December 8 – Redeemed to be Heirs

“Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel.” – Ruth 4:14 (NASB)

A short book of four chapters which recounts a beautiful story of God’s promise to watch and care for His people. Naomi, returns from Moab with her daughter-in-law to Bethlehem, her home town. With nothing left and having lost all in the death her husband and both sons. Ruth, now a believer in the God of Naomi is a Moabite and widow of Naomi’s son Mahlon. The story is one of redemption by a close relative named Boaz. Boaz takes the legal steps to claim the land belonging to Naomi’s late husband Elimelech. God provided this means of preserving a family who had lost all claim to the land through the death all their men. In the same way our Lord God has not left us by providing a redeemer for us in Jesus Christ. All who believe are now promised to be co-heirs with Jesus of all of that is His (Romans 8:17-18). Boaz marries Ruth and they have a son, Obed. It is Obed who cares for Naomi and Ruth in their old age and is the father of Jesse, the father of King David of Israel from whose line Jesus of Nazareth is born.

197

February 22 – His Eyes Upon Us

“The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.”  Psalm 34:15-17 (ESV) 

This Psalm of David is noted for being written shortly after he had feigned insanity before the Philistine King of Gath. He did so to avoid any reprisal for what he had done. It was the hometown of the giant Goliath whom David had killed. Using the sword of Goliath, David cut off his head after knocking him out with a rock from his sling. (1 Samuel 17:1–51)  This psalm, and others, were written while David hid in a cave with his men. King Saul was hunting David to kill him. We are apt to forget sometimes that our God is very near to His own. David was conscious that the Lord was watching over him and ready to help him at all times. But we note that David was talking about righteous people and you may wonder if this applies to you. Be assured that if you have believed in Jesus as your Savior, then God has declared you to be righteous. That is what we call justification by faith. So this applies to all who believe through faith. God’s eyes are on every movement we make and He is listening to hear our call. 

-197-

February 11 – Mercy on Me

“Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” Psalm 57:1 (NIV)

“Mercy me!” These days it is the name of a band and/or the name of a song sung by a different band. It is an exclamation with the same meaning as the words David wrote in this Psalm. He was calling on God for mercy and for protection. Twice David had an opportunity to dispatch King Saul who was hunting to kill him.  What is interesting about this verse is the fact that when David wrote this song he was recalling when he was hiding in a cave where he had an opportunity to be rid the threat of death by killing Saul and being rid of him permanently. Instead, David hid in the cave and trusted God. David, anointed to be King after Saul, knew his own need for a refuge for his soul, and he found that in God. He could be secure and safe spiritually. He didn’t have to kill Saul. David chose to trust in God who promised to keep Him safe forever. We need and have the same refuge. God has promised us a safe place with Him for our souls, for eternity. So we can say with David, “We have our refuge in our God."

199

December 24 – The Eve of Christmas

“For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (NASB)

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 (ESV)

What does Christmas mean to those of us who belong to the family of God? Today and always it is good to keep in mind that at Christmas we celebrate what God did to make it possible for us to join His family. Two verses, one from the Gospel of Luke and one from the Gospel of John bring to us today’s promises. The promised Messiah’s coming was fulfilled in person the day Jesus was born in Bethlehem. We read what the angel told the Bethlehem shepherds recorded in Luke. In John we read again of the light that Jesus was and brought to earth. Light which evil darkness is unable to snuff out. The world does not comprehend this light and so remains in darkness.  It was not only the shepherds who needed a Savior. We needed a Savior too, and He did come to save us. Let's remember what a great difference it has been in our lives, to have a Savior. Jesus has saved us from sin and from sin's eternal punishment. And He saves us today from uncertainty, fear, and confusion. Let's remember this promise today as we hear the words of our verse read.  

- 199 -

December 3 – Greater Things

“From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2 (NIV)

Now we know that King David, the one who wrote these words, never did that much world traveling so that he could say he was at the end of the world. He is using a figure of speech common even for us and what he meant was that no matter where he was, God would hear and respond when he prayed to Him.  We can trust this promise and we can trust that God hears us no matter where we are. That is both in location and in circumstances. Our situations may make us feel like we are far from God. We aren’t. We might question if He hears us. He does. David also recognized that God had things to reveal to him which were beyond anything he had yet experienced. He asked God to lead him to a rock that was higher than any place he had so far reached. This is true in our case too. God has things to show us, each which are beyond anything we have yet known. This is the promise we have that when we need Him, God is here with us leading us to greater fulfillment in our lives. 

197

August 25 – How Much is Enough?

How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah  Psalm 62:3–4   (ESV)

King David’s life was pretty amazing. A shepherd boy, the youngest of seven sons of Jesse.  David was the great grandson of Ruth.  But from the day David was anointed and crowned King over Judah and then Israel, his life became much more difficult.  Jealousy and consequences of David’s affair with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah her husband resulted in gaining many enemies within his camp and even family.  This verse today speaks of the attacks David experienced throughout his reign.  Attack after attack from foreign enemies and from family and one-time loyal friends. David asks, “How much will be enough!?” His enemies inside and out saw David as weak as a fence about to collapse and they schemed to murder the King and weaken his throne with lies and curses.  We know that God had promised certain outcomes for David and his decedents.  He called David "a man after His own Heart" He has promised outcomes for us just the same.  We trust, he provides no matter how hot the battles becomes.    

- 173 -

December 22 – Hanukkah Begins

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (NIV)

On the very night that Jesus, the Son of God was born, an angel was sent by the Father to announce the event to shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem. God chose the shepherds to be the first, other than Mary and Joseph, to know that a promise had been fulfilled.  He said “a Savior has been born to you.”  The shepherds needed a Savior and they could personally benefit from His birth. Believing the words of the angels, the shepherds went to find the newborn baby.  After seeing and marveling at the event, they returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, exactly as it was told them.  Jesus was born for you and He was born for me, to be our Savior.  Each of us needs a Savior and He came for those in need.  What a great difference this has made in our lives. The promise of His coming was made as far back as the day Adam and Eve disobeyed God.  Let us listen to the angel’s message – “He is Christ the Lord.”

*Hanukkah, also spelled 'Chanukah', is the Jewish eight-day, "festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods.  The Story of Chanukah Video 2:15

# # #

December 23 – Born to This Purpose, Born to Us

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”  Luke 2:11 (NIV)

We come back to this important announcement in the Gospel of Luke.  We've considered it once before, several days ago.  We do this to think again of the reason for His coming to earth.  The glitz and glamour that surrounds this time of the year as well as the many activities and commercial appeal can too easily cause us to lose focus on why the season is important to all.  The words the angel announced to the shepherds were important for them and they are important for us.  The shepherds response showed that they realized they needed a Savior.  The went immediately to find the baby.  They spread the news of what the angel had said, and the also praised God when they returned from seeing the baby.  Jesus came as a baby because we all needed a Savior.   As we have believed in Him He has saved us from the consequences of sin, the sin of rejecting God.  What a big difference that has made in our lives.  He has brought us to Himself by coming and becoming a human as we are.  He was born to us for this purpose.  We are His today if we have believed this Promise that He is the Messiah, the Lord.

#-#-#

Please take a moment to share with friends.

December 12 - Who is Christ the Lord

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:11 (ESV) 

At the time of the birth of Jesus, there were several messages from heaven which told people on earth what an important event the birth was.  One message came through the angels who came to announce the birth to the shepherds near Bethlehem.  We read about this message in Luke's record in and today's verse from chapter 2 is part of that message.  We've considered that when the baby born in Bethlehem was given the name Jesus, this meant that He would save His people from their sins.  Now in our verse today the angel mentioned that He came as our Savior.  We also notice in our verse now that the baby would be Lord.  That is also a very important name.  When we see pictures of the manger scene with a baby lying there, let's remember that He, Jesus our Lord, deserves honor from us in our lives each day.  He is our Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  It is good to understand Jesus, had the title Christ which means, “the anointed One”, or “the chosen One.”  Jesus is His human name as announced to Mary by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:31), and Christ is His title, as the promised, chosen, anointed, Son of God.

What does Christ mean?

#-#-#

Please take a moment to share with friends.

November 16 – Quote to Remember

 “David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me.  Because he is at my right hand,  I will not be shaken.”  Acts 2:25 (NIV)

We quote Bible passages each day on this blog because we believe that what was written long ago about God was written for our benefit.  It can be applied to our lives these days just as it was applied to those who believed God when the words were written.  Quoting scripture has been practiced for a long time.  Today's verse was a testimony by David who wrote many songs we have in the Book of Psalms.  He had experienced the Lord's presence and His strength in his life. About a thousand years later, the Apostle Peter quoted David's words because he too experienced the presence and power of the resurrected Lord Jesus in his life.  So now, almost 2000 more years later we can quote these words even as our own testimony.  We know our Lord is with us as He was with David and with Peter.  He is with you who read this daily blog and He will keep us strong too.  He is always before us and at our right hand. He promises we will not be truly shaken even when we feel uncertain.  That's why we return and quote these promises each day. 

# # #

Please share these posts with others. 

July 1 – Heart Help

“The 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.”  Psalm 28:7 (NASB)

This is a beautiful testimony by the psalmist David. He had learned a very special lesson and he wanted others to learn it too. That's why he sang these words and made his song available for others to sing it too.  We don't sing the psalms much in our time but that was how they were shared in the time they were written. These words expressed David's faith and an experience that we can have in our Christian lives today.  I'm thinking especially of what happens when we trust the Lord with our whole heart.  As we trust Him He responds by giving us the help we need.  We may sometimes need spiritual strength to face some special problems. If we trust the Lord for this strength He does help. Or, it may be we need help and protection just for everyday living. Believers are under assault more than ever.  We can always say with David, “My heart trusts in Him and I am helped.”  It is a promise, that He is our strength and shield.

January 31 – Accomplishes All Things

“I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me.” Psalm 57:2 (NASB)

Psalm 57, where our verse is from today, was written by David. He composed this song while hiding in a cave* from those who wanted to kill him. In spite of the precarious situation David was in, he was trusting in the Lord. He knew that God had a purpose for his life. Even though the picture was dark for a time, David knew that God was in control. We can be sure that God has a purpose for each of our lives. We can also be sure that God is in control of things. He is able to work things out to fulfill the plans that He has in mind for us. Let's keep turning to Him for what we need for every hour of every day. The promise we have today is that God will accomplish all things for us – all things means all things, nothing is left undone by God. 

*Cave of Adullam

January 18 – Righteousness and Justice

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” Psalm 37:5-6 (ESV)

These words come from a psalm written by King David who had learned how faithful God was to His words. We remember that our God knows what is best for each of us. He wants us to consult with Him when we have decisions to make. The lives that we're living here on earth are often pictured in the Bible to be like walking on a path towards destruction. Our verse today reminds us that we need to allow God to lead us every day. He knows so much better than we do how we should live and what is best for us. God has a purpose for us each day and He knows how that purpose can be accomplished. He knows the way ahead of us better so let's not think that we can do it today on our own. Let's trust Him to do with us what he wants and to lead us the way He wants to lead us. He promises us righteousness and justice if we commit our way to Him.

December 24 – The Eve of Christmas

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (NIV)

What does Christmas mean to those of us who belong to the family of God? Today and always it is good to keep in mind that at Christmas we celebrate what God did to make it possible for us to join His family.  The promise of the Messiah coming was fulfilled. As part of the Christmas story we read what the angel told the Bethlehem shepherds which are the words recorded in Luke chapter 2. It was not only the shepherds who needed a Savior. We needed a Savior too, and He did come to save us. Let's remember what a great difference it has been in our lives, to have a Savior. Jesus has saved us from sin and from sin's eternal punishment. And He saves us today from uncertainty, fear, and confusion. Let's remember this promise today as we hear the words of our verse read.  

December 1 – Greater Things

“From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2 (NIV)

Now we know that King David, the one who wrote these words, never did that much world traveling so that he could say he was at the end of the world. What he meant was that no matter where he was, God would hear and respond when he prayed to Him. David also recognized that God had things to reveal to him which were beyond anything he had yet experienced. He asked God to lead him to a rock that was higher than any place he had so far attained. This is true in our case too. God has things to show us, each which are beyond anything we have yet experienced. This is the promise we have that when we need Him, God is here with us leading us to greater things in our lives.  

September 16 – Always Watching Over

“When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me.” Psalm 142:3 (NIV)

A good number of the Psalms that were written by King David were written while he was on the run, being hunted or hiding from those pursuing him. Our promise today come from a psalm written while David was hiding in the cave of Adullam. It was his stronghold hideout when King Saul was out to kill him.  God knew where David was and He knew how David felt. He is also watching over us, His followers today. He knows more about us than the people we are living with because He knows even the feelings which we don't always express openly to others.  Now it may be that your spirit is not faint within you today. But there are times and there will be days when we need to remember this promise. Our God is always watching over us and ready to help us when we turn to Him. 

August 27 – Devotion to Seeking

“Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God.” 1 Chronicles 22:19a  (NIV)

These words were spoken by King David at the end of his life. He was concerned that the people would continue in the right path following God after his death. A broader context lets us know he was especially concerned that the plans to build the temple in Jerusalem would proceed. We can know that these words are for us today too, and they apply to our daily life. What can be more important to us than to experience the presence of God and His involvement in our lives? Nothing, is more important. Our greatest desire is to seek God presence every day, not just when we are in need. Let's begin and continue to train our hearts to long the  sense His presence and if our soul is seeking God we'll experience real blessings each day – that is His promise. 

May 10 - He Accomplishes Things

“I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.” Psalm 57:2 (NASB)

The words of this Psalm were written by David when he was hiding from King Saul in a cave in the wilderness.  David knew that God had plans for him. He could not forget that God had earlier sent the prophet Samuel to his home town to anoint him to be King of Israel. Even now as he was hiding in a cave to save his life he did not forget God's plan for him. David knew how big a God he had. He called Him the God Most High. David believed that God was able to carry out His plans and he trusted Him. God also has a purpose for each of our lives and He is big enough to carry out His plans. So, when we need His help, let's not fail to do as David did – let's cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for us just as He did for David.

Scripture quotation taken from the NASB©. (www.lockman.org)

April 23 – His Delight, Our Support

“They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support.  He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” Psalm 18:18-19

This is King David expressing his praise to God after he had just come through a trying experience. How did David describe what God did for him when he needed help? He said that the Lord was his support. The word “support” really means the action of holding something up from underneath. When we think of God supporting us we realize that He is holding us up as if we are completely in His care. When we encounter trials our God does hold us up and our verse reminds us that He does it because He loves us and is pleased to have us as His own. When He helps us we can say with the psalmist “He rescued me because He delighted in me.”

March 25 – God Hears Our Call

“As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” Psalm 55:16-17 (NIV)

The words in this Psalm, written by King David were a prayer of praise and cry for help to God, who is the same as our God for there is only one God. There are many things in this world that have changed since David wrote this song but our God in heaven has not changed. God heard when David called out to Him. He also hears when we cry out in our distress. God hears our voice just as David knew that his voice was heard by God. David also knew that God did not keep office hours. Evening, morning and noon we can turn to him to save us. All day and all night God can and will hear our prayers. We do not have to watch the clock and we do not have to keep appointed hours for prayer. Whenever we have a need of fellowship or even have a need to praise and offer thanksgiving we can pray.