July 19, 2025

The closer you get to a promise being fulfilled by God, the more treacherous the path becomes. The enemy becomes riled and throws obstacles in your way to dishearten and dissuade you from continuing in the direction God has chosen for you. Don’t get discouraged; lives are counting on you to be faithful to God’s calling on your life. Even though traps are set and lying tongues spew hatred, stay the course and commit your spirit to God. It is He who will give you the strength to continue just as he did for Jesus when he said these words as he was hanging on the cross.

Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. Psalms 31:4-5

Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. Psalms 31:18

You walk with God daily, yet your enemies counsel together, and if they could, they would take away your life. However, you stand firm in the faith that God will deliver you out of their hands, causing you to become victorious because you trust in the One who gave you the plans. Stand firm in the strength of God, and He will deliver you from the hands of the enemy. 

O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. Psalms 31:23-24

July 18, 2025

We cannot help who we are surrounded by when we go to work. You will find a mix of sinners and saved in every business, even in a church business. However, when it is our choice of whom we spend our time, we should have integrity and refrain from surrounding ourselves with people who make it their mission to go against God. We need to be able to speak freely of the goodness of God without the worry of being mocked or belittled, even though it may happen, even in Christian circles. David penned Psalm 26, expressing his innocence in this matter.

I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. Psalms 26:4-5

David tells us what every parent tells their children: you are who you hang around with. He didn’t keep company with bad people, so he wouldn’t be accused of participating in their behavior. We would do well to follow his lead and try to keep the company of others who love the Lord. When, and if at all possible, surround yourself with like-minded individuals so you keep your testimony intact. And like David, tell everyone of the goodness of God.

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Psalms 26:7

July 17, 2025

As I was speaking to someone and teaming up with them, who had always seen me as their enemy, I confidently asked them, 'Who is on our side?' She quietly, but reluctantly, said, "God." The battle we are facing has already been won because we have patiently waited for God to work out the challenging issues. Whatever happens is purely God's will, but we are here to be His hands and feet in the flesh, doing His bidding because we've left ourselves open to take the necessary steps that He has called us to take. How do you get to the point where you place your confidence in God alone? By staying repentant, worshiping Him, praising his holiness, and being obedient to His call. 

In Psalms 25, David reached out to God and confidently prayed:

Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Psalms 25:1-2

He continued his prayer with repentance, sincerely praying for guidance and instruction on how to proceed. He sought God, knowing that He would keep him secure and pluck him out of his enemies' hands, those who hate him passionately. We can be assured that God will also keep us out of the hands of our enemies and work out every detail to His advantage, and in the process give us the upper hand. 

July 16, 2025

Nothing thrills my heart more than to write about Jesus! David wrote about him without even knowing it. Psalms 22 points to Jesus’ suffering and dying on the cross. Those who deny him, especially of the Jewish faith, only do so out of ignorance because the words of this song point to Jesus and the words he spoke as he was hanging on the cross. It also depicts the actions of those around him as they divided his clothes and cast lots for them. Even the heckling he received is alluded to by the spectators telling him that if he were the son of God, why didn’t he take himself off the cross? This entire psalm happened during the crucifixion. Some commentators think that he probably recited the whole psalm, if only to himself. 

Take comfort in knowing that when you think God isn’t hearing your prayers, Jesus felt the same way when hanging on the cross. He cried out in pain to his Father, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” God turned his eyes away from His son because of our sins, that he bore upon the cross, but once those sins were burned up in the pit of hell, he awakened from the dead. Jesus was resurrected to become our King and Savior. The Old Testament and New Testament agree that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is the Savior of all humanity; we will all bow before Him in reverence, whether we are lost or saved. Feel privileged that God chose you as part of His kingdom. 

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations. Psalms 22:27-28

July 15, 2025

King David starts off Psalms 21 with praise and blessings to God for his salvation and for God blessing him with all the desires of his heart. 

The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah. Psalms 21:1-2

Then, further in the chapter, he describes the fate of his enemies; those who are against him and ultimately against God Himself. This psalm gives us a glimpse into the torment God’s enemies will face in the future; they may be living it up right now, but their future is nothing but heat and fire. Not only will they face the fiery pit of hell, but they will burn from their own heat because their consciences will create hell and torment them when they reflect on their own actions. David held nothing back in the song. He expressed his thanksgiving and rebuked his enemies by giving them a glimpse into their future.  

Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. Psalms 21:9

If you are wondering when we will finally see the recompense of the wicked, wait for it, for it will surely come, and they will be forever regretful. 

July 14, 2025

We’ve all been there, and maybe you are going through it now, where the enemy is pursuing you, you’re on the run, and all you want to do is rest. David was on the run from Saul, and he prayed that he wouldn’t slip and be overtaken. He asked God to disappoint his pursuers, who have all their needs fulfilled on earth. David had set his eyes upon God, knowing that there is more to life than material wealth and that they have so much that they will end up leaving it all to their children. David reminded God that he looks to Him for his satisfaction rather than relying on physical things.

If the enemy is on your heels, reach out to God and pray Psalm 17. David was an eloquent wordsmith and put together speeches that made the enemy cringe; however, those words can help give our hearts a reprieve to calm our weary minds. Not only that, but the words are a way to plead with God to activate his help. We may not need to ask God’s help because we are His children, and He wants to help us. However, speaking the words out loud to Him in prayer confirms to us that He answers our cries because He loves us. Praying and getting an answer gives us a testimony to share God’s faithfulness with others.

Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in thislife, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. Psalms 17:13-15

July 13, 2025

During Peter’s speech, which drew 3000 people to learn about Jesus and increase the number of Christ-followers that day, he quoted from Psalms 16, a passage directly related to a prophecy David made about Jesus in this song. Jesus delivered our sins to hell, but he did not stay there; he went to the dump, dropped off our sins, and came back. Not only that, but he didn’t lie in the grave long enough for his body to deteriorate and become corrupt. Luke included Peter’s speech in the Book of Acts, which became part of his defense for Christianity, and proved that the story of Jesus was trustworthy and true. When trying to prove your case and you include portions of the Old Testament when defending your belief that Jesus is the Messiah, you may be able to convince those in the same lineage as Him, to believe that the Messiah has already come, they missed Him, but there is still time for them to accept His incredible gift. However, most of their hearts are so hardened against Jesus that penetrating them, as with anyone, is an act that can only be accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Don’t give up, be obedient and try anyway, but leave the results to God.

I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalms 16:8-11