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Psalm 11:3-5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 10, 2017
 
Yesterday ended with a dissatisfying taste, an emptiness which I tried at first to banish with reading and popcorn.
 
But then you, Lord, led me in the right path, reminding me to praise you for it, as this emptiness was a reminder that my soul finds rest in you alone—and the right response is to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
 
Therefore I praise you now, Lord Jesus, for the wonder and stability of knowing you, for my being a child of the eternal living God. You give us all we need for life and godliness and I can praise you for both the pleasant and the painful.
 
As it says in Psalm 11:3, “If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?”
 
[When everything seems to fall apart, we can look away to you, Lord God, the only sure foundation in all of existence. We can rejoice in your character, rest in your love, live in your wisdom. The instability of the world only serves to highlight the surety of your character: Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever!]
 
Psalm 11:4-5 “The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord’s throne is in heaven;”
 
[You are ever ruling, ever awake, ever alert. Nothing escapes your notice and you always act in inexorable power at exactly the right time. You rule wisely, wonderfully, willfully. You are moving events to the great conclusion of history, sweeping as many as are willing into your Kingdom, while giving those who aren’t willing multiple opportunities as well.]
 
“His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous,”
 
[You watch every person, you test each one, first giving opportunities to believe to the not-yet-sons. And then to your children, who have been granted the righteousness of Christ, you give tests that are possibilities to grow, give you glory and display grace.
 
Ah, Lord, help us to remember that difficulties, disappointments, danger and discouragement are tests, each one an opportunity to take up your grace, rise up in praise and defeat the enemy on his own ground.
 
May we not fail in these tests but cooperate with you, for your glory! Help us today to live in the light of your lavish love, trusting in your great goodness in each trial, fulfilling the purpose of our lives by offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving in all.]
 
 
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Worship Journal Praise

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 10, 2017
Lord Jesus, my God and Lord, my King and Master, my Savior and Shepherd, you have undeservedly set us, your illogically adopted children, in such a wide and wonderful place, in a position of light and love, of grace and goodness, of beauty and brightness, of color and care.
 
This is a place of belonging, where all depends on your gracious heart and your ever-flowing spring of love that waters all relationships, washing away the stains of selfishness and the shame of failure.
 
From your deep forgiveness-filled eyes, from your pure, grace-giving lips, from your powerful, health-bestowing hands, flows the message of acceptance, cleansing, delight and favor.
 
In your presence we, who deserve only eternal banishment from your presence, are dearly loved, deeply cared for, doted on and delighted in.
 
This is not because of anything we are or have done, but because of all you are, Lord Jesus: the King of Grace, Lord of Love, the Savior of sinners and Master of Restoration. In you all is made right, all harm is transformed, all wrong will be righted in the end.
 
Your eyes are grace-filled, both fiery and forgiving; your heart is pure, both loving and giving. Yours acts of righteousness grace cause mercy to triumph over justice; yours thoughts are of returning only good for the evil we have done.
 
You are consistently at work, turning the kingdom of this world right side up, starting within us. You have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of Light, and now you are teaching us to see things as you do: to rejoice in persecution; to offer thanks in difficulty; to understand that in mercy you chasten all those you love.
 
With you there is hope, meaning and purpose, a future with the certainty of an eternity in joy. Praise you for the foretaste we can have now in your Word as we gaze upon your grace and beauty, and are consistently transformed more and more into your image by the Spirit of power (2 Cor. 3:18).
 
You, Lord Jesus, are truly worthy of worship, glory and honor, both now and forever more. May we honor you all through this day with obedience to what we know to be true.
 
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Psalm 11:1-2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 8, 2017

Psalm 11:1 “In the Lord I put my trust;”

[Yes, Lord, I willfully choose to trust you, not myself, not people, not circumstances, not power, nor politicians. You alone are the One to rest in, for you alone are All-powerful, All-knowing, All-seeing and All-loving.

Therefore, I choose to praise you in and for all things–for all the proof we need for trusting you, Lord, is found in your faithful, sinless, pure and positive character, displayed in the rich outpouring of your Love in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Therefore, I choose to trust you.]

“How can you say to my soul, ‘Flee as a bird to your mountain’?”

[No mountain will save me, no mountain will love me, no mountain is impregnable. Only You, Lord God Almighty, are the actual, adequate refuge and strength needed; you alone are my High Tower, my Mighty Rock and my Stronghold.

To you, Lord, I will flee when worry, fear, danger or loss threaten. To you I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving—praising you when it costs me, when I don’t feel like it–thereby honoring you and opening the way for your salvation to come to me. Your help is all I need.]

Psalm 11:2 “For look! The wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow on the string, that they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.”

[If I fly to temporal help, I make myself vulnerable to attacks of the enemy. If I set my heart on a desired solution rather than God’s glory, I have made myself open to attack, to loss, to failure, pain and death.

However, if I set my heart on praising you, Lord, rather than on having my way, my desire my plan, than you will shield my head in the day of battle.

I may not get what I desire, but I will be able to exalt your name in praise, fulfilling the purpose you have for my life and live in the freedom of knowing you will do what is best.

What a privilege to live for you, my Great King, Ruler of the universe, Spinner of the Earth, Bringer of the dawn, Beginner and Ender of time. You are the One to be exalted, praised, honored and worshiped.

I bow before you now in surrender, I will rise up before you to obey you this day with all my heart. May the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth be pleasing to you, my mighty Rock and my Redeemer. (Ps. 19:14)]

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The Purpose of our Lives

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 7, 2017
Thank you, Lord, that all which will come to us today will come from your hand.
 
Praise be to you, Lord God, for your wonderful wisdom, working consistently in the lives of your children, bringing protection, guidance, goodness and difficulties.
 
You know what is best, you know what is right, for you are the wise and powerful One, that entirely good One whose heart is set on bringing glory to yourself through doing what is righteous and merciful.
 
I praise you that in your mercy you bring positive pressure on us to see truth, to come to ourselves and surrender to you. You are the One we can trust, the One who is our refuge and strength, our joy and wisdom, our Shepherd and King.
 
Through challenges and adventures (including suffering, tragedy and persecution) you give us opportunity for faith-responses, for glory-giving, for grace-demonstrations, for clenched-teeth praise, for faith-filled obedience. These provide chances to fulfill the purpose of our existence: to bring honor to you, to be reflectors of your glory, exalting your name and your Word above all other things.
 
I praise you now for another day, another opportunity to live for you, to live by faith, to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and thereby honor you while opening the way so your salvation can flow further into my future and that of those around me (Ps. 50:23).
 
May you be glorified today in my thoughts, actions and words, may those around me be touched by your Spirit overflowing from me. May grace be the fragrance of my life. For your glory may I be a strong scent of life to those around me who are looking for truth. May many more be swept into your Kingdom. Amen.
 
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Psalm 23:6

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 5, 2017
Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;”
 
[Goodness and mercy are your constant gifts to your children, Lord; it is a certainty that in each situation you are pouring these out into our lives. However, very often we cannot see them at the moment– but when we can look back at a difficult situation, there they are: goodness and mercy were following us!
 
Like the disappointment I had recently. After waiting two weeks for an overhead door installer to come, he only did half the job and then left, saying, “I’ll be back in about two weeks!”
 
I could see no goodness and mercy in that! But, the next day while talking to one of my disciples, I found that he had worked as a door installer and he offered to come and finish the job for me.
 
We both profited: he needed some extra income; he knew where to get the springs I needed at a very reasonably price; and I got the doors done earlier. We both saw God’s goodness and mercy in the first man not finishing the job.
 
This pattern has been and will be true throughout the whole of our lives with you, Lord Jesus. You are always faithful, you are consistently good and you are deeply merciful– whether we can see it at the moment or not. Praise be to you my wonderful Shepherd!]
 
“And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”
 
[What a hope for the future: I WILL be in your presence for eternity. Therefore, death need hold no fear, the shortness of life no panic, the uncertainty of future no threat. We dwell in hope as we press on to what you have for us in this life, and more so in the next.
 
You, Lord Jesus, are the One we yearn for, live for, hope for. And our hope is as certain as your Love, as your Word, your Power, and your present Presence!
 
Glory and honor are due your wonderful Name, Lord Jesus. May my life give you that honor today as I trust you through praise and thanksgiving in and for all–before I see your goodness and mercy.
 
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Psalm 23: 5b,

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 4, 2017
Psalm 23: 5b, “You anoint my head with oil;”
 
[Shepherds put oil on the heads of their sheep to keep away pesky insects, to heal wounds, to refresh.
 
Oil here can represent many things: the Holy Spirit, protection, blessing and healing. You, Lord, provide for us all these blessings and more in your gracious giving, pouring out continually from your unending, inexhaustible store of riches.
 
As it says in Ephesians 1:2 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians goes on to detail some of these blessings:
–He chose us before the foundation of the world.
–We are holy and without blame before Him in love.
–He predestined us to be adopted as His children.
–It was His good pleasure to adopt us.
–We are accepted in the Beloved, Christ.
–In Him we have redemption through His blood,
–We have the forgiveness of ours sins according to the riches of His endless grace.
— And in 1 Peter 1:3 it says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life….” ]
 
Truly, “My cup runs over.”
 
[You, Lord, give us what we need–and far more. What I actually need is air, water, food, clothing, shelter and love. But when I look at all you have given me, it is way beyond that, much more than what I need spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, physically, socially, financially and in every other realm.
 
Now it is my privilege and responsibility to share these with others, to let your blessings flow through me to those around me.
 
For example, the joy you give me should bring joy to others as I am kind, thoughtful, positive and helpful to them, whether I feel like it or not.
 
The material provisions you’ve given I should be sharing around. The spiritual riches you give I should also be passing along, for, in your Kingdom, getting and hoarding is not the norm, but receiving and giving.
 
So when we go to church on Sunday, we can go filled with the riches, grace and insights from our quiet times during the week, ready to give to others as they have need, as well as to receive what the Lord may have for us.
 
May we continually overflow with the wonder of our walk with our Shepherd, Jesus, bringing encouragement, hope and perspective to all around us.]
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Psalm 23:4b-5a

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 3, 2017
“I will fear no evil for You are with me….” Ps 23:4b
 
You, Lord God, are ever present, ever with us, your little lambs. If there is evil threatening, you are there, watching, providing, protecting in whatever way you deem best.
 
Often we are living in limbo, in fear of possible danger or disappointment, uncertain of what is going to happen; when the doors to the future open, we will have no idea what is on the other side. But there is one thing we can be sure of: that you are there in the future, waiting to greet us with the path prepared.
 
As you announce in Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” In you we can rest.
 
“Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
 
Lord, the shepherd’s rod is a club to beat off attackers. Your rod is powerful, effective, more than sufficient to protect us from whatever Satan can bring against us–for you are undefeatable, invincible and all powerful. You have already won every battle at the cross.
 
And then there is your staff, the shepherd’s crook used to guide and correct sheep as they stray. You are faithful to warn us when we wander willfully out of the way: you tap us on the shoulder, or you pull us back. You guide us persistently, even when we insist on rebelling, trusting ourselves rather than you.
 
You are absolutely faithful, fully wise and eternally good. Praise you that your pristine and positive character assure us of your perpetual protection and provision, all shown in the next phrase:
 
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
 
As the good Shepherd, you bring us into positive places to graze. On the edges of the pasture may lurk wolves, bears, lions, or the great serpent, Satan.
 
Their presence, however, does not need to disturb us, for you are our protector. No one can skirt you, no one can thwart your plans or purposes. We can ignore the threats of the enemy and quietly, peacefully feed on what you have given, resting in your goodness, greatness and glory.
 
You are our Shepherd, our Warrior King who has defeated the enemy. As we remain in the shelter of your Word, your Way, your Wisdom, praising you in and for all, we are safe from true harm. You may lead us through many challenges, but in these you will protect and carry us through as we follow you. Help us to do so today.
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Psalm 23:4

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 2, 2017

Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;”

[At least one of the paths of righteousness you will lead me on, Lord, goes through this dark valley. It may be a time of dying to a desire, to my will, to a possession or it may be physical danger and sickness or death of a loved one or myself. Whatever it is, I do not need to fear that evil will triumph.

There may be loss and suffering, but in the end, evil will not win because Jesus is already the Victor and I belong to Him.

Think of Paul in his shipwreck described in Acts 27. In the midst of a great storm there were days and nights of uncertainty where Paul was cold, wet and hungry; and then the crashing of the ship into a sandbar and everyone having to swim to shore through crashing surf. There was evil: the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners, Paul included, so they couldn’t escape, but that was prevented. Then the viper bit Paul, but God protected him and no harm was done.

It was a dark valley, but in it, the witness of Paul shone brighter in his faith, in his declaration of God’s sovereignty, in his prediction (all possessions will be lost, all people will be saved), and in his being protected. Without that dark, the light would have not been seen so clearly.

As we take refuge in His love, power and truth, God does not always protect us from what will harm us physically, but from what would harm us spiritually. Then we can shine in the darkness of this world as a light house for those seeking Truth.

The valley of the shadow of death is not a threat but an opportunity to fulfill the purpose of our lives: honoring the One who walked this road before us and will walk with us through it again.

So, let us look to Jesus, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).

Let us follow the advice of the Word to “throw off everything that hinders [our natural worldview] and the sin that so easily entangles [addiction to comfort, selfishness and security, to name a few] and run with perseverance the race marked out for us [some of which will go through the valley of the shadow of death], fixing our eyes on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2a) and we will come out on the other side, in a pleasant place: “He brought me out into a spacious place, he rescued me because he delighted in me” (Ps. 18:19).

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Psalm 23:2b,3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 1, 2017
 
As my “Psalm 23” Shepherd, Lord Jesus, you lead me beside the still waters—you give me opportunity to be with you, to take in, to gain eternal perspective.
 
You lead, but I must both follow and then drink. I must choose to spend time in your Word, in worship, in intercession and confession, in pouring out my heart and lifting up my soul to you. And I can do this because you are “good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all who come to you” (Psalm 86:5 KJV).
 
As I choose to drink from your Word and revel in your presence, you will restore my soul: bringing refreshment, insight, wisdom, understanding, greater faith and more praise.
 
You work to restore my soul to more of its pre-fall perspective, making me more like yourself. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory…” (2 Cor. 3:18).
 
You will then lead me in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake—but again, I must choose to follow. And I can be sure that the way you lead me will be righteous and upright, pure and positive, godly and good, bring honor to your Name.
 
If I sense leading which is not one of these, then I can know that it is not of you, but from the subtle and sinister call of the world, the flesh and the devil. This I want to reject, so I can give you glory in all I do. Therefore, for the sake of your name, help me to gladly follow your righteous lead, no matter how much self-denial it requires.
 
Praise you, Lord Jesus, for you are my Shepherd, my King, my Sovereign, the One to be obeyed and feared, loved and served. Praise you for the wonderful and powerful privilege of being both your sheep and your ambassador in a fallen and faulty world, bringing your light to deluded and deceived people.
 
Praise you for your Holy Spirit to fill, empower, guide and encourage. I praise you for your care, your protection, your provision and your presence throughout the day.
 
May I be filled with your Spirit; may I be a vessel of grace to all I meet today; may I be a useful instrument in your hand, Lord, obeying you, living worthy of your calling and pleasing you in every way. To you be glory, honor and praise in and through my life today.
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Psalm 23:1-2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 30, 2017
Psalm 23:1, 2 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.”
 
You, Lord Jesus, as my Shepherd, MAKE me to lie down in green pastures—you don’t ask what I think or want. You select the pasture I need now and keep me there as long as is necessary so I can grow and deepen, mature and develop to become more like Christ, a better instrument in your hand.
 
Joseph in the OT didn’t particularly want to be a slave, or go to prison, but those were the green pastures you had for him.
 
There he learned to deny self, to live for you and to be a good administrator. This made him fit to save many others, including his family, the Egyptians, and the line of Jesus–so the Messiah could be born and eventually save us!
 
When finding ourselves in green pastures that aren’t pleasant (sickness, loss, disappointment, heartache or failure, to name a few), we can follow this advice: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you KNOW that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
 
In the hand of our Shepherd, difficulties are directive, problems are providential and heartaches can be healing if we cooperate with Him, continuing to lie down in the green pastures He selects.
 
A key aspect here is to embrace what He brings with thanksgiving rather than just suffering through with discontent and complaining.
 
To embrace is to receive grace, to complain is to reject it: “God resists the proud [who reveal their pride by complaining] but gives grace to the humble [who accept what He brings]” (James 4:6).
 
So, let’s trust Him to know what is a green pasture for us and join Him in what He’s doing in and through it, in and through us.
 
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