- araratchurch
- Apr 12, 2022
- 3 min read
“In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry. Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet. And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters And thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At Your rebuke, O Lord, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me.”
Psalms 18:6-17 NKJV
Well, you’ve already heard my story about the little potbelly pig and huge Great Dane that would often be seen on the lam together. Apparently, they were from the same household. When they would escape, they could be seen nonchalantly going up and down the street near where I lived. No one, no other animals, dared mess with the little pig because that mighty Great Dane was with him.
Now, I can’t imagine anybody not liking the feeling of being with someone or something that can protect you from harm, something/someone seen as being powerful.
Look at the case of a “weakling” hanging out with a “tough guy” to keep from being picked on. He isn’t powerful, but feels safe because of the powerful company he keeps.
Then there’s the phenomenon of people going out and getting a dog known for being a “vicious” breed. You can tell that they like it when people are afraid of their dog; it apparently makes them feel more powerful. And we don’t have time here to go through all the different types of weapons people carry—powerful weapons—meant to scatter their enemies.
Sadly, no matter how powerful the weapon or the company you keep, there’s always somebody, something, more powerful. Unless, your “bodyguard” is the Lord.
In our portion from Psalms today we see David painting quite the visual of God’s power and might. Psalm 18 was actually his response to the Lord delivering him from Saul and his armies. David describes something comparable to an atomic blast! He knew how all the “odds” were against him; he knew the danger of being out of favor with a powerful man like King Saul. But, he had seen over and over in his life how the awesome power of God could save him, whether the foe be a lion, bear, giant, or even the King!
No matter what you are facing, no matter how scary the enemy looks, remember, when the Lord is on your side, there is no greater power that can get through Him, to get to you.
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The Lord is mighty and He is mighty to save.
- araratchurch
- Apr 9, 2022
- 3 min read
“I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech. Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You From those who rise up against them.”
Psalms 17:6-7 NKJV
Have you ever been in a relationship with someone where it seemed that they were always testing you out?Always trying to see if you were going to be loyal to them or not? These same people will often talk at length about those who have let them down. And, it may be the case that they have been repeatedly let down. But you somehow get the feeling that they’re using this is kind of an emotional blackmail, warning that you better not let them down! Additionally, every way in which they approach you says, “You’re going to let me down!” Needless to say, these people often make their fear of being let down a self-fulfilling prophecy. As I have said before, no relationship can last that is always on trial.
Sadly, some people approach the Lord in the same way. He is always on trial. They ask assuming He won’t answer. They take any delay as being a denial. The Lord gets added to their list of disappointing relationships.
The fact that the Creator of the universe is willing to listen to us, boggles my mind! How dare we deal with Him as though He is not to be trusted? And yet—even with those who do treat Him that way—the Lord is patient. But make no mistake, the Lord will not continue to reach out to the one who will not believe Him.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
The enemy of your soul, working through your circumstances, through your experience, through your hurts, will try to make it appear that God doesn’t listen and will not act on your behalf. He wants you to be suspect of the Lord. Face it, he knows all too well how he has been defeated over and and over again by people who ask God, believing He will answer!
In our portion from Psalms today we see that David approached the Lord knowing that he would be heard and that the Lord would answer him. At the same time, we know that there were times (as we have discussed) when David felt that the Lord was somehow hiding His face from him. But, he did not allow this to become what defined their relationship. At the end of the day, David always remembered that God was a good Father Who had answered him before and Who would answer him again!
“Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me.”
Psalms 86:6-7 NKJV
You may have been through a lot of “let-downs;” you probably have. You may have—at some point—struggled to believe. But, as you better come to know the Lord as being a good Father Who is personally interested in your well-being, you will always conclude that God will hear and He will help!
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The Lord must be approached with the confidence that He will hear you and act on your behalf.
- araratchurch
- Apr 9, 2022
- 3 min read
“As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”
Psalms 17:15 NKJV
Years ago we sang a song entitled, “Only Jesus can Satisfy your Soul.” This was also one of those songs that would bring my father to tears. Yes, he would have us sing it over and over again as he ministered to people who were hurting and longing for answers to their heart’s cry.
As I have said before, my father never lost the thrill of God’s love and mercy toward him. Additionally, he never sought out “things,” or even other people, to bring peace in his storms or bread for his soul. As a matter of fact, thinking back, I don’t remember my father ever having a true confidant or someone who he could depend on as a source of strength. What I do remember is him “getting before the Lord” and pouring himself out before the One he did seek out for comfort and satisfaction. This man who brought comfort to so many, basically went it alone in his times of need. Yes, for much of his life he had only the Lord to depend on, but the Lord was enough for him.
Looking around you—or possibly looking in the mirror—you see hurting, longing, eyes, desirous of satisfaction and relief. Sadly, many people are seeking after satisfaction or comfort from all kinds of sources other than the Lord.
Some people, seeming to “have it all” in terms of things, opportunities, or circumstances, still have those same hungry eyes. I have known people who spent their whole lives seeking after things, getting all they could, withholding nothing from themselves, yet nothing was ever enough to satisfy their soul.
In our portion from Psalms today we see that David understands that his satisfaction comes from the Lord. When he talks of waking up in the presence of the Lord, he is not only referencing knowing the Lord is with him in this life, but also there is the projection toward waking up from this life, into the next, in God’s presence. Earlier in this psalm he has been asking the Lord to deliver him from unrighteous people. In describing these people, he references them as being those who now seem to have it all, but will have no hope beyond this life. He is contrasting his way of being and doing to the way of being and doing of these unrighteous people (who happen to be giving him grief).
Yes, David sought and found his help and his reward in the Lord.
“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalms 16:11 NKJV
Now, it’s hard enough to see other people who seem to have an easier life than you, still seeking out “sympathy” from others, and/or still being miserable. It can be a whole new level of being irked when those same people are trying to make you miserable. What we must remember is that the Lord is the source of our comfort and satisfaction in this life and the next. Those other people who never seem to have enough, never will.
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
Only His presence can fully satisfy your soul in this life and the next.