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Psalm 5:8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on September 22, 2015

Psalm 5:8 “Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight your way before me.”

[Praise be to you, Lord Jesus, for you are my Shepherd who faithfully, consistently, without fail leads me. Praise you that you guide me in your righteousness, meaning that you never make a mistake, a wrong turn, never get lost, you are always right. And in your leadership you are sinless and pure, your motives are right, your purposes are right, your plans are right, your decisions are right. You are the One to be trusted.

I desperately need your leadership because I am the opposite of these qualities: I am small, ignorant and sinful; I have mixed motives, no control over the future and do not know what is best. Plus I am faced with powerful spiritual enemies who desire to bring me down: to destroy my spiritual life, my witness, my marriage, my family, my future.

Alone I am helpless against them, lost before the battle begins.   But you, Lord Jesus, are the Victor, you have conquered Satan and his forces; you equip me, empower me, employ me against them, and in your armor and power I can “resist the devil and he will flee” from me (James 4).

Help me to keep on your armor today, to fight the right enemy with the right weapons so that you may be honored in my life.]

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Psalm 5:6-7

Published by S.M. Wibberley on September 21, 2015

Psa 5:6 ‘You destroy those who tell lies;’

[to lie is to reject truth, to reject you, Lord; it is to rely on self, it is to take the short-term, easy way out.  To lie is to be the opposite of God, who cannot lie, it is impossible for you, Lord, to go against what you are: Truth itself! What a wonder to know that your truthfulness is not superficial, but permeates your whole being; it is part of your essence, your essentialness, your heart.  You will eliminate evil by destroying what is the opposite of you in character.  And lies automatically destroy those who use them, leading them away from reality into a web of delusion and insanity where the devil keeps them captive. You shine your Truth on them to show them the way, but they run from the light and die in the clutches of darkness and deception.]

“bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.”

[This is far more than just disliking—you are repulsed, you are repelled by murderous men who lightly take the lives of others, who live in deceit, using, hurting others for their own personal benefit. Today’s human traffickers come to mind; they are modern slave traders, living off the brief lives of others they have essentially condemned to death.  ISIS is a more urgent example: men who seem to enjoy killing and try to deceive others into thinking this is good. Past examples include the regimes of despots such as Kholmeini, Saddam Huseyin, the leaders of Sudan and Egypt, China and Russia.  In such leaders and their brutal followers there is no stability, no goodness, no redeeming factors. They are the opposite of what you are, Lord, and you abhor them.]

Psa 5:7 “But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house;”

[Before you called us into your family, each of us was one of the abhorred: mired in evil and deception. We all had the potential to be blatantly what these blood thirsty and deceitful men were, we just didn’t have the opportunity to act it out.

I praise you that you abhorred what we were in our natural state, but at the same time loved us, redeemed and transformed us by your great mercy.  We do not deserve to come into your house, but you have pardoned, transformed and wholeheartedly adopted us into your family where we will live in security and significance for eternity! An unbelievably wonderful and great turning of the tables, an incredible reality, far beyond what any human being could imagine or create.  You are a wonder, O Lord of love, God of goodness, King of kindness!

“in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.”

[What other response could there be than bowing before you, in awe, in fear, in adoration, in thankfulness, in joy, in peace, in submission, in belief, in willing, wholehearted, obedience.  You are worthy of our total surrender and complete obedience.  You are God, you are Great, you are Good, and I bow before you.  May you be glorified in my life today in each decision, each word, each thought, each response, for you are entirely worthy of this honor and much more!]

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Psalm 5:4-5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on September 19, 2015

Psalm 5:4”You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;”

[Praise be to you, Yahweh, for you are holy and wholly good: you hate evil, you abhor wickness, you are repulsed by sinfulness and will punish it.  You, O Lord, are the opposite of evil: you are pure, holy, good, kind, loving, gracious, righteous, forgiving, merciful and positive.  You do no evil, wish no evil, promote no evil.  You are good through and through.]

“with you the wicked cannot dwell.”

[In your holy presence, in your blinding, shining light of purity, the wicked are excluded, unable to stand before you.  This is a marvelous truth, because it means that in heaven there will be no wickedness!

Even in this world, those who are wicked (who have rejected your offer of forgiveness in Jesus and cleansing from sin, followed by receiving the righteousness of Christ) cannot live with you, they cannot be in your family, they cannot dwell in your light because  they choose not to do so: “Light has come into the world, but men love darkness instead of light because their deeds are evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” (John 3:19,20).

The wicked don’t want to dwell with you, and you cannot accept them. I praise you God that with you there is righteousness and justice to deal with and end the problem of evil. You offer your righteousness to all who will come, for we are all wicked in ourselves; we desperately need your forgiveness through which comes the righteousness of Christ into our lives.]

Psalm 5:5 “The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.”

[The proud, trusting in themselves, in their own power, wisdom, work and worth, think they can make it on their own.  You love the sinner, but if they reject your great salvation and remain wrapped in their sin, they will, by their own choice, be hated along with wickedness. They think they know better than you and reject your counsel, your wisdom, your way (Lord show me when I have such an attitude so I may repent!). They cannot enter your sanctuary and in the end they will be cast out because they, in their pride, have rejected your Son and chosen getting justice (what they deserve) over receiving mercy. Praise be to you, Lord God, for you take no pleasure in evil].

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Psalm 5:3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on September 18, 2015
Psalm 5:3 “In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”
 
[Each day, when I awake, you are there, O LORD, waiting, wanting to interact with me. Because of your great love you want to hear my voice, you want me to lay my requests before you, you desire to have me join you in your plans for today, you want me to look to you for all I need.
There is no other God like you, who hears my prayer, who answers in wisdom and goodness, whom I can expect to always do what is right.
You are the Great I AM, the everlasting Holy God, full of glory, shining in purity, sparkling in wisdom, enlightening all around you.
 
To you belongs exaltation and honor, praise and power, adoration and awe, the bowing of our knees and obedience from the heart. To you I give glory, to you I give honor, to you I surrender in praise.
 
Today may you be glorified in my life: help me to follow in the footsteps of the second Adam, to obey you with all my heart so that I may give you glory, please you in every way, and honor your name before men. I wait in great expectations, praising you now for how you will answer, for you are faithful, the God who hears and answers prayers.]
 
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Psalm 5:2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on September 17, 2015

Psalm 5:2 “Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.”

[Praise you, Heavenly Father, that with the help of the Spirit, we can come to you through Jesus in prayer. Praise you that when we don’t know how to pray or what to pray, you, Holy Spirit both guide us and intercede for us. Praise you, Lord Jesus, that you also pray for us.

Prayer is your idea, it is your invitation for us to join you in your great work; it is your invitation into your throne room, into your heart. Praise that you give ear to us, to consider our heart’s desire and listen to our cry for help—and that you will answer: “In the day of my trouble I will call to the Lord, for he will answer me” (Psa. 86:7). “The Lord fulfills the desires of those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them” (Psa. 145).]
[The One we pray to is our King and our God, not to some far away deity, not to some heartless, capricious, unconcerned god like that of Is.lam. We have a God who is the Ruler of the universe, who is sovereign over all. We belong to THE God who is the Creator and Sustainer of all, the final authority and the Beginner and Ender of all.

And you, Lord Jesus, have made yourself my King and my God. I belong to you; you are my Shepherd, my Lord and my Savior. You are intimately interested and concerned with your children, you are present everywhere, you go before us, you keep your hand on us, you guide and direct in the smallest details. You are my wonderful, warm, wholly good God! In you I can trust, rest, believe and praise you both in and for all things. I can be at peace, full of hope, joy and grace no matter what difficulties come into my life today because you are my God!]

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Psalm 5:1

Published by S.M. Wibberley on September 15, 2015
Psalm 5:1 “Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing.”
 
[Praise you, LORD Yahweh, for you are the prayer hearing God: you listen to my sighing, and are willing to hear about my being burdened, my unrest, my fears, my disappointments, my tiredness. You hear my words and understand them fully. You know my needs and have prepared provision for me, for you are loving and faithful: “The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving towards all he has made” (Psa. 145:13b).]
 
“Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.”
 
[You, Lord God, are the One we can come to; prayer is our greatest recourse, our first step, our wonderfully great privilege. And you, my King—the Ruler of all, Lord of my life, Commander-in-Chief of the hosts of heaven, Protector and Sovereign One—are able and willing to listen and hear and answer. “The Lord is near to those who call upon him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them” (Psa. 145:18-19).
 
You, O Lord, are my God–that is, my final authority, the decider of what is right and wrong. You call us every day to a play out a repetition of the Garden of Eden: will we choose to obey you, or to rebel? Will we choose to believe you or to listen to the siren call of the flesh, the world and the devil? Will we choose to make you the One to decide what is good and what is evil in our lives or do it ourselves? Will we just respond to what is around us, or will we be proactive in following your lead early on?
Think what would have happened if Adam had spoken up right away in that conversation with Satan, telling Eve to stop listening, telling Satan to talk to him, not Eve, leading Eve away from that temptation, forbidding her from taking the fruit, pointing out the fallacies and inaccuracies that Satan was subtly inserting into her mind. If Adam had kept God as his final authority, he would not have fallen; that was a very real possibility and is one that I also have.
Each day I will choose many times: will God be my final authority, deciding for me what is right and wrong, or will I usurp His right and lead myself down the path of the first Adam? I can actually make that choice right now, before any temptation comes.
 
When I follow you, my King and my God, then I will give you glory. I will honor you before the hosts of heaven, exalt you before the hordes of hell, lift you up to the hearts of men. May I do that, Lord: with your grace and guidance may I give you honor and praise, glory and exaltation in the choices I make. Help me to surrender to you every day, every moment, so you may be lifted up in the glory you deserve.]
 
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God Knows What He's Doing

Published by S.M. Wibberley on September 14, 2015

“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand….” Daniel 1:1b,2

I’ve been going through the book of Daniel, which reveals a great deal about God and the way He works. The Lord accomplishes much with one stroke: in bringing judgment on Israel and sending them into captivity, He brought the Word of Life to a king and then to an entire empire.

Chapter four is clearly King Nebuchadnezzar’s personal testimony sent out to his whole expansive kingdom and beyond, urging others to believe: “To the peoples, nations and men of every language who live in all the world…It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me….Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven because everything he does is right and all his ways are just” (Dan. 4:1,2,37).

Look at how God accomplished this. He had, among the captives taken to Babylon, four young men who were fully submitted to Him. They very obviously knew the character of God and trusted Him to do what was right no matter what the consequences were for them—even though they had been captured, marched as prisoners to a foreign land and were forced into situations they hadn’t chosen. When three of them faced the fiery furnace they replied, “Our God is able to save us….But even if he does not…we will not serve your gods…” (Dan. 3:18). They did not complain, gripe or feel sorry for themselves—we can tell this because they were respectful and gracious in their interactions with those in authority.

And what means did God provide so they could be a witness? Crises: life threatening, impossibly difficult crises. In each one Daniel and his friends trusted God, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and saw God answer in spectacular ways, displaying His glory before many.

What does this say to us? How do we respond to crises? Do we know the character of God well enough to trust Him in the impossible, to turn to Him in prayer rather than to frantic action? Are we willing to be thrust onto the stage of witness where only God’s power can save us, seeing the unseen as reality? Or are we those who live in the natural: complainers, whiners, self-pitying victims, seeking to escape what is uncomfortable, unwilling to see how we are called to play important roles in the grand scheme of God?

One of God’s purposes in giving us the book of Daniel is to give us a sense of how He is moving history to a conclusion. He is able to weave into His plan even the myriad sinful actions of human beings done against His will, moving things inexorably towards the culmination of His goal.

Now when we see crises in our own lives, in the church or in international events we need to remember that we can trust God to use both the good and evil of man for His purposes. A fresh read through the first 6 chapters of Daniel does wonders for re-calibrating our thinking on God’s working in our everyday lives.

 

Prayer: “Lord, help me to grow in the knowledge of your character. Help me to respond in faith to the small every day crises and the big ones in my life with the sacrifice of thanksgiving so I may be a witness for you, opening the way to others for belief and growth. Amen.” –From the book “Edified!”

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Psalm 4:7

Published by S.M. Wibberley on September 12, 2015

Psalm 4:7 “You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.”

[Having wealth, security and provision bring joy to the natural heart. However you, Lord, desire to give our hearts much more joy than anything in this world can bring. This is clear in our undeserved and rich relationship with you, in your unbelievably great provision which is personal, pleasant, powerful and profound. “These things I have told you so that my joy might remain in you and your joy might be full” (John 15:11). Truly, to know you is enough for joy!

To be your child and to walk with you opens our eyes to see more and more of the unseen, enables us to praise you in the midst of failure, rejection, hurt and pain–for your greatness, goodness and glory continue to be poured out upon us during such difficulties. In fact, the flow may increase during these times as we exercise the privilege of praise when we don’t want to, offering the sacrifice of our lips, the sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Oh that we would learn this, that we would practice this all the time, that we may rise through the levels of growth to greater and greater intimacy with you, to more and more understanding of your Love, to a deeper and deeper grasp of your greatness, to a wider and higher vision of who you are.

There is no end to our ever-expanding wonder at your beautiful Character, your loving Heart and your mighty Strength, for you, Lord God are infinite in every aspect and are constantly at work in our lives, giving us God sightings daily. I praise you for your care, protection and provision for us every minute. You only, O Triune Lord God, are worthy of our worship.]

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Psalm 4:6

Published by S.M. Wibberley on September 11, 2015

Psalm 4:6 “Many are asking, ‘Who can show us any good?’ ”

[This is because many are willfully blind to the constant flow of life-giving goodness you pour out on us, Lord: your unending provision, your wonderful protection, the great attention from your heart to the details of our lives. People often choose not to see your light: “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him” (John 1:9,10). The people of the world prefer darkness because their deeds are evil: the light of Christ makes unbelievers uncomfortable.

You knew, Lord Jesus, that you would have this massive rejection when you came to live in the world as a man; you knew that from a human standpoint your time on earth would appear to be a failure; but you came anyway because you know what is best, and do it irrelevant of what people think. You keep on giving light (conviction, insight, wisdom, guidance and direction) and providing good (sun and moon, clouds and rain, seasons and years, crops and animals) even though people take it for granted, or complain about it.

There is so much goodness we cannot count it! From your keeping the stars in place to holding together every atom in the universe, you are doing what is spiritually beneficial for all human beings on every level, in every situation. You are marvelous, you are majestic, you are forever good–powerfully, patiently, persistently, paternally so, and we praise you for it.]
“Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.”

[And so you do every day, every minute without ceasing, with love and grace and goodness. We praise you for the privilege of having you as our Heavenly Father. Help us to live in the light of your face, to rejoice in the light of your presence, noting all that you provide every day, giving you honor for your generous, gracious and good heart.]

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Another Chance to Trust God

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

The days continue to be gloriously golden with warm sunshine, cooling breezes and the intoxicating smell of ripening wild grapes in the air. Each day is another jewel, a gift from your hand, Lord, to enjoy, to revel in the beauty you share with us and to move through with you in love and grace. I praise you for your presence, for your power in protection and provision, for your goodness and grace in forgiving fully and loving us lavishly.

I praise you for your intimate involvement in every aspect of our lives, for the wonderful and astonishing attention you give to every detail as you lay out each day, prepare us for what will come and coach us through each step. I thank you for all that you did and allowed yesterday, including my stabbing myself deeply in my left thumb with my drill when it slipped off a screw. It was painful, bloody and startling, but allowed by you. I am now hampered in what I can do, and that is good, as you will use this for guiding me in how to spend the time you give me.

You, Lord, are gracious and wise, good and wonderful, great and worthy of all worship. May you be glorified in my life today. Help me to check in with you frequently, to seek your wisdom and direction in each decision so that you may be honored, praised and glorified before the unseen hosts and any people who may be around to see it.

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