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Be Thou my Guide O thou great Jehovah

Psalm 31-33, Is God silent in your life right now? If you think he is, then you have missed the spiritual markers of his character in the OT, such as in these three psalms. Beloved,

Read the OT to learn about His character..

Read to learn about His heart.

Read to learn about yourself.

David is in, as we say, a “whole heap of trouble.” His path seems strewn with the foes that are on his trail. He needs to find safety and security and so he turns to God because he knows and trusts Him.  He knows that God is his protector. He believes God to be his stronghold, where he can be safe!

Like David, others may see us as worthless and empty like a broken jar, but God sees us through His eyes.  He looks carefully. His eye is as much on the sparrow as it is on us. Therefore, we can trust Him.  Kings come and go, warriors are strong for only a season, horses can only deliver as the horseman guides. But, God is sovereign; He is strong. He is our deliverer. Wait on Him. He knows the path we should take. It is in Him that we find peace and contentment, safety, and security. Pray as David prayed: Guide us this day.

William Williams penned these words:

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah; pilgrim through this barren land. I am weak but you are mighty, hold me with your powerful hand.

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Parenting101

Parenting101

Proverbs 23 This past month all over the world, parents are learning how to homeschool because of the lockdown due to the Coronavirus. Some find it a joy and others, well enough said. A suggestion: read a chapter from the book of Proverbs following the calendar. If you are reading a chapter of Proverbs each day, you will find many promises. Here is one found right smack in the middle of Proverbs 23! It is just for you parents who are now working with your little ones:

“The father of a righteous person will rejoice greatly; whoever fathers a wise child will have joy in him. May your father and your mother have joy; may she who bore you rejoice.“

Did you notice the repetition of the words “rejoice and joy?” Parents take heart. God sees your work, and He will reward you. 

Parents, if you are feeling overwhelmed with this task, go back and read Samson’s father’s prayer. He felt just like you. Jdg 13:8 Manoah prayed to the Lord, “Please, Lord, allow the man sent from God to visit us again, so he can teach us how we should raise the child who will be born.” Claim that prayer and go to God for your stamina, wisdom, and discernment. 

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Preparing for your departure

1 Chron 24-26 Today we received yet another note from one of the international staff that they had been tested and it was positive. Will this person weather the corona storm? But, add to that the many that are already near their finish line. One friend’s father is 104 and another is 101. Will they continue on or will they move to their eternal destiny. Only time will tell. Both are in excellent health. On the other hand, King David knew his time was drawing near and so he set about to plan for the future and the next king. Do we do the same? Do we plan ahead so our children and extended family are prepared? Do we have all or bank accounts set up with our children or someone else as a beneficiary? Have we made out our will so that our testimony is clear to those who are not saved?

Read carefully David’s planning structure. “David, Zadok (a descendant of Eleazar), and Ahimelech (a descendant of Ithamar) divided them into groups to carry out their assigned responsibilities,” David also prepared some for music and words to encourage and edify. Paul captured this idea as he wrote to the Ephesians: “speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord,” [Eph 5:19] Along with that, David outlined the duties of those who would care for the new temple.

These are timely examples to us.

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Jehovah Jireh Our Provider

Trust God not man

1Kings 17-19 Today people are beginning to grumble because their comfort zone has been disrupted. They have lost their trust in government officials, others, and even the God of the Bible. They just want the problem fixed which is precisely what the wicked King Ahab wanted too.  Yet God is God, and He will not share his glory with another.  To teach the evil king and queen, God will use his faithful prophet Elijah to remind us that nothing is too hard for God. He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider.

First, Elijah needs a place of refuge from the wicked king and queen. When the brook dries up, and the food is no more, God sends him to a widow outside the land. Here God tests Elijah with the death of the child. Will he trust God to raise a little boy from the dead? Will the widow learn that Elijah is God’s prophet?  In the meantime, God provides a simple man named Obadiah to show weary Elijah the truth that no problem is too hard for God. Obadiah protected and provided a place of refuge for God’s prophets. Step by step, God provided for every need. And when Elijah was weary, He provided a replacement in Elisha to accompany him.

If He could use the unclean ravens or an unnamed widow or an Obadiah, will He not provide for our every need? Yet if God provided for Elijah, will He not do the same for us?  Do you trust Him to take care of your essentials this day? “in God I trust, I am not afraid. What can mere men do to me?” [Ps 56]

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