Debp Posted October 13, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 52 Topic Count: 1,014 Topics Per Day: 0.15 Content Count: 12,276 Content Per Day: 1.79 Reputation: 16,333 Days Won: 92 Joined: 07/19/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted October 13, 2019 I will add more devotionals from this classic book every couple of days or so. Hope you enjoy them. Author: Warren Wiersbe Source: Prayer, Praise and Promises Scripture Reference Psalms 5:1-12 James 1:5 Romans 8:26 Hebrews 5:7 Romans 12:19 Request, Reason and Response in the Midst of Trials Read Psalm 5:1-l2 What do you do in difficult situations? Many of the psalms were written during difficult, often painful, experiences. In Psalm 5 we find two sequences concerning trials. In the first sequence (vv. 1-7), David is experiencing difficulty and makes his request--"hear me." (v. 1-3). Meditation here means "sighing, murmuring, groaning"--a quiet expression of feelings. When our burden is beyond expression, all we can do is sigh and moan before the Lord. The Spirit hears our groanings and intercedes for us (Rom. 8:26). David's meditation turns to a cry (v. 2; Heb. 5:7). Prayer is not always a quiet, joyful conversation with God. Sometimes it is a battle against the principalities arrayed against us. David's reason for making this request is the holiness of God (vv. 4-6). He cried to God because He is holy and stands against the wicked and boastful. Although He will judge the wicked, God does not always judge sin immediately. David's response is worship (v. 7), individual and personal. In the second sequence, David makes another request--"lead me" (v. 8). He wants God's way, which is the righteous way. In the midst of difficulty, what we need most is wisdom to know the will of God (James 1:5). Notice that David asks to be led, not delivered. God has a straight way through every difficulty that will lead us to victory. His reason this time is the wickedness of man (vv. 9,10). Destruction means "a yawning, open abyss." An open tomb pictures defilement and death. Flattery is not communication; it is manipulation. Absalom fell by his own counsel. David did nothing. He let God do it all (Rom. 12:19). David's response (vv. 11,12) is rejoicing in faith, love and hope. Joy comes from trusting in and loving the Lord. This kind of joy comes from God's work on the inside, not from circumstances on the outside. The psalmist tells us to expect difficulty. We shouldn't run from our trials but bring to God our requests, our reasons and our response. You need never be paralyzed by your difficulties. You have the privilege of praying to a loving, understanding Father, who knows your condition. He guides you through difficulty to victory. When your faith, hope and love are fixed on the Lord, you can face any difficulty or problem, and God will give you joy and peace within. _________________________ This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debp Posted October 14, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 52 Topic Count: 1,014 Topics Per Day: 0.15 Content Count: 12,276 Content Per Day: 1.79 Reputation: 16,333 Days Won: 92 Joined: 07/19/2005 Status: Offline Author Share Posted October 14, 2019 Author: Warren Wiersbe Source: Prayer, Praise and Promises Scripture Reference Acts 2:21 Hebrews 12 Psalms 6:1-12 Worse Than Death Read Psalm 6:1-10 All of us know what it means to sin and to confess our sin. Psalm 6 is the first of the seven penitential psalms. Occasionally God has to remind us to confess our sins. In verses 1-5 David pleads for God not to rebuke him or to chasten him. God's chastening is not punishment. It builds our Christian character. Hebrews 12 talks about chastening, and the word used means "child training." It's the picture of a child learning how to be a good athlete. God chastens us, but He does so in love. David was afraid that God was going to chasten him in His hot displeasure (v. 1). But our God is a God of mercy and grace. This doesn't mean, however, that we can minimize sin. This doesn't mean we should ever say, "Well, God is a forgiving God; therefore, I can do whatever I want to do, and He will forgive me." No, David was saying, "Lord, I've sinned. I'm weary with my groaning. Forgive me. I have done wrong." And God does forgive those who confess their sins to Him. Sin is the Christian's worst possible experience. It's far worse than pain or suffering or even death itself. We are weak, and sometimes we fail. But let's never be afraid to come to our Father with our appeal for forgiveness. The tragedy is that all around us, enemies are waiting for us to fall. They want to point at us and say, "See, that Christian failed." But we can come before the Lord and ask Him for His forgiveness, and He will grant it to us. God will have mercy on us. "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21). We must never treat sin lightly. Certainly, no Christian should ever harbor sin. But when we do sin, we may lean on God's mercy and grace and confess our sin to a loving Father. One of the great encouragements of the Christian life is that God forgives and restores. Are you living with unconfessed sin? Avoid God's chastening. Confess your sin and ask for His forgiveness. ____________________ This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debp Posted October 17, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 52 Topic Count: 1,014 Topics Per Day: 0.15 Content Count: 12,276 Content Per Day: 1.79 Reputation: 16,333 Days Won: 92 Joined: 07/19/2005 Status: Offline Author Share Posted October 17, 2019 Author: Warren Wiersbe Source: Prayer, Praise and Promises Scripture Reference Jeremiah 17:9 1 Samuel 24-26 Psalms 7:1-9 Tested in a Tight Spot Read Psalm 7:1-9 This psalm was born out of a sad experience David had with Cush, a Benjamite (see I Sam. 24-26). Cush was one of Saul's spies. And because of what David did, Cush caused the deaths of innocent men. Whenever David had a problem with persecution or with people, he would run to God. "O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; save me from all those who persecute me; and deliver me" (v. 1). David's enemies were pursuing him. But the first thing he did was examine his own heart. "O Lord my God, if I have done this: if there is iniquity in my hands" (v. 3). He was saying, "If I have sinned, then let the enemy persecute me." When we are persecuted or experiencing problems, the first thing we should do is examine our own hearts--not examine the enemy or even examine God by saying, "God, why did You allow such a thing to happen?" When you find yourself in a tight spot, look in the mirror and say, "Father, is there something in my life You are talking to me about? Is there some area in my life where I am not as yielded as I ought to be?" You may ask, "What about my enemies? Who's going to take care of them?" That was David's question. The answer is that God will take care of the enemy. The wickedness of others will come to an end. Our righteous God will accomplish His purposes, but notice the end of verse 9: "For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds." Times of trial are not only times of testimony and trusting; they are also times of testing. When God tests you, He is showing you your own heart. You may say, "I know my own heart." But you don't. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9). God has a purpose for trials and testings. Do you find yourself in a tight spot today? Don't view this as something to endure. Rather, consider it an opportunity for growth. Use this time to examine your heart. Perhaps God wants to teach you something and develop an area of your life. Yield yourself to Him and trust Him to do a good work in you. ____________________ This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debp Posted October 18, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 52 Topic Count: 1,014 Topics Per Day: 0.15 Content Count: 12,276 Content Per Day: 1.79 Reputation: 16,333 Days Won: 92 Joined: 07/19/2005 Status: Offline Author Share Posted October 18, 2019 Author: Warren Wiersbe Source: Prayer, Praise and Promises Scripture Reference Romans 12:19 Psalms 9:13-16 In His Time Read Psalm 9:13-16 Have you ever looked at a beautiful rose and watched it slowly blossom day after day? Have you ever tried to help it open? If you try, you might kill it. God makes everything beautiful in His time. He causes everything to straighten out and line up according to His schedule. If you have a problem in your life with a person or a circumstance, rely on God to resolve it. "'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord" (Rom. 12:19). One of the worst things we can do is to take judgment into our own hands. The psalmist tells us in these verses, "Let God be the judge, the jury and the prosecuting attorney. He knows more about this than you do." The psalmist assures us that, in His time, God will catch those who are doing wrong. The nations will fall into the pit they have made. Sinners who have laid nets in the pathway will get caught in those nets. "The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands"(v. 16). It encourages me to know that I don't have to devote my time or energy, even my inward concern, to wondering what's going to happen to all the evil in the world. God is going to take care of it. Of course, we as Christians should do our part to make this a better world. We are the salt of the earth; we are the light of the world. But we've been called to do something even more wonderful--to tell these wicked people that they don't have to go to hell. We have the privilege of witnessing to them and letting them know that they can be saved. Yes, let God be the Judge. Your job today is to be a witness. Has someone wronged you recently? Resist the urge to judge that person. Instead, pray that God might use you to reach the offender. ____________________ This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debp Posted October 18, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 52 Topic Count: 1,014 Topics Per Day: 0.15 Content Count: 12,276 Content Per Day: 1.79 Reputation: 16,333 Days Won: 92 Joined: 07/19/2005 Status: Offline Author Share Posted October 18, 2019 Author: Warren Wiersbe Source: Prayer, Praise and Promises Scripture Reference Psalms 10:12-18 The Heart of the Problem Read Psalm 10:12-18 David cried out and said, "God, You've got to take care of the situation." For several years Saul had been pursuing him. At one point David compared himself to a flea that was being chased. Saul's problem was that he was listening to liars in his court. Those who wanted Saul's favor were saying, "David wants your crown. He wants your throne. David said this, and David did that." They lied about him, and he could do nothing about it. We have little control over the circumstances of life. We can't control the weather or the economy, and we can't control what other people say about or do to us. There is only one area where we have control--we can rule the kingdom inside. The heart of every problem is the problem in the heart. Once we get to that throne room inside us and let God take over, we don't have to worry about others. David prayed in verse 12, "Arise, O Lord! O God, lift up Your hand! Do not forget the humble." The word humble is a key word. What is humility? Is it thinking poorly of ourselves? No, humility is simply not thinking of ourselves at all. Humility means admitting that I cannot handle my problem by myself. God is going to have to handle it by working in me and through me and for me. But before God can work for me or through me He has to work in me. If you want to get on top of your circumstances, get beneath the feet of the Lord. Humble yourself, and He'll lift you up. We cannot control the circumstances of life, nor can we avoid them. But we can take a humble attitude toward God. He takes a special interest in us and will help us handle our circumstances. Have you examined the throne room inside lately? Are you willing to let God work in you and through you to accomplish His purposes? ____________________ This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debp Posted October 27, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 52 Topic Count: 1,014 Topics Per Day: 0.15 Content Count: 12,276 Content Per Day: 1.79 Reputation: 16,333 Days Won: 92 Joined: 07/19/2005 Status: Offline Author Share Posted October 27, 2019 Author: Warren Wiersbe Source: Prayer, Praise and Promises Scripture Reference 1 Kings 19 Psalms 86:11 Psalms 12:1-8 The Elijah Complex Read Psalm 12:1-8 Whenever you get the idea that you are the only one left who is godly, beware. That's how David was praying in Psalm 12. He said, "The godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men" (v. 1). I call this the Elijah complex. You will remember that Elijah had this problem (I Kings 19). He left his place of ministry, went out into the wilderness and sat down, pouting. God asked, "What are you doing here?" Elijah replied, "I'm the only godly one left, and they are trying to kill me." God said, "I have 7000 people waiting in line. I can pick any one of them to get My work done." When you begin to think you're the only godly person, it quickly leads to pride. In this passage David refers to the sin of flattery (v. 2). Our world is filled with flattery. Sometimes it's called advertising or promotion, but it's still flattery. God doesn't flatter people. He tells the truth. Flattery is manipulation, not communication. It comes from a double heart, from mixed motives. David said, "Unite my heart to fear Your name" (Ps. 86:11). Don't fall for flattery or flatter yourself into thinking you are the only godly one left. Verse 6 tells us where to turn: "The words of the Lord are pure." Listening to your own words may lead to discouragement or pride. And the words of others may be flattery, lying or vanity. So listen to the Word of God and test everything you hear by it. The godly person has not completely vanished from the earth. We'd be surprised to find where God has His people, waiting to accomplish His will. Others are waiting to stand with you and help you. Lay hold of God's Word. It has been tested and proved. You can trust it. The remedy for discouragement is the Word of God. When you feed your heart and mind with its truth, you regain your perspective and find renewed strength. Feeling discouraged? Encourage yourself with the Word of God. ____________________ This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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