6-31-2015 Take It Through The Week

6-31-2015 Take It Through The Week

Monday – Psalms 4:4-5 What a strange phrase and seemingly, contradictory! “Be angry and do not sin”,  seems to be two thoughts that simply collide with one another. In our humanity we see that anger is typically a very bad thing. Read James 1:19-20. Obviously there are two types of man’s anger. The one addressed in James is our own personal anger. We are told that our human earthly anger never brings about the righteous life that God requires. And that is absolutely true. We regularly have to repent of our anger. But in Ps. 4:4 God is talking about a different type of man’s anger. This anger has to do with the things that make God angry and us knowing Him well enough for us to be angry at what makes Him angry. Notice I didn’t say to be angry and judge. I didn’t say to be angry and act on it. No, this is talking about being in His Word and knowing His Heart, and praying specifically about that.  We are to know what disappoints the Lord in the world and to agree with Him about that. We are to pray and wait for Him to move, in His time, in His world. We are told to sit, “…on your bed, reflect in your heart and be still.” While we may be angry about the disrespect given our Sovereign God, we are told to, “…be angry and do not sin.” Instead “offer sacrifices in righteousness and trust in the Lord.” Our prayers and our praises are the sacrifices He desires. Take a moment and think of something in this world that makes God angry. Then pray about it. Ask Him to glorify His name, in His time. 
Tuesday – Psalms 9:10-11 What does it mean to know the name of the Lord? The phrase denotes an intimate knowledge of what God says about Himself. This is talking about a knowledge that has come with time. There is a history attached to it. The more we know about His Name, the more we realize we can trust Him completely. As we grow in Him, we know that He will not abandon us because we are seeking Him. Read Mt. 6:33. How important is it to seek Him? List three ways you are seeking to know Him more. 
Wednesday –  Psalms 25:1–3  “…those who act treacherously without cause will be disgraced.” This is a promise from our God to each and every one of us. He will be our defender. When those around us act “treacherously”, He says that He will champion our cause. He will not let us be disgraced in the face of those would act as our enemies, or His enemies.  He will be our avenger. Instead of us being a “revenger”,  if we will allow Him, He will be our “avenger”. While acting in revenge would be harmful to us, falling on our knees and casting our cares upon the Lord to avenge us, will always bless Him and us. Take a few moments and thank Him that He has promised to protect us when we turn to Him.
Thursday – Psalms 31:14–15 How do you think it effects our Sovereign Lord when we choose to say that we trust in Him? The Bible teaches us that He knows each of us individually and that He has a plan for our life. How do you think it affects God when we tell Him that we trust in Him, because… He is our God? When we do that, we are fulfilling what we were created for. We were created to be a reflection of His glory. We are created to be new creatures in Him and to show others who He is. Even the “…course of my life is in your power.” I have prayed many years to be at the center of His will for my life. I have prayed for many years for Him to have His will in my life. We pray for Him to guide every step and every decision. Special scriptures communicate that He will guide and lead us if we will let Him. Read Jer. 29:11. What promises does God make you in this passage?
Friday – Psalms 37:3–4  We don’t have to worry about what ultimately happens in our time and in our land. We can actively participate with others to change legislation and legislators, but not out of worry. Worry is always bad. Having a scripturally defined burden about something while praying and acting on it is always good. We are told instead that we can trust in Him, “…dwell in the land and live securely.” Even in times when things don’t seem secure, we can be secure in Him. He ultimately wins and because He wins, we are victorious. Read Deut. 20:4 He is the one who fights the battles for us when we trust in Him. Back to Ps. 37:4 again, He promises that if He becomes the delight of our hearts then He will give us our heart’s desires. He not only knows our heart’s desires, but also promises that when He is the most important and delightful thing in our lives, He will give us the very thing we desire the most. So He will give us more of Himself. And then the cycle begins again. We take more delight in Him and He continues to give us our hearts desire.
Saturday – Psalms 40:2–3 Have you ever been in a muddy slippery place? My kids used to love to go “creek-stomping”.  And in every creek there are certain places where algae-covered rocks become slick and almost impassable. Have you ever been where you couldn’t get a solid place to stand? Has your life ever felt like you were stuck in a miry, clay-filled pit with no way out? In this passage He plainly promises to pull you up and set your feet on a rock. And not just on a rock but a big old dry rock to make your every step solid and secure. And He does such things in the way that only He can. When we trust what He has said, and allow Him to help us, while He sets us free He also puts a new song in our mouth. A brand new way of seeing things and a brand new way of living that can’t help but flow out of our mouths, into a hymn of praise to our God.  Pray with me. Lord thank you for lifting me up out of the pit and setting my feet on the Rock. You are the Rock and on You I stand. You are the only firm foundation for my life and my home. As for me and my house we will follow you and sing your praises. We trust in You. In Jesus Name, Amen.