses alone have showed that the Lord will save us when we call upon His name…Would you sing to the Lord and praise his holy name today?
V5 shows a contrast
For his anger lasts only a moment,
But his favour lasts a lifetime;
Weeping may remain for a night,
But rejoicing comes in the morning.
This verse actually shows a very simple conclusion; Difficulties don’t last, God’s care does.
V6-7 are actually verses that talks about the sense of security we find in God.
V8-10 are verses that help us think why we call upon the Lord.
V11-12 shows the promises of God when we call upon His name.
In all, this psalm really focus on one thing: Be thankful for God is our refuge in times of uncertainty.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
PSALM Lesson I Will Never Forget...
Today, I will be skipping psalm 30 and blog about psalm 35 instead as it has ministered to me in a very personal way.Psalm 35 is a psalm that David wrote and it shows how David calls to the Lord for help in perhaps the time where he felt that he was in his lowest point in life.
In v1-3, David starts the psalm by declaring that the Lord will be his salvation. The Lord will be the shield and buckler, the spear and javelin against his enemies.
In v4-9, David prays to the Lord that he will indeed be saved from the plots of his enemies. He will then rejoice in the Lord and delight in his salvation.
In v10, David exclaims that there is no one like the Lord, for the Lord will rescue His people from the afflictions that they are facing.
In v11-16, David continues to ask the Lord to rescue Him from the chains of troubles that his enemies have been giving him.
In v18, David will thank and praise the Lord in the great assembly for the Lord’s refuge has been sufficient for him.
In v19-25, David ask that the Lord be not silent and let his enemies think that they have been victorious in their schemes.
There is a contrast in v26 and 27. While David says in v26 that those who gloat over his distress and exalt themselves be put to shame and disgrace, David goes on to say in v27 that may those who delight in his vindication shout for joy and gladness and always exalt the Lord.
In v28, David ends the psalm by saying that his tongue will speak of the Lord’s righteousness and of His praises all day long.
Now how does this psalm relate to me then? Well, some may know that I have been going through one of the toughest times I ever faced in my life. My classmates have been cold towards me for the past 5 months or so due to reasons that I myself cannot really clarify. I felt that I was in the same situation that David was facing.
For the past few weeks, I have been praying for the Lord’s protection and strength. It has not been easy for me but I knew that when I look to Him, I will indeed rejoice and be glad for He will indeed rescue me from the afflictions that I was facing with. I will always call upon the name of the Lord just as how David persistently asks the Lord to rescue Him from his troubles.
I have often given thanks to the Lord and praise Him for his provision but not in a bigger setting such as during cluster meetings. I do not really like standing in front of a big crowd of people though as my mind often go blank but I pray that God will indeed give me the courage and strength as well as teach me in this area just as how David would do it.
Even though they may think that they have murdered me, I will continue to trust in the Lord that He will indeed turn this situation around. My heart is not to condemn them of their foolishness but to really bless them and hope that they come to know the Lord. Though there are times that I have not been able to tame my tongue and just lash it all out for someone to listen to my troubles, God has always reminded me that I have to always look to Him for it is only through Him that my troubles are released, my chains are broken.
I ask for the Lord to forgive me for the moments where I had not been able to hold my tongue. My heart desires to serve Him and I pray that God will indeed help me tame my tongue so that I will indeed speak of His righteousness and praises all day long.
Know that in every situation that God puts you in; be sure that God is actually teaching you something valuable. For my case, it would be to look to Him always in times of trouble.
So what is God teaching you today?
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Sunday, February 3, 2008
We Need PSALM Fine Tuning...
Psalm 29 mostly focuses on the voice of the Lord. As seen in psalm 29, v3-9 describes the voice of the Lord.3The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"
Just from these 7 verses, it can be gathered that the Lord’s voice is powerful and majestic. Not only that, the Lord’s voice can be heard everywhere and the effect of the Lord’s voice will indeed be resounded to the ends of the earth. This means that everyone is actually able to hear His voice.
I was reminded of 2 things after reading psalm 29.
1. The Lord will always hear our cry when we call out to Him
2. We may fail to recognize the voice of the Lord.
There maybe times where the Lord’s voice maybe still yet distinct while at other times it can be as loud as thunder. Though the Lord’s voice maybe loud at times, we are actually capable of shutting Him out and dismissing His voice as just another sound that we hear in our lives. We really need to put in the effort to tune in to God’s voice as we are often preoccupied with the distractions of this world. It takes time to recognize the voice of the Lord and we can only train ourselves in hearing His voice by spending time with Him.
I believe that God of psalm 29 is reminding us that the Lord is enthroned as King forever and that He is our source of strength, the God who wants to bless us with peace. I am glad to know that when I tune in to His still voice, the many blessings that the Lord wants to bless me with will indeed overflow like honey.
God has many things to say and many things that he wants to bless you with. So would you settle your heart today to listen to what God has to say to you? Let us be tuned in to the GOD FM today.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
I Need PSALM Special Solution...
‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.’It is 1:45 am in the late hour now; I am feeling slightly groggy from all the activities that I went through today. It has been so evident to me that the Lord has indeed seen me through this period of struggling and that He has lifted me from these distractions. For the Lord has heard my cry and answered my call. I had sociology test today and this test, with a weightage of 30%, would determine whether I will pass or fail this module. Despite only being able to study for around 4 hours the day before the test, I trusted in the Lord that the Lord will indeed be with me and will indeed give me the wisdom and knowledge I needed for this test.
True enough, when I put my trust in the Lord, I will definitely be helped by Him. The questions for the test were rather straight forward with some tricky elements; however, I was pretty sure that I was able to do the paper. This may not be the first time that I had very little time to revise for the test that I was sitting for, but what I wanted to point out is that when you trust in the Lord, you will indeed be helped.
That was not all, I had to oversea the Olympics event which was an event organized by myself and 3 other I/Cs. It was a little messy at the start but it did pretty well despite all the last minute stuff. God was there to assure me that no matter what problems I face, like broken trophies or unorganized schedules, He would provide me with a solution. By the end of the day, though I was all tired and worn out, my heart still leapt for joy because the Lord has been my strength and I will give thanks to him in song. Thanks be to God who is always our solution in times of uncertainty.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions
Friday, February 1, 2008
One Thing That PSALMS Up My Desire...
‘One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.’What is one thing I desire? What is one thing I seek? It’s to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. For the name of the Lord is higher than the heavens, higher than hope, higher than my dreams.
In the days of my troubles, He kept me safe in his dwelling. He did not turn me over to the desires of my foes. Even when false witnesses rise up against me, slandering me with words that are as sharp as a two-edged sword, I am still confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord and I will be strong and wait upon the Lord.
For I know that the word of God is active, living and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the divisions of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrows, and able to judge the thoughts and the intentions of the heart.
His grace has overwhelm my brokenness and if there is one thing my heart desires, is that I may dwell in his house all the days of my life.
Labels: Devotion, PSALM devotions