Devotion for Wednesday, November 15, 2017

“You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in Your bottle.  Are they not in Your book?  Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; this I know, that God is for me.”  (Psalm 56:8-9)

The Lord knows the days of our life.  He knows what we need long before we ask.  He allows all the things that happen to occur for His purposes.  Trusting in the Lord is the result of faith and knowing that all things are in His hands is the truth.  Come then to the Lord and be not afraid.

Lord, all around me is the evidence of a world that is not quite right.  Help me, I pray, to see through the fog of this world the truth of Your Word.  Guide me according to Your never-failing principles to walk humbly on the earth knowing that You alone are God of all.  Your book is written and in it is that page onto which You have written me.  Guide me to live as You would have me live.

Lord Jesus, You are the author and finisher of the faith for all of those who come to You.  Lead me to follow and open my ears to speak as You speak that I would be guided by the truth of eternity.  Though all around me is chaos, settle my heart to simply trust in the grace You provide knowing that only in You is there hope and a future.  May I truly follow You all the days of my life.  Amen.




Devotion for Tuesday, November 14, 2017

“They attack, they lurk, they watch my steps, as they have waited to take my life.  Because of wickedness, cast them forth, in anger put down the peoples, O God!”  (Psalm 56:6-7)

All around are those who mean harm.  Yes, there are wicked people in the guise of everyday normal people.  Do not fear and do not fret over them.  Their time is short but the Word of the Lord is forever.  Look to the Lord, be guided by His Spirit and know the truth He revealed once for all.  The peoples will be put down and the Lord lifted up.  Keep your eyes upon the Lord.

Lord, You know the times and events and the ways of people.  Guide me, O Lord, that I would walk in the ways You have established now and forever.  Keep me from the tangles of the wicked ones who plot to lie, cheat, steal and destroy.  Lead me in the way of life that I would go there.  Help me now and always to be one who studies Your Word to see the simplicity and goodness of Your commands.

Lord Jesus, without You it would be impossible, but with You it is possible.  You are the One who makes my salvation possible.  Lead me away from the foolish thinking of this age and into the truth You have revealed for all.  Grow my faith to become action, firmly witnessing Your goodness in the world and guiding my footsteps to be pleasing to the Father.  Amen.




Devotion for Monday, November 13, 2017

“In God, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can mere man do to me?  All day long they distort my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil.”  (Psalm 56:4-5)

Word twisting is nothing new.  It has been done from the beginning.  Pay attention to what the Lord has said, straight up, and praise Him as you have been created to praise.  Do not mind the ones who distort the truth, but live in the truth of the Word which has been revealed and know that God is good and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  Think on God’s goodness.

Lord, all around me are those who seek my acceptance of them and their ways.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way I should go that I would hold fast to Your Word of truth knowing that in You alone is there hope and a future.  Let my lips praise You all the day long and I will forever look only to You as the source of life.  Shield my ears from the false ways of the wicked ones of this world that I may hold fast to Your Word.

Lord Jesus, You have come that I may have life and have it abundantly.  My mind is affected by the twisted words of this world.  Clear my mind to hear the straight truth of Your Word which is from everlasting.  Help me keep things simple and listen to what You have to say.  You are the author and finisher of my faith.  Lead me in the way I should go and I will follow You.  Amen.




Devotion for Sunday, November 12, 2017

“Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled upon me; fighting all day long he oppresses me.  My foes have trampled upon me all day long, for they are many who fight proudly against me.  When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.”  (Psalm 56:1-3)

The noise of this world is constant.  We hear many things, of which many are not good.  So many opinions strike us that we become confused and do not know what to believe.  Clear the way for my mind, O Lord, to see Your goodness and walk in Your ways.  Guide me according to Your goodness to walk in Your ways, and listen to and obey the sweet music of Your Word

Lord, You know what is needed and at just the right time You have come to save those who would turn to You.  Lead me in the way I should go that I would go that way.  Come into my heart and renew it to be a heart after Your own.  In Your goodness, guide me according to Your will to simply trust in Your leading and do what it is that You give me to do.  Help me, Mighty Savior.

“My Lord and my God”,  is what Thomas said of You, Lord Jesus.  Until the final action for this sinner, let me see that bowing to You will help me discern that You have saved all that come to You for grace.  Guide me in the goodness You bring that I would walk in Your ways.  Strip away my pretensions and lift me up according to the Father’s will to walk all the days of my life with You alone.  Amen.




Devotion for Saturday, November 11, 2017

“His speech was smoother than butter, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.  Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.  But You, O God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days.  But I will trust in You.”  (Psalm 55:21-23)

 Cast your burden upon the Lord.  Do you trust the Lord in all things and through all things?  Yes, those in the world speak with smooth lips and they manipulate you to bring you away from trusting the Lord, but do not trust the one whose heart is against the ways of the Lord.  Those who go the way of destruction plot their own doom.  Those who seek the Lord will find His mercy and grace.

 

Lord this is a world filled with wickedness, yet also Your goodness is revealed every day.  In a world filled with persuasive evils, help me to see the simplicity of the goodness You have spoken from the beginning.  Guide me in Your ways, O Lord, that I would walk in them.  Close my ears to the wickedness of the world, but open them to the sweetness of Your mercy and grace.

 

Jesus, my Savior, grace Incarnate, guide me in the way I should go and open my ears to hear Your Word when You speak.  Grant that I may have a discerning heart to know when things are amiss.  Lead me to be gracious to others as You are gracious to me.  Help me understand more fully the Gospel way and live that way all the days of my life.  Lead me, for You alone know what is needed.  Amen.

 




Devotion for Friday, November 10, 2017

“God will hear and answer them – even the one who sits enthroned from of old – with whom there is no change, and who do not fear God.  He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; he has violated his covenant.”  (Psalm 55:19-20)

 

The Lord is unchanging.  There are times where the wicked seem to be free to do their wickedness, but the time comes when, for them, there is no more peace.  Do not be deceived, all things are in the Lord’s hands and in Him is the hope of eternity.  He shall prevail.  The Lord offers the promise to all, but only for those who come into His covenant does He fulfill the covenant.

 

Lord, let me not be wrapped up in the ways of the wicked, but instead, walk according to Your never changing Word.  Lead me in the way of righteousness, that I may go as You lead.  Help me discern the difference so I may see plainly Your way of truth and walk in the counsel of Your Word.  Guide me according to Your goodness to understand more clearly the things You would have me do.

 

Lord Jesus, without You and the grace You give it would be impossible.  Help me now and always to live according to the never-changing way You have established in the creation.  Guide me by Your light to walk in the way I should go that I may not veer from the narrow path of life You lay before me.  Help me now and always to seek Your way for my life and listen to Your counsel.  Amen.




Devotion for Thursday, November 9, 2017

“Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my voice.  He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me, for they are many who strive with me.”  (Psalm 55:17-18)

Let’s face it, we all love to murmur and complain.  Not that this accomplishes anything, but we do it anyway.  Be not one who is constantly complaining, but look to the Lord who knows your need before you ask.  Your soul is in the promise of the Lord if you will but submit to Him in all of your ways.  Turn therefore and be comforted in the promise of the Lord knowing that He knew you before you were born.

These words are so easy to read Lord, but hard for the heart to act upon.  Help my unbelief that I would trust You in all things and for all things knowing that You will bring all things together for glory for those who love You.  Guide me O Lord to walk in all of Your ways now and forever that I would know that my soul has been redeemed in peace and that the battle is Yours alone.

Lord Jesus, You have come and fought the fight and won the war for as many as believe.  Although the battle rages on around us in this generation, open my eyes to see that the war is over.  Grant patience for what must take place and lead me beside the quiet waters that I may have my soul restored.  You are Lord and Master and You know all that is needed.  Guide me in Your ways now and always.  Amen.




Devotion for Wednesday, November 8, 2017

“Let death come deceitfully upon them; let them go down alive to Sheol, for evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.  As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me.”  (Psalm 55:15-16)

The contrast has always been before you.  There is the way of the Lord and there is the way of wickedness.  Do not walk in the ways of this world, but hear and heed the call of the Lord to be transformed by the renewing of Your mind.  Walk humbly before Your God and know the ways He established in the beginning.  Call upon the Lord and He will save You from all the evil of this world.

Lord, I know it is appointed to walk in this world for a time, but the wickedness is often so overwhelming.  Lead me to You to look to You through all that swirls around me that I may not be tempted to walk in any other way than the one You have established in salvation.  Lead me O Lord and help me to trust You for all things, dealing with the wicked and saving those who turn to You.

Lord Jesus, in times of trouble I call out to You.  Help me come to You in all times and places, both good and bad and all the times in between.  Lead me heart to learn from You how to deal with the craziness of this world and hold forever fast to the truth You have revealed.  Lead me O Lord and will follow You all the days of my life.  Grant me grace and strength of Your Spirit to fulfill this vow.  Amen.




Devotion for Tuesday, November 7, 2017

“But it is you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend; we who had sweet fellowship together walked in the house of God in the throng.”  (Psalm 55:13-14)

 

You never truly know what is in the heart of the other.  Though they may seem your friend, if they follow the way of the world, they tug and pull to lead you astray.  Do not be fearful, but diligent to walk in the ways of the Lord and see how easily we all can be led astray.  The Lord deals with each as He has made them and calls for us to look to Him in all things.

 

Lord, all around me are a mix of people who are thinking all kinds of things.  Guide my mind and heart to see You through the cacophony of things that are all around me.  Lead me along the quiet waters of Your Word to be comforted by the truth You have spoken from the beginning.    Let the fellowship I enjoy be that of Your people singing praises to You, the One true God.

 

Lord Jesus, You have come to clear the way for as many as would follow You through the constant noise of this world.  Guide me according to the wisdom of the Spirit that I would hear Your voice above all the noise around me.  Hold me fast in Your arms of grace to walk boldly and firmly in the way of truth that You have established in Your teaching and guide me to walk the narrow path.  Amen.  




Devotion for Monday, November 6, 2017

“Destruction is in her midst; oppression and deceit do not depart from her streets.  For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it; nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, then I could hide myself from him.”  (Psalm 55:11-12)

 

All around are those who plot and seek to gain what is not theirs for their own sake.  It is hard to live in a world with so many that are deceitful.  Yet, here we are.  How can one hide from the wickedness that is on every side?  Hide in the Lord who knows all things and will not anything come upon You that will separate you from Him.  Come to the Lord and find the only rest in a world gone mad.

 

Lord, these are words I can hear, but they are so hard to act upon.  Guide the thoughts of my mind and the actions I make to come into conformity with what You are saying.  Lead me by Your Spirit to walk in the ways You have established in spite of all that is going on around me.  Lead me O Lord that I would follow You all the days of my life and walk in Your goodness.

Lord Jesus, for this very reason You have come that as many as turn to You would discover the peace which surpasses all understanding.  Lead me Lord Jesus in the way I should go and then through Your Spirit, give the means to walk in this way.  By Your grace alone am I not like the others who hate You.  In thankfulness, guide my heart ever upward to walk with You alone.  Amen.