Daily Bible Devotionals

“My eye wastes away because of affliction. Lord, I have called daily upon You; I have stretched out my hands to You. Will You work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You?- Selah - Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But to You I have cried out, O Lord, and in the morning my prayer comes before You. Lord, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me; Your terrors have cut me off. They came around me all day long like water; they engulfed me altogether. Loved one and friend You have put far from me, and my acquaintances into darkness.” Psalm 88:9-18 (NKJV)

Years ago, pop singer Elton John sang, “Sad songs say so much.”  We like our movies and our songs to have happy endings.  The puppy always makes it home, the girl gets the guy of her dreams, and the hero saves the day last minute.  But that is not life. Sometimes, we pray, and God does not answer us in the affirmative, even though we are convinced that we are praying according to His will.  In those times when we are in the “Valley of the Shadow of Death,” it is important to remember that God promised to be with us in the midst of trouble, not necessarily that He would rescue us from it. (Psalm 23). Consider Jesus’ prayer for us.

“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” John 17:15 (NKJV)

John the Baptist certainly wondered whether God would hear his prayer for rescue, and he sent messengers to ask Jesus if He was the One or whether John should look for another Messiah.  (Luke 7:19-20) Of course, the New Testament book of Hebrews mentions an entire group of people who were heroes yet were not spared from martyrdom.

“Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented - of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.” Hebrews 11:36-38 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm was written by Heman the Ezrahite, one of the “Sons of Korah,” the Levitical group of musicians/singers/songwriters.  (1 Chronicles 25:1; 1 Chronicles 25:4-6; 1 Chronicles 2:5; 1 Kings 4:31) Heman was a friend of King David, known in Scripture as David’s “seer,” or prophetic advisor.  He was present when the ark of the covenant returned to Jerusalem and was so wise that Solomon’s wisdom was compared to Hemans' in that it exceeded it.  If there was ever a man who could say he earned God’s deliverance, it was Heman, yet he too had to faithfully wait on the Lord, wondering and hoping in His Word, like the rest of us. And that is comforting.

The Glories of the City of God: “His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! – Selah”  Psalm 87:1-3 (NKJV)

There are many beautiful cities in the world, and throughout my time in the touring music business, I have had the privilege of visiting many of them.  I suppose you can rank cities with several measures: Food, Art, Culture, Parks, Transportation, Natural Attractions, Architecture, Cleanliness, etc.  But of all the cities I have visited, Jerusalem is a city without equal.  Perhaps, that is why it is the most disputed and conquered city in history.  While not everything that happens within its walls is God-honoring, Jerusalem is truly the City of God!  

Today’s psalm is extolling Jerusalem and comparing it to other cities.  There is no doubt that the psalmist is picturing (either from a first-hand account or from memory) the Temple, where the people worship the Lord, and He honors their pilgrimage with His presence. Typically, whenever a building project is underway, nobody drives by the construction site and gets excited about the pouring of the concrete foundation.  We like to see girders and walls and roofs.  But without a firm foundation, nothing built, no matter how magnificent the architecture, can stand the test of the elements over time.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV)

Notice how Jerusalem is not simply built on a mountain, as many other cities are also built on mountains.  It is built on a HOLY mountain, a mountain set apart by God.  Similarly, our faith cannot be built on persuasive spiritual words.  It must be built on God’s Word!

“According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 (NKJV)

So, what is our takeaway?  The Lord delights in the city, community, church or life that is built on the foundation of the Word of God thru Jesus (the Word, made flesh).  And He blesses our “gates,” our comings and goings.  Can you declare, as the old hymn, that your hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness?

“Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me; for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am holy; You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You! Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry to You all day long. Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me.” Psalm 86:1-7 (NKJV)

I love the presumptuousness of prayer, the fact that we can know that God hears us and responds according to His wisdom and character.  We can be certain that our prayers are being considered because God has articulated it in His Word!  (1 John 5:14-15; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Jeremiah 29:11-12)  Our hope lies in the fact that our God is the ONLY God, thus completely unlike the false pagan gods.

“Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; nor are there any works like Your works. All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name. For You are great and do wondrous things; You alone are God.” Psalm 86:8-10

Because He, alone, created the world (John 1), Messiah Jesus is the only way of salvation for all mankind.  Because of His loving kindness, God makes room for people of all nations who will turn from their pagan ways in order to follow Him.  And how do we learn to follow God rightly?  His Word!

“Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore. For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” Psalm 86:11-13 (NKJV)

David, who began Psalm 86 by petitioning God to save his life, based on David’s personal holiness, reveals the source of His confidence: God’s holiness, experienced by David in times past, by way of God’s grace and mercy.  It is not that David was holy, as much as God was merciful despite David’s sin.  David was repentant, and he believed in God’s Word by faith.  Therefore, David was confident that God would graciously and mercifully count him as righteous.  At the same time, David knew God would not extend the same favor to David’s unrepentant pursuers.

“O God, the proud have risen against me, and a mob of violent men have sought my life, and have not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and truth. Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your maidservant. Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” Psalm 86:14-17 (NKJV)

“Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. – Selah - You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.” Psalm 85:1-3 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm was written after the return of the exiles in Nehemiah and Ezra’s generation.  Anyone who has suffered rebuke from the Lord and placed on the sideline for a season should take note.  The first section (above) states that God has forgiven His people and resettled them.  But will they settle on just receiving forgiveness?  Do they merely want a clean slate, or do they hunger and thirst for revival?  Restoration of the soul is more important than restoration to the land.

“Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation.” Psalm 85:4-7 (NKJV)

Revival comes AFTER forgiveness and restoration.  And revival always involves reparation to and a renewed focus on God’s Word, the Bible. (Romans 10:17)

“I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.” Psalm 85:8-9 (NKJV)

So, if God is just and true to His Word, in that He will by no means clear the guilty (Numbers 14:18), how can He justify giving Mercy to some people, while Judging others?  He is Just in giving Mercy if those who have sinned will repent and somehow have the penalty for their sins paid for.  Hence, God’s Just requirements will have been satisfied.  In that case, Mercy and the Truth of God’s Word would not be at odds with each other.  Rather, they would be companions!  

“Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the Lord will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway.” Psalm 85:10-13 (NKJV)

“For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”  Romans 3:22b-26 (NKJV)  (Compare Psalm 85:13 with Mark 1:1-3)

“How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young - even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You. - Selah” Psalm 84:1-4 (NKJV)

I recall, sometime around 2005, hearing Matt Redman’s song “Better Is One Day” for the first time.  The recording is so beautiful, and it still ministers to me.  The lyrics to Redman’s song were taken directly from today’s psalm, which is appropriately titled “The Blessedness of Dwelling in the House of God.”  

What if your church was so amazing (and I hope it is) that someone had to drag you away after the services?  What if nobody ran to their cars to beat each other to the restaurant, and security had to politely ask everyone to leave so they could get ready for the next service?  Dr. Adrian Rogers used to tell his congregation at Bellevue Baptist in Memphis, “If you don’t leave, you can’t come back!”

On the other hand, it has been said that familiarity often breeds contempt.  There are many preachers’ kids who have grown up around the ministry, yet they end up resenting the ministry.  The aspects of ministry they often resent are not the righteous components that draw a person to a closer walk with God: prayer, Bible study, godly community, servanthood, and humble evangelism.  When ministry kids grow up to resent ministry, it is always the human aspects of ministry they reject: envy, pride, excess and personal neglect, all in the name of the Lord.  So you don’t judge the modern church culture too harshly; ministry kids in the Bible didn’t always finish well, either.  Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-3); Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 2:12-17) and Samuel’s sons (1 Samuel 8:1-3) are a few Biblical examples of the tragedy that can befall those who grow up around ministry yet fail to focus of the godly aspects in favor focusing on the human failures of ministry leaders.

I have heard it said that Jesus cleans His “fish” after He catches them.  It means that the prerequisite for our becoming Christians is admitting that we are sinners and cannot save ourselves.  The testimony of a Christian is not how we overcame the odds and rose to a level of self-righteousness that God was impressed with, so He drafted us onto His team.  Quite the opposite!  His righteousness is so great, in that while we were sinners, He died for us (Romans 5:8).  What makes God’s presence (in this psalm, literally the temple, God’s “house”) so blessed is that He is there, and He has made a way for us to commune with Him, despite our sin.  The closer we get to Him, the more we love Him and desire to honor Him because we realize more how much He loves us.  Who would ever want to leave that?

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.”  Psalm 84:5 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 83. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.  How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? -  Selah” Psalm 82:1-2 (NKJV)

In Hebrew, the word “El” means “might, strength, power.”  “El” (upper case E) in Scripture refers to God, while “el” (lower case e) refers to a pagan god.  The word “el” also describes humans who God has endowed with might, strength, or power.  While there is more to say on the subject, in simple terms, the word “elohim” is a plural of “el.”  It literally translates as “many gods.”  When speaking of God, “Elohim” states that He is more powerful than all false gods put together.  Referring to humans (the Judges of Old Testament fame, for instance), God calls the religious leaders “elohim.”  This means that those religious and political leaders were a collection of men whom He endowed with might, strength, and power to accomplish His purposes.

The reason I mention this is that today’s psalm is a plea for justice, specifically, that “El” (God) would judge the “elohim” (judges) for judging unjustly!  I know it’s a bit of a tongue twister, but Jesus quotes today’s psalm in John 10.  So, we must understand the context of Psalm 82 if we want to know what Jesus was communicating at the temple on Hanukkah (Feast of Dedication).

“The Jews answered Him, saying, ‘For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Is it not written in your law, “I said, “You are gods”?  If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, “You are blaspheming,” because I said, “I am the Son of God”? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.’ Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.”  John 10:33-39 (NKJV)

By quoting today’s psalm, Jesus was telling those religious leaders (whom had asked Him to tell them plainly if He was the Messiah) that it was their (the elohim, “judges”) job to judge if He was Messiah.  Furthermore, Jesus’ quoting of the psalm was an indictment on their inability to judge whether He was Messiah even though His works so plainly proved His Messianic role.  Context is key.

“Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy.  Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked.  They do not know, nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are unstable.  I said, “You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.  But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” Psalm 82:6-8 (NKJV)

Only Elohim could judge that Jesus was El (Messiah)! (Jn 1:1-2; 14, Luke 20:42-43)

“Arise, O God, judge the earth; for You shall inherit all nations.” Psalm 82:8 (NKJV)

“Sing aloud to God our strength; make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob.  Raise a song and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the lute.  Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast day.  For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the God of Jacob.  This He established in Joseph as a testimony, when He went throughout the land of Egypt, where I heard a language I did not understand.  I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from the baskets.  You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. – Selah”  Psalm 81:1-7 (NKJV)

In Psalm 80, Asaph asked God to restore Israel, the vineyard of His making.  Today’s psalm is a call for Israel to repent.  The imagery Asaph uses is of the Passover seder; the ordered retelling, not only of the Passover, but God’s provision and preservation of Israel as they were in the desert.  He mentions “Meribah,” which, in Hebrew, means “tempted/quarrels/contention” because the people quarreled with Moses & Aaron (and amongst themselves) instead of faithfully following the Lord.  Meribah (aka Massah) is the name given to a place where twice God made water flow from a rock to miraculously provide for His people amid otherwise impossible circumstances.  In the first instance, Moses was commanded to strike the rock with his rod, symbolic of the ways of God.  The idea was that if Israel would surrender themselves to God’s ways, they would find living water in the desert.  And that is the theme of today’s psalm.  Hence, the mention.  

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go on before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel.  Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.’ And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’” Exodus 17:5-7 (NKJV)

In the second instance of the rock at Meribah, Moses was commanded to speak to the rock, symbolic of the power of God’s Word apart from Moses’ direct involvement.  Moses sinned by disobeying God and striking the rock again with his rod.  The effect was that water gushed forth, but God was belittled in the eyes of the Israelites, while Moses’ supposed power was elevated in their eyes.  It communicated that the power of God resided in Moses, exclusively.  In reality, the power resided in Messiah all along.  Messiah followed Israel around the desert.  (1 Corinthians 10:1-7)

“Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.  Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’ This was the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.” Numbers 20:11-13 (NKJV)

“You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it. You prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with its shadow, and the mighty cedars with its boughs. She sent out her boughs to the Sea, and her branches to the River.” Psalm 80:8-11 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is a prayer for Israel’s restoration, but it is not necessarily a prayer of repentance.  In subtle terms, Asaph hints at the fact that Israel is being punished for its national sin of idolatry, but the overall tone is a plea that God would cut short His punishment and that the prayers of the people are falling on deaf ears.  Rest assured that God will not rebuke His people one second too soon or one second too long.  He, and He alone, has the wisdom to know “when and how much.”  Three times, Asaph acknowledges that repentance may be the responsibility of the people, but restoration is solely in God’s court!

“Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!” Psalm 80:3 (NKJV)

Halfway through Psalm 80, we see the familiar imagery of a vineyard.  Asaph likens the Promised Land of Canaan to a vineyard and Israel as the vine.  And it reminds us of the words of Jesus, who likened Himself to the “True Vine.”  (John 15:1-8)

“Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts; look down from heaven and see, and visit this vine and the vineyard which Your right hand has planted, and the branch that You made strong for Yourself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance. Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself. Then we will not turn back from You; revive us, and we will call upon Your name.” Psalm 80:14-18 (NKJV)

“Then He began to speak to them in parables: ‘A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, “They will respect my son.”  But those vinedressers said among themselves, “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.”  So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?”  Mark 12:1-11 (NKJV)

“How long, Lord? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You, and on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, for we have been brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your Name; and deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, for Your name’s sake!” Psalm 79:5-9 (NKJV)

Did you hear the story about the deacon’s wife who saw a church member walk into the cigar store?  Her husband said, “You should tell the pastor!”  “I can’t!” she cried, “I was in the cigar store when she walked in!”  That is how today’s psalm feels, with Asaph asking God to pour out His wrath on the unbelieving nations who have devoured Israel while, in the same breath, asking for deliverance and atonement for Israel’s sin!  It sounds somewhat hypocritical.  The truth is that Israel and Judah were punished for their idolatry, and God used Assyria and Babylon as the instruments of His wrath toward His own people.  While Nebuchadnezzar was not a believer at that time, God still called him His “servant” because, after all, God is Lord of all!

“And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him. So all nations shall serve him and his son and his son’s son, until the time of his land comes; and then many nations and great kings shall make him serve them. And it shall be, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish,” says the Lord, “with the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.” Jeremiah 27:6-8 (NKJV).    

While the Bible says that love is not jealous (1 Corinthians 13:4), the type of jealousy it is describing is not righteous jealousy.  It is more akin to a man who gets jealous whenever he sees another man talking to his wife.  That is an unfounded, accusatory jealousy.  Show me a man who sees his wife in the arms of another man and does not get jealous; that is a man who does not love his wife.  In that sense, he would have a righteous reason for jealousy.  This is the case with God’s jealousy when His people prefer the enemy’s embrace over His steadfast love.  Yes, God must rebuke our sin, yet He makes a way of return for those who are truly repentant.

“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her?  Wouldn’t such a land become totally defiled?  But you!  You have played the prostitute with many partners—can you return to Me?  This is the Lord’s declaration.”  Jeremiah 3:1 (HCSB)

“Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say: ‘Return, unfaithful Israel. This is the Lord’s declaration.  I will not look on you with anger, for I am unfailing in My love.  This is the Lord’s declaration.  I will not be angry forever.  Only acknowledge your guilt—you have rebelled against the Lord your God.’”  Jeremiah 3:12-13a (HCSB)

“Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments; and may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.” Psalm 78:1-8 (NKJV)

The Hebrew word that is translated as “law” in most Bibles is “Torah.”  What is interesting about the word Torah is that it does not translate as “law” in Hebrew.  Torah, in Hebrew means “teaching/instructing.” Typically, Bible scholars call the first five books of the Old Testament the “Torah” (although, in a greater sense, ALL of Scripture is God’s Torah/instruction) because the first five books contain the Mosaic law.  But you and I know those books contain so much more than simply the laws of do’s and don’ts.  There are stories of patriarchs and matriarchs, God-fearers and pagans who hate God.  To simply boil the Old Testament down to a system of rules is to be ignorant of the purpose of God’s instruction.  The apostle Paul understood the great value of the Old Testament “Torah” to believers in the New Testament church.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV)

When we replace the word “law” with “instruction/teaching,” today’s psalm takes on a different context for us.  Asaph is reminding his hearers that the prosperity of God’s people depends upon them knowing God’s “teaching/instruction” and imparting that to the next generation.  In fact, on the day the Torah was given, it came with instructions for how God’s people should pursue His Word day-to-day.

“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)

When we remember God’s faithfulness, as articulated in His Word (the Bible), we are more inclined to faithfully trust Him in our generation. When we are warned of the consequences of unfaithfulness in the Bible, we learn to stay away from those same sinful scenarios.  Likewise, our children learn His Torah as they watch our faithful example: faith, building upon faith, from generation to generation.

“And I said, ‘This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.’ I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God? You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples. You have with Your arm redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. – Selah”  Psalm 77:10-15 (NKJV)

Psalm 77 begins with anguish, a desperate cry from an overwhelmed spirit.  Trouble, self-searching, and questions about the uncertainty of God’s deliverance rule the first half of the psalm.  It reminds me of prayers I have sent up in guarded hope that help was on the way—equal parts trust and uncertainty.  

“Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?” Psalm 77:7-9 (NKJV)

But, all of a sudden, the mood changes from hopelessness to faithfulness.  What happened to leverage such a turnaround?  Remembrance!  Asaph remembered God’s past faithfulness, His mighty works from His Word.

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

Our faith comes from remembering God’s faithfulness, as articulated in the Bible.  That remembrance encourages us to trust His Word regarding His faithfulness for our future!  As we meditate on God’s Word, we are more inclined to talk about His faithfulness to encourage others who are struggling.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…” 1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV)

“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)

When we seek God’s Word, apply it to our lives, and teach it to others, the next generation will be more inclined to follow God.  Perhaps the most impactful history of God’s faithfulness that someone needs experience is how He transformed you!

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Ezra 7:10 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 76. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near: ‘When I choose the proper time, I will judge uprightly. The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved; I set up its pillars firmly.’ – Selah”  Psalm 75:1-3 (NKJV)

Every major league baseball player is capable of hitting a home run, but very few do with predictable regularity.  In actuality, major league players strike out 20-30% of the time.  Can you imagine any other industry where an employee fails at ¼ of their project attempts and remains employed, much less earns a multi-million dollar salary? So, if all major league players are capable of home runs, what is the difference between a strike-out, a base hit, and a homer?  TIMING....split-second timing.  

God always has perfect timing.  He only hits home runs.  But so often, we feel like He is striking out when it comes to our lives.  Somehow, we accuse Him of swinging and missing because we are not receiving the deliverance we hope for within the expected time frame.  Other times, we know He has home run power, yet it feels like He lets the perfect pitches fly past into the catcher’s mitt.  Asaph, in today’s psalm, is telling us that God’s timing is perfect.  He chooses the perfect time to judge.  And He chooses the perfect time to deliver.  The apostle Peter gives us some insight into why God does not swing at every prayer request we throw across His home plate.

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

There is another familiar image we find in today’s passage: a cup.

“For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is fully mixed, and He pours it out; surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down. But I will declare forever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. ‘All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.’” Psalm 75:6-10 (NKJV)

When we read of this cup, we should be reminded of two cups in the New Testament, both referred to in the same chapter of Matthew.  The first cup is found in Matthew 26:27-29, the "Cup of Redemption" in the Passover meal, which represents God’s deliverance.  Jesus redeemed us with His blood.  The second cup is the "Cup of Wrath," akin to today’s psalm: God’s redemption follows retribution.

“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’” Matthew 26:39  (NKJV)

“Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations. The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary. Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place; they set up their banners for signs. They seem like men who lift up axes among the thick trees. And now they break down its carved work, all at once, with axes and hammers. They have set fire to Your sanctuary; they have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground. They said in their hearts, ‘Let us destroy them altogether.’ They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land. We do not see our signs; There is no longer any prophet; nor is there any among us who knows how long. O God, how long will the adversary reproach? Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever? Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?” Psalm 74:3-11a (NKJV)

Today’s psalm, a song of Asaph, is titled “A Plea For Relief From Oppression.”  There are several fellows named “Asaph” in the Bible, and it is possible that the title “Asaph” simply refers to an order of temple musicians established by Asaph.  

While it is considered a plea, Psalm 74 stops short of being a full-on indictment of God’s character.  Multiple times, the psalmist asks God, “Why?” and pleads with God to remember to act as if God is slow or somehow unaware of the happenings in Jerusalem.  And what is happening in Jerusalem?  The temple had been defiled and burned to the ground, along with all of the synagogues.  Whether Asaph is writing prophetically or from a first-hand account is unclear.  But we know this event did happen when the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s day.

“And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around.” 2 King 25:8-10 (NKJV)

Asaph wrongly charged that there were no prophets, but they had Jeremiah. Sadly, nobody wanted to hear him.  The temple was destroyed because the people rejected God’s Word in favor of idolatry.  Still, God extended grace and mercy in captivity.  

“For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NKJV) (see also: Jeremiah 25:11)

“Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches. Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I had said, ‘I will speak thus,’ behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children. When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me—until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.” Psalm 73:12-17 (NKJV)

When I lived in Southern California, my wife and I used to frequent a shopping area in Newport Beach called "Fashion Island."  Just driving into the parking lot of this high-end mall was an event.  Ferraris, Lamborghinis, McLarens, Rolls Royce, and Bentleys were as commonplace as Toyotas and Chevys in the average American shopping center.  I admit it would have been easy to absorb myself into a culture like that.  And since we’re being honest, we all struggle with “affluenza” (chronic affluence attraction)!  My wife and I would ask each other, “Who makes that kind of money…and why can’t we do THAT for a living?”  

The problem is that we do not exist in order to fulfill our fleshly longings continually.  We exist in order to know God and make Him known.  Yes, we live pedestrian lives; we work jobs and raise families alongside everyone else in our culture.  But we Christians are called primarily to advance the Kingdom of God within the context of our respective cultures.  Ask yourself, are you influencing your culture, or is your culture influencing you?  If you feel the burden of “keeping up with the Joneses,” you are not alone.  Asaph, the author of Psalm 73, felt the same pressure.  And it almost did him in.  It was not until he separated himself from the culture of affluence and indulgence and visited the Lord in His temple that Asaph re-awakened to his purpose in life: Seek to know God and work to ensure his generation and the next, would seek the Lord, as well.   That is our purpose in life!

“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)

“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)

“For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works.” Psalm 73:27-28 (NKJV)

“His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen. The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.”  Psalm 72:17-20 (NKJV)

Psalm 72 ends somewhat with an esoteric statement: “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.”  It begs us to inquire as to the prayers of David.  Of course, throughout the psalms, David offered up many prayers.  The prayers that Solomon is referring to in psalm 72 concern David’s son, or rather, his “Son.”  

“Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, You have said to me, ‘I will make your family great.’ So I, your servant, am brave enough to pray to you. Lord God, you are God, and your words are true. And you have promised these good things to me, your servant. Please, bless my family. Let it continue before you always. Lord God, you have said so. With your blessing let my family always be blessed.” 2 Samuel 7:27-29 (NCV)

Solomon is making it abundantly clear that David’s prayer is only answered in Messiah and not in Solomon or any other fleshly heir.  Solomon was wise but not that wise.  Solomon’s kingdom had glory, but it could not shine to the extent that there was no need for sun and moon.  Nor would it have the degree of influence that all the nations would worship God because of it.

“But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).  And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.” Revelation 21:22-26 (NKJV)

Not only does Messiah Jesus (the “Son of David”) command the respect of the earth’s kings, but He also rescues and cares for those disregarded by society.

“He will help the poor when they cry out and will save the needy when no one else will help. He will be kind to the weak and poor, and he will save their lives. He will save them from cruel people who try to hurt them, because their lives are precious to him.” Psalm 72:12-14 (NCV)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:3-9 (NKJV)

“O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray headed, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come. Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You? You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, shall revive me again, and bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.”  Psalm 71:17-21 (NKJV)

We cannot read today’s psalm without remembering the words of Caleb, who, along with Joshua, was one of only two men from his generation (those who left Egypt during the exodus) who were allowed to cross over the Jordan River and take possession of the Promised Land. You can’t have the “promised” land if you don’t believe the promise!  Because of unbelief among the Israelites of their generation, Caleb and Joshua had to wait 45 years before they could fight for the land they were promised by God to inherit.

“Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: ‘You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, “Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.” And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old.  As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.  Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.’” Joshua 14:6-12 (NKJV)

Did Caleb possess super-human strength? Absolutely not! Like David in today’s psalm, Caleb was not trusting in his own physical strength.  Rather, Caleb’s testimony is that his strength came from God’s promise and power, even at 85 years old.  When our trust is in the Lord, we do not rely in our youthfulness, nor are we crippled by old age.  The LORD is our strength!

“In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress. Psalm 71:1-3 (NKJV)

“Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Make haste to help me, O Lord! Let them be ashamed and confounded who seek my life; let them be turned back and confused who desire my hurt. Let them be turned back because of their shame, who say, ‘Aha, aha!’ Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation say continually, ‘Let God be magnified!’ But I am poor and needy; make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay.” Psalm 70

Over the past few days (Psalms 66-68), we learned that God, even in the Old Testament, has never rejected people of any nationality who earnestly seek Him.  God’s grace is colorblind.  That being said, those who reject the Lord, even for so-called “friendly” reasons, are considered His enemies until they repent.

“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity (warfare) with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4

So, all human conflict is, in essence, a spiritual struggle between worldliness and godliness.  We struggle within ourselves over obedience to the Lord and following our fleshly desires.  We struggle with other believers who are themselves struggling within. And we struggle with non-believers who are governed completely by their flesh with no acknowledgment to the Lord.  Through it all, we believers must continue to seek the Lord, knowing He alone has the power to save us. Sometimes God defeats worldly-influenced enemies who are attacking us, and other times He defeats the worldliness within those people so that they become believers.  Once non-believers follow the Lord, they cease to be enemies and become brothers and sisters in Messiah.  Consider the story of Naaman, the Syrian military leader who was healed of his leprosy when he obeyed God’s Word through Elisha.

“And he (Naaman) returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, ‘Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.’ But Elisha said, ‘As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.’ And Naaman urged Elisha to take it, but he refused. So Naaman said, ‘Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.’ Then he (Elisha) said to him (Naaman), “Go in peace.” So he (Naaman) departed from Elisha a short distance.” 2 Kings 5:15-19

When you pray for deliverance from worldly enemies who may literally seek you harm, remember to pray that God not simply destroy them but that He defeats the worldliness within them, as He has done in you.  Lose an enemy, gain a brother!

**All verses are NKJV

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 69. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those also who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name YAH, and rejoice before Him. A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.”  Psalm 68:1-6 (NKJV)

While Psalms 66 and 67 articulated God’s desire for the nations to worship Him, we are reminded in Psalm 68 that many people will reject God. Not everyone will choose to follow Him, even though He chooses to extend His grace and mercy to them.  Salvation comes only to those who would repent, believe in Him and receive His grace and mercy.  The rebellious should fear His presence, but the righteous will be glad at His return!  We serve a God Who resides on high, yet he defends the fatherless and widows.  Consider Jesus’ words:

“If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” James 1:26-27 (NKJV)

You may have chosen to follow the Lord at the protest of your family.  Fear not, because God sets those who are “solitary” for His sake into “families.”

“Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?’  So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.’” Matthew 19:27-29 (NKJV)

Again, while judgment awaits those who reject the Lord, Jew or Gentile, the Bible is very clear that even those from among the most wicked of nations will receive forgiveness if they turn from their idolatry and choose to follow Him!

“Envoys will come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; oh, sing praises to the Lord, - Selah - to Him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old! Indeed, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice. Ascribe strength to God; His excellence is over Israel, and His strength is in the clouds. O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!” Psalm 68:31-35 (NKJV)

“God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, - Selah - that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth. - Selah  Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.” Psalm 67:1-7 (NKJV)

As was the case with yesterday’s psalm (Psalm 66), today we get another glimpse into God’s desire for all men everywhere to follow Him.  David begins the psalm by referencing the Aaronic blessing, which God gave through Moses in order to bless the children of Israel.

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, “This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.’”  Numbers 6:22-27 (NKJV)

In Psalm 67, David is communicating that God wants to bless the people of Israel so that the other nations would see God’s desire for His people and observe the blessed results of faithfully following God.  Of course, simply saying a prayer over unwilling people does not make them followers of God.  Every Israelite had to personally choose to follow or reject the Lord.  Furthermore, it is a sin to receive the blessing and benefits of God (claiming to follow Him and be called by His Name) yet never commit oneself to be “His people.”

“You shall not take (receive) the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” Exodus 20:7 (NKJV)

The purpose of the “chosen people” is so the nations would see God’s loving interaction with Israel, contrast their experience with evil idolatry, and choose God.

“But Ruth said: ‘Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.’” Ruth 1:16 (NKJV)

“Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants—everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant—even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him others besides those who are gathered to him.” Isaiah 56:6-8 (NKJV)

“Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved. For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment.” Psalm 66:8-12 (NKJV).

Today’s psalm carries the heading, “Praise to God For His Awesome Works.”  We would naturally be inclined to assume the audience was Israel.  After all, the psalm praises the awesome works of the God of Israel.  While Israel is an intended recipient, the psalm is also written to the nations, the “peoples.”  The intent of its message is for the nations to observe how God deals with Israel (and how Israel responds to God) and for the nations to respond by praising the Lord.  You see, the God of the Old Testament was not against foreigners.  He was against foreign gods!  God’s reason for raising up a people unto Himself was not so He could isolate the nations but so He could gather the nations.  Israel was to be a nation of priests, each pointing the way to the one true God.

“And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” Exodus 19:3-6 (NKJV)

This Israelite “priesthood” is not speaking solely of the Levites, although they acted as priests within the “nation of priests.”  Rather, every Israelite was to represent the Lord in such a way as to convince foreigners to leave their idols and worship the one true God alone.  It is also the primary calling of every believer in Jesus.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)

“To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5b-6 (NKJV)

As God tests and refines His people, the world is intently watching.  God makes priests out of ordinary sinners…you and me.  Does your response to His refining testify to His extraordinary ability to transform a person?  (Romans 12:2)

“By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of the far-off seas; Who established the mountains by His strength, being clothed with power; You who still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples. They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs; You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice.”  Psalm 65:5-8 (NKJV)

Could we ever fathom the awesomeness of God?  I have been blessed to have traveled to all 50 of the United States, as well as to many wonderful places overseas.  I have sailed on the Sea of Galilee, surfed South African waves with whales slapping their tails in the distance, feasted on fresh lobster cooked on the pier where the lobstermen empty their boats in Bangor, Maine, thrown open the drapes at the Prince of Wales Hotel and been in awe of the Canadian glaciers…and the list goes on.  But all those experiences together do not come close to trying to fathom the beauty of the One who made it all!  He made the world, and He controls it at His will.  

Who could stand face-to-face in God’s presence? I am still blown away by the fact that He desires to commune with us.  Can you imagine what it must have felt like to be one of Jesus’ disciples who traveled with Him during His earthly ministry?  What was it like when the lights began to flicker on in their minds when their idea of Jesus started to transition from “really good rabbi” to “LORD of all”?  Surely, today’s psalm must have echoed in the minds of Jesus’ disciples the night that a sleeping Messiah was woken during a raging storm, only to see that storm be rebuked and calmed with a word.

“But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’” Matthew 8:26-27 (NKJV)

We serve a Savior Who, in a moment’s time, can cause raging storms to become still silence!  It is one thing to put the Scribes and Pharisees in their place with a profound Bible argument.  But to control the weather?  Manipulate the waters?  That was a move only reserved in Scripture for guys with names like Moses, Joshua, Elijah, and Elisha.  However, none of them on their own could control the elements so effortlessly.  No, the passenger in the disciples’ boat was none other than God, Himself.  It was God made flesh.  (John 1:1-5; 14)  And He is that same God Who not only saves us but also promises never to leave or forsake us: Emanuel, God with us! (Matthew 1:21-23)

“Who has ascended into heaven or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?” Proverbs 30:4 (NKJV)