Psalm 22 - Focal point

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. 4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 8 "He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." 9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. 10 From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. 12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13 Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. 19 But you, O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. 20 Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. 21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. 25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows. 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the Lord will praise him-- may your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 28 for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations. 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him-- those who cannot keep themselves alive. 30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. 31 They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn-- for he has done it.

When I was an art major in college, we learned about something called the “focal point” of a piece of art. It was an object or place on your canvas that you wanted the viewer's eye to land upon. If you have no focal point on the canvas, the eye doesn't find a place of “rest” and seems to drift off the painting and become uninterested in gazing further. The colors that you choose, the direction of the brushstrokes, and the location of your objects, all determine whether or not you will have a successful focal point.

Today I was thinking about my life, and how in everything I am and every gifting or talent that God has given me I want to paint on my canvas of life making sure that I am positioning everything to lead towards the focal point, Christ. We have an incredible opportunity on this earth to lead people to something. Many people miss the mark, and make the focal point of their lives themselves. Self-glorification is a cheap counterfeit to the true joy and fulfillment that comes when you lead your viewers to the correct focal point – Christ.

Without realizing it, David was using his life and his gifting in music and worship to point people towards the focal point. I am not sure if David realized the significance of his words in this moment. Did he realize that he was writing 7 prophetic statements pointing to the death of Christ? Did he realize that as He wrote this Psalm that He was writing about the death and resurrection of Jesus? Did he realize that he was writing a book that would be used for centuries in apologetics, theology, and history?

I would bet that while David was still on earth He did not fully know the meaning of this prophetic Psalm, but he must have been awestruck in heaven as God sat him down to show him images of the crucifixion and the parallels in Psalms 22 with the Gospels. This is true treasure in heaven.

It is truly amazing, that whether we realize it or not our word, actions, and life are pointing towards something. What is the focal point of your life?

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Psalm 21 - Forget about it

1 O Lord, the king rejoices in your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give! 2 You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah 3 You welcomed him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. 4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him-- length of days, for ever and ever. 5 Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty. 6 Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

7 For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken. 8 Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes. 9 At the time of your appearing you will make them like a fiery furnace. In his wrath the Lord will swallow them up, and his fire will consume them. 10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from mankind. 11 Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed; 12 for you will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow. 13 Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might.

When my husband played football in college, they used to wear t-shirts that said “Forget about it” on the back of them. When anyone would ask what it meant, they would explain that entering into a game with past loss or failure in mind would hinder their ability to play with confidence, so there were to forget about it. They were only allowed to meditate on successes and victories, because the coach understood the power of positive thoughts and confession.

This pre-game routine sounds a lot to me like what the Isrealites were praying and speaking over King David before he went out to war. They began to thank God for all the previous victories that he had given David, and even confess ahead of time that the Lord would surely conquer again!

I think this is a great reminder to those of us that enter into prayer feeling overwhelmed by our circumstances. Sometimes we focus so much on how big the difficulty is that we forget to consider all the past victories. It is easy to look at the situation at hand and become discouraged, but it takes a true man or woman of faith to instead choose to look at all the great victories – and even expect another one!

I try to make a concerted effort to spend time thanking God before I start praying. I thank him for previous answered prayers, I thank Him for the health of my family, and I thank Him for all the little details and people in my life that I am so grateful for, and it reminds me that He has already won! He is truly victorious, both past, present, and future. It is all about my perspective! I hope that I can learn to be like the Isrealites and my husband's old football team, and make my pre-game routine to simply “forget about it.”

Prayer: Lord thank you for all the great things you have already done in my life. Help me to forget about the past failures or hindrances but that you would help me instead to focus on the victories. In Jesus' Name, Amen

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Psalm 20 - What do you really want? 

1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. 3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. Selah 4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. 5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.

6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. 9 O Lord, save the king! Answer us when we call!

Sometimes we feel selfish asking for what we really want, so we end up asking God for something second best. If I ask my daughter what she wants for Christmas, I want her to tell me what she really wants! I don't want her to tell me what she “kinda” wants because she feels bad asking for what she really wants. After all, we can't fool our heavenly Father, when the scripture says that He knows what our desire is before we even ask for it!

If we are truly delighting ourself in Him as the scripture says, our hearts desire isn't going to be selfish. We should ask, pray, and seek Him with confidence knowing that as we draw closer to Him, He is forming those desires in our hearts! We sell God short when we don't pray prayers that are beyond our ability, understanding, or resources. We don't have much of a miracle testimony if it was something we could accomplish on our own strength. God loves showing His power and answering prayers that we see as impossible.

There are many prayers in my life that I started out praying feeling so foolish. I can honestly say that I prayed with 0% faith! But as I kept persisting and consistently daily praying for that specific request, my faith kept increasing and the more I began to believe it was possible. Pretty soon, the prayer was answered and I stood in awe at what God had done! This is why Jesus said to ask and keep on asking, knock and keep on knocking...because He knew that the first time praying might feel foolish, the second a little less, and as we persisted our faith would increase in Him and His power over the situation.

If you have felt lately like you don't really know what to pray, start with the desires of your heart. Be real with God and go from there. After all you can't hide those desires from Him anyway! He probably put most of them there, and has been waiting for you to start believing that He can make them happen!

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that you know the desires of my heart before I even ask you. I pray that you would help me to stretch my faith and believe for bigger things because of how big the God I serve is. I pray that I wouldn't limit you or have an unbelieving heart. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Psalm 19 - Freedom

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, 5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. 11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Many people think Christianity is about rules, restrictions, and a list of things that they “can't” do. It is hard for those on the outside to understand why anyone would want to choose to live a life with boundary lines, when our society places so much emphasis on living in the moment. In my mother's generation, characters in movies and on television were admired for purity. I love watching old movies like “Anne of Green Gables,” and admiring her innocence. But it also reminds me of what a harsh contrast there is in the characters in movies today. Nowadays, if a character doesn't have enough issues, or is considered pure, they don't get good ratings because viewers say they are “boring.”

Verses 7 and 8 in the Psalm are a reminder that the “rules” we live by, are actually not restricting us but bringing us freedom! The inner freedom that the world earnestly desires, is actually what we experience on the inside when we choose God's path. Let's look a little closer at his incredible benefits:

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.

1.His LAWS: Revive our soul! When you revive something, you bring it back to life! We actually get to experience true life when we follow His laws. They bring the freedom our soul seeks, and we have the privilege of experiencing true joy, passion, and contentment from the inside out.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

2.His STATUTES (Boundaries): Make us wise! If you have ever felt like you weren't the most intellectual or deep person in the room – it doesn't matter! If you live God's way, you may still be simple-minded – but you have a coveted wisdom to discern right and wrong, choose the right path, and make difficult decisions. You have the Father of all wisdom on your side!

The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.

3.His PRECEPTS: Give our hearts joy! We may still go through difficult circumstances just like everyone else, but we have a joy available to us that doesn't depend on circumstances. It runs far too deep for anything external to affect it. It is based on our relationship with Him, and fills us with overwhelming, uncontainable, inexpressible JOY!

The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

4.His COMMANDS: Give light to our eyes! There have been many times that people have said to me (without knowing I was a Christian) “There is something different about you.” That difference is the light that He has given me that I sometimes am not even aware of. He has given those people that choose to follow Him a light and a magnetism that is all for His glory. As the world strives to be unique and different by the way they dress, act, or think – we don't have to try!

They might be laws, statutes, precepts, and commands in the world's eyes—but in my eyes they are freedom!

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that your word brings freedom, wisdom, light and joy. I pray that as I read your commands that I would trust that your way is the best way. In Jesus Name, Amen. 

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Psalm 18 - Filters

1 I love you, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. 4 The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. 5 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. 6 In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. 7 The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry. 8 Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. 9 He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. 10 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him-- the dark rain clouds of the sky. 12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. 13 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies, great bolts of lightning and routed them. 15 The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of breath from your nostrils. 16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. 19 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not done evil by turning from my God. 22 All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. 23 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. 24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, 26 to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. 27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. 28 You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

29 With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. 30 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. 31 For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? 32 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. 34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. 36 You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn. 37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. 38 I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. 39 You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet. 40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes. 41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them-- to the Lord, but he did not answer. 42 I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind; I poured them out like mud in the streets. 43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations; people I did not know are subject to me. 44 As soon as they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cringe before me. 45 They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds. 46 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! 47 He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, 48 who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me. 49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O Lord; I will sing praises to your name. 50 He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.

Verse 25 and 26 are astounding verses (To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd). The fact that the attributes we carry out in our own life are what we receive from God is amazing. If we struggle with being generous with other people, it's hard for us to believe that God wants to be generous with us. Many people have struggled with trust, forgiveness, or mercy and therefore it has affected their relationship with God. They will read that God forgives our sins when we repent, but they still beat themselves up about it and think that God is still “mad” at them.

These filters or lenses that we have in our lives can be good or bad. I know as a mother, it is my hearts desire to bless my children – and therefore, I understand my heavenly Father's desire to bless me. It is easy for me to comprehend, have faith for, and receive. God honors faith - and if we take the promises of the Bible literally, He will literally reward us! If we choose not to believe some of them, because of our nasty filters that we haven't uprooted, guess what? We don't get the blessing!

What filters do you have in your life that affect your relationship with God and how you perceive Him? Which ones actually help you relate to God, and which ones hinder you from receiving His love and goodness? I challenge you do to a little rummaging through your heart—keep the good, and throw out the bad!

Prayer: God I pray that you would remove all the filters I have that prevent me from experiencing who you really are. I pray that you would show me the areas I need to work on and help me to have faith to believe in your supernatural goodness even if I haven't always seen it in other people. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Psalm 17 - Daily Resolve

1 Hear, O Lord, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer-- it does not rise from deceitful lips. 2 May my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right. 3 Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin. 4 As for the deeds of men-- by the word of your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent. 5 My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped. 6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. 7 Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings 9 from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me. 10 They close up their callous hearts, and their mouths speak with arrogance. 11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me, with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground. 12 They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a great lion crouching in cover. 13 Rise up, O Lord, confront them, bring them down; rescue me from the wicked by your sword. 14 O Lord, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life. 15 And I--in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

Verse 3 of this Psalm is very powerful, “I have resolved that I will not sin with my mouth.” I don't know about you, but I am not tempted a lot to do drugs, be sexually immoral, or be gluttonous (okay maybe a little just while I was pregnant, ha ha!), But many times throughout the day, I am tempted to say something I just shouldn't say. In moments of frustration with our kids, moments where I want to respond because I have been hurt or moments where a thought pops into my head that is funny but could be hurtful to someone - I must choose not to sin with my mouth. I realize the importance and value that my words have to both God and others.

James 3:2 says, “If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.” Isn't that powerful? If an individual can be blameless with their words, they are perfect! God knows if a man can be trusted in his words, then he can be trusted in every other area!

Psalm 25:14 says “The Lord confides in those who fear Him.” It is one of my favorite scriptures, because it is exciting to think that God could confide in one of us! If we walk in fear (not afraid of God, but aware of His constant presence) He will actually confide in us. He will trust us. He will speak to us, give us dreams, illuminate the scriptures, give us insight into impossible situations, answers to difficult circumstances, and show us a unique side of Himself that not everyone gets to experience.

Like David, I have resolved (and must daily resolve) that I will not sin with my mouth. I will not speak negatively against other people, and (this is a hard one) against myself! I have resolved, sealed, committed, and signed on the dotted line that fault won't be found in my words. I might have to resolve all over again tomorrow, but at least for today I will strive to be a woman God can trust! Will you join me?

We often put a lot of emphasis on trusting in the Lord, but what about the other way around. Can the Lord trust you?

Take a moment to think about your words, and ask God to forgive you for any words that you've spoken (even if no one heard you!) that may have grieved the Holy Spirit. Like David, resolve not to sin with your mouth today and know that as you keep your mouth in check you are becoming an individual that God can trust!

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that you can give me the power to overcome sin in my mouth. Holy Spirit, guard my  mouth and let nothing come out of it except what you will. I pray my words would bring life and not death and would please you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Psalm 16 - Nesting

1 Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." 3 As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. 4 The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. 5 Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. 7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.

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Psalm 15 - God's dwelling place

1 Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? 2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart 3 and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, 4 who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, 5 who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

One of me and my husbands favorite things to do is drive around and look at nice houses. We love going up to different wealthy neighborhoods, picking out which ones are our favorites, guessing how much they must cost, and dreaming about our future home. Every single time we drive through an affluent neighborhood, we always ask this question, “What do these people do?” 

Last weekend, as we were driving around one man was working on his yard outside his house. I said to my husband, “Brandon, now is your chance! Pull over and ask him what he does!” Brandon passed right by him, and tried to make excuses why he shouldn't stop, but of course being the persistent wife that I am – I made him pull around and talk to the guy! We felt like Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happiness,” when he sees the red sports car pull up and stops to ask the driver, “What do you do, and how do I do it?”

It reminds me of David in this Psalm. He envisions the beauty of the Lord, the peace of being close to him, the Glory that surrounds Him--- and has to ask God, “Who can dwell where you dwell? Who can live where you live, Lord?”

God answers David and gives Him a blueprint for righteous living, and says something so powerful at the end “He who does these things, will never be shaken.” In other words, “If you follow this path I have laid out for you, you can dwell in my presence without ever being shaken.”

The theme to this blueprint that God lays out is being pure both outside and inside. As Christians, we become pretty skillful at the “blameless” living. There might not be many things from the outside that one could point their finger at and call sin. However, it is the “righteous” part that we fall short, not making sure that our minds and hearts are pure.

Sometimes, we lack the motivation to be pure on the inside, since that isn't the part that is on display. This psalm reminds us that if our motivation is to be close to the Lord, that it is purity in the parts that only He can see that are just as important.

If your prayer recently has been, “Lord I want to be closer to you...how do I become closer to you?” then I encourage you to pull over and park at this psalm for a while, and read the blueprint He has laid out for you. 

Prayer: God I thank you that you can help me to be blameless and righteous. I want to be in your presence and dwell where you dwell. Teach me your ways and help me to surrender to you in every area of my life. In Jesus name, Amen.

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Psalm 14 - Heavy without God

1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

4 Will evildoers never learn-- those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the Lord? 5 There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. 6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge. 7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

When my husband was a young teen, he was staying the night at another friends house looking for something fun to do. After a while they noticed a large truck parked across the street that said “Truck Rentals” on the side of it. However, the “T” in truck had been worn off, and it left my husband drooling with temptation to take a marker and put one little line through the lowercase “r” that would change it to, well, you can imagine.

He drew the line, he and his friend had a few good laughs, and they headed off to bed. His friend fell quickly asleep, but Brandon was left with what he describes as this terrible guilt and dread. He tossed and turned, and eventually woke up and stared out the window at what he had done. In that moment, he found a small Gideon's Bible laying on the table. It was the first time he had ever opened a Bible, and he began to read about Jesus and feel even more convicted for his actions.

Knowing what he had to do, he grabbed a bucket, some Ajax, and a rough sponge and stayed up for an hour scrubbing that permanent marker until the evidence was erased. Although that wasn't when my husband accepted Christ, he still will never forget that moment that the Holy Spirit probed his heart.

My husband always says, “We don't always know what step to take, but God surely let's us know when we have made the wrong one!”  It isn't just when we sin, but when we take a step out of his will, there comes a feeling of dread or heaviness.

In verse four it describes evildoers, and that they are truly filled with dread. Grieving the Holy Spirit comes with a heavy heart, especially when you have experienced what it was like to be close to him once before. I will get that feeling every once and a while, when I turn on a television show that grieves the Holy Spirit. It comes quick and strong, but I also have the option of ignoring it and searing my heart to his voice, like David describes the evildoers in this Psalm. I make it a habit to thank God for that feeling, because it reminds me of how wonderful it is to be in his presence and prompts me to change the channel. The last part of verse four comes with a promise, that God is present in the company of the righteous. That when we make right decisions, and walk in His ways, He is present! We don't have to walk around with a feeling of dread or heaviness, because our God is near!

Although it is not a pleasurable feeling, I thank God that He gives us this feeling to contrast the peace that we do feel when we know we have made a right decision. Nothing compares to making a decision, even when it's hard or uncomfortable, and feeling that peace that surpasses understanding knowing that our God is surely near!

Prayer: Lord thank you for the feeling that comes when we take a step that is outside of your will. Thank you that the feeling means that you love us and want us to be aware when your presence has left. Please help me to recognize that feeling and quickly respond, repent and choose your ways over my own. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Psalm 13 - The battle within

1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3 Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; 4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

Sometimes the biggest battle we must fight is the battle that is within. David is facing an external battle, but puts more emphasis on the internal battle that he is fighting with his thoughts and emotions.

I once heard a man of God say that when you read the Psalms, we must take what Jesus said into consideration, that “We do not battle flesh and blood, but principalities and powers of darkness.” It is tempting to read the Psalms and consider the “enemy” a certain hard-to-handle person, but God calls us to have only one enemy – the devil. We must remember not to point the finger at people, but rather take our anger and frustration out on the one who is truly behind it all! When he gets us to blame others, he has succeeded!

Our inner battles are harder to spot than the outer. It is easy to spot an attack from the enemy when it comes in the form of persecution, harsh rejection, or a conflict/confrontation. However when subtle thoughts creep in of insecurity, doubt, condemnation, shame, discouragement, unforgiveness, or bitterness—we must recognize who our enemy is, lest we be blind-sided and defeated!

The hard part about the inner attacks that the enemy bring, is that although they are nothing but lies – it still feels as if it is real. Our emotions don't have the ability to detach from what is true and what is a lie, they are just responding to the thoughts we have been harboring. For example, once I was strangely bombarded with these thoughts that this certain individual didn't like me. I started acting different towards them, and over analyzed every interaction with them always assuming the worst. It affected our friendship, until I was able to talk to them about it and realize I had been very deceived! The enemy had crept in and made me believe a lie, and my emotions followed suit! What a waste of time, thoughts, and emotions getting wrapped up in something that was completely fabricated!

Those subtle thoughts that Satan plants in our minds can build up to the point where we are walking around stressed or depressed, and don't even understand why. We wonder, “Why haven't I been myself lately?” It is only until we take it to God in prayer like David did and ask God about the sorrow in our heart or the thoughts we wrestle with, that we are able to recognize the source of the deception. Then God can begin to expose the enemy for what he is – a liar!

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that you are above my emotions, thoughts and feelings and especially above lies. I pray that you would help me to rise above and detect any lies from the enemy in my life. I thank you that I am more than an overcomer in you, in Jesus' name Amen. 

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