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Psalm 3:1-2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 18, 2015
Psalm 3
A Psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom. [In looking at this Psalm, I will apply the truths David expresses to our lives in the present.]
 
3:1 “O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!”
 
[In David’s case, many of his officials and supporters had gone over to Absalom and opposed him. For us, there are many across the globe who speak loudly against the Word, against the Truth, against God, against freedom of religion, against freedom to spread the gospel, to believe it and to worship. Many speak in support of what God calls evil (ignoring the plight of the poor, promoting abortion, homosexuality, spending huge amounts in wrong areas, in limiting biblical influence, in perverting justice). But in spite of the numbers who opposed you and their supposed strength, you, Lord God, are the one in charge, your power far surpasses anything they have, you will win out in the end!]
 
Psa 3:2 “Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him.’ ”
 
[Most of us operate on the level of the seen. Faith operates on the higher plane of the unseen, of eternal Truth, of the reality of your character and presence, O Lord. When all seems hopeless, when there are no positive possibilities on the horizon, we can know that you are there, you have a plan, you are already answering, as you did with David. 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 echos 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, 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.]
 
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A Brush With Dawn

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 17, 2015
A misty morning with a white sky waiting for the sun to climb over the horizon and paint it blue. So my soul waits for you, Lord, to bring color into this day. With your brush of love you will paint in the outlines with grace, goodness and generosity. You will bring meaning, purpose and direction. You will paint over frustration and disappointment, turning them into positive opportunities to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, to let go of the trivial, hold onto the eternal and rise above the clutches of selfishness and negativism. “We know that for those who love God, all things work together for good….” (Rom. 8:28).
 
You are the supreme artist, able to use the most mundane and poor materials to create lovely scenes, bringing beauty from ashes, life from death, blessing from tragedy and salvation from failure.
 
Therefore we can trust our day to you. We can join you in your plans to transform the negative cards dealt us by the world, the flesh and the devil into steps up, spiritual advances and deepening of character. So I choose to praise you now for what you will do in the hours to come, trusting you to carry us through, using each moment for good and your honor. You are calling us to join you in your plans, giving us opportunities to reverse Eden, rejecting temptation, trusting you and doing what we know to be right. May you be lifted up, honored and glorified in our obedience through faith today.
 
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Psalm 2:9-12

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 13, 2015
Psalm 2:10,11 “Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.”
 
[To resist you is not wise, Lord. To fight the undefeatable One who is over us is total foolishness. It is a guarantee of failure, the certainty of unnecessary, unprofitable suffering. And it is not just surrender you want, Lord, but willing, wholehearted service, seeing you for who you are: King, Creator and Conqueor. You are Triune, Trustworthy and Terrible in your wrath against sin.
 
In your total sovereignty you are to be feared; before you we should tremble, for we deserve your punishment, we are worthy of your wrath, you have every right to send us to hell right now. Yet you greet us with love, you extend the scepter of forgiveness, you clothe us with your righteousness, you welcome us into your family—what cause to rejoice! To celebrate! To bask in your love! To exalt your name!]
 
Psalm 2:12 “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.”
 
[We must accept your love, surrender to you, acknowledge that you, Lord Jesus, are the eternal Son of God, fully God, worthy of worship and accepting of ours. To fail to surrender puts us in danger of your righteous wrath, which can easily bring an end to all that we cherish. In contrast, when we cherish you, abandon our way for yours, then we are safe. The choice is clear, a “no brainer;” why would anyone decide against?!!]
 
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Psalm 2:9

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 12, 2015
Psalm 2:9 “You will rule them [the nations] with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
 
[Again thinking prophetically–you, Lord Jesus, will deal with sin, punish evil and sweep away all who refuse your shelter of protection and forgiveness. I praise you that you are not soft on sin, that you are firm and set in your determination to eliminate wickedness and evil from your children as well as the new Heaven and new earth to come. I praise you for the prospect of living there without a sin nature within, without an evil enemy like Satan encouraging me to do my own thing.
 
You have conquered, now you reign in the hearts of your people, and you will bring about your full reign with the final judgment, sweeping away all sin along with those who do not believe Truth, who rebel against your Word, who refuse to enter your rest.]
 
Today I praise you, Lord Jesus, as my King, my Shepherd, my Guide, my Protector, my Constant Companion. You are with me even in my dreams. I give you glory and honor for your great work in my life. And I praise you for all that you will do today—the certainty of your protection, the certainty that you will work powerfully and incisively, that you will allow some difficulties to make me grow, to challenge me to trust you, to lead me to pray and to further obey your Word.
 
You are wonderful, and to be a member of your family is beyond wonderful—it is more than any human being could imagine or wish: to be loved without restraint; to be delighted in, in spite of what I am; to have instant access to your presence; to be watched over and protected by the All-seeing, All-knowing, All-powerful, All-good One; to have purpose, meaning, direction and hope! These are privileges beyond what we could articulate.
 
Praise you, Lord God, Triune King, Marvelous Lord, that you are absolutely, totally, completely, eternally trustable; this trust is grounded in your character, proven in your works, proclaimed in your words and experienced every day in my life. I bow before you, I lift up your name, proclaim your goodness, and rise up to obey the Worthy One, the Holy One, the Powerful One, the Good One. Glory be to you in my life today, my God and my King.
 
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Psalm 2:7-8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 10, 2015
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, quoted again in Hebrews , clearly refer prophetically to Christ. I praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are the Son from eternity past. I praise you also, that, as referred to here, you became the Son in a more specific way by being born as a human being, fathered supernaturally, living as both the human and heavenly Son of your eternal Father.
 
Your relationship and roles were and are unique: twice the Son (eternally and in time), twice the Savior (saving us from our sins in your death, saving us from eternal separation by giving us everlasting life in your resurrection), and 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 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 all—it was actually a temptation to take a shortcut, to avoid the suffering needed to inherit all. But Jesus knew the truth and resisted, standing firm. You, Lord, later received back the whole earth and all that is in it as your inheritance, rightfully gained in great suffering. You do things right, for you are righteous: no shortcuts, no avoiding the difficult, no impatience, no false starts. You are the One to be trusted.
 
Help us to imitate you today by whole-heartedly denying self, taking up our cross daily and following you, for you are the great Ruler of all. To you we must bow both because of your lovely character and because of your inexorable power.
 
No one can prevail against you, so we might as well willingly and whole-heatedly bow before you now rather than forced to at the judgment when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that you are Lord.
 
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 today and forever and ever.
 
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Equipped for this day

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 9, 2015

Praise be to you, Lord, for your goodness seen in the beauty of the morning. Outside our window the petunias turn their cheerful pink little faces to the sun, surrounded by busy birds feeding on the porch. The grape vine leaves on the trellis share their sunlight-illuminated green with us. A breeze lightly brushes the surface of the pond, creating an impressionistic copy of the bushes reflected there. Long shadows cast by the rising sun stretch over the hillside, accentuating the curve of the field. All is peaceful and quiet, a new day waiting to receive its assignment from the Creator.
 
Thank you that as today rises from the residue of yesterday, you give us another opportunity to live for you, to abide in you and move through the activities before us in your power. With uncertainty hovering on the horizon, there is security in being with you, for you know what is to come and will give us all the grace, wisdom and strength we need to meet it and rise above it, like a small boat able to ride the waves of the sea.
 
I praise you for giving us your power through prayer and the filling of the Spirit. Thank you for the armor to put on (Eph. 6:10-18) so we can stand against the wiles of the devil, remembering that we fight not against people but against the devil and his forces, using praise, prayer and persistence in obedience. And that as we keep on the whole armor, we can stand in the evil day, doing all that you desire. Help us to stand, having on the belt of truth, remembering what we deserved (condemnation, banishment and darkness) and what you have given us (forgiveness, adoption and the light of your continual presence).
 
Help us to keep on the breastplate of righteousness, forgiving ourselves as you have forgiven us, and the shoes of peace, forgiving others as we have been forgiven. Above these, help us to lift up the shield of faith by giving thanks in and for all, thereby quenching all the fiery darts of the evil one. And to put on the helmet of salvation, remembering that our significance and security come from you alone. Then to take up the sword of the Spirit, reading, studying, meditating on your Word so we can live it out each day. And to stand, praying consistently for all around us.
 
With this armor in place, we can meet every attack, every challenge in your power, Lord Jesus, confident in your goodness, grace and love. What a wonderful way to live in this fallen world, to rest in the greatness of who you are, to live in the shelter of your love and to revel in the certainty of eternity with you. May you be honored today as we walk with you in the freedom of obedience, following in faith and praising in your presence.
 
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Psalm 2:5-6

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 8, 2015
Psa 2:5 “Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath,”
 
[You, O Lord, hate sin, your wrath will be poured out upon it, and upon anyone who refuses to repent and accept your protection of pardon. Your wrath is terrible, overwhelming and total. No man, no creature can stand against it.]
 
Psa 2:6 saying, “I have installed my Kings
 
on Zion, my holy hill.” [God has chosen His regents and no one can oppose. He installs His rulers, no one can throw them down without His permission. He has chosen the place of ruling, no man can prevent this.]
 
Praise be to you, Lord God, King of all, Ruler of the universe, the inexorable, unending, all-knowing and all-loving One. You always do what is right: you act at the optimum moment, you move swiftly and precisely, you bring good to pass, and part of that is to destroy wickedness. “The Lord watches over all those who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.” (Ps 145).
 
In this day I want to join you in the battle, Lord, to keep on the full armor and stand in your strength against the evil in and around me, against the devil and his forces. Without your help, your power, your presence this is impossible.
 
I praise you that you not only offer us all that is needed to fight in the evil day and having done all to stand (Eph 6:10-18), you have also command us to do this. You make full provision and you call us to full obedience.
 
Help us today to bow down in worship and to rise up in submission, to be filled so full with your Spirit that He spills over on those who meet us, washing wickedness from relationships. Praise you, Lord Jesus, for all you will do in our lives today.]
 
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Psalm 2:3,4

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 7, 2015
 
Psalm 2:3 in the context of verse 2 “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.” [this refers initially to king David, but prophetically to Jesus the anointed one, the Christ]
 
Verse 3 “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.”
[What an amazing statement of ignorance and arrogance. This is like thinking that a few grasshoppers could prevent a farmer from plowing his land; that a few children could prevent a snowstorm from coming; as if people could prevent the planets from circling the sun; as if a man could make time stand still.
Lord, these kings view your good guidelines as negative and restrictive, binding as chains. They desire to be like you, deciding what is good and evil. They lust after an independence that cannot be, for they are too small, too weak, too warped to carry it.
 
Only you are able to be God, O Lord. You are Triune and Holy, completely other, sufficient in yourself, without any sin, pure, powerful, perpetual and positive. You do not chain us, you call us into freedom and joy, love and grace, relationship and goodness (John 15). You are the One to be revered, honored, praised and obeyed. In obeying you there is true freedom, for you lead us out of the prison cell of self into the light of Christ who completes us, welcomes us into His family, and equips us for special service.]
 
Psa 2:4 “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.”
 
[The illusion of men successfully fighting God is ludicrous, delusional, foolish, futile and ridiculous. It is both laughable and evil. There is no chance for them, for only with and in God are men able to triumph. He is the great Conqueror, the wonderful Winner, the overcoming King. It is his nature to win, for His character is the measure of what is right and good and positive. His being is so powerful, so mighty, so strong, that on one can move one finger without his permission.
 
You, Lord God, are awesome and worthy of worship through obedience. May my life be a source of honor for you today. May I not fight against you, but join you in what you are doing.]
 
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Worthy of Worship

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 6, 2015
Good morning, Lord Jesus. As I wake to your presence after a night of your protection, I praise you for the beauty of your character: perfectly balanced, multifaceted and full-orbed, packed with positives, free of negatives. You are pristine, pure and passionately good.
 
You are able to do whatever you wish with no one able to restrict you, and what you do is always sinless, righteous, edifying and loving. You never shy away from doing what is right, no matter how hard it may be. You are love itself and exude every aspect of it, including judgment of sin and the desire to eliminate evil from the universe.
 
I praise you, Lord Jesus, for you always act with complete knowledge, so your decisions are accurate, right and perfect. No one can ever accuse you of acting from ignorance, selfishness or pride. Your purity is complete, your power is immense, your strength is limitless and your might is infinite. There is no good thing you cannot do, there is no evil you cannot resist.
 
You, Lord Jesus, are the perfect Priest, the inspired Intercessor, the supreme Shepherd and our gracious God. To you belongs all honor and glory, all worship and praise, all submission and obedience, no matter what my state may be.
 
I praise you that in your wisdom, you have made faith, based on your revelation and intervention in our lives, the requirement to enter your Kingdom; it is also the means of pleasing you; and faith is the pathway to growth, maturity and joy. You have offered faith as a gift, available to all, from the youngest to the oldest, from the most simple to the most brilliant, from the beginning of time to the end of history. Your wisdom in this graciousness is marvelous, beautiful and kind.
 
Truly you are most certainly worthy of our trust, our belief and obedience, Lord Jesus. Help me to live in faith today, that you may be exalted and glorified before all, in both the physical and spiritual realms. This I cannot do on my own, only through your grace and power, so please pour them both into my life that you may be honored continually. Amen.
 
 
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While in Detroit

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 3, 2015
It is so wonderful to know that you, Lord, are everywhere; there is nowhere I can go where you are not. “If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall your hand lead me, and your right hand shall hold me” (Ps. 139:9-10). This is encouraging and strengthening: a truth I can rest in.
 
You never leave me on my own, but are always present to protect, guide and provide. Not only are you there, but you have gone before me to prepare events, opportunities and people. I am stepping, one second at a time, into the plan you have laid out for today. I am running the race you have set before me (Heb 12:1-3), moving into the good works you have prepared for me to do (Eph. 2:10).
 
Wherever I go, I can abide in you and you will abide in me; in you love and power you have chosen me (along with every other follower of Christ) and ordained me that I might bear much fruit that will remain. And because of this, as your Word abides in me, I can bear fruit, giving the Father glory, and pray knowing you will answer (John 15).
 
You have certainly put me in a win-win situation, Lord Jesus: you love me as the Father has loved you; as I obey your commands, I will remain in your love. A truth that is clear, concise and complete.
 
Help me, Lord, to obey your commands, to abide in you today, to think your Word, to bear the fruit you desire, giving you a growing stream of glory and honor.
 
 
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