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Psalm 34:15,16

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 23, 2016
Psalm 34:15 “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;”
 
[Praise be to you, Lord, for your rich faithfulness, for your persistent love, for your deep commitment to your children. Praise you that you always watch over them, that you hear every prayer, every word, every thought. Praise you that you are totally aware of what is going on in our lives.
 
Your love is strong and deep and powerful. We can trust you to hear us whether we sense it or not, and to work out what is best.]
 
Psalm 34:16 “the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.”
 
[What a stark contrast: from total redemption to total rejection. In your great Love, Lord, you hate evil and will deal with those who choose to live in it.
 
And the greatest evil is to reject Jesus and His offer of forgiveness. Out of that rebellion and pride flow every other evil. You will righteously end the earthly lives of all such rebels and wipe out even the memory of them. Praise you for your rejection of evil so that it may not continue in heaven.]
Thank you, Lord, for your goodness which under girds us in difficulties, permeates our problems and transforms them into the next step up as we praise you for who you are and what you are doing in them–even though we cannot see any good at the moment.
 
I praise you for allowing the present problems in our lives with Barbara’s illness. I ask that out of your love and wisdom, your righteousness and grace that you give us a fresh “Job experience” of seeing your greatness and glory so that we may continually bow before you in humility and confess, “I have nothing to say; you are right Lord, praise you for what you are doing.” And I praise you now for whatever you will do, Lord, for you know what is best.
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Psalm 34:10,11

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 20, 2016
 
Psalm 34:10 “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”
 
[Here is the earlier truth repeated (“Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing”), this time with an example.
 
Even powerful wild lions can grow weak when they don’t find food. In comparison, those who look to God–even those who are weak–who actively seek Him, who intentionally follow Him, will not lack any good thing. This includes provision of needs for life (physical, emotional, relational) as well as the privilege of experiencing difficulties to make us grow and deepen spiritually, equipping us and providing us opportunity to give God glory.
 
Help me to live this way, Lord, to seek you, to think, obey and live Truth, keeping on the armor of God, embracing all that is right and good, taking up my cross daily, praising you in and for all, and following you with all my heart. I praise you ahead of time for how you are going to help me in seeking and fearing you throughout today.
 
Psalm 34:11 “Come, my children, listen to me;”
 
[This is God calling us to be teachable like children. They recognize their limited abilities, their dependence on their elders, and are open to input. Little children are eager to learn and accepting of guidance. So should we, always ready to hear from God rather than proudly relying on our own thoughts and ideas.]
 
“I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”
 
[What a wonderful offer from God. Knowing the fear of the Lord is not something naturally known, something we can figure out for ourselves. We need God’s revelation and input to understand what the fear of the Lord is, and how to live in it. Are we listening?]
 
I praise you, Lord Jesus, for how you will provide all I need–in your faithfulness protecting, guiding and sustaining me through whatever you allow.
 
I praise you now for your goodness yet to be displayed as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Glory be to your name as you help me learn to walk in the fear and awe of you, actively seeking you and your will in each instance. Amen.
 
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The Brilliance of Faith

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 19, 2016
Praise you, Lord, for the beauty of the Maple trees these days as the leaves are now at their height of color. Every corner we turn on the road reveals amazing scenes of color, with certain trees standing out in special brilliance.
 
These trees are a picture of what different believers are like. When things are going well, all look about the same. But when difficulties and pressure come, like the frost of autumn, the beauty of faith is revealed.
 
Like the trees, some believers stay green, some have a touch of color, while others stand out gloriously, glowing, lit from within in their reds and yellows.
 
These glowing trees are like believers who respond in faith when things are tough. As it says in 1 Peter 1:6,7 “…for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith…may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
 
When our faith is proven true under pressure, we give glory to God now and He will then give it back us when we arrive in heaven, where we will glow in His love and share in His honor: “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Col 3:4).
 
Knowing the beauty faith brings, and how this honors God can help us to respond in trust when things are difficult, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving which brings a glow, rather than the self-indulgence of complaining, which gives drabness.
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Psalm 34:9

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 18, 2016
Psalm 34:9 “Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.”
[The call here, the command, is to fear God—to be so in awe of the Powerful Creator, the Faithful Ruler, the Righteous King of glory that we reject our natural responses and obey Him instead, trusting His wisdom, knowledge and goodness.
 
It means caring deeply what He thinks and thereby rejecting what I or others think when it is different. If we do this, the promise is that we will lack nothing.
 
That is a huge, all-encompassing promise: everything I need will be given! This, of course, is an echo of Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…,” which also implies surrender to Him as Lord.
 
Part of fearing God is accepting that He knows what we actually need. This may be getting what we personally desire, or the opposite. For us right now, it means my wife being sick with chronic Lyme’s Disease, suffering weakness, pain, confusion and depression. In the midst of this Jesus is with us, shepherding us, equipping us, using us.
 
Part of fearing God is believing His Word, knowing that He has a plan in our pain: “‘For 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'” (Jer.29:11).
 
Help us, Lord, to grow in fearing you, to rest in your greatness, to do what is pleasing to you, to reject the pressures of men, the pull of our own hearts and instead do what is on your heart.
 
I praise you, Lord, for your faithfulness in graciously tying us to yourself (which means allowing us to grieve you when we disbelieve and disobey), in making us to be dependent on you.
 
You give us much joy as we see you answer prayer, grant us your wisdom, demonstrate your faithfulness and display your might.
 
Help us to walk in faith and trust in our present period of problems, fearing you, resting in your goodness and waiting for your wise timing to bring your desired future.]
 
 
 
 
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Psalm 34:6-8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 17, 2016
Psalm 34:6 “This poor man called,”
 
[When I recognize my weakness and poverty of wisdom, strength and resources, when all my pretenses were gone and I am honest before you, Lord, and before myself, I tend to call to you all the more whole-heartedly, all the more earnestly. I am more open to you in my need knowing that I cannot trust in myself. I am in the position you desire so that you may act in wisdom and power. ]
 
“and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.”
 
[Then you act, then you save. You wait for us to come to the position of surrender and trust, seeing and embracing our weakness before you act to snatch us from the jaws of the dragon, to pluck us out of the fire, to surround and shelter us in the midst of turmoil.]
 
Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”
 
[Here is the summary of your plan for protection: you look for partnership, for trust, surrender and obedience from us—meaning we stand in awe of you and act out of that awe, caring deeply what you think about everything as we fear you, not man—and then you continually deliver us. You send your angel to surround us with love, power and grace, you have him deliver us constantly, as we fear you. Help us, Lord, to fear you, to live in awe of you at all times.]
 
Psa 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;”
 
[Here’s God’s challenge to us: if you don’t believe in His goodness, taste and see what the Lord really is. Start trusting and see what He does.]
 
“blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”
 
[How happy, protected, helped and safe is the man who acts on this Truth and runs to God for protection and shelter. Again, here is the partnership God desires: He stands ready to act, waiting for us to seek refuge in Him.
 
May we partner with you throughout this day, Lord, trusting you, fearing you, taking refuge in you.]
 
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Seeing Faith

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 16, 2016
In the midst of Barbara’s debilitating illness, thank you that I can rest in the plan that you have for us, Lord God, and praise you with all my heart.
I give you glory, O Triune God, for your wise, gracious, good and powerful being. I praise you Heavenly Father for your unchanging plans and purposes for my life.
 
I praise you, Lord Jesus, for your faithful and wise shepherding, providing all I need, making me to lie down in green pastures.
 
I praise you, Holy Spirit, for your gracious, gentle and persistent teaching, convicting and guiding in all.
You are the One who is in control, and your Ruling is always right, your Sovereign Shepherding is always wise and good, your Guidance and Grace are always timely, your Teaching and Tenacity are always trustable–even if we cannot understand them.
 
I bow before you now in thankfulness for your rich, deep, wise and wonderful character, filled with the treasures of goodness, righteousness, justice and love. You are worthy of total worship, of complete surrender and utter obedience, of persistent praise and great glory in every situation.
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Psalm 34:4,5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 15, 2016
Psalm 34:4 “I sought the LORD, and he answered me;”
 
[Yes, Lord, in your faithfulness you answer: at the right time, in the right way, with the right means. You are trustable in your faithfulness, you are reliable in your unchangingness, you are beautiful in your consistency.]
 
“he delivered me from all my fears.”
 
[This was not the help I really wanted, but in your wisdom you start on a much more foundational, inner level in order to bring an answer much bigger than my request.
 
The troubles in my life reveal these fears, and you want to deliver us from fear: the fear of man, fear of the future, fear of loss, fear of humiliation, fear of suffering, fear of failure.
 
So you turn our eyes to you and as we gaze upon you, seeing you in your great power, your deep wisdom, your gracious compassion and your rich love, fear has no place to cling and falls away. You are the fear Killer, the freedom Bringer, the peace Giver. Praise be to you.]
Psalm 34:5 “Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”
 
[Because you are faithful, powerful, wise and good, you always answer by meeting our true needs. So we are never put to shame when we trust in you. People and Satan may try to shame us, but we can, like Jesus in Hebrews 12:3, endure our cross, despising the shame, looking instead to the joy we will have when seated with Him in heaven.
 
As we look to you in our troubles, we are transformed more and more into your image (2 Cor. 3:18). As in worship we bask in the light of your glory, we join you in being light to the world, for we will reflect that glow to all those around us–the radiance of trust, peace and contentment in you.]
 
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More Difficulty, More Praise

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 14, 2016
The following was written in 2011 following an unsuccessful attempt to resolve conflict on one of our teams, a painful event with a sad outcome.
 
Psalm 34:1 “I will extol the LORD at all times;”
 
[Even now, in the midst of this painful failure, I will extol you, Lord, I will praise you, the great and sovereign God who is at work doing what is right, bringing good in every situation. You, Lord God are worthy of worship in the worst of circumstances, humanly speaking, for you do not abandon us, you press on in spite of the pain you suffer with us, you are faithful to the end, and therefore worthy of all exaltation.]
 
“his praise will always be on my lips.”
 
[Always, no matter what happens, in every difficulty, every hardship, every form of suffering, failure and evil, I can praise you and I choose to do so. You, Lord God are good, through and through. So what you do is good, what you allow you will use for good for your children; this can include breaking and transformation.
 
Lord God, do good in this situation. Have us suffer as long as is necessary; may we learn what we need to and go through what you know is necessary, doing it with your power and strength.]
Psalm 34:2 “My soul will boast in the LORD;”
 
[If I am honest, there is nothing to boast about in myself, I can only boast in you, Lord Jesus, the perfect One, the pure One, the holy One who never makes a mistake, never fails, never is unknowing. To you certainly belongs honor, praise and worship. You are the One to boast in, not myself.]
 
“let the afflicted hear and rejoice.”
 
[In this case I am afflicted, beaten down, a failure, but as I think on you, Lord, I can rejoice in you.]
 
Psalm 34:3 “Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.”
 
[This is the purpose for which I was created, Lord: to bring you honor, praise and exaltation. In this situation I honor you by faith, clinging to you, Lord, and to your truth, praising you for what you are doing, things I can’t see or understand yet–this brings you glory.
 
I will focus on this now, Lord, giving you honor and praise for how you are working things out. At present there is only total failure and loss on our side, but also the opportunity for giving great glory to you as by faith we rest in your wisdom and grace.]
 
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Praise in the Midst of Difficulty

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 13, 2016
In the midst of Barbara’s debilitating illness and the deterioration it brings, we want to continue to follow Habakkuk’s example in Habakkuk 3:17-19
 
“Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
 
YET I will rejoice in the LORD, (Yahweh)
I will be joyful in God (Elohim) my Savior.
The Sovereign (Adonai) LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.”
 
I choose to rejoice in you, Lord, for you are good always, you are the source of our joy–not our having things go right. I praise you for what you are going to do in this situation, Lord. I can let go of the negatives and cling to you. I praise you for what you are doing, for what you are planning, for what you will work out, as you did with Joseph in all he suffered.
 
Help us all to respond as he did, bringing glory to your name, and healing to our souls. I thank you for the unseen things you are going to accomplish through this, for the good that you will draw out. I ask for your guidance in what I should do to join your purposes.
 
Lord Jesus, you are the Wonderful One, full of wisdom, grace, righteousness, mercy, justice, goodness and power. You are the One who can overrule in any situation you desire. You could have worked this illness out otherwise, but you allowed or guided things in this direction, so we choose to trust you and to look at the bigger picture.
 
Lord, to belong to you, to be your possession, to personally know you is wonderful. Blessed is too mild a word! To know that you chose us, wanted us as your people, sought us out, bought us, adopted us, transformed us, and that you love us and cherish us—this is marvelous! It is more than we could ever have hoped for, especially in the light of what we actually deserve (punishment, rejection, suffering, eternal separation from you and all that is good).
 
So we choose to trust you through praise, knowing that you have laid out the race before us, empowering us to run with perseverance and patience, looking to you, the author and finisher of our faith, knowing that as we look ahead to the joy you have for us, we can endure whatever cross you give us, for we will be seated with you in heavenly places (Heb. 12:1-3).
!
 
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God's Grace

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 12, 2016

As it says in Psalm 107, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

[and so we see your love every day in the myriad of provisions and protections you pour out upon us; we can see, hear, speak, walk, work and write. You give us food, shelter, health, community and sleep, among many others wonderful gifts.]

“Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,”

[You, Lord Jesus, have certainly redeemed us from the hand of Satan, from the hand of sin, from the hands of evil men. You are our Savior, Shepherd and Sustainer. Praise be to you forever and ever.]

“those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.”

[Thank you, Lord, that you work in people everywhere, opening their eyes, giving them the desire for truth, bringing them your Word. You are the true, loving God, gracious to all, forgiving to all those who come.]

“Some wandered in desert wastelands,”

[when we reject your truth, go our own way, we dwell in dry and parched lands of our own making, far from the green pastures you have for us.]

“finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away.”

[In our own path we go from one bad decision to the next. We search for sustenance and find none, we grow weaker and weaker. Everything goes downhill because we are far from your way.]

“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,”

[When they finally saw that their way was not good, that their wisdom was insufficient, that their strength was too little, then they cried out to you.]

“and he delivered them from their distress.”

[You, Lord, in your goodness were right there, waiting for them to come to their senses, to see their need, to cry out to you. You were ready to help as soon as they were ready to receive.]

“He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.”

[You, Lord, know the way and are very willing, eager to lead us by it, if only we would follow. You give us wisdom, insight, security and community, all we need to prosper.]

“Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love”

[and truly it is unfailing as you wait and wait for us to repent of our selfish, stubborn independence. You don’t give up, you are patient, persistence and prepared.]

“and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”

[What you have for us is beyond good, it is wonderful, marvelous, awesome, great. You, Lord, have only good for us, satisfying our thirst for love and forgiveness, our hunger for relationship, reality and meaning. You know our needs, for you are our Creator; you are able to supply our needs, for you are infinite; you are willing to supply our needs, for you are good. Praise be to you, both now and forever.]

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