“For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also.”  (Psalm 95:3-4)

Kings of the earth come and go.  Leaders in every nation come and go.  The Lord is forever.  He who made You knows all things and has laid out the course for those who will walk in His ways.  Because all things are in His hands, you need fear nothing, for He is with You always even to the end of the age.  Everything belongs to Him, for it is He who made all things.

Lord, teach me the elemental truths that I may not kick against them, and walk the tried and failed way of thinking that there is any other way to live this life.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way You would have me go that I may now and always walk in Your sight.  You are the One who made all things and they are Yours.  With this in my heart, teach me how to live a life of praise and thanksgiving.

Holy Spirit, nurture my heart in the things You have taught me.  Guide me according to the principles I have already learned to live in a way that is pleasing to the Father.  Help me now and always to see through the distractions of this age to abide in the truth of Your presence.  Everything I have and that I am is Yours.  Guide me this day in a life that gives as You give.  Amen.

“You have spurned the covenant of Your servant; You have profaned his crown in the dust. You have broken down all his walls; You have brought his strongholds to ruin.” (Psalm 89:39-40)

Worldly things will pass away and those things which man builds will return to dust. Come then into the presence of the One who is forever. Do not rely upon your understanding or the way you perceive things, but listen to the One who created all things. Know that the goodness of the Lord is forever. Seek the Lord while He may be found and walk in humility with the One who made you.

Lord, I live in a mixed up world that seeks its own ideas and believes that it can create something that will last. Help me begin now to see that only in You is there hope and a future. Lead me to live into the promises You have given me that I would walk humbly with You and follow You in all of Your ways. Keep me from the deception of this age, knowing that only in You is there true life.

You have come to save as many as believe that we would walk in Your ways, Lord Jesus. Guide me this day in the way of salvation. Uphold me in the righteousness You have called me to walk in that I may now and always hold fast to the truth You have revealed. Keep me from harm and help me to be faithful in all I do this day that I would walk humbly in the Father’s sight. Amen.

“My God in His lovingkindness will meet me; God will let me look triumphantly upon my foes.  Do not slay them, or my people will forget; scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield.”  (Psalm 59:10-11)

The Lord meets us.  People pursue the Lord, but cannot on their terms.  He comes and meets us, for His name is salvation.  Do not pursue the way of the wicked, but come to the Lord who invites and desires that You would come to Him.  Let the Lord lead you in all of your ways and He will give you rest.  Be guided by His goodness and know that He knows you and loves you.

Lord, I am carried away and enticed by the sinful ways of this world to have vengeance. But vengeance is Yours alone. Guide me in the way You have established that I would now and forever be guided by Your goodness.  Help me in every time of trouble to see that You alone are Lord and only in You is there a future.  Lead me, O Lord, that I would be led by Your salvation knowing that only in You is there hope.

Lord Jesus, Your name means salvation, come and take my hand this day that I may be led by You wherever You take me.  Help me now and always to see in You the hope of glory and the way of forever.  Guide me to walk in Your ways and flee from the temptations of this world.  Help me in every time of difficulty to look to You first and follow in the way You lead now and always.  Amen.

“Let them be as a snail which melts away as it goes along, like the miscarriages of a woman which never see the sun.  Before your pots can feel the fire of thorns He will sweep them away with a whirlwind, the green and the burning alike.”  (Psalm 58:8-9)

Those who are called to righteousness are perplexed at the presence of the truly wicked.  Yes, we call out for vengeance, if only on the inside.  But all things are in the Lord’s hands and we should never stop short at our inability to see why things are the way they are.  Instead, learn to simply trust the Lord in all things and for all things.  Be guided by His Spirit to learn to praise Him.

Lord I am impatient and want restitution when harmed.  Help me understand that You alone are God and my ability or inability to understand means nothing.  Guide me in Your ways that I may learn from You who knows all things how to live and how to respond to all of life’s circumstances.  Vengeance will come, but You are forever.  Lead me into forever Lord.

Lord Jesus You have come to lead the way for as many as would turn to You and follow where You lead.  Guide me in the way I need to go to learn through all circumstances to love You unconditionally.  Help me despite my feelings and desires to seek that which is beneficial now and forever, knowing that You are conforming me to Your image.  Lead me this day, my Savior.  Amen.

Thursday, November 23, 2017 Devotion

“Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods?  Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?  No, in heart you work unrighteousness; on earth you weigh out the violence of your hands.”  (Psalm 58:1-2)

All of the things we imagine are in our heads.  They are our creations.  They have no life other than what we give them in our minds.  But the Lord is forever.  What can we do that will outshine the Lord?  What can we create but things that are manipulations of what the Lord has already created?  Look to the Lord, the Maker of all things and see that He alone is God.

Lord, we think ourselves clever and manipulate Your creation.  You know all things and have put everything into its order.  Guide the meditation of my heart to see in You the hope of eternity and the marvel of all ages.  Guide my lips to speak Your praise knowing that You alone are worthy of all honor and praise.  By Your guidance, take my heart from where it is to where it needs to be.

Lord Jesus, You know the difficulties of this world.  You also know the marvels of the creation.  You have come to lead the way for as many as would follow You into truth.  Lead me this day to walk humbly with You through all that is around me.  Lead my heart so that it looks to You for all things.  Guide me, my Savior, in the way of Your salvation that I would become like You.  Amen.

“In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid.  What can man do to me?”  (Psalm 56:10-11)

What can anyone do to you in the face of Almighty God who holds all things in His hand.  Yes, there are storms in this world, but learn from Jesus to be calm in the midst of every storm.  Though they kill you, yet will you live.  Trouble is for a time, but being in the truth of the Lord is forever.  Do not be swayed by temporary things, but live in the eternal truth of the Lord.

Lord, You know the times and seasons.  You know all that is needed.  Guide me according to Your never-changing Word to abide in You and You in me that I would walk humbly in all of Your ways.  Help me now and always to seek Your will in all things and know that You alone are to be thanked, praised and worshiped.  Guide me now and always in Your Holy Spirit.

Lord and Savior of all, You have come to lead the way for as many as would follow You.  Help me now and always to seek the Father’s will and walk humbly where You lead.  You have made clear the way I should go and You have given the direction – to hold Your hand – so I need not worry about what any day will bring.  Lead me, O Lord, that I may follow where You lead.  Amen.

“But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.  I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, and I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.”  (Psalm 52:8-9)

We are as the young tree, filled with potential, but not yet producing fruit.  In spite of where we, or not are, come anyway to the house of the Lord and taste and see that what He gives is goodness and this shall be forever.  Come into the presence of the Lord and know that He will fulfill all that He has promised.  Come as one of His godly ones and walk in His ways.

Lord, what do I know compared to the wisdom You hold on the edge of your pinky?  I am but a young shoot tender and vulnerable in a world filled with avarice and wickedness.  Guide me O Lord in Your ways that I would walk according to Your Word and live into the life to which You call me.  Help me O Lord through the salvation You offer by grace to walk into the kingdom You offer.

Lord Jesus, without You and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, I could go nowhere, for my mind is clouded and my abilities are limited, yet You still offer the path of grace.  Lift me up O Lord to walk in Your ways knowing that only through You and by Your power can I ascend to stand in the Father’s presence.  Help me now and always to prepare for Your Kingdom and walk in the ways You have established from the beginning.  Amen.

“Though while he lives he congratulates himself – and though men praise you when you do well for yourself – He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they will never see the light.  Man in his pomp, yet without understanding, is like the beasts that perish.”  (Psalm 49:18-20)

Man in his pomp, like the beasts will amount to nothing.  How vain are the attempts of mortals to gain immortality.  Do not pursue those things which are here today and gone tomorrow.  Seek instead the things of the Lord which are forever.  Seek character, a good reputation and the knowledge of the Lord.  Walk in His ways and know what is good and righteous.  Seek the Lord while He may be found.

It is hard Lord with all of the temptations of this world.  My immediate needs are tugged by this world’s incessant pleas to go in many different directions.  Clear my mind to be still and know that You are God.  Help me walk purposefully in the way I should go and then equip me to walk in that way.  Through all things, lead me to be with You now and always.

Lord Jesus, you came into the world with nothing, but in Your resurrection gained all those who would follow You through the cross.  By Your example.  Help me see the fruits of good living and walk in the path You have established.  Lead me into a life that seeks Your way first and walks in the righteousness You teach through Your Word.  Lead me Lord Jesus where I should go.  Amen.