August 4 – Standing On Firm Rock

“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” Psalm 40:2 (NIV)

This verse reveals for us the promise of what the Lord does for those who respond to His loving invitation of eternal life. This is a Psalm written by King David and in it David affirms God’s goodness in rescuing him from some trouble.  David certainly did often find himself mired down in circumstances where He needed to trust his Lord God for deliverance.  We trust that you who follow this blog have found yourself on the “firm place to stand” that the psalmist had found. Our verse does not tell us exactly what it means by “firm place to stand” But the next verse explains that many will “put their trust in the Lord.”  So, that is where the firm place is found – it is in trusting the Lord.  If you are trusting in the Lord for all your needs, material and spiritual, that is a firm place to stand. If you are not certain you are standing on a firm place, you can find it by trusting what God has said in His Word.  Let's thank God today for providing  and setting us upon that rock – a firm place in Him.

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August 25 – Stand on a Firm Place

“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”  Psalm 40:2 (NIV)

Today we are considering a testimony by David in one of the psalms he wrote.  This is a song of praise to God. We want to think of those last words about God giving us a “firm place to stand.”  That is really what He has done and is doing.  Without that firm place, we find ourselves on uncertain and slippery mud.  Have your ever been in such a place where even a step could mean a fall into muck and slime?  When we believed in Jesus as our Savior, we were lifted out of the slimy pit we were in and given a solid foundation, a rock to stand on.  This rock is the new relationship we have with the God of the universe.  We have received His Spirit to live in us and to guide us and to keep us from falling.  We belong to Him and are part of His family forever.  Such is the solid ground on which we stand now.  There is this promise given to us and we can stand on it in faith believing because God is the faithful one who watches over us.  

If you find hope and encouragement in these daily blogs, please share them with your friends. 

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April 3 – He Takes Up Our Cause

“I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit;” Lamentations 3:55 (ESV)

“You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’ “You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life.” Lamentations 3:57-58 (ESV)

One of the prophets in the Old Testament was Jeremiah. He was faithful in delivering  the messages God gave to him to give to His people. Jeremiah suffered much for people who didn't want to hear these messages. They hated hearing the warnings against them.  After God's judgment fell on the City of Jerusalem, Jeremiah expressed his feeling in the book of Lamentations. These verses from that book are selected for us today. When once Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern and sank into the mud at the bottom he did not forget God. And God had not forgotten Jeremiah either. He heard the prophet call out to Him and He acted to save him.  This is just one example of how our God watches over His people, even if we are not sinking into an actual pit as Jeremiah did. It might just be a pit of discouragement or of depression or emotional difficulty. He will take up your case when you call on him because He has redeemed your life and He has promised to never desert you and He has promised to carry you when you need Him to. 

September 8

“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” Psalm 40:2 (NIV)

Sometimes, because of the circumstances in our world we might wonder if where we are standing is a secure or safe place to stand – in God it is. Are you not glad that God gave David the gift of expressing praise? We are glad too, that David knew by experience how wonderful God is. Have you believed in Jesus as your Savior? If so, these words are a description of your experience, too. You’re out of the mire, standing on a rock. How wonderful to have a firm place to stand, something solid to believe in. No matter what happens, we do not need to vacillate. Circumstances may change but our God never does. Friends may leave us or disappoint us, but God never does. We can depend on His love and His care for us. Isn’t that like standing on a rock?