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Psalm 37:4a

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 18, 2018
Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself also in the LORD,”
[What an easy command to obey–if we are willing to make the effort. There is so much in you to delight in, Lord. You are the loving and gracious One, full of kindness, goodness and thoughtfulness. You are richly generous, wisely firm, powerfully active and eternally faithful.
You are the good Shepherd, leading us wisely and well; you are the mighty Warrior, powerfully protecting us from the enemy; you are the holy Hater of sin, moving to eliminate it from the universe; you are the Lover of your enemies, performing the impossible by keeping your law while making a way to redeem us criminals; you are the majestic and mighty Savior, opening a door of escape in the wall of condemnation; and you are the gracious Giver of righteousness, sharing your purity with those who will accept it.
You created all, own all, provide all that is good. You are all-present, all-seeing, all-knowing. You are always with us, shielding us from true harm, leading us through the deserts and dark valleys of life, bringing us out into wide pastures of delight. In every situation you provide all the grace, refuge and wisdom we need.
You are the Creator, the Sustainer and the Ender of all. You are the Savior, the Sanctifier, the Shepherd in all. You are the wise One, the wonderful One, the winning One.
You live outside of time, so you know the future. You are never late, always know exactly how to help and give us far more than we need.
 
You provide us with a continual string of “God sightings,” providing, protecting and helping us just when we need it. You thereby deepen our understanding of your love and develop our faith–if we are just willing to notice your subtle work.
You are the King, the Ruler, the Sovereign, our Lord. You are worthy of worship, praise, glory and honor. To delight in you is not hard! Help us to actively do that through this day, thinking on your wonders, giving you honor, bringing joy to you and us, while deepening our first love for you.
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Psalm 37:1-2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 17, 2018
Psalm 37:1 Of David. “Fret not yourself because of evildoers;”
 
[Praise you, Lord, for your clear commands which steer us away from our natural, selfish reactions and towards your wonderful ways.
 
It is so easy to get worked up about evildoers: selfish, corrupt, immoral political leaders here and abroad, unjust actions, destructive organizations and brutal attacks. But you in your great wisdom and knowledge of the future, have reasons for allowing them.
 
You will use them to open people’s eyes to truth and bring many into your Kingdom, while maturing your children through difficulties. Therefore we can rest in you and pray for and about them, rather than wasting energy and time in fretting, knowing that you are the One who takes down and sets up rulers.]
 
“be not envious of wrongdoers!”
 
[It is so easy to envy their power, the effectiveness of their ways and to be tempted to imitate their methods, desiring to use them, of course, for good. But the good is then tainted and negated by the world’s wily ways.
 
“Be not!” I praise you for this command that moves us towards a supernatural view of things, freeing us from what is natural. Then we can live and act out of your thoughts and ways: loving our enemies, praying for those who persecute us, forgiving those who harm us. Praise you for the possibility of letting go of temporary values, of holding on to what is eternal and rising above our difficult situations.]
 
Psalm 37:2 “For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.”
 
Here’s the freeing perspective you give us: these evil doers won’t be around for too long. You will cause them to fail and fade (think of Stalin, Hitler and Mao), while your children still stand, because you are the preserver and protector of the righteous.
 
Praise you that you can see into the future, that you know all to come and that we can trust you to work out what is best, guiding us in joining you in the process. To obey worldly ways brings death, to obey you brings eternal fruit. Help us to choose your ways throughout this day so we can honor you before all.
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Psalm 86:11,12

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 16, 2018

“Teach me your way, O Lord; I will walk in your truth;”

Psalm 86:11

 

Praise be to you, Lord Jesus, that you came to be the Way, to teach the way, to be the Truth, to reveal truth. It is wonderful that, in you, we can now know truth, see what is right and wrong, be aware of what is hurtful before we act, of what is good before choosing.

“Unite my heart to fear your name…” (Ps. 86:11b). You are the only One who can heal and unite our hearts, making us single-minded, whole-hearted, completely committed to Truth. You are the only One who is worthy of that commitment, for you are the great God, the obedient Son, the willing Sacrifice, the Healer of the broken creation, and the Bridegroom who died for your bride. You bind up our wounded hearts and masterfully, tenderly unite them to yourself.

“I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify your name forevermore” (Ps. 86:12). Yes, I WILL praise you, for you are my Lord, my God—my final Authority, my King, the real Ruler, the Mighty I AM, the Great Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Yes, I WILL glorify your name, Lamb of God, King of Glory, Redeemer of all, Everlasting Father, Son of Man, Son of God, the Most High, the Almighty One, the Gracious One, the Compassionate One, the Patient One, the Holy One.

You are worthy of exaltation, magnification, glory and praise forever and ever and ever. There will be no end to the revelation of new facets about your beautiful person, your rich personality, your infinite graciousness. And I thank you that we will be with you to praise you forever and ever and ever.

You are our All in all. You are glorious in goodness. You are majestic in mercy. You are wonderful in your works. To you be glory and honor, joy and worship in my life today. I love you.

 

Prayer: “Praise you that you give us the ability to choose to walk in your way, Lord Jesus. Help me to deny self and sin and to walk in your way and words. I bow before you in worship, in surrender and commitment, agreeing to do your will, to walk in your Truth, for you, Lord Jesus, are worthy of obedience. Amen.”

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Living in His Lavish Love

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 15, 2018
 
Today, Lord, I feel far from you. Thank you for this opportunity to walk by faith, to be reminded that all depends on your unchanging character, not my senses. Praise you, Lord, for your great and gracious presence, whether I sense it or not, whether I feel close to you or not, for in your faithfulness you have promised to never leave or forsake me.
 
Your plan, your power, your purpose, your persistence are the basis of our salvation, not our feelings or will, actions or obedience. I praise you that you have provided all and our part is simply to respond in belief.
 
To you belongs the glory of having prepared all through the sacrifice of Christ; to us belongs the privilege of faith and repentance. To you belongs all honor, glory and worship, for you are the pure, perfect, positive and powerful One who has done all necessary to redeem us.
 
I am so thankful, Father, that against all logic and law, you have chosen and transformed me. I was a seditious slave to sin, a fool fully controlled by my own foolishness, a criminal correctly condemned to an eternity without any good. I was a captive of Satan’s kingdom, a victim of my own evil, without goodness, without power, without hope.
 
But, in spite of what I am naturally, you called me to yourself, along with all the other sinners in this world. You made it possible for me to believe, you forgave me, transforming me into a new creature, with a new heart after yours, with the beginning of being like Christ. You placed your Holy Spirit within me, you gave me sonship, citizenship, and fellowship in your family.
 
You saved me because you mysteriously delighted in me and I now stand before you dearly loved, deeply cared for, doted on and delighted in—what a wonder! And all because of your great and gracious heart of love, your wisdom, grace and goodness. I do not deserve this, but I am deeply thankful that you have given me such marvelous and mighty grace.
 
May you be exalted throughout eternity for your illogical, counter-conditional, outrageous love! May I bring you honor today as I live in the light of your presence, whether I feel it or not–forgiving myself, accepting myself, loving myself as you do me, believing your Word, living in your Way!
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Psalm 36:10-12

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 14, 2018
 
Psalm 36:10 “Continue your love to those who know you,”
 
[I praise you, Lord God, that you are love itself and therefore can never not love. I am so glad to be your son, chosen in love before the foundation of the world, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, rescued from the kingdom of darkness, accepted into the Kingdom of Light, adopted into your family, and brought out into a wide and pleasant place. You rescued me because you delighted in me—not because of any quality of my own, but because you are Love itself.
 
And your love will continue throughout eternity, without end, without interruption, without diminishing. I praise you for your beautiful, majestic, magnificent character, founded on love, marvelous in balance and harmony, eternally perfect.]
 
“continue…your righteousness to the upright in heart.”
 
[You are the only Righteous One, O Lord. I praise you that your righteousness is unending, unrelenting and uninterruptable. Praise you that your always act in righteousness, in integrity, in purity, and that you have imputed your righteousness to your children.]
 
Psalm 36:11 “May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.”
 
[Yes, Lord, as we remain in the shadow of the Almighty, we are protected from the evil one and evil people. We may suffer persecution and difficulty, but you allow these as a way of growth, a way of witness and a way to honor you as we triumph over the world in faith. Praise you for the powerful and good working of your hands.]
 
Psalm 36:12 “See how the evildoers lie fallen—thrown down, not able to rise!”
 
[Righteousness will rule, evil will be vanquished: eternity will have only holiness, goodness and purity, for all wickedness will be locked up in the lake of fire, unable to come out and influence the rest of the universe, as it has for so long.
 
You, Lord Jesus, are the Conqueror, the King, the Ruler, the Lord of all. To you be glory and honor forever. May we live a life worthy of you today, obeying what we know to be true. Amen.
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Psalm 36:8-9

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 13, 2018

Psalm 36:8 “…the high and low among men…feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.’

[Even in the midst of difficulty, we can eat and drink of your marvelous provision—but we must choose to do so. You offer us so much on the spiritual side (love, joy, peace, grace, goodness, hope, purpose, power and wisdom), on the relational side (family, church family, friends) and the physical side (bodies that work pretty well, home, food, bed, warmth, water). You call on us to open wide and receive your gifts, to note and give thanks for them. You are our Source of all, you are the Provider of all. Praise you that you are the abundant God, the reason for all our delight.]

Psalm 36:9 “For with you is the fountain of life;”

[Without you there is only death, destruction, damage and decay. As we come to you and surrender, we are made alive, brought into a river of vibrant life that flows from you fountain of grace and the well of your Word.

This life continually grows ever more rich, deep, wonderful and abundant as we see more and more of your great and gracious character. This leads us to love you more and more in response to knowing your love that surpasses knowledge as we note God sightings, offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and dwell in your Word.

“in your light we see light.”

[To know you is to begin to see, and the more we walk into the light of your presence and power through worship and obedience, the more we can know and understand. “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining on ever more brightly til the full light of day” (Prov. 4:18).

You are the Revealer, the Teacher, the Guide and Protector. From you flows all revelation and insight. With you we are continually seeing more and more treasures in your Word, in your work, in your way. Praise you for the clarity, the vision, the insight and understanding you bring.]

I praise you, Lord God, my Heavenly Father, that you are so loving to us, taking us now through this team conflict, a difficult, hard, trying, painful, unpleasant, distressing time.

On the human side, it is because of the stubbornness of those involved; on the spiritual side, it is because you are bringing pressure to bear on all of us to grow and deepen, to trust and offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.

I praise you now for how you are going to work this out, for you are the Fountain of life, the Light of wisdom and the God of abundant grace.

You, Lord, are good, loving and wise. Therefore we choose to trust you, praise you and submit to you with all our hearts. Guide us today in living disciplined and wise lives so that more and more honor may flow to you. Amen.

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Psalm 36:7b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 12, 2018

This entry was written in 2010 while in the midst of mediating a painful, destructive conflict on one of our teams.

Psalm 36:7b “Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.”

[Lord, I come to you to find refuge, to find hope and help in the shadow of your mighty, protecting Wings. As one who is weak, I am one of the low among men, but in every situation, I choose, with Habakkuk, to “rejoice in the LORD, to be joyful in God my Savior” (3:18). There is no other source of help, there is no other refuge, there is no other way.

“The Sovereign LORD is my strength;”

[You, Lord, are awesomely powerful, while I am appallingly weak–powerless and frustrated in every aspect of this situation. I cannot get people to budge from their destructive, self-defensive delusions. Only you can do this Lord, for you are my strength, making up for my every lack. And I chose to join your strength through prayer.]

“…he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.”

[Lord, help me to stay stable, to be able to move ahead, to climb these intimidating heights, to be obedient to the Truth that you have given us. May you be our Ruler in this difficult situation before me. Answer my pleas according to your righteousness, according to your wisdom, according to your graciousness, and your Love.

For the sake of your Name, for the sake of your church, for the sake of your glory, please intervene. Bring us all to our knees, to see our sin, to be humble before you, to be broken, to stop trusting in ourselves and to start listening to you. Bring the breakthroughs needed, Lord. And I thank you now for what you will do. Help me to leave this with you, to rest in you, to be content in you, Lord.

I praise you, Heavenly Father, that you are my Rock and Refuge, that you, Lord Jesus, are my Shepherd and Salvation, that you, Holy Spirit, are my Tutor and Teacher. I thank you that, according to your plan, you will lead me through this destructive, distressing time.

Praise you, Lord Jesus that you are the Way, the Truth and the Life, that you are the Light of my life, unswervingly, unendingly, unchangingly are at work drawing us on to do what is right and good and positive. Please move us all forward through this time of trouble. And before there is any change, any answer, I praise you, Lord, for what you are doing and what you will do, for you are my Fortress, my Salvation, and my Stronghold.

 

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Psalm 36:5-7

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 11, 2018
 
Psalm 36:5 “Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”
 
[Praise you that there is no limit to your love, no frontier to your faithfulness, no end to your endurance. Your wonderful grace flows from you nonstop–so your love is always present, ever persistent and all pervasive.]
 
Psalm 36:6 “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.
 
[Thank you that your Love encompasses righteousness and justice, where you are fully faithful to your Word, to your Ways, to your wonderous Character. You are faithful in the midst of whatever you allow into our lives, be it pleasant or painful.
 
I thank you that, in your wisdom and goodness, you have caused mercy to triumph over justice. I give you honor and glory for the protection you provide as you mercifully act righteously and exercise justice. Help us, too, to be righteous and just.]
 
“O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.”
 
[You are the One who keeps us alive, giving us breath, food, water and protection; without you we would perish immediately. And we, in our old nature, deserve to be immediately snuffed out, with no recourse.
 
But you, in your inscrutable love, keep us alive, watch over us and invite us into your plans in spite of our inabilities and liabilities. May we consistently remember our weakness and be humble and obedient before you.]
 
Psalm 36:7 “How priceless is your unfailing love!
 
[Love is not only the outstanding, fundamental quality of your being, Lord God, but more deeply, unfailing love is what you are. You are Love itself, therefore you can never not love! Praise you for this powerful, unending Truth which influences every aspect of our existence.
 
Living in this love is the basic desire of our hearts, for you created us to exist in such a relationship with you. And through Christ you have restored us to it, rescuing us from exile, from extinction, from extermination, while bringing us into your wonderful presence, your warm embrace, your wide-ranging plan.
 
Help us be ever in awe of your glorious grace, to remain in your lavish love, loving you back well. “This is love for God: to keep his commandments, and his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3]
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Psalm 36:4

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 10, 2018
 
Psalm 36:4 “he [the wicked man] has ceased to be wise and to do good. Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.”
 
[This can also be true of believers–those who at one time committed themselves to be followers of Jesus, but now follow their own way. I think of an acquaintance in ministry who has run roughshod over a multitude of relationships, and has been confronted about this by multiple people, but refuses to admit any wrong doing.
 
He sees no sin even though he has ceased to do what is wise and good. He has committed himself to a sinful, self-protecting and self-promoting course.
 
Fear of God brings the opposite: humility and a teachable spirit. This is in stark contrast to this believer’s independent, self-justifying attitude, manifesting itself in pride and rebellion.
 
The outcome of failure to fear God is described in James 3:16: “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” Not a pretty picture, and, unfortunately, what often happens in individuals and churches who fail to fear God.
 
In contrast is the picture James 3:18 gives us: “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” And we can become peacemakers by fearing God as is described in James 3:17, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
 
As it says in Psalm 34:12, “Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,” fear the Lord, for it is the beginning of wisdom.
 
So let’s check ourselves regularly: are we caring deeply what God says, standing in awe of His wisdom, and submitting ourselves to His Word? Or are we going by our own twisted hearts, convincing ourselves that we know best, but actually leading ourselves into the fires of failure? Big consequences flow from each course!
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Psalm 36:3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 9, 2018
Psalm 36:3, “The words of his [the wicked man’s] mouth are wicked and deceitful;”
 
[Such a person deceives himself, as well as others. He is good at giving a positive spin on whatever he desires to do. Just as Satan deceived Eve by making himself look good while implying that God was not, that He wanted to keep something positive from her (“when you eat of it…you will be like God, knowing good and evil” Gen 3:5). In the same way, a person without the fear of God can convince himself that, doing the opposite of what God commands, is good.
 
We see this every day around us, as people attempt to use Scripture to support abortion, unbiblical forms of marriage, living together, or putting unqualified people into church leadership. What they are actually using as a measure is culture rather than God’s Word. They let their desire to fit in and be accepted, to be up-to-date and sophisticated, deceive them into rejecting God’s wisdom for that of the world.
 
In contrast is the one who fears God, spends time in His Word, learns to think God’s thoughts and puts them into practice. God’s perspectives are consistently the opposite of our natural ones (“Love your enemies.” “Do good to those who persecute you.” “Forgive as you have been forgiven.”)—and we could never come up with such beautiful ideas on our own. Each command is God protecting us from unnecessary negatives and uncalled for harm, such as bitterness, worry and fear.
 
A “God fearer” will check his desires and plans before God and in relation to His Word, rather than trust his own devious heart. One way to do this is to wait on making a decision, while taking time to think it through, asking God for wisdom, looking for direction in His Word, listing out the pros and cons. George Mueller described “God fearing” as bringing his heart to the place where receiving a “yes” or a “no” to his prayer was the same to him, for he wanted God’s will, not his own.
 
Fearing God is standing in awe of His majestic power, marvelous wisdom and mighty goodness. It is caring deeply what He thinks about each thing in our life. Fearing God will protect us from the deception of the world and of our own heart; it will bring wisdom and open the way to His greater working in and through us. Why would anyone ever want to reject His way?
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