Daily Bible Devotionals

“Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed.” Psalm 112:1-2 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm, the “Blessed State of the Righteous,” takes no time pointing out the relationship between blessedness and delighting in God’s Word.  We are immediately reminded of the message that began the Book of Psalms.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2 (NKJV)

If we delight in God’s Word, we will seek its counsel every day and allow its instruction to preside over our thoughts and actions throughout the day.  In fact, that was God’s direction when He gave the Commandments to Israel.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

If we have a culture that stresses we know the Bible and teaches it “diligently to our children,” then we better understand Commandment #5.  Commandment #5 presumes that the Israelite parents would live in obedience to God’s Word.

“Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 5:16 (NKJV)

We honor our “father and mother” (those who taught us God’s Word) when we demonstrate that we have received their values by delighting in the Bible, as well.  Our culture of faith is to be passed down to our children throughout the generations, in addition to affecting our present generation of unbelievers for the gospel.

“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:18-27 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 111. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

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“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power; in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. The Lord has sworn and will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’ The Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries. He shall drink of the brook by the wayside; therefore He shall lift up the head.”  Psalm 110:1-7 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is an “Announcement of the Messiah’s Reign,” and it prompts us to ask a few questions.  1) If Messiah is eternal and has existed from eternity past (Micah 5:2; Revelation 13:8), why did He wait so long (after Adam and Eve sinned) before coming to earth and redeeming mankind? 2) If Jesus has conquered sin and death, why is He sitting at the right hand of God, waiting for Him to make Jesus’ enemies His footstool?  The simple answer is that God, in His wisdom, has ordained a timing by which history’s events are to unfold.  And His timing will not be hastened or shortened even one second before or after He has ordained things to take place.  There is no panic in heaven, only planning.  We should praise the Lord for that, because within the window of His timing, we have been given the opportunity to put our faith and trust in Jesus for salvation!

“The Lord is not slow [slack] concerning His promise, as some count slowness [slackness], but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)

The idea of waiting on the Lord is intimately related to our trusting in Him because it communicates that we do not need to see the results of His faithfulness in order to validate our faith in Him.  We simply must trust that if He said it, then it will certainly come to pass.  And that should be enough for us.  It is also why His Word (the Bible) is essential to our faithfulness.  In the Bible, we are reminded over and over about His past faithfulness.  If we are to consistently live by faith, we cannot do so without that daily reminder in His Word.  (Romans 10:17)  Another concept to consider is when God leads with His strength, we are encouraged to volunteer.

“Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the Lord!” Judges 5:1-2 (NKJV)

Finally, we are introduced to the Old Testament idea of Messiah as High Priest, not according to the Levitical Priesthood, but in the order of Melchizedek.  (Genesis 14:18-20; Hebrews 5:7-9) Again, some things in the Bible may seem obscure in the moment, yet they unfold in God’s timing to reveal His wisdom and perfect plan.

“But You, O GOD the Lord, deal with me for Your name’s sake; because Your mercy is good, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust. My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness. I also have become a reproach to them; when they look at me, they shake their heads. Help me, O Lord my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy, that they may know that this is Your hand - that You, Lord, have done it! Let them curse, but You bless; when they arise, let them be ashamed, but let Your servant rejoice. Let my accusers be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle. I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yes, I will praise Him among the multitude. For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those who condemn him.” Psalm 109:21-31 (NKJV)

I suppose we could focus today on the unjust treatment that David received from close friends and whether he was justified to ask God to judge them, even to the point of striking their wives and children and blotting out their names.  But when I read David’s psalm today, it immediately reminded me of the suffering of the “Son of David,” Messiah Jesus.  In Psalm 22, David even prophesied the events surrounding Jesus’ beating and crucifixion, along with His mistreatment and mocking.  There was Jesus, perfect and sinless, yet suffering unto death.  Meanwhile, the patriarchs (no doubt honorable men, yet sinners) were delivered from death’s grip.

“Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!’” Psalm 22:4-8 (NKJV)

David’s desire was not only that he would be delivered but that his enemies would attribute his deliverance to none other than the Lord.  The effect would be that his enemies would acknowledge that David’s faith in the Lord was not in vain.  It was not his life that was on the line, as much as it was his faith.

If we learned anything from Job’s suffering, it is that Faith is not Fact until it is tested.  It is one thing to declare our faith in God but a whole other thing to live it out!  David’s song ends with a declaration of faith in the midst of suffering.  As David was being tested, he was being humbled.  He recognized that his strength and wits were not enough to deliver himself.  Realizing his poverty of saving resources, David cried out to the One Who shows Himself strong despite our weakness.  (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (NKJV)

“O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.  Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples, and I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your mercy is great above the heavens, and Your truth reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and Your glory above all the earth; that Your beloved may be delivered, save with Your right hand, and hear me.”  Psalm 108:1-6 (NKJV)

I have traveled to Israel about a dozen times, and I always consider it a blessing to walk where Jesus walked, to wander the length and breadth of the Promised Land, as Abraham did.  I love to help other people understand the significance of the Biblical events that took place at the various tour stops, and I really enjoy leading people in worship songs that help prepare their hearts to receive the message from God’s Word.  

You may find it hard to believe, but my favorite place in Israel is not Jerusalem.  My favorite place is the Sea of Galilee.  The first time I went to Israel was during a season of great personal struggle and life transition, as I had just left the music business.  I was touring with college students, and we were encouraged by the tour leader to wake up before sunrise and seek the Lord on the banks of the Galilee, where Jesus taught and called several of His disciples (Luke 5).  When I opened my Bible, my chapter for the day was Psalm 57.  I was seeking the Lord as to what I should do with my life: continue in music or pursue a whole other career.  Here is an excerpt from that chapter.

“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise. Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth.”  Psalm 57:7-11 (NKJV)

A year later, I sat at the exact same spot on the shore of the Galilee, praying. As the sun rose, I opened my Bible to that day’s chapter, Psalm 108.  And what was God’s message to me a year later?  The EXACT SAME MESSAGE as a year before!  Random?  Hardly!

But what was God trying to say?  That I should keep pursuing music?  Perhaps, but that is not the purpose of the psalm.  The purpose of the psalm was not to direct David’s career choices but rather to direct his life’s posture.  The fact that he sang is almost arbitrary to the message of his song: God, our only help, can be trusted!

“Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies.” Psalm 108:10-13 (NKJV)

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for a dwelling place. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:1-9 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm begins with an exhortation for the redeemed of Israel, those who had returned from Babylonian and Assyrian exile, to give thanks for the Lord.  Why the redeemed but not ALL of Israel?  Because the redeemed had experienced God’s Word fulfilled (Jeremiah 29:11), so they should have been exceedingly thankful.

“And Jesus answered and said to him (a Pharisee whom Jesus was visiting), ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’  So he said, ‘Teacher, say it.’ ‘There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered and said, ‘I suppose the one whom he forgave more.’ And He said to him, ‘You have rightly judged.’  Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.’” Luke 7:40-47 (NKJV)

Why had the redeemed received God’s promise fulfilled while other Israelites had not?  Because they cried out to the Lord, the Good Shepherd, in their trouble. (v. 6)

“But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.  I and My Father are one.”  John 10:26-30 (NKJV)

The redeemed were those who cried out to the Lord because they hungered and thirsted for Him. (v. 5; 9)

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”  Matthew 5:6 (KNJV)

“Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles, to give thanks to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ Praise the Lord!” Psalm 106:47-48 (NKJV)

In a message akin to Psalm 105, today’s psalm is a call to joy by remembering God’s forgiveness for Israel’s past sins.  Modern New Testament Christians who do not read the Bible (or at least the Old Testament) often have a false assumption that God in the Old Testament was always angry.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  When we read the Old Testament, we learn that God is mostly gracious, kind, forgiving, patient, and longsuffering with His people.  He sends prophets to people who kill them, Israelites killing Israelites who bear God’s Word! He causes signs and wonders in order to capture the attention of His people, who disregard, rationalize, or forget them.  And on and on…

Today’s psalmist, obviously writing shortly after God’s people returned from Babylonian and Assyrian captivity, is praying for complete deliverance of God’s people from among the nations.  How can he be so bold as to expect that God will hear and answer such a presumptuous prayer?  Because the psalmist knows the Bible!  He knows that, just as God is true to His Word concerning rebuke, He is also true to His Word concerning forgiveness that leads to restoration!  That is how our faith grows when we pursue the Bible every day.

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

Regardless of what you are going through or the circumstance that led you to hardship (for not all personal hardship is a result of our personal sin), rest assured that you can trust in the Lord!  Circumstances that Satan uses as a means of temptation, God uses as a means of testing, to invite you to employ fortifying faith.  Where there are trials, there is always a means of faithful escape!

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)

Note that if God’s people act like Gentiles (pagan idolaters), He treats them like Gentiles, literally expelling them to Gentile kingdoms.  But when they choose to return to Him in their hearts, He restores them to their land.  Furthermore, when Gentiles leave their pagan ways and choose to follow the Lord, He “grafts them in” to His covenant people. (See also: Ruth, Naaman, Tamar, Rahab, etc.) Have you chosen to turn from your old ways in order to follow Jesus, Who has chosen to offer forgiveness and salvation to you?  He will never cast you out!  (John 6:37)

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, O seed of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones!”  Psalm 105:1-6 (NKJV)

Do you remember the moment when the switch flipped?  That moment when you stepped across the “line of faith” when you first believed and said, “Jesus is Lord!”  I bet you did not decide to believe out of the blue.  You probably didn’t open the window on a spring day and say, “I’m going to become a Christian today!”  No. Someone shared the gospel with you.  It may have been a friend, a co-worker, a gospel track, a pastor, or some song or movie…but you believe because someone cared enough to present the gospel.  And that is our purpose in life, to know God and make Him known by retelling our great deliverance and how it is consistent with how God has ALWAYS delivered His people throughout history.  That is, we share our testimony through His Word.  How else will people believe on and follow Jesus?

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report?’ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:14-17 (NKJV)

The way the community of believers (the Church) continues throughout the generations has little-to-nothing to do with our ability to remain contemporary or socially relevant.  It has EVERYTHING to do with our willingness to pursue the Bible, live according to it, and share its message with everyone we meet.  That is precisely the point of the psalmist and the apostle Paul, who wrote the New Testament book of Romans.  We do not simply need good communicators.  We need communicators who comprehensively know God’s Word and accurately convey it so that others can also know it.  How else will this faithless generation, the one in which we now live, obtain the faith to endure these present times?  We must place our hope in the Lord, Who brings out His children with gladness!  We must trust our unknown futures to the God, Who can only be known through the Holy Spirit’s illumination of Scripture, as we recall how He has been trustworthy from eternity-past up until now.  He, whose trustworthy Character never changes!

“For He remembered His holy promise, and Abraham His servant. He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness. He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, and they inherited the labor of the nations, that they might observe His statutes and keep His laws. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 105:42-45 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 104. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

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“The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”  Psalm 103:6-14 (NKJV)

The thing that separates the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from all other (false) religions is the reality that He is merciful. Yes, the Koran says that Allah is merciful, but mercy is not a trait we have come to expect from Islam.  The way they treat women and minorities testifies otherwise. When natural disasters occur, the overwhelming compassionate aid comes from the Christian community, which does not discriminate between faiths with respect to humanitarian efforts.  That is because God is merciful.  Because we have received mercy and grace from Him, we extend it to others.

With respect to other Eastern religions (Buddhism, Hinduism), Karma states that you ultimately get what your sin deserves.  Mercy says that you do not get what your sin deserves, to the extent that you should have gotten it!  You see, God created us, and He REMEMBERS that we are dust that He breathed life into.

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.”  Genesis 2:7 (NKJV)

Not only does God know we are incapable of living sinless lives, but He has chosen to redeem us, Himself.  Our salvation was His plan, even before creation.  (Micah 5:2; Revelation 13:8; 1 Peter 1:20)

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah [Christ] died for us.”  Romans 5:8 (NKJV)

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.” Hosea 13:14 (NKJV)

So, if the Lord bestows mercy and redeems, how is it that He can also execute righteousness and justice?  Don’t those concepts contradict each other?  Absolutely not!  Enter: Jesus.  Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and shortcomings. He purchased redemption for us on the cross and rose from the grave!  And He is alive today, offering salvation (grace and mercy) to whoever will turn from their sin, believes He is Lord, and receive it. (John 3:16)

“This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord. For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven the Lord viewed the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, to release those appointed to death, to declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, when the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord. He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days. I said, ‘O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all generations. Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; yes, they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end. The children of Your servants will continue, and their descendants will be established before You.’” Psalm 102:18-28 (NKJV)

The older I get, the less I care about establishing a name for myself.  It is not that I do not want to leave a legacy, but the legacy I want to leave has more to do with preparing the next generation to live for the Lord than with enshrining my accomplishments.  After all, if we can do all things through Messiah, who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13), the emphasis should be less on all the things we do and more on Messiah, who enables the doing!  The writer of Psalm 102 is afflicted and unsure about his personal future.  But at the halfway point of the psalm, we learn his concern has to do with his anxiety over the next generation.  Will he be allowed to live so he can assure the next generation carries on faithfully?  Will the kingdom be lost if he dies? It’s a legitimate concern rooted in Israel’s history.

“When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.” Judges 2:10 (NKJV)

“Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.”  1 Samuel 3:1 (NKJV)

We await the day when all men, everywhere, will seek God’s Word and live by it!

“For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: ‘Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah - not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.’” Hebrews 8:7-11 (NKJV) (see also Jeremiah 31:34)

“I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises. I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; the one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure. My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.  Psalm 101:1-8 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is a promise of faithfulness to the Lord, with David declaring a series of “I wills and I will nots.”  We all desire to be faithful, so we can relate to David here.  We relate to both his desire to set goals for personal righteousness and his inability to maintain a sinless life!  It is one thing to say, “A perverse heart shall depart from me,” but a whole other thing to keep oneself from perversion.  Sin has consequences.  

“So David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.’”  2 Samuel 12:13-14 (NKJV)

We see similar declarations (and failures) in the New Testament.

“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.’ But he said to Him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.’ Then He said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.’” Luke 22:31-34 (NKJV)

So, were the Bible “heroes of the faith” actually hypocrites?  No.  They were humans.  All Christians are recruited from the human race, which means that while we desire to remain sinless, the best we can hope for is to sin less and less. Perhaps, that is why David begins his declaration with this idea, “I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises.”  If God is fully just, He will not allow anything (or anyone) sinful to stand in His presence.  But because God is also merciful and Jesus prays on our behalf while Satan demands justice be served against us, we have something to sing about!  We can commit to following God with our whole selves because we know that, on the occasion we sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  His mercy may bear the sting of rebuke, but it is intended to remind us to never stray into the path of His justice.  After all, that is the job of Messiah on our behalf.  (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:8-9)

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 100:1-5 (NKJV)

Again, the psalmist exhorts the nations (“all you lands”) to serve the Lord.  He does not take a punitive tone, as if to say the Gentiles will get what they deserve when the Lord judges them for their pagan idolatry. Instead, he extends the grace of God to the nations on the condition that they will repent and serve the Lord.  Notice that the “lands” are not called to serve the Lord begrudgingly.  They are to serve Him with gladness.  They are not commanded to shrink back in fear but called to draw near to His presence with singing.  This kind of grace, extended to the Gentiles in Scripture, was lost on the Jewish culture for many generations.  Who knows if they ever embraced it?  It was even a mystery to zealous religious Jews like a young rabbi named Saul, whom we know as the apostle Paul.

“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of (Messiah)  Christ Jesus for you Gentiles - if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of (Messiah) Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in (Messiah) Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.” Ephesians 3:1-7 (NKJV)

A great benefit of being a follower of Jesus is that He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is unavailable to non-believers.  That is why rabbi Saul (Paul) could be well versed in the Biblical text before he was converted, yet unaware of the context to the extent that he believed he was doing God’s will by persecuting Christians!  But once Paul was saved and filled with the Spirit, he finally understood the Word from God’s perspective.  Thus, he reversed his zeal from persecuting Christians to preaching the gospel, even to GENTILES! When we ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of God’s Word, He reveals the deep mysteries of God.

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever, because, ‘All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.’ Now this is the Word which by the gospel was preached to you.” 1 Peter 1:22-25 (NKJV)

“The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; let the earth be moved! The Lord is great in Zion, and He is high above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name - He is holy.” Psalm 99:1-3 (NKJV)

There is only ONE true God, the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Furthermore, since He created the whole world, YHVH (Yahweh) is Lord over all creation.  That means that all men, everywhere, are accountable to Him.  Even those who do not believe in Him must someday answer to Him.  (Acts 17:30)

Today’s psalm begins with the holiness of God, who is high above the peoples and makes the nations tremble.  We should tremble when we first encounter the God of all creation and when we learn that we fall short of His perfect standard.

“For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God….” Romans 3:22b-23 (NKJV)

“For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: there is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.” Romans 3:9b-12 (NKJV)

But we should not tremble forever because, while the bad news (our sinfulness) is very bad, it causes us to appreciate the good news!

“Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” Acts 28:28 (NKJV)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV)

Whether you are Jew or Gentile, or a great religious leader like Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, you are still a sinner in need of God’s grace and mercy.  Nobody is so good that they don’t need salvation.  But even though you may have committed great sins, nobody is so bad that they cannot receive salvation! God’s holiness (in His Word, the Bible) exposes our sin.  But Messiah Jesus has atoned for it on our behalf!

“For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13 (NKJV)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (NKJV)

“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!  For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” Psalm 98:1-3 (NKJV)

My father has excellent credit.  It is one of his most treasured accomplishments.  His credit is so good that (until recent banking regulations) he would borrow money, yet he never filled out a loan application.  It's true!  When I was a boy, my father bought cars with a personal check written for an amount he did not have in his personal account.  In the memo line of the check, he would write the bank manager's name; when the bank received the check, the manager would extend the money to my father’s account on a 90-day note.  Dad could write checks in faith that the bank would loan him the money and the bank would extend the money, knowing he would repay them within 90 days.  And he always did.  Trust is character over time.  When someone (in Dad’s case, both parties) displays character over time, trust is built.  And trust is maintained, proportional to one’s efforts to remain of trustworthy character.

God can be trusted!  His unchanging character is chronicled throughout the Bible.  That is why the Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)  When we read about God’s faithfulness and eternal, unchanging holy character, our faith in Him grows. Spending time in the Bible, we learn to trust Him more and more.  We have faith in God because He is trustworthy.

But what of us?  Are we trustworthy?  We want to have faith in God, and intellectually, we can agree that there is irrefutable evidence in the Bible that He is worthy of our trust.  But then comes the moment of truth: will we place our faith in Him?  Let me encourage you: there is nothing better you can do with your life than to trust an unknown future to the known God!  We say we trust God, and He graciously says, “Prove it!”  He tests our testimony.

FAITH is not FACT until it is tested.  The convincing evidence of “things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1) is that our hopes are realized to the full extent that we understand and trust God’s Word.  Our faith is strengthened, directly proportional to our willingness to hold on to the end, to the point where we experience His completion of the faithful thing He has called and equipped us to accomplish.

Today’s psalm is an encouragement to hold on to the end!  Only then can the OLD song, “Will we make it if we trust the Lord in the thing He has called us to?” be replaced with the NEW hit, “I can do all things through Messiah, Who strengthens me!” (Philippians 4:13)  When we live faithfully, it encourages others to trust the Lord, as well; and that encouragement extends to all the nations!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 97. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.” Psalm 96:1-3 (NKJV)

Perhaps, the most requested song in live music settings is Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.”  Who hasn’t been at a concert and someone (jokingly) yelled out, “Free Bird!”?  It may surprise you that Free Bird wasn’t an instant hit.  A friend of mine attended a Skynyrd concert in 1972 when the band announced they were about to play a song to be released on their upcoming album.  When the 10-minute Free Bird ended, my friend said he and his friends just looked at each other, wondering whether they liked it.  “We came to the show to hear what we already knew,” he shared, “but the next year, when we saw Skynyrd, we got excited when the Free Bird intro started.”  

As a worship leader whose job is always to teach new songs to a congregation, I have observed that people typically do not welcome change.  But new songs do not become classics unless people open their hearts and give them a chance.  Today’s psalm begins with a call for all the nations to hear a new song: The God of Israel is the God of the WHOLE EARTH, and He loves Gentiles!

“For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.” Psalm 96:4-5 (NKJV)

Not only does He love Gentiles, but He alone is worthy of praise!

“Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples, give to the Lord glory and strength. Give to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns; the world also is firmly established, it shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously.’”  Psalm 96:7-10 (NKJV)

Since He is the ONLY God, only He can bestow salvation and judge righteously!

“Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.” Psalm 96:11-13 (NKJV)

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: ‘Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, when your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they saw My work. For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, “It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.” So I swore in My wrath, “they shall not enter My rest.”’” Psalm 95:6-11 (NKJV)

When semi-retired artist manager Shep Gordon married a raw food chef three days before his 60th birthday, he arranged to have his honeymoon on an extremely exclusive resort on a tiny, remote island in Hawaii that usually plays host to just one or two couples. When Gordon’s wife’s laptop computer broke, he called the front desk for assistance.  The hotel clerk said the vacationer on the other side of the island may be able to lend assistance.  When the “repairman” showed up several minutes later, it was Steve Jobs, owner of Apple Computers.  The owner of Apple was kind enough to personally fix his company’s product on his vacation.

Today’s psalm states that God is not a disinterested manufacturer.  Quite the contrary, He is personally involved with us because He loves us, and we bear His brand.  He is both manufacturer and repairman, Creator and Shepherd.  In a world full of so-called “shepherds” (Jeremiah 23:1-3), whose interest in the sheep extends only as far as their supply of wool and mutton, we (the sheep of His hand) delight in the Good Shepherd, and our ears are tuned to hear His voice.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29 (NKJV)

Yes, the God of all creation desires for all men, everywhere (Acts 17:30-31), to repent.  The question is not whether men have the ability to hear the gospel call.  The question is whether men will choose to heed it!

“So I swore in My wrath, ‘they shall not enter My rest.’ Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’” Hebrews 3:11-15 (NKJV)

The call goes out, not only for mankind to believe, but also that men and women who believe will choose to be used of God to win others! “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”  Romans 10:14 (NKJV)

“Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, that You may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked. For the Lord will not cast off His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance. But judgment will return to righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it.” Psalm 94:12-15 (NKJV)

The Hebrew word for “law” is “Torah.”  Interesting word, Torah.  Torah does not translate as “law”; rather, Torah means “teaching.”  For instance, the first five books of the Bible are referred to in Judaism as the Torah. (Although, in a greater sense, all Scripture is Torah.)  While the first five books contain the Mosaic laws, they mostly contain narratives from which we observe and learn how to live through the stories of how God interacts with Creation, the patriarchs, and various other people.  I mention all that because some Christians bristle at the mention of the word “law” for fear of becoming overly legalistic.  It helps to understand the psalmist is not saying we are blessed if we become attorneys.  He is exhorting us that we should seek God’s “teaching” as revealed by His Spirit  (“You…O Lord”).  His message is akin to Psalm 1.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2 (NKJV)

So, the purpose of Psalm 94 is not to bind us with overt legalism but to free us to live joyfully, to give us “rest from the days of adversity.”  Notice how the wicked (those who disregard the Bible) unknowingly have a “pit” dug for them!  It would be convenient to go through life believing that unbelievers always sin while believers never transgress.  But the reality is that sometimes unbelievers live comparatively upright lives, while we believers sin on occasion.  So, what happens when the righteous sin, if our feet “slip,” as it were?

“If I say, ‘My foot slips,’ Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94:18-19 (NKJV)

The idea of mercy (not getting what you would otherwise deserve) is of great comfort to us!  When we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us.  While we may experience rebuke for our sinful actions or thoughts, we can rest assured His rebuke is mitigated because the fullness of our sin was laid upon Jesus!  Hence, our anxiety finds comfort.  God will instruct but not forsake His people (Jew or Gentile) who place their faith and trust in Messiah alone for their salvation.

“I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!” Romans 11:11-12 (NKJV)

“The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, than the mighty waves of the sea. Your testimonies are very sure; holiness adorns Your house, O Lord, forever.”  Psalm 93:1-5 (NKJV)

Throughout the Bible, water is used both as an image of judgment (Noah’s flood and Pharaoh’s army drowning in the Red Sea) and of deliverance (Noah’s ark floating above the waters of Judgment and Israel crossing the Red Sea as on dry ground).  Whenever God’s people are faced with difficult life circumstances that overtake them like a flood, we often wonder if this will be the instance where our sin has caught up with us.  Yes, we all feel guilty because we all sin from time to time.  The mark of a Christian is not their perfection but, rather, their direction. It is not that we are sinless, but as we follow Jesus, we should desire to sin less and less.

It is important in trying times that we do not trade what we KNOW for what we DON’T KNOW.  We don’t know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future.  So, today we have a psalmist who is bolstering his faith during a difficult season by reminding himself what he knows about God: He is on His throne, and we are not alone!  Floods are making a loud noise as they course through your town, headed straight toward your house.  Huh?  Well, what does God’s Word say about His ability to handle rowdy waters?

“They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up.” Zechariah 10:11a (NIV)

“You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.” Psalm 65:5-7 (NIV)

“Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son? Surely you know!” Proverbs 30:4 (NIV)

Yes, Jesus knows a thing or two about controlling the world He created. (John 1)  He can summon water, withhold it, cause it to rage, calm, or even walk on it!  So, the next time your life is swamped, remember God established this world and has established His testimony in you.  Call upon His Name, for He alone has the power to deliver.  The waves are mighty, but he is mightier!

“When the wicked spring up like grass, and when all the workers of iniquity flourish, it is that they may be destroyed forever. But You, Lord, are on high forevermore. For behold, Your enemies, O Lord, For behold, Your enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil. My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies; my ears hear my desire on the wicked who rise up against me. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”  Psalm 92:7-15 (NKJV)

I have been in the music business all of my adult life.  I suppose I will always be in it, to some extent, given the sizeable catalog of published songs I’ve written/co-written.  One thing I have learned in the songwriting business is that it’s nearly impossible to write a blues song while you are in the midst of difficulty.  Blues songs are primarily written in retrospect, after the storm has passed.  Then, when the clouds clear away, you can sort through the rubble from the storm more objectively.  But while everything is flying apart, you’re basically rolled up into a ball, hoping you can make it out alive!  Anyone who goes through a hurricane knows what I am talking about.  But every hurricane has an “eye,” a pause in the destruction.  

That is what the Sabbath is for believers: A pause from an otherwise hectic week so that we can focus on the Lord.  Today’s psalm is titled “A Song For The Sabbath Day,” and the subject matter is a contrast between people who praise the Lord and seek Him in His “courts” (the temple) and those “senseless fools” who do not.  God knew that (in addition to seeking Him every day as we go about our work - Deuteronomy 6:6-7), we need to pause and do nothing but remember Him for an entire day every week, so He commanded us to observe the Sabbath:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11 (NKJV)

Lest we dismiss the Old Testament, consider the New Testament writer of Hebrews.

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NKJV)

So, how well are you doing with obeying God’s command to observe the Sabbath?

“Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. ‘Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.’” Psalm 91:9-16 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm bears the title “Safety In The Presence Of God.”  It contains some of the most comforting words to those of us who have felt the need for God to cover us until one of life’s stormy seasons blew by.  

Verses 4-6 are referred to by Jesus: “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.” Psalm 91:4-6 (NKJV)

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Matthew 23:37 (NKJV)

On the more haunting side, we have today’s passage, Psalm 91:9-16.  It is haunting because Satan tried to twist the context of today’s psalm when he tempted Jesus.  Of course, Jesus (the “Word made flesh” - John 1:14) was not buying the enemy’s theology. Nor should we! If we can meditate on today’s passage, really soak it in, we can understand the more sophisticated nuances of that conversation between the Messiah and the devil.

“Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: “He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,” and, “In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘It has been said, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”’” Luke 4:9-12 (NKJV)

Interesting how Satan omitted the part about treading on the “serpent”… (v:13)

“And I will put enmity between you (the serpent/Satan) and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”  Genesis 3:15 (NKJV)

We must commit ourselves to know the Truth because the enemy commits to lying.  He will never stop striking at our heels, but Jesus crushed His head on the cross!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 90. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, and said: “I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found My servant David; with My holy oil I have anointed him, with whom My hand shall be established; also My arm shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague those who hate him. But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him, and in My name his horn shall be exalted. Also I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’ Also, I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My mercy I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall stand firm with him. His seed also I will make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.” Psalm 89:19-29 (NKJV)

Yesterday, we heard from Heman, the Ezrahite of the Levitical musical family, the Sons of Korah.  Today, we hear from his Ezrahite relative, Ethan.  What seems, on the surface, to be a praise (to the Lord) is actually a contemplation.  Ethan is contemplating the seeming contradiction between God’s promised blessing of King David and the reality of God’s hard rebuke, which is on the verge of destroying both the covenant and the people of Israel.  If David was promised to be the “highest of the kings of the earth” (lit: king of kings), how could his kingdom be in danger and trampled upon by foreign kings?  First of all, the “David” and the “kingdom” God was ultimately referring to was Jesus and His righteousness, the true “King of Kings.”

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called, and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.”  1 Timothy 6:11-16 (NKJV)

Secondly, in the words of baseball legend Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over until it’s over!”  Just because God’s people feel they are on the verge of destruction does not mean they actually are.  God is also not concerned with His Name being temporarily tarnished because His children’s bad behavior demands He discipline them in public.  He knows that He will ultimately be exalted once His work in us is completed.  (Philippians 1:6)  Surely, the disciples felt the same level of “contemplation” when Jesus was crucified.  But the resurrection removed all doubt.  Has the Lord been rebuking you?  Try humbly contemplating His Word concerning both His standard and His love for you before you attack His character for doing what He said He would.  Then, wait for Him to finish doing what He says He will.