Psalm 101-103

Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits–who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

This is one of the verses pastor Timothy shared last night regarding God's ability to divinely heal his children. I was reminded this morning of the promises of God in his word. We talked last night about how God truly needs to humble our hearts. Who are we to be so arrogant as to read God's promises and think that he can't do what he promised? Do we believe God at his word? Or do we pick and choose what we believe?

Many of us mix our own ideas that we've gathered from living in this world to the word of God. Some of these ideas are so convincing. They seem to make sense. Yet, they contradict the word of God. Which will we choose?

Let us choose God this day. These promises of God (all of which are so great that they are unbelievable) are real. He is telling us in this psalm to not forget his promises. Why would he say that if he does not intend on keeping them?

One of his many promises is that he will "crowns (us) with love and compassion, who satisfies (our) desires with good things so that (our) youth is renewed like the eagle's." God is to be our utmost desire in our lives. We can't serve two masters. We can't desire our on desires or the things of the world and desire God at the same time.

But when we desire God and seek after his heart, he will renew our youth. To me, this speaks of his forgiveness. Being youthful and child-like is to be innocent. Uncorrupted by bitterness, anger, and all the reminders of the past baggage we tend to carry around in our hearts. We know that many people are living with so much suffering, because they cannot let go of their past. But when we desire after God's own heart, he can do this miracle in our lives and much much more.

Let's praise God this day and not forget his promises!

Zechariah 1-4

"Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."

As I was reading this verse, I was reminded of Job. To me, he is the one person who had every right to ask God for reasons - why he took away his possessions and children and struck him with such a painful illness.. But God does not owe anyone, even Job, an explanation for anything. God is God and we are his creation. We need to be still and fear him for being a sovereign Lord.

Often I find myself wondering about why things are the way they are in my life. And it's so easy to make God responsible for everything. However, we know that God's ways are perfect and just. We need to truly believe and act upon that promise.

Let us be encouraged today knowing that God is with us. His promise is with us. His love is with us. And his spirit is within us.

Psalm 90-94

The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.

The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea–the LORD on high is mighty.

Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O LORD.

I was reminded and comforted this morning by this psalm. Our God reigns. His throne was established long ago, and he is from all eternity. He IS in control and will be forever.

Thank God that we always end up in a place where we feel weak and out of control, so we may choose to seek him. We will find everything we need in him. Everything!

Zephaniah 1-3

"The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy...The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

How comforting it is to know that God is with us. We tend to forget this simple truth. It is so easy to take our eyes off of Jesus and focus on our circumstances. Yet we've been taught from the word of God again and again that God always saves us from whatever we are going through.

It says God takes delight in us and rejoices over us. How sweet that sounds... We are God's sons and daughters. His love is indescribable. It's beyond our reason and imagination. Let's remember this day that God's presence and love is with us.

Psalm 81-84

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one.

Better is one day in our courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

May our prayer this day be that all our strength come from the Lord our God. So our testimony this day in whatever we go through will be one of going from strength to strength. In our weakness, God is our strength.

Thank God that he puts us in situations that we can't handle on our own or in situations that we'd rather not be in. This way, when we humble ourselves and give up the situation to God and he brings us through these situations, we know that it is all due to his grace.

Let's trust God this day and face the challenges God put in our lives by his strength!

Amos 7-9

"For I will give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, and not a pebble will reach the ground. All the sinners among my people will die by the sword, all those who say, 'Disaster will not overtake or meet us.' In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be ... I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God.

This is a pattern how God deals with the Israelites, his children. He disciplines us but that's not the end. He always promises to restore us. I can think of a lot of people from the bible who went through discipline and restoration - Joseph, Samson, Peter, etc.

I am reminded of the verse that says "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." I am encouraged and thankful that God's discipline is driven by his love. He loves us and accepts as his sons and daughters.

Let's thank God for who he is and what he is doing in our life whether it's a discipline or restoration. And be joyful knowing that his plan for us is good and perfect.