Psalm 119 Devotional

Key Verse: 160 "The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever."

Spurgeon Insights: "God's Word has been true from the first moment in which it was spoken…There is not one single mistake either in the Word of God or in the providential dealings of God."

I think that Psalm 119 is my favorite chapter in the entire Bible. It is structured in an amazing way using the Hebrew alphabet. Each verse in each section of the Psalm begins with the same Hebrew letter. With each new section of verses a new Hebrew letter is used at the beginning of each verse in that section. Eventually every letter of the Hebrew alphabet is used to begin the verses in Psalm 119 as the sections of the Psalm progress. The Psalm works through the entire Hebrew alphabet making declaration after declaration of truth concerning the nature of God's written Word. The Psalm is about the benefits of having, understanding, and living out the realities found in the Word of God.

When I was thinking about searching for a key verse that would encompass what this Psalm is about I was a little bit overwhelmed. I knew the whole thing was about the Word, but I didn't know if I could find just one, or even a few verses, that wrapped up the essence of what this Psalm is saying. Then it happened! I found verse 160. I love the beginning of this verse which says, "The entirety of Your word is truth."

Second Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that, "All Scripture is God breathed and profitable…" That is the testimony of the Bible through and through. All Scripture is inspired by God. God intends every portion of it to nourish us spiritually. He intends it to be utilized for growth in our personal, family, church, and national life with Him. I believe that this is why the Apostle Paul made teaching the entirety of completed Scripture available to the first century church in the new fellowships which the LORD used him to plant (Acts 20:26-27).

As a teacher of the Bible this verse really excites me. It challenges me to remain faithful in giving the entire Word of God as well as I can to those God calls me to teach. It is His Word, the, "entirety," of His Word and, "every one," of His judgments found in the Bible that people need if they are to be nourished and complete spiritually (II Timothy 3:17).

Has the LORD called you to oversee His people and feed them His Word? Be faithful and teach them the entire Bible the best you can. Are you a part of a local church? I encourage you to value the faithful teaching of the whole counsel of God more than cool music, tasty lattes, and the communication of what you want to hear, though it may not be what you know you need to hear. If you desire a return to the teaching of the Word in our local churches, pray with me…

LORD, help me stay the course! Keep me in Your Word. Keep me committed to feeding Your people, Your Word. I pray that You would revive a commitment to teaching the entirety of Your Word to the people You love in churches who have gotten away from this. I pray you're your people would desire to hear the teaching of the whole Bible from their leaders as well. Keep us faithful God. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Psalm 103 Devotional

Key Verses: 1, and 10-12 "(1) Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!...(10) He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. (11) For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear Him; (12) As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."

Spurgeon Insights: "Jehovah is worthy to be praised by us in that highest style of adoration which is intended by the term 'bless.' Our very life and essential self should be engrossed with this delightful service, and each one of us should arouse his own heart to the engagement…We have never suffered as we have deserved to suffer…Sin is removed from us by a miracle of love!"

This is a Psalm which praises God for the mercy and grace He shows sinful people when they repent of their sin. God removes their sin from them, as far as their salvation is concerned. He removes it as far as the east is from the west, meaning, He removes it totally from His mind. He removes it from their spiritual credit score entirely. The distance between east and west cannot be measured, unlike the distance between north and south. Our sin is gone from the LORD's perspective.

Jesus is the One who truly makes this Psalm applicable to me. He took the sin and shame I bring into this world on Himself when He died on the cross. He paid for all my spiritual crimes. Because of my trust in what He did for me, and the face that I've asked Him to come into my life, save me, and change me, my sins are blotted out as well. He doesn't hold one of them against me! He has further begun changing me from the inside out helping me live victoriously over sinful temptation, from the heart. Praise Jesus!

Do you know Jesus personally? Worship Him with all that is within you right now, and be available to His desires for you today. Do you want to experience the reality of your spiritual crimes against God and people being totally wiped away from God's perspective? Do you want Him to see only the goodness and righteousness of Jesus when He looks at you? Do you want to know that God doesn't hold your sin against you anymore, but views you with love and acceptance? Ask Him for forgiveness for living as if you are God, and He is not, and start following Jesus today! Let's go to Him together in prayer…

Father, thank You for sending Your Son to die for my sin. Jesus, thank You for voluntarily taking my sin and shame on the cross. Holy Spirit, thank You for showing me my need for Jesus and making me new from the inside out. Thank you for removing my guilt from your sight, and crediting me with the righteous perfection of Jesus Christ, now and forever, in spite of who I am, and have been. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Psalm 92 Devotional

Key Verses: 1, 4, and 10 "(1) It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High…(4) For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands…(10) my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil."

Spurgeon Insights: "If we consider either creation or providence, we will find overflowing reasons for joy; but when we come to view the work of redemption, gladness knows no bounds…The believer rejoices that he will not be allowed to perish, but will be strengthened and enabled to triumph over all his enemies, by the divine aid."

In the Bible the anointing with oil is symbolic of the empowering of the Holy Spirit. When He comes upon a person He supplies them with the power of God so that they can more effectively serve Jesus (Acts 1:8). One of the reasons the Psalmist praised the LORD in this Psalm is because the LORD decided he would be "anointed with fresh oil."

Symbolically, the person in the Psalm was empowered by the Holy Spirit afresh. We all need that so much! Christians in the Book of Acts were empowered by the Holy Spirit multiple times. We need to experience the power and dynamic of the Holy Spirit as often as we can, as often as it's needed.

I don't think I have depended on fresh outpourings of the Holy Spirit in my life enough to this point in my walk with Jesus. Sometimes I have relied on myself to do what only the LORD can do in, and through me. This is stupid. I need the power of His Holy Spirit to come upon me if I'm going to live for Jesus effectively in the world. The same is true for you. Do you need to enter into a new way of relying on the Lord by acknowledging the need for the Spirit's power in your life today? Many Christian's are never told they need to consciously rely upon fresh outpourings of the Spirit's power in their life to be faithful witnesses for Jesus. It is true and available for you right now! If you sense a lack of boldness in your witness, or Christ-likeness in your lifestyle today, ask for and receive the empowerment of the Spirit now. Go forward knowing God has provided all you need through the Holy Spirit who lives in you, and desires to come upon you. Pray with me…

Father, thank You so much that I have access to the empowering work of Your Spirit in my life. I praise You because all Your people have access to Holy Spirit dynamic. I pray for a fresh anointing of Your Spirit in this moment. I receive it by faith and look forward to what you're going to do in and through my life today. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Psalm 86 Devotional

Key Verses: 1 and 15 "(1) Bow down Your ear, O LORD, hear me; For I am poor and needy…(15) But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in mercy and truth."

Spurgeon Insights: "When our prayers are lowly by reason of our humility, or feeble by reason of our sickness, or without wing by reason of our despondency, the Lord will bow down to them…Are we sorrowful? We find the Lord full of compassion. Are we contending with temptation? His grace comes to our aid. Do we err? He is patient with us. Have we sinned? He is plenteous in mercy. Are we resting on His promise? He will fulfill it with abundant truth."

All of God's people experience low points in their lives. We can get to some really dark places in the soul. Sometimes it feels like we don't even have the strength to pray. Sometimes we are so broken over sin in our lives that we marvel that God would really care if we lived or died. He does though! These are some of the realities found in Psalm 86 that are true for the follower of Jesus. The Psalmist knew how unworthy he was of God's interest. But he also knew he had God's interest, because God is gracious, patient, and merciful!

Because of my theological upbringing I struggle with why God would listen to me sometimes. Other times I feel like He is just waiting to drop the cosmic hammer on my joy. I am wrong when I think like this! "Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shadow of turning." He is the giver of good things. He doesn't change! I am poor and needy for sure, but, as the Psalmist figured out, God is full of compassion, He is gracious, patient, and bursting with mercy and truth toward me because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. Those are the reasons why the infinite God of the universe concerns Himself with this little man on the earth. That's just who He is!

He is just as concerned with you today. He loves you in spite of who you are, no matter where you are. He loves you! Revel in that mystery, and let your heart burn with joy at the eternal grace that will never leave you! He is that good! Pray with me…

Father, I pray You would enable me to see You correctly with my heart. I thank You that You aren't waiting to smash me. Thank You that You love me, as small as I am, and that I can experience Your love because of Jesus. Thank You for always taking time for me every day, as Great as You are, in any moment! I love you with my heart, mind, soul, and offer you my strength today! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.