Category Archives: Praise / Worship / Glorify God

Blessed, Help / Serve Others, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Prayer, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms, Suffering / Adversity

Draw Near To God in Difficult Times

We all have figured out by now that we face difficult times while we are on this earth. However, what a great step we are making in drawing near to Yahweh when we turn to Him for help with praise and thanksgiving even during the hard times. He is our Father and we can share what is on our hearts with Him honestly and then turn our attitude toward one of praise and thanksgiving toward Him.

Psalm 41

The Psalmist in Sickness Complains of Enemies and False Friends.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

      1How blessed is he who considers the helpless;
The LORD will deliver him in a day of trouble.

      2The LORD will protect him and keep him alive,
And he shall be called blessed upon the earth;
And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.

      3The LORD will sustain him upon his sickbed;
In his illness, You restore him to health.

      4As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”

      5My enemies speak evil against me,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”

      6And when he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood;
His heart gathers wickedness to itself;
When he goes outside, he tells it.

      7All who hate me whisper together against me;
Against me they devise my hurt, saying,

      8“A wicked thing is poured out upon him,
That when he lies down, he will not rise up again.”

      9Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread,
Has lifted up his heel against me.

      10But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up,
That I may repay them.

      11By this I know that You are pleased with me,
Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.

      12As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,
And You set me in Your presence forever.

      13Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.

Trust in God even when things are not going well. Share your heart openly and honestly, but then remember to thank Him and praise Him even before the situation is fully resolved in your eyes. The value of our relationship with our Creator is so much more than just an escape from hard times. He helps us in our distress, sometimes to escape it and sometimes to endure it and learn from it. He loves us as a Father. At a minimum, we should love Him back as a little child does a loving father… even if we do not understand all that we are going through. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.

James 4:8a

 8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You!

We all experience difficult times in our life. Much of what defines who we are and whom we serve is revealed in these times. David consistently turned to Jehovah even when his situation was desperate. He always made time not just to ask God for help, but also to ask forgiveness, praise and thank God with joyful heart. We should all strive to follow David’s example in his relationship with God.

Psalm 40

God Sustains His Servant.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

     1I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

      2He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.

      3He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the LORD.

      4How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust,
And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

      5Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.

      6Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.

      7Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.

      8I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart.”

      9I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;
Behold, I will not restrain my lips,
O LORD, You know.

      10I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

      11You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me;
Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.

      12For evils beyond number have surrounded me;
My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my heart has failed me.

      13Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me;
Make haste, O LORD, to help me.

      14Let those be ashamed and humiliated together
Who seek my life to destroy it;
Let those be turned back and dishonored
Who delight in my hurt.

      15Let those be appalled because of their shame
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

      16Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
“The LORD be magnified!”

      17Since I am afflicted and needy,
Let the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.

Each of us should take time to prayerfully consider… “Do we take time to joyfully praise and thank God?” This is an important part of our relationship with our Father in heaven. Do not wait until everything is going amazingly well to thank Him… but thank Him even while you are still experiencing difficulty.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Protector / Deliverer, Provider, Psalms

Praise God in Difficult Times: Find Strength and Joy

What shall I do in difficult times? Same thing you should do in good times… praise God! Our loving Creator is worthy of praise in good times and in bad. Too often, we come to Him for help in bad times, and then ignore Him in good times. Let us instead praise Him at all times!

Psalm 34

The LORD, a Provider and Deliverer.

A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

     1I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

      2My soul will make its boast in the LORD;
The humble will hear it and rejoice.

      3O magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

      4I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.

      5They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.

      6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.

      7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.

      8O taste and see that the LORD is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

      9O fear the LORD, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.

      10The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.

      11Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

      12Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good?

      13Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.

      14Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

      15The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.

      16The face of the LORD is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.

      17The righteous cry, and the LORD hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.

      18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

      19Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.

      20He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.

      21Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

      22The LORD redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

How beautiful an ending, “None of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.”

To “take refuge in” indicates true faith that His saving power is real and will redeem us as He says… else, why would we seek refuge in Him. It is much more than simply saying His name and believing He is God. Even Satan believes Jesus is God. We seek refuge in Him from all those that would harm us. We trust Him. We rely on Him. We recognize we can not stand without Him against the enemy. He will always keep His promises. What good reason would we as His followers have to hold back praise?

Take a step of faith to show love to God… praise Him even when you don’t feel like it. Praise Him even when things are going badly for you. If you can not find your own words as you struggle through difficult times, turn to Psalms and use the words of David. Praise God, even if it is simply an act of will at first. Then continue until it becomes almost habit. Before you know it you will find joy from within even in hard times.

Praise Him also when things go well. Thank Him. Remember Him at all times that we do not grow too high an opinion of ourselves when things are going our way. Make a habit of praising God in all situations.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms, Thankfulness

Let Our Hearts Rejoice As We Trust In His Holy Name

Take some time today to simply rejoice in our loving Creator. Praise Him as you reflect on who He is and how He demonstrates love for those who choose to obey Him.

Psalm 33

Praise to the Creator and Preserver.

1Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.

      2Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.

      3Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

      4For the word of the LORD is upright,
And all His work is done in faithfulness.

      5He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.

      6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And by the breath of His mouth all their host.

      7He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deeps in storehouses.

      8Let all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

      9For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.

      10The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations;
He frustrates the plans of the peoples.

      11The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart from generation to generation.

      12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.

      13The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;

      14From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,

      15He who fashions the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.

      16The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.

      17A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

      18Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,

      19To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.

      20Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.

      21For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.

      22Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.

We can trust in our Lord. We can rejoice in Him regardless of our circumstances.

Are there areas in your life where you have neglected to give thanks and praise to God? Are there areas about which you are worried? Seek comfort and peace by remembering who God is and that we can trust in Him regardless of our circumstances.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Blessed, Faith / Trusting God, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Love, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms

How Blessed Is He Whose Sin Is Covered!

How natural is it for a child to try to deny that they have done wrong? They are focused solely on avoiding correction and discipline and it that approach can get in the way of learning and growing. As a child, I once wrote on the back dash of our family car in orange crayon. When it was discovered by my parents and they asked about it… I denied it was me. I had written my name. Needless to say they figured it out easily. I had compounded my mistakes by adding lying to the original drawing on the dashboard.

As foolish as this sounds, it is much like that when we try to hide our sins from God. He already knows what we did. It is just as foolish to rationalize to God (and ourselves) to justify our wrong actions. He already knows our motives.

Just like a loving father, He wants us to repent for our wrong actions, ask forgiveness and turn about to start doing the right things. He wants us to be brought back to right relationship with Him. God already made a way for us to be forgiven! We just need to accept the offer of forgiveness by grace through faith that God extends to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!

Psalm 32

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

     1How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!

      2How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

      3When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.

      4For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.

Selah.

      5I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin.

Selah.

      6Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.

      7You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance.

Selah.

      8I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.

      9Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.

      10Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him.

      11Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

Rejoice indeed all who are upright in heart! Our loving Father made a way to forgive us and allow us to remain in close relationship with Him. We do not need to live forever under the guilt of the wrong things we have done and the wrong motivations we have felt. We turn away from wrong, ask forgiveness and start doing things God’s way. Jesus came to set us free from our own sin!

Reflect on your life and consider some of the mistakes you have made. Praise God that all of those have already been forgiven if you have turned from that wrong behavior, asked Jesus to forgive you, and started doing things God’s way. You no longer carry that guilt. Jesus carried it for you… to the cross.

Are there areas in which you have not yet turned away from wrong behavior and asked forgiveness… where you have not yet started doing things God’s way? Come humbly before God right now. Do not wait for later today or tomorrow.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Learning To Pray Effectively, Loving / Kind, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms

Sustained by Faith: Finding Joy in God’s Presence Amidst Adversity

Wherever you are in your walk with the Lord today, there is no doubt in my mind that you (and everyone else) have personally experienced suffering in this world. You have found yourself at times feeling overwhelmed with how to deal with the problems and people that oppose you and try to do harm to you. Let us cry out to God in faith… seek refuge in Him… and never be ashamed of Him for He will deliver us.

Psalm 31

      1In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
Let me never be ashamed;
In Your righteousness deliver me.

      2Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
Be to me a rock of strength,
A stronghold to save me.

      3For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.

      4You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.

      5Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth.

      6I hate those who regard vain idols,
But I trust in the LORD.

      7I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,
Because You have seen my affliction;
You have known the troubles of my soul,

      8And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.

      9Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.

      10For my life is spent with sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My strength has failed because of my iniquity,
And my body has wasted away.

      11Because of all my adversaries, I have become a reproach,
Especially to my neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.

      12I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.

      13For I have heard the slander of many,
Terror is on every side;
While they took counsel together against me,
They schemed to take away my life.

      14But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD,
I say, “You are my God.”

      15My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.

      16Make Your face to shine upon Your servant;
Save me in Your lovingkindness.

      17Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon You;
Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol.

      18Let the lying lips be mute,
Which speak arrogantly against the righteous
With pride and contempt.

      19How great is Your goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You,
Before the sons of men!

      20You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man;
You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.

      21Blessed be the LORD,
For He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.

      22As for me, I said in my alarm,
“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried to You.

      23O love the LORD, all you His godly ones!
The LORD preserves the faithful
And fully recompenses the proud doer.

      24Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who hope in the LORD.

The older I get, and the more difficulties I face… the more I find joy in reading, studying, and praying the Psalms. David truly strikes an important note in verses 7-8.

      7I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,
Because You have seen my affliction;
You have known the troubles of my soul,

      8And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy;

David rejoices and praises God for His lovingkindness even when his situation has not been resolved yet. David rejoices in that God has seen his affliction and knows what he is going through… that God sustains him through the difficulty.

This can be really difficult to do in our lives. Even in the midst of hard times, rejoice in God… rejoice in knowing that He is with us and understands what we face and that He can sustain us and deliver us.  What a powerful demonstration of faith to give glory to God while still in a difficult situation! I pray God would lead me to do the same as I encounter difficult situations in this fallen world. May I give Him praise and honor even as I lean on Him to sustain me through suffering and hardship.

What situations are you facing in your life  that you may find encouragement and joy in remembering that God is with you and understands what you are experiencing? He can sustain you and deliver you.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Learning To Pray Effectively, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms, Suffering / Adversity, Thankfulness

You Have Turned My Mourning Into Dancing

We all face difficult times, and they do not always turn out the way we expect. We can always turn to God for help. He loves us and wants the best for us, even when we do not recognize what is best for us. Come to God for help. Trust in Him. Sing praise to Him as He answers your prayers, even if it is not in the way you wanted. He knows best.

Psalm 30

1I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

2O LORD my God,
I cried to You for help, and You healed me.

3O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol;
You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit.

4Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones,
And give thanks to His holy name.

5For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

6Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I will never be moved.”

7O LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;  You hid Your face, I was dismayed.

8To You, O LORD, I called,
And to the Lord I made supplication:

9“What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?

10“Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me;
O LORD, be my helper.”

11You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,

12That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

God has truly been gracious to me. He has turned mourning in my life into dancing and joy more than once to be sure. Reflect for a few moments… how has God turned mourning and sadness into dancing in your life? Take time to thank Him right now. Are you in a season of suffering and mourning right now? Come to God humbly and ask for His help and trust Him in how we helps you… even if it is not exactly how you wanted.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms, Strong in Our Weakness, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Worship the LORD and Give Him Glory

In good times and in times of suffering and struggles, we do well to remember the power and glory of our Lord… He sits as King of Kings forever. He is above all and has authority over all. Praise Him! Accept and celebrate the peace He offers!

Psalm 29

      1Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

      2Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in holy array.

      3The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;
The God of glory thunders,
The LORD is over many waters.

      4The voice of the LORD is powerful,
The voice of the LORD is majestic.

      5The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

      6He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
And Sirion like a young wild ox.

      7The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire.

      8The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

      9The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everything says, “Glory!”

      10The LORD sat as King at the flood;
Yes, the LORD sits as King forever.

      11The LORD will give strength to His people;
The LORD will bless His people with peace.

Take comfort in trusting the Lord. He is in control. We can trust Him whether or not things are going the way we want or expect. We can find peace in Him and in no one else throughout our lives in every situation through our faith in our God!

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Hope, Learning To Pray Effectively, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms

Trusting in the Unseen: David’s Unwavering Confidence in God’s Response

How often do we turn to God for help, not really confident that He will answer us? Many of the Psalms that David wrote demonstrate something much more… hope and faith that God will answer even before the answer is delivered! David prays to ask God for help and then follows up by thanking and praising God for the answer that he knows will come.

Psalm 28

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

A Psalm of David.

 1To You, O LORD, I call;
My rock, do not be deaf to me,
For if You are silent to me,
I will become like those who go down to the pit.

2Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You for help,
When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.

3Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who work iniquity,
Who speak peace with their neighbors,
While evil is in their hearts.

4Requite them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
Requite them according to the deeds of their hands;
Repay them their recompense.

5Because they do not regard the works of the LORD
Nor the deeds of His hands,
He will tear them down and not build them up.

6Blessed be the LORD,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplication.

7The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.

8The LORD is their strength,
And He is a saving defense to His anointed.

9Save Your people and bless Your inheritance;
Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.

Praise to You, God, for we know that you hear the prayers of Your people even before you answer them. I pray You would strengthen me in my faith as You did David. I pray I would come to You in prayer filled with hope and faith that You hear and will answer. Glory to God, creator of all things, who loves His people enough to listen whenever we seek Him!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms

The Earth Is the Lord’s, and All It Contains

The earth is the Lord’s and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. Psalm 24 reminds us that all things and all people belong to God. He created all things and is the master of all things.

Psalm 24

A Psalm of David.

1The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.

2For He has founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.

3Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
And who may stand in His holy place?

4He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.

5He shall receive a blessing from the LORD
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob.

7Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!

8Who is the King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.

9Lift up your heads, O gates,
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!

10Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory.

Creation itself declares His glory.

Psalm 19:1 1The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

God reminds us that everything belongs to Him, including us and all we own! The way we spend our time and money, the way we treat people, our own motives and attitudes should all reflect God’s instruction revealed in the Bible and through the example of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Discussing a tithe can be a meaningful discussion, but God owns it all, not just a part. God holds us accountable for how we use all of our time, talent, and money, as demonstrated in the parable of the talents.

Matthew 25:14-30 

      14“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15“To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16“Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17“In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. 18“But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

      19“Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20“The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ 21“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

      22“Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ 23“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

      24“And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 25‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

      26“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. 27‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. 28‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

      29“For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 30“Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

I encourage all of you who wish to honor God with your lives to do a simple exercise over the next week or weeks. Start today. Keep track of how you spend your time. For example… sleeping, eating, playing, shopping, watching sports, studying the Bible, praying. Compare how much time you spend doing each type of activity. Using this data, review where you spend your time. How much time do you invest in your relationship with God? Is it really a priority? or an afterthought you squeeze in when you have time. How does that make you feel? What changes should you make?

Try the same exercise in reviewing your monthly expenses. Where do you spend your money? Are you stewarding it for God? This does not mean just writing a check to a church. Often we can be better stewards than many churches if we work at it. Make sure you know how your money is being spent when you give it to someone, even in churches and ministries. Is it lost in administration cost? or actually following the commands of God? To be good stewards, we must take time to evaluate how we give as well as how we spend for ourselves. I like to put money aside every paycheck to do the Lord’s work specifically. Then when I see the chance to help others in need, I can do so easily and joyfully in Jesus’ name. I also give to support churches and ministries, but only after I fully evaluate each one.

What talents has God given you? List them out. Are you using them for God? If not, write down three ways you could do so. Which one will you pursue first?

I like to repeat this evaluation periodically, maybe once every three months at first and once a year later on after you have been doing it awhile.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.