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Promises Kept

 
Praise be to you, Lord God, the Triune One, for you keep your word forever. As Solomon proclaimed in 2 Chronicles 6:14,15,
 
“O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.”
 
As Zechariah, the father of John the baptist said in Luke 1:68-79:
 
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come and has redeemed his people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, my child [John], will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
 
As Simeon said when he saw baby Jesus in the temple: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised… my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)
 
This is the fulfillment of your word given in the beginning: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Gen 3:15).
 
Yes, you Lord God, fulfill your promises, you bring to pass what you desire, your timing is perfect, and therefore you are the one to be trusted and glorified. You have saved us all, both Jew and Gentile, from our enemies and those who hate us—that is, Satan and his hordes.
 
I praise you that we can now walk in the light of your presence, in the warmth of your love, in the illumination of your Word, in the fullness of your Spirit. I praise and extol you, lift up your name and exalt your Word. May I continually walk in the shining light of all this truth so that you be glorified in my life today.
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Psalm 23:6b

Psalm 23:6b  “and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

[This, Lord Jesus, turns my gaze ahead, to the end point of our journey: being with you forever in a sinless, unending, glory-giving relationship.

We will live in your light, revel in your Love and embrace your gift of the abundant life, unfettered by any darkness, brokenness, negativeness or failure. We will live with you!

There will be joy without sorrow, happiness without regret, celebration without interruption and relationship without sin. We will be able to live in perfect patience, selfless service and a surplus of self-control. There will be surpassing beauty, unending joy and incomprehensible glory.

Praise you, Lord, for this unspeakably marvelous future you have prepared for us through your terrible suffering, your becoming sin for us, your taking on yourself the punishment my rebellion deserved.

When I look to this future, and see this certain hope revealed in these powerful promises, the pressures and problems of this world fade into the background. I still have to deal with them, but their importance shrinks, their significance lessens, their power to hold me drops away.

What is happening in the world politically, economically and socially shifts from being a source of fear to a window into your wisdom, power and grace, as you use the evil of men and devils to strip away illusion and bring all who are willing into your Kingdom of light. You, Lord God, are Sovereign, nothing escapes your attention as you inexorably move ahead with your mighty and marvelous plan of redemption and transformation.

As we look back, we can see your love, mercy and goodness. As we look forward, we can see greatness and glory awaiting. You have done it all, prepared it all, therefore you deserve all obedience and submission, all praise, honor, glory and love.

And I do praise you, Lord Jesus, Heavenly Father and Holy Spirit, for your great work to bring this all to pass. You are the only One worthy of eternal praise and worship, and I begin that right now!]

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Psalm 23:6

Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and love [mercy] will follow me all the days of my life,”
 
[What a beautiful promise. Lord Jesus, my Great and Faithful Shepherd. Your goodness, love and mercy will be with me all the time, without fail, although I will often not see them in the midst of a difficulty because they follow me. I can’t see them yet, but I can know that they are there, supporting, protecting and finishing your work.
 
Therefore I can trust you that in any circumstance which is allowed through your love and goodness. I think of what you did in one situation as we faced uncertainty and the threat of loss. In your mercy we did lose, but know that you had a higher, greater purpose. In your goodness we won by losing.
 
Praise you for what you did in our friends’ situation where they were assigned to a dangerous, difficult and down trodden place. Looking back now, we can see your goodness and mercy and love at work in their lives, bringing deepening, protection, provision and faith.
 
To you be glory, Lord, to you be honor, for your goodness and mercy are at work amongst us even though we can not see them. I give you praise now for the outcomes you will bring today.
 
You are truly the God of goodness! I praise you, Lord, you for the stability this brings into my life: stability flowing from your consistent and warm love. I praise you that I am always with you because you promised to never leave or forsake me. No matter what I do, you are always there, like the father of the prodigal son, ever waiting with open arms, gracious thoughts and forgiving heart.
 
In you I am safe, stable, on sure ground, even though I may not see your goodness or mercy at the moment. In you alone I can find rest, protection, acceptance, approval, affirmation, worth and significance. In you there is shelter, a shadow for protection from the heat of the day and a sovereign grace to erase all my guilt.
 
I praise you, Lord God–Father, Son and Holy Spirit—for your wondrous, gracious and rich love: undeserved, unending, unquenchable and ever unfolding.
 
Your thoughts are higher than ours and if we don’t seek your input, we will certainly not follow your greater ways. Help me to be consistent in seeking your higher thoughts and ways. Help me, Lord, to partner with you each day, each moment, to be open to your direction, to come to you very frequently to ask for your perspective on the situation. Thank you for your goodness, mercy and love.
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Psalm 23:5b

“You anoint my head with oil;”

[This is the act of choosing, of giving worth, of blessing, of providing.

You chose me before the foundation of the world.

You poured out your Spirit on me at the point of belief.

You sealed my adoption as your son by placing your spirit in me.

You pour out continual blessings of grace, goodness, strength, wisdom, weakness and power.

Every day You provide me with protection, guidance, insight, goods, money, relationships, opportunity to give you glory, chances to share your Word, time to be with you, enough health to serve you and most of all your presence and love, a rich and enduring relationship, the one I was made for.

You are most generous, especially when we think of what I actually deserve: condemnation, rejection, punishment, suffering, pain, failure, separation and eternal death.

“my cup overflows.”

[You promise that my needs will be met, but you give far more. Nothing I have can contain the blessings you pour out. Your gifts that overflow my life so I can share them with others. Some of these gifts are joy, praise, peace, insight, wisdom, strength, faith, vision, love, grace and goodness. Along with these are material gifts, also to be shared with others.

We bow before you in belief, Heavenly Father, exalting your high and holy Name. We rise up in faith, trusting in your goodness and wisdom, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving so that we may honor you and open the way that you may show us the salvation of the Lord.

Praise you for what you will do today and in the coming days, Lord, as you lead us in paths of righteousness, and for how we will be able to trust you in everything that comes because you are absolutely faithful and unchanging in your generosity and grace.

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Peace and Safety in the Presence of Danger

 
Psa 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
 
[We think of peace as being the absence of any threat, but you give us a different perspective, Lord. Here we have a sumptuous table set on the lawn, decked out elegantly, filled with delicious food, ready for the guests. And on the edges of the lawn are a roaring lion, a growling bear, a prowling tiger, a slinking jaguar and a menacing rogue elephant trumpeting his anger. The sight and sound of any one of these dangerous enemies is enough to strike fear in our hearts.
 
Yet there stands Jesus, calm, quiet and smiling. He calls us to the table and motions for us to sit down. The threatening roars and growls increase, but our enemies dare not come close when the All-Mighty Shepherd is there.
 
As we turn our focus to Him, the threat, the noise, the fear all fade. Peace comes because of His presence, contingent not on the absence of danger but on the absolute power of Christ. We eat in peace, enjoying His company, the conversation and the feast provided by His hand.
 
He could remove the enemies if he wanted, but as we live in a fallen world, he allows Satan and his cohorts to exist, for he uses them to accomplish his purposes of bringing all who are willing into the Kingdom, of maturing His children, of giving us opportunity to live out the Truths of His Word. We are safe in spite of the presence of danger.
 
Lord help me today to live in the power of your presence, ignoring the threats of the enemy, focusing instead on you and your might, on your beautiful character, on your being the One in control and on the fact of your provision. Praise be to you, the Conqueror, the Protector and our Provider.]
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A God Worthy of Our Enthusiasm

A God Worthy of Our Enthusiasm
 
Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of waking from disturbing dreams and finding you there, strong and gracious, kind and firm. The stability of your goodness is such a support. It is so comforting to know that you do not change, for you never tire, grow impatient or fade in your love.
 
You are my resting Place, my Shelter, my Shield, my high Tower, my Fortress, my Deliverer. As I think of the past, a long stream of God sightings come to mind, events where you have provided, protected, intervened and answered prayer—all showing your love, commitment and goodness.
 
As I look to the future, which is uncertain–every day could harbor a disaster—knowing you as the unchanging, mighty and gracious God, I can relax in your love, rejoice in your goodness and be ready to embrace whatever comes.
 
Not only do we have you as our personal Shepherd, you have given your children a wide and high perspective on history, both past and future. You have great and comprehensive plans which you will bring to pass. You are dealing with injustice, violence and evil. You are working to bring as many as possible into the Kingdom.
 
In addition, you are giving your children multiple opportunities to mature, deepen and earn rewards by responding to all in faith, as we offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving for whatever you allow. We can, like Jesus, for the joy that is set before us, endure whatever cross you give us, despising the shame, knowing that we are going to be set down with you in heavenly places (Heb. 12:2).
 
We can know that whatever challenges you bring to us, you will give us more than enough grace to move through them with power: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1). You will give us more than enough insight, answers, direction and resources.
 
Praise be to you, Lord, for your mighty grace, your majestic love and your magnificent plans, into which you have brought us. I praise you for the purpose, the meaning, the hope and the future you have laid out before us.
 
I praise you for your giving us your Spirit to teach, rebuke, guide and provide for us whatever we need to live for you. I praise you that no matter how I may feel, the truth is that you, Lord Jesus, in your “divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of [you] who called us by [your] own glory and goodness” (2 Pet. 1:3).
 
Help us to live in the light of these Truths, Lord Jesus, to walk in wisdom, in faith and in grace so that we may be hope carriers, light bringers and faith givers to all those around us today.
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Psalm 23:4

Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,”
 
[Such walks will come: I have been faced with physical death, with death of a vision and death to self: difficult, painful, unpleasant and dark times. You allow them, however, for good, the greatest two being my giving you glory through trust and my growth in grace. And you have other reasons beyond my understanding; I can trust you as you lead me through the darkness.]
 
“I will fear no evil, for you are with me;”
 
[Evil is there in both presence and potential, but I need not fear it, for you are with me, you, my Great and Good Shepherd who is my Rock, my Fortress and my Deliverer. When you are there, what grounds do I have for fear? You are over all and in control of all, our great Ruler. I praise you for your faithful and powerful presence, full of wisdom and grace, love and firmness.]
 
“your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’
 
[With your rod, you hold our enemies at bay. You rule with a rod of iron; no one can defeat you in battle: “there is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (Prov. 21:30). Therefore I need not fear.
 
And with your staff, you guide me, correct me, bring me back to the path when I wander off your way. It is my nature (old self) to veer off the path, for I don’t have a valid compass of my own. But your constant correction keeps me on track. My course may be a zigzag as I stray and you bring me back, but the progress is forward.
 
Praise you that you are helping me to walk more in wisdom, to zigzag less, wasting less time and energy and bringing you more glory.
 
Praise you, Lord Jesus, for your faithful and powerful presence and protection. To you be glory and praise and honor, for you know the way through the dark. To you be exaltation, thanksgiving and obedience. I bow before you today in faith, I rise up in the day’s dawn to walk in submission to your loving guidance. Truly, the commandments of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes (Ps. 19:8). Praise be to YOU!]
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We wait in hope for the Lord

“We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.” Psalm 33:20
 
Life is full of problems, fear-producing events, the unexpected and the unjust—all results of sin warping the creation. But you, Lord Jesus, are the rescuing Savior, the One whom we can trust in the midst of this tragic twisting. You are at work to bring an end to the destructive effects of sin. You are the good One, you are the powerful One, you are the loving One, you are the wise One.
 
We can trust you, rely on you and praise you, for there is rest in you when all about us is falling apart. No human resource, no earthly power, no political plan can protect us—but you can, and you have made a way for all to escape the corruption and destruction of the world and to be transported into the glory of the next world, spending eternity with you—if we believe.
 
David had it right in Psalm 33:20-22: “We wait in hope for the LORD.” There is no one else to wait for! And you are the God of hope.
 
“…he is our help and our shield.” You give us grace and protect us from what is truly harmful.
 
“In him our hearts rejoice.” Your love, your kindness, your faithfulness, your power and goodness are more than enough reason to rejoice.
 
“for we trust in his holy name.” You are the holy and powerful God, the most High whose might can accomplish all that is necessary to save us.
 
“May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,” Praise you for your love that never ends.
 
“even as we put our hope in you.” The key to participating in your power, Lord, is to trust in you rather than in ourselves. Help us to do that consistently. Glory and honor be to you for the power found in hoping in you, the certainty that you will do what is good and right and best.
 
Prayer: “Today we go into the day with you, in you, by you, for you, Lord Jesus. Help us to put our hope only in you, praising you before any answer comes, giving you ‘great faith glory’ before the unseen hosts. Amen.” –Take from the devotional book, EDIFIED!
 
 
 
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Psalm 23:3b

Psalm 23:3b,“He guides me in paths of righteousness”
 
[I praise you, Lord Jesus, Our great Shepherd, that you take the time to show us the right way, the best way, so we can walk with you well through whatever circumstances you bring.
 
I praise you that we can know the way of righteousness because you reveal it to us with your Word, your life and the Spirit’s guidance.
 
Praise you for the preparation you have done to give us direction, drawing and driving us into the Word, teaching us your thoughts and arranging circumstances. Praise you for your constant presence to lead us step by step as we listen to you. Thank you for your loving, gracious care.]
 
“He guides me…for his name’s sake.”
 
[What a wonderful motive for guiding us—we can be sure your guidance will be right–and that as we follow you, we may bring honor to your name.
 
Praise you that your foundational desires are always clear in your Word, that your Spirit prompts us in the right way, and that we can then bring glory to you by obeying you.
 
I think of my lost passport in Charlotte, of our delayed arrival in Dallas, of my plane being late coming into Frankfurt and missing my train. These uncomfortable situations were all opportunities to follow you in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake, to exalt your name by offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving, by trusting you to have a plan and to work it out for the best. And in each case you did.
 
I praise you that these happenings show how trustable your leading is, how you always help us towards doing what is right and righteous, to keep your name clear and clean.
 
Part of your leading us on these paths is teaching us how to respond to difficulties and persecutions, which is a call to share in the sufferings of Christ. May we do this well, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving at each juncture and rejoicing in the privilege of honoring you.
 
You, Lord Jesus, are our gracious and good Shepherd, worthy of trust, worthy of worship, worthy of belief. May I follow your leading today in your paths of righteousness.]
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Psalm 23:3

Psalm 23:3  “he restores my soul.”

[You, Lord Jesus, are the Shepherd of my whole being: spirit, soul and body. I praise you that in believing in you, I was born again and you made my spirit come alive. Praise you that in living with you, my soul is being restored, being moved towards its pre-sin condition, a process to be fully achieved at death.

You are doing this by transforming my thinking, my will and my emotions as I lie down in your pasture, as I take in of your Word, drink in of your being, and bask in the light and love of your presence.

The rich discipline of memorizing your Word and praying through it while personalizing it, brings more transformation in each area. You teach me to think your thoughts, to desire your will, to lead my emotions. You are transforming what I understand, decide and feel.

In addition, worshiping you through praise brings further change, much of it on an emotional level, seen in a solidification of strength in my soul. Praise brings a greater grasp of your love, a deeper understanding of the security of belonging to you.

It brings a detachment from the thoughts and opinions of of others, learning to fear you instead of people.

It brings a growing desire to please you, of the certainty of your goodness to do what is best, a deepening of faith.

It leads to the response of praise instead of complaining, of positive words and actions in in the place of critical negative statements.

It brings a deepened patience flowing from grasping that you control the timing of what is going on around me. These are some of the ways you have restored my soul, and I’m sure there are many more such good steps to come.

You, Lord Jesus, are the source of life, of healing, of transformation, of hope, of joy. I praise you for your great and deep love which leads you to work with us stubborn sheep, we who wound you afresh every day with our willful, selfish, sinful choices.

Forgive me, Lord Jesus, for hurting you. Forgive me for my rebellion and unbelief. Forgive me for not walking consistently with you through the day, not praying during conversations, not denying self when necessary, not rejecting fear of man, not immediately fleeing from lustful thoughts, not being diligent in what you have given me to do.

Help me today, Lord, to walk in close communion with you, to obey the clear commands of your Word, and to follow the promptings of your Spirit, that I may not grieve your heart, that my soul might be further restored and that you may receive more honor and glory.