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Living out our purpose

Published by S.M. Wibberley on July 1, 2018
I praise you, O Lord, for you are “the God who sees me” (Gen. 16:13). You are a shield around me (Ps 18:30), you shut me in behind and before and lay your hand over me (Ps. 139:5). You are my refuge and strength (Ps. 18:2).
 
To you I am a valuable inheritance, a beloved son, a cherished family member, bought with a price, adopted with fervor, loved with passion, sung over with joy and cared for with power. In you there is safety, in you there is help, in you there is goodness and grace.
 
You are the great Transformer, using the attacks of the enemy, the power of sin, the consequences of our rebellion to bring growth and goodness to us and glory to your name. You use them to unmask, break and undo then to reshape, redo and restore us towards the original image of yourself, to make us more like Christ.
 
Therefore I choose to live today in the truth that “Knowing Jesus is enough for joy!” I choose to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving for each thing that comes–as all comes with your permission and in your plan–and thereby fulfill the purpose you have given me of bringing honor to your Name!
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Psalm 4:1b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 30, 2018
 
Psalm 4:1b “…be merciful to me and hear my prayer.”
 
[Praise you, O Triune God–Loving Father, Powerful Jesus, Holy Spirit–that you are merciful. My being alive here on earth is evidence of your mercy: you have a right and obligation in your holiness to punish every sinner, and could do it at any moment, sending us all to hell right now. However, you chose to wait, to secure forgiveness in mercy, then to work in every heart to draw to yourself those who were willing to turn and have the veil removed, the condemnation resolved and our rebellion relinquished.
 
You, Lord, are merciful, and you do hear prayer: “He fulfills the desires of those who fear him. He hears their cry and rescues them” (Psa.145:19). “In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me“ (Psa. 86:7).
 
You fill the universe, you are everywhere at once, so you can see and hear each person. And you are capable of hearing the prayers of billions all at the same time, while you have endless resources with which to answer: “Out of your glorious riches strengthen us with power through your Spirit in our inner being….” (Eph 3:16).
 
When I call to you, you are there, you listen and you answer. Praise you for the times we have to wait, knowing that you have actually answered before we called. You are the God worthy of worship, of trust and praise in the midst of our difficulties, suffering, troubles and persecutions.
 
Lord God, help us to live in the light of your presence and to exalt in the beauty of your faithfulness long before we can see the answers to our prayers. Help us to praise you, the faithful One, who will answer out of your righteousness, your love, your mercy; who answers for the sake of your glory, your name, your good desires.
 
I praise you now, for what you are going to do today: the events you will allow, the positives as well as the disappointments, the difficulties and the downers, for these valleys are death to self and bring growth to your children.
 
I pray that, in the power of your Spirit, my thoughts, motives, words and actions will bring joy to your heart today, my Lord and Savior!
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Psalm 4:1

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 29, 2018
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Psalm 3:7-8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 28, 2018

 

Psalm 3:7 “Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.”

[David’s call was desperate, he needed help now. He knew that you, Lord, were completely capable of bringing down his enemies, and wanted you to act right away. And, as we know from the story in 2 Samuel 17 and 18, you did so, bringing defeat to Absalom’s forces.

Although David said “all my enemies,” he did not really want you to bring down of his son, and mourned his death greatly.

You answered, but he did not like the answer: you allowed that Absalom would get his hair caught in the tree, that Abner would be the one told about this and then go and kill him. Absalom had been pardoned before and had proved himself unworthy of trust. So it would have been all over again if he had lived–and you prevented that. You know what is best, so we must trust you in whatever answer you choose to give.]

Psalm 3:8 “From the LORD comes deliverance.”

[From you alone, Lord, by you alone, for your glory alone comes deliverance. “He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him…” (Ps.145, 19,20a).

 

We must look to you, LORD, the great I AM, the King of glory, the Lord of all, for deliverance, not to people, to our own efforts or some other source. Forgive me for looking first elsewhere for help–to medicine, to friends, to influential people, to money–before coming to you. You may use these to help me, but I must first come to you.

You are the Source of all good, the Creator of all existence, the Sustainer of all life. Praise be to you that you are the answer and the Answerer; you are the Way, the Truth and the Life. Help me to keep you as the focus of my existence!]

“May your blessing be on your people.”

[You are the One true source of blessing—genuine happiness and true joy come only from you—all other sources are temporary and many are destructive, addictive and harmful. With you, however, is the fullness of joy combined with the freedom to live in ever growing obedience to Truth.

You are worthy of worship and I give you honor, praise and glory now; I give you obedience, respect and joy. May you be glorified and honored this day in me and before me. Bless me with reminders to check in with you at each juncture for your direction and wisdom that I may join you in what you are doing.]

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Psalm 3:6

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 27, 2018
Psalm 3:6 “I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.”
[For David this was a physical fact: Absalom came with a large army and all the advantage. But in this crisis David was thinking about you, Lord: the Majestic, Mighty, Powerful, Undefeated, Unconquerable, Eternal Lord of Hosts. You are strong beyond imagination, you command the armies of Heaven, you can end everything in an instant, you work to weave all into your plan. Therefore, David did not give in to fear.
Praise you that for us, too, in the battle that is more against spiritual forces than physical ones, you are there, giving us support and grace, your presence and your protection. These we experience every day: in the timing of things, in provision of needs and in protection from Satan—all the perfect working of your hand in our lives.
So as we daily face the unseen but real forces of hell, who love evil, who have not one gram of goodness, who desire to destroy and are constantly at work to tear down all positives–we can rest in you.
As we cry out to you, you are at work, you have already defeated this enemy and are calling us to participate with you in the cleanup operation here on earth. We do this by keeping on your armor, fighting with praise, prayer and persistence in doing what we know to be right.
At the same time, on the level of what can be seen, the world now faces a growing horde of terrorists, eager to conquer and rule all the earth; but in this, too, we need not fear. You are moving history to a conclusion and taking us with you.
 
You are our Rock, our King, our Lord, our Ruler and we can trust in you no matter what storms come into our lives. Your plans are perfect, your presence is persistent, your protection is powerful. So I praise you now for what you will do today in carrying us through the attacks, over the barriers and into your peace.]
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Psalm 3:4-5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 26, 2018

Psalm 3:4 “To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.”

[Note that this does not say, “answered,” but “answers,” meaning all the time. You are the listening, watching and active God, all-present, all-seeing, all-knowing. In your faithfulness you are always there, you always answer as you see fit, in your time–as you always know what is best.

When trouble comes, you give the grace to go through it. In fleeing here from his traitorous son, Absalom, David arrived at his place of safety to find that you, Lord, had arranged true friends to came and supply his needs of food, drink and shelter (2 Sam. 17:27-29). It was there that he wrote this Psalm.

During his forced march out of Jerusalem, David was tired, discouraged and then cursed by one of his enemies. It didn’t look like much help was being given, but you were there, Lord, at work, preparing everything, doing what was right.

So I can have confidence that you will answer in the issues before me, in the dark night of Barbara’s depression, in the great physical weakness I’m experiencing, in the uncertainties of our future. I can make a long list of negatives, and in the process praise you for what you are doing and will do to help and protect me in each one.

Selah

[I must consistently think about those truths of your faithfulness, power and goodness, Lord, choosing to trust in you no matter what.]

Psalm 3:5 “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.”

[David did just that, even though he knew he would be pursued, he slept and awoke refreshed because you, O Lord, protected and kept him safe in the night.

So it is with us, as you surround us like a wall, you hold back the enemy, you give us rest and keep us safe. I praise you, Lord, and thank you for your goodness and faithfulness. You surely are worthy of our worship and obedience.]

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Psalm 3:3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 25, 2018

Psalm 3:3 “O LORD, how many are my foes!…But you are a shield around me, O LORD;”

[You are always there, O Holy One, Mighty in your glory, Strong in your righteousness, Powerful in your wisdom. You surround us, watch over us, and deliver us. There is no one greater than you, no other refuge so sure, no other help so near. I praise you, Lord, for your love, your faithfulness, your power, and your presence.]

“you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”

[Not only do you save us, but you share the glory of your triumph with us. You promise to bring forth our righteousness (from you), revealing it in the light of your presence, along with our vindicating judgment as the noon day sun (Ps 37:6). You encourage us, you give us guidance and insight, you grant us honor and lift us up before men. “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:4)

I praise you, Lord, that you, the Holy One, are willing, that you are pleased to share your glory in some mysterious way with your children–we who previously opposed you so bitterly, who brought shame on you, who even now bring grief to your heart every day in our selfishness and unbelief. Truly, there is no love like yours, O God: full-orbed, powerful, ever flowing, unaffected by anyone’s response.

You are the Source of all love, the Well-spring of all grace, the Headwater of all goodness. You overwhelm us with your undeserved, beyond logic, contra-conditional, unending love, continually pouring out grace, goodness and help—in spite of what we are and do.

Praise you, Lord, for what you will do today in the midst of all that will come. I give you glory and honor now for the unseen, unsuspected, unimagined goodness you will sweep into my life today, whether it be clearly so, or disguised as difficulty, disappointment or desperation.

May you be glorified, honored, lifted up and exalted by my responses in all today–in my thoughts, words and actions. For certainly You are worthy!]

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Psalm 3:1-2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 24, 2018
 
Psalm 3 A Psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
 
3:1 “O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!”
 
[In David’s case, many of his own officials and supporters had abandoned him and gone over to Absalom. For us, there are many across the globe who speak loudly against Christians, against the Word, against the Truth, against God, against freedom of religion and worship, against freedom to spread the gospel and the freedom to believe it.
 
Many speak in support of what God calls evil–ignoring the plight of the poor, promoting abortion, sexual immorality and perversion, spending huge amounts on promoting what is destructive, in limiting biblical influence, in perverting justice.
 
But, in spite of the numbers who oppose you with their supposed power, you, Lord God, are the One in charge, your might far surpasses anything they have, you will win in the end!]
 
Psa 3:2 “Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him.’ ”
 
[Most people operate on the level of the seen. Faith, however, operates on the higher plane of the unseen, of eternal Truth, of the reality of your character and presence, Lord. When all seems hopeless, when there are no positive possibilities on the horizon, we can know that you are there, that you have a plan, and that you are already answering, as you did with David.
 
So in the midst of my present sickness and weakness, I can trust in you, knowing that you are doing many good things which I cannot yet see.
 
As it says in Psalm 145:17-19, “The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving towards all he has made. The Lord is near to those who call upon him, to those who call upon him in truth. The Lord delivers those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them.” Psalm 86:7 echoes this: “I will call upon the Lord in the day of trouble, for he will help and deliver me.”
 
 
Selah
 
 
[think on that, on the contrast between people’s weakness and God’s power, between people’s selfishness and God’s faithfulness, people’s foolishness and God’s wisdom. As Proverbs 21:30 says, “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.” We are secure in Him, even when all crumbles down around us.
 
So help us this day to live in the shining truth of your glorious character, Lord Jesus: you have a plan, you have laid out a race for us, and you are running with us. Help us to look to you, the Author and Finisher of our faith, trusting you to guide us through the twists and turns, the ups and downs of today. And in doing so, may we find our rest in you alone, thereby giving you honor before all who are around us.]
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Psalm 12:12b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 23, 2018
 
Psalm 2:12b “Blessed are all who take refuge in him [the Son].”
 
[You are THE Refuge, Lord Jesus–of forgiveness, of grace, of goodness, of provision, of love, of care, of delight, of rejoicing, of hope, of protection, of growth. In you we are blessed, made whole, fulfilled, given purpose and peace, meaning and joy as well as hope and grace–and all this in whatever circumstances we are found.
 
In you there is no evil, no darkness, no negativeness, no sin or harm. In you, our Refuge, there is only goodness and grace, light and love, positiveness and purity, stability and surety, provision and protection. We praise and glorify you for your pardon, purity and power.
 
You, Lord Jesus, are worthy of our bowing before you, of our giving you the praise of our lips, the glory of our faith, the honor of our trust, the joy of our obedience, and the adoration of our full worship of your marvelous character.
 
There is no reason to hold back, and there are endless reasons to surrender to you, the True Teacher, the Powerful Provider, the Good God, the Loving Lord, the Saving Shepherd, the Gracious Guide, the Eternal Emanuel, the Triune Team, the Utterly Other, and the Sovereign Savior.
 
I bow before you now, Lord Jesus, resting in your refuge, trusting your Word, praising your goodness, giving you honor. I commit myself to dwelling in your shelter, obeying your commands, waiting on your timing and trusting in your wisdom, that I may rest in the shadow of the Almighty, and thereby glorify you in my life today, O Lord.
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Psalm 2:7-8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 19, 2018

Psalm 2:7 “I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’”

[These mysterious words, written in 1000 BC, are quoted again in Hebrews 1:5, and clearly refer prophetically to the Lord Jesus. I praise you, my Savior, that you are not only the Son from eternity past, but that you became the Son in a more specific way by being born as a baby, fathered supernaturally, living as both the human and heavenly Son of your eternal Father.

Your relationship was and is doubly unique in a trinity of ways: twice the Son (in eternity and in time); twice the Savior (saving us from our sins in your death, saving us from eternal separation in your resurrection in giving us everlasting life); twice incisively entering this world (once as Savior, once to come as Judge and Conqueror).

I praise you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for your deep and long wisdom displayed here, for your unshakable commitment to your love and your perfect follow-through on your promises and predictions. You are The Trustable One.]

Psalm 2:8 “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”

[Even though Satan knew this statement to be true, still he tempted the man Christ with the offer of having it all. This temptation was actually an offer to take a shortcut, to avoid the suffering needed to inherit all. But Jesus knew the truth, resisted and rejected it, standing firm in righteousness.

You, Lord Jesus, later received back the whole earth and all that is in it as your inheritance, rightfully gained in great suffering. You do things correctly, for you are righteous: no shortcuts, no avoiding the difficult, no impatience, no false ways. You are the One to be trusted. You are the One to be imitated in our lives.

Help us to be like you in whole-heartedly denying self, taking up our cross daily and following you, eagerly acknowledging you as the great Ruler of all.

To you we must bow, both because of your lovely and pure character, and because of your inexorable greatness. No one can prevail against you, so we might as well willingly and whole-heatedly bow before you now, rather than later under duress.

Praise be to you that surrendering to you is a good thing, for you are the God of goodness, the Lord of Love, the King of kindness, the Shepherd of surety and the Ruler of righteousness. To you be glory, to you be honor, to you be obedience, to you be praise both now, today and forevermore. Amen!

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