Ever Faithful - January 31 Readings: Psalm 118

This is the last day of our "Month of Praise." I hope you will continue to enter the presence of the Lord in praise throughout the year.

Today's Praise Passage:   Psalm 118

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.
2 Let Israel say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”

 5 I called to the Lord in distress;
the Lord answered me
and put me in a spacious place.
6 The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid.
What can a mere mortal do to me?
7 The Lord is my helper,
Therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me.
 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humanity.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in nobles.

 10 All the nations surrounded me;
in the name of the Lord I destroyed them.
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me;
in the name of the Lord I destroyed them.
12 They surrounded me like bees;
they were extinguished like a fire among thorns;
in the name of the Lord I destroyed them.
13 They pushed me hard to make me fall,
but the Lord helped me.

14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
 15 There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!
16 The Lord’s right hand is raised.
The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!”
17 I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord disciplined me severely
but did not give me over to death.

 19 Open the gates of righteousness for me;
I will enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the Lord’s gate;
the righteous will enter through it.
21 I will give thanks to you
because you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 This came from the Lord;
it is wondrous in our sight.

24 This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
 25 Lord, save us!
Lord, please grant us success!
26 He who comes in the name
of the Lord is blessed.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
27 The Lord is God and has given us light.
Bind the festival sacrifice with cords
to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks.
You are my God; I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.

Through the Bible Reading: Exodus 15-16, Matthew 20, Psalm 18:19-25, Proverbs3:34-35

Some of our readers want a little more "meaty" devotional, so I am including a link to the through Through the Bible in One Year readings we did last year. 

Devotional: Ever Faithful 

Don't you hate those "7-11" choruses with all their repetition?

Oops! Evidently, the Psalmist didn't get the memo that repetition was bad. In this psalm, he repeats a phrase that is repeated 26 times in Psalm 136. Though vowels can tend to vary, the basic spelling of the phrase might be "leolam chesdu." Literally, that is, "to forever (is) his steadfast love." "His faithful love endures forever. It is an eternal constant in the life of his people.

Psalm reviews the goodness of God to Israel, beginning with God's sovereign power in Creation, then reminds the reader how God saved Israel from Egypt and gave them the Promised Land by acts of power. His faithfulness even in the light of Israel's sin is constant. It is likely that the phrase "leolam chesdu" was repeated by the people of God in response to the leader's recitation of God's goodness. Here, the psalmist is more personal. He reviews how God showed his love personally, to him. God's love is corporate - to Israel, to the church. It is also personal. His faithful love endures forever.

We live daily with two realities in our lives. We are often not faithful to God. We seek him but we struggle with the flesh and we fail. We stray from the Good Shepherd's care and fall into sin's snares. Like the hymn says, "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it."

The second reality is the greatest blessing in life. God's faithfulness is neverending. When we are weak, he is strong. When the storms of life blow, he is a faithful refuge. When life's circumstances crash against us, he is a refuge of grace. When the enemy marshals his forces to attack, greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world. The faithfulness of God is bigger than any problem we have or any failure in us.

Leolam Chesdu. That is worth repeating!

Thank you, Lord, for you constant faithfulness. May I never presume on your grace, but may I always rely on it. Your grace is greater than my sin. 

NOTE: there is an alternate, secondary interpretation of this passage. Notice verse 26, the verse the people quoted at Jesus' Triumphal Entry. It can be interesting to read this passage from Jesus' perspective and see it as a Messianic psalm. 

Think and Pray:

Meditate on this passage and write down:

1. The character qualities of God for which you can praise him. 

2. The gracious acts of God for which you can give thanks to him. 

Revel in the faithfulness of God.
Read this passage and recount all that it says about the goodness of God. Don't rush this one. It is a treasure trove of blessing. 

Wondrous Works for Us - January 30 Readings: 1 Chronicles 16:8-36

We are going to "enter the year with praise." Our January readings and devotionals will all focus on the goodness and grace of God. Get a journal or notebook to write down your thoughts every day. Our passages are shorter - please don't rush through them. Take time to meditate and consider why God is worthy of your praise.

Enter 2020 with the praise of God on your lips!

Today's Praise Passage:  1 Chronicles 16:8-36

Give thanks to the Lord; call on his name;
proclaim his deeds among the peoples.
9 Sing to him; sing praise to him;
tell about all his wondrous works!
10 Honor his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
11 Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
12 Remember the wondrous works he has done,
his wonders, and the judgments he has pronounced,
13 you offspring of Israel his servant,
Jacob’s descendants—his chosen ones.

14 He is the Lord our God;
his judgments govern the whole earth.
15 Remember his covenant forever—
the promise he ordained for a thousand generations,
16 the covenant he made with Abraham,
swore to Isaac,
17 and confirmed to Jacob as a decree,
and to Israel as a permanent covenant:
18 “I will give the land of Canaan to you
as your inherited portion.”

19 When they were few in number,
very few indeed, and resident aliens in Canaan
20 wandering from nation to nation
and from one kingdom to another,
21 he allowed no one to oppress them;
he rebuked kings on their behalf:
22 “Do not touch my anointed ones
or harm my prophets.”
 23 Let the whole earth sing to the Lord.
Proclaim his salvation from day to day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
his wondrous works among all peoples.

25 For the Lord is great and highly praised;
he is feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy are in his place.
28 Ascribe to the Lord, families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
30 let the whole earth tremble before him.
The world is firmly established;
it cannot be shaken.

31 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice,
and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
32 Let the sea and all that fills it resound;
let the fields and everything in them exult.
33 Then the trees of the forest will shout for joy before the Lord,
for he is coming to judge the earth.

 34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.
35 And say: “Save us, God of our salvation;
gather us and rescue us from the nations
so that we may give thanks to your holy name
and rejoice in your praise.
36 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
from everlasting to everlasting.”
 Then all the people said, “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”

Through the Bible Reading: Exodus 13–14, Matthew 19:16–30, Psalm 18:12–18, Proverbs3:32-33

Some of our readers want a little more "meaty" devotional, so I am including a link to the through Through the Bible in One Year readings we did last year. 

Devotional: Wondrous Works for Us

It was a momentous day for King David. The long lost ark had been returned to Israel and finally, after stops and starts, after tragic missteps, it was back in the tent. It was time to praise the Lord. David had tried to return the ark without carefully doing things God's way and Uzzah had paid the price with his life. This time, David was careful to do everything as God has commanded in his law and the ark was back where it belonged. Praise swelled in his heart. This psalm echoes the words of many of the great songs of praise we have looked at in our month of praise - Psalm 145, Psalm 95 and 96. Psalm 118 and 136. Many others.

I read a post on Facebook the other day that sounded so spiritual. "I am tired of hearing songs and other acts of worship that focus on us. I just want to focus on God." That sounds great. Just think about God and forget about human beings. How spiritual. The problem is that God's words NEVER does this. Yes, the Bible is focused on God. Salvation starts in his sovereign plan and is worked out by him. It is all of grace and not by works. We must look to him and focus on him and glorify him and praise him and...you get the point.

But the psalms never ignore the human experience. The Psalms focus on how the glorious God affects our lives daily. God is holy and we should worship him, but we should also think about how that holiness affects us. "Be holy because he is holy." He is sovereign and we must react to that. He is love and because of that, we are loved. We love because he first loved us. We do not simply focus on God, but consider how the greatness of God affects us and how we live in the light of it. The worship of God is intensely experiential. Application is the fruit of worship, not the enemy.

In this Psalm, we see God as the victor over all enemies, the one who reigns in this world. He has splendor and majesty and strength and joy, does wondrous works among his people, and causes the whole earth to tremble before him. Because of God's victory, his people also have victory. Our salvation is a product of God's victory over his enemies and ours.

Rejoice today that the God you worship is greater than all that you face. Give thanks that his glory and holiness and power and love have practical application to your life every day. Your life is blessed because of who he is. When you worship God, who you are is shaped by who he is!

Father, may your glorious character shape my character. May I live daily in the light of who you are. 

Think and Pray:

Meditate on this passage and write down:

1. The character qualities of God for which you can praise him. 

2. The gracious acts of God for which you can give thanks to him. 

This Psalm contains many treasures about the character of God. Spend time meditating on what it says about God.
Remember that what it says about God is to shape who you are and how you live. 

While Still a Sinner - January 29 Readings: Romans 5:1-11

We are going to "enter the year with praise." Our January readings and devotionals will all focus on the goodness and grace of God. Get a journal or notebook to write down your thoughts every day. Our passages are shorter - please don't rush through them. Take time to meditate and consider why God is worthy of your praise.

Enter 2020 with the praise of God on your lips!

Today's Praise Passage:  Romans 5:1-11

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.

Through the Bible Reading: Exodus 10-12, Matthew 19:1-15, Psalm 18:5-11, Proverbs3:30-31

Some of our readers want a little more "meaty" devotional, so I am including a link to the through Through the Bible in One Year readings we did last year. 

Devotional: While Still a Sinner

I was out working in the yard and I needed badly to get cleaned up. There was my shower - hot water, shampoo, soap - all the things I needed. If only I could find a way to get myself clean enough to be worthy of getting into the shower. It was so clean I just wasn't sure if I would ever find a way to work my way up to shower-readiness.

Absurd, right? You don't clean up to get into the shower, you get in the shower to clean up. We instinctively know that when it comes to getting clean. But when it comes to life and to our relationship with God, we revert to the same absurdity.

"One of these days I'm gonna clean up my life, start going to church, and get my life right with God." 

We have a fundamental tendency to believe that our relationship with God is based on what we do, on our activity and merit. We have to do enough, be enough, become enough to earn God's favor and gain a place in his kingdom.

But Romans 5:8 gives the lie to that idea.

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God does not ask us to clean ourselves us, get our lives in order or make something of ourselves. While we are still in our sin - messed up, broken, dirty, and depraved - Christ died for us. That is how God showed us his love. He took the first step, reaching down to sinners who couldn't help themselves. That is an amazing love. 

It is one thing to show love to someone who can help you, who can enrich you, or give you something you desire. That's not what God did. He loved the unlovely, those who were enslaved to sin. You and I do not have to earn God's love, it is a free gift in Christ. 

So, our job is not to live to earn the love of God, but to simply revel in its blessings day by day. 

Thank you, Father, for showing me your love through Jesus Christ, when I didn't deserve it and couldn't earn it. 

Think and Pray:

Meditate on this passage and write down:

1. The character qualities of God for which you can praise him. 

2. The gracious acts of God for which you can give thanks to him. 

Thank God today for his amazing and eternal love that was given to you when you didn't deserve it and couldn't earn it.
Remember that you are loved because of Jesus Christ, not because you are special or wonderful or perfect. You can't earn God's love - it is a gift in Christ.
Praise God for this today. 

In the House of the Lord - January 28 Readings: Psalm 27

We are going to "enter the year with praise." Our January readings and devotionals will all focus on the goodness and grace of God. Get a journal or notebook to write down your thoughts every day. Our passages are shorter - please don't rush through them. Take time to meditate and consider why God is worthy of your praise.

Enter 2020 with the praise of God on your lips!

Today's Praise Passage:  Psalm 27

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
whom should I dread?
2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh,
my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army deploys against me,
my heart will not be afraid;
though a war breaks out against me,
I will still be confident.

 4 I have asked one thing from the Lord;
it is what I desire:
to dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
gazing on the beauty of the Lord
and seeking him in his temple.
5 For he will conceal me in his shelter
in the day of adversity;
he will hide me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock.

6 Then my head will be high
above my enemies around me;
I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy.
I will sing and make music to the Lord.

 7 Lord, hear my voice when I call;
be gracious to me and answer me.
8 My heart says this about you:
“Seek his face.”
Lord, I will seek your face.
9 Do not hide your face from me;
do not turn your servant away in anger.
You have been my helper;
do not leave me or abandon me,
God of my salvation.
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord cares for me.
 11 Because of my adversaries,
show me your way, Lord,
and lead me on a level path.
12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing violence.

 13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart be courageous.
Wait for the Lord.

Through the Bible Reading: Exodus 8-9, Matthew 18, Psalm 18:1-4, Proverbs 3:27-29 

Some of our readers want a little more "meaty" devotional, so I am including a link to the through Through the Bible in One Year readings we did last year. 

Devotional: In the House of the Lord

I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever...

We take that verse in the 23rd Psalm as a promise of life eternal, in heaven, in the presence of our Lord. We have many verses that make that promise but that is not one.

In Psalm 27:4 David makes "one request" of the Lord, that he might dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life. The House of the Lord to which the Psalmist refers in both these verses is not the eternal dwelling of God, but the tabernacle, later the Temple, the place where God's earthly presence dwelt. When one of God's people wanted to worship, they went to the Lord's house, made sacrifices, made their requests, and worshiped God.

David's deepest longing was not for eternal heaven but for the daily experience of the presence of God in his life. He knew that God was his light and salvation, the stronghold of his life. He knew that God would take care of him and watch over him in spite of all the terrors that beset him day by day. He need fear no one and dread nothing when he was dwelling in the presence of the Mighty God. Evildoers would stumble and fall but he would be safe in the arms of the Savior.

Seek his face, says verse 8. This is another metaphor for the presence of God. Our prayers are often geared toward the experience of the mighty hand of God. "Father, do this for me." "Father, do that for me." It is right and good that we ask God for his powerful hand to act in our lives. But David knew what is best. Seek God's face. Seek his presence. The power of God accompanies the presence of God. 

This Psalm is filled with character qualities of God and descriptions of his gracious acts on behalf of his people. The key to all of them is seeking to dwell in the presence of the Lord, to enter the "house of the Lord" on a daily basis. You do not have to enter a building to worship God, but simply seek him in prayer and in the word.

When you study God's word, when you pray, when you sing, when you worship - what is your goal? Are you seeking what you can get from God? Are you trying to invoke the hand of God on your behalf? Or are you seeking presence of God? Are you entering the "house of the Lord" to worship him in spirit and truth?

Father, help me to seek you and to worship you, to enter your presence daily. May my times with you not simply be religious exercises or limited to seeking your help, but may I seek you!

Think and Pray:

Meditate on this passage and write down:

1. The character qualities of God for which you can praise him. 

2. The gracious acts of God for which you can give thanks to him. 

When you read your Bible and pray, what is your motive? Are you seeking the hand of God or the face of God?
Do you enter the presence of God in worship and praise or do you simply complete a religious duty? 

God's Perfect Word - January 27 Readings: Psalm 119:1-24

We are going to "enter the year with praise." Our January readings and devotionals will all focus on the goodness and grace of God. Get a journal or notebook to write down your thoughts every day. Our passages are shorter - please don't rush through them. Take time to meditate and consider why God is worthy of your praise.

Enter 2020 with the praise of God on your lips!

Today's Praise Passage:  Psalm 119:1-24

א Aleph

1 How happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk according to the Lord’s instruction!
2 Happy are those who keep his decrees
and seek him with all their heart.
3 They do nothing wrong;
they walk in his ways.
4 You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
5 If only my ways were committed
to keeping your statutes!
6 Then I would not be ashamed
when I think about all your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart
when I learn your righteous judgments.
8 I will keep your statutes;
never abandon me.

ב Beth

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping your word.
10 I have sought you with all my heart;
don’t let me wander from your commands.
11 I have treasured your word in my heart
so that I may not sin against you.
12 Lord, may you be blessed;
teach me your statutes.
13 With my lips I proclaim
all the judgments from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees
as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
and think about your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.

ג Gimel

17 Deal generously with your servant
so that I might live;
then I will keep your word.
18 Open my eyes so that I may contemplate
wondrous things from your instruction.
19 I am a resident alien on earth;
do not hide your commands from me.
20 I am continually overcome
with longing for your judgments.
21 You rebuke the arrogant,
the ones under a curse,
who wander from your commands.
22 Take insult and contempt away from me,
for I have kept your decrees.
23 Though princes sit together speaking against me,
your servant will think about your statutes;
24 your decrees are my delight
and my counselors.

Through the Bible Reading: Exodus 6–7, Matthew 17:14–27, Psalm 17:7–15, Proverbs3:25-26

Some of our readers want a little more "meaty" devotional, so I am including a link to the through Through the Bible in One Year readings we did last year. 

Devotional: God's Perfect Word 

It is the answer to a commonly asked Bible trivia question: What is the longest chapter of the Bible? If you attended the Sunday Schools or VBSes that I did, you know the answer - Psalm 119. It is 176 verses long. It is very close to the center of the Bible. It is a well-known and wonderful chapter.

But it is much more than the answer to a trivia question!

It is one of the most carefully constructed chapters of scripture. It is an acrostic poem. Have you ever noticed that it is divided up into 22 sections of 8 verses each and that each of those sections has a strange word at the beginning? Our reading today, the first three sections, starts with "Aleph, Beth, and Gimel," the first three letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Each of the 8 verses in the sections begins with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

But there is only one topic. Each of the 22 sections, each of the 176 verses; all of them focus on the same thing - the power and glory of the Word of God. In the days this Psalm was written, the focus was on the Law of God - specifically the Books of Moses, but generally referring to all of the Old Testament writings. The principles here apply to all of scripture, even those that were written a thousand years later.

It is a wonderful and powerful Bible you are reading. It is a light to our feet. When we hide it in our hearts, it helps us not to sin. It is the food that feeds our souls. The longest chapter of the Word is an ode the awesome power of God's word to accomplish God's purposes in God's people.

The first two verses of the psalm set the theme for the entire chapter. While "happy" is a common translation, I prefer the more traditional "blessed." It speaks to our standing under the favor and blessing of God - a result of obedience to God's word.

How happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk according to the Lord’s instruction!
 Happy are those who keep his decrees
and seek him with all their heart.

God's Word is not just a storybook, a good read meant to entertain us. It is the story of God's plan of redemption and his call to us to repentance, faith and to a life lived under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The Word of God is meant to be obeyed, and it is those who learn and live by all that is revealed in the Word of God who experience God's blessings.

Praise God for his amazing word and thank him for how it has lighted your path and helped you to walk pure before the Lord.

Father, may your word be my law! Thank you for Jesus who is revealed there and the life that he gives. May I walk in obedience to every word. 

Think and Pray:

Meditate on this passage and write down:

1. The character qualities of God for which you can praise him. 

2. The gracious acts of God for which you can give thanks to him. 

Do you actively seek to know the word of God?
Do you walk in obedience to all that it teaches? 

I Saw the Lord - January 26 Readings: Isaiah 6

We are going to "enter the year with praise." Our January readings and devotionals will all focus on the goodness and grace of God. Get a journal or notebook to write down your thoughts every day. Our passages are shorter - please don't rush through them. Take time to meditate and consider why God is worthy of your praise.

Enter 2020 with the praise of God on your lips!

Today's Praise Passage:  Isaiah 6

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphim were standing above him; they each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another:

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies;
his glory fills the whole earth.

 4 The foundations of the doorways shook at the sound of their voices, and the temple was filled with smoke.

5 Then I said:

Woe is me for I am ruined
because I am a man of unclean lips
and live among a people of unclean lips,
and because my eyes have seen the King,
the Lord of Armies.

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said:

Now that this has touched your lips,
your iniquity is removed
and your sin is atoned for.

 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking:

Who should I send?
Who will go for us?

 I said:

Here I am. Send me.

 9 And he replied:

Go! Say to these people:
Keep listening, but do not understand;
keep looking, but do not perceive.
10 Make the minds of these people dull;
deafen their ears and blind their eyes;
otherwise they might see with their eyes
and hear with their ears,
understand with their minds,
turn back, and be healed.

 11 Then I said, “Until when, Lord?” And he replied:

Until cities lie in ruins without inhabitants,
houses are without people,
the land is ruined and desolate,
12 and the Lord drives the people far away,
leaving great emptiness in the land.
13 Though a tenth will remain in the land,
it will be burned again.
Like the terebinth or the oak
that leaves a stump when felled,
the holy seed is the stump.

Through the Bible Reading: Exodus 3–5, Matthew17:1-13, Psalm 17:1–6, Proverbs 3:23-24

Some of our readers want a little more "meaty" devotional, so I am including a link to the through Through the Bible in One Year readings we did last year. 

Devotional: I Saw the Lord 

Wouldn’t it be great to have a vision of God, to see him in all of his glory? Not so quick, my friend! In the Bible, when people had an encounter with the living God it was life-changing, but it was also overwhelming, even terrifying. Isaiah had such a vision in Isaiah 6. He saw God high and exalted with angelic creatures swirling around him.

God had a reason for this vision – he had a job for Isaiah to do. It was a hard job, preaching the judgment of God on the sinful and rebellious Chosen People. Isaiah’s calling followed an interesting pattern. The end result was a calling of God.

God’s purpose in our lives is always to put us into ministry, to get us serving his eternal purposes. We are not saved to sit and await eternal glory, but to become active in the cosmic battle against the forces of darkness. In verse 8, God asks who he should send on his mission and who is willing to go for him. Isaiah responds, “Here I am, send me.” He is willing to serve anywhere God sends. Are you ready to go anywhere God sends you, do anything God lays before you, and proclaim the message of God regardless of what people say?

Isaiah was willing, but was he ready and able? Before he could be sent, God had to prepare him. In verses 1-7, God prepared Isaiah for the service to which he would call him in verse 8. He cleansed him and purified him in verses 5-6. Isaiah humbled himself before God and recognized he was unworthy of the presence of God. “I am undone,” he exclaimed. God’s cleansing power was painful but effective.

What was it that moved Isaiah to repent? Why did he suddenly realize that his lips were unclean? He tells us in verses 1-3. “I saw the Lord.” His vision of God was literal and dramatic. He saw the blinding brilliance of God’s glory and in that light he began to see how dirty and unworthy he was. It was a vision of God that revealed his own sinfulness.

We don’t get those kinds of dramatic visions much today, but we can “see the Lord” as we gaze at Scriptures and meditate on his holy, glorious, sovereign, and wonderful character. That’s what worship and praise do, they give us a vision of the God of the Bible. We see him as he really is – exalted, pure, glorious. This vision humbles us as the light of that glory shines in our lives. The Spirit cleanses us with the burning holiness of Christ and we are fit for his service.

Father, I need to see you today, from your word. May I see you as you are. Expose my heart that I might see my sin and experience your cleansing. Lord, make me fit for your service, and then use me. 

Think and Pray:

Meditate on this passage and write down:

1. The character qualities of God for which you can praise him. 

2. The gracious acts of God for which you can give thanks to him. 

Gaze at the greatness of God today. Consider all of the glory of his character.
Consider yourself in the light of the greatness of God.
Offer yourself to God. "Here I am, send me."

Against You Alone - January 25 Readings: Psalm 51

We are going to "enter the year with praise." Our January readings and devotionals will all focus on the goodness and grace of God. Get a journal or notebook to write down your thoughts every day. Our passages are shorter - please don't rush through them. Take time to meditate and consider why God is worthy of your praise.

Enter 2020 with the praise of God on your lips!

Today's Praise Passage:  Psalm 51

Be gracious to me, God,
according to your faithful love;
according to your abundant compassion,
blot out my rebellion.
2 Completely wash away my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I am conscious of my rebellion,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you—you alone—I have sinned
and done this evil in your sight.
So you are right when you pass sentence;
you are blameless when you judge.
5 Indeed, I was guilty when I was born;
I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
 6 Surely you desire integrity in the inner self,
and you teach me wisdom deep within.

7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Turn your face away from my sins
and blot out all my guilt.
 10 God, create a clean heart for me
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me,
and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach the rebellious your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
 14 Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God—
God of my salvation—
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

15 Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it;
you are not pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.
 18 In your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper;
build the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then you will delight in righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Through the Bible Reading: Exodus 1–2, Matthew 16, Psalm 16, Proverbs 3:21-22

Some of our readers want a little more "meaty" devotional, so I am including a link to the through Through the Bible in One Year readings we did last year. 

Devotional: Against You Alone

"You are the man."

That is what Nathan said to David when he confronted him over his adultery with Bathsheba and his arranging of her husband Uriah's death. And following all this serious sin, David even became self-righteous in his condemnation of others. Nathan told him the story about the man who, in spite of having many sheep, stole his neighbor's only sheep. David was incensed at this injustice until Nathan pointed the finger at him.

At that moment, the reality of his sin came crashing down on him and all of his arrogance and artifice were stripped away. That's when he wrote the most beautiful song of repentance ever, Psalm 51.

In Psalm 51:1, David is no longer sitting in judgment on others but is calling out for God's mercy and grace, knowing he deserves nothing from God. He calls for mercy and asks for God to blot out his transgressions.

David admits the seriousness of his own sin in verses 3-5. There is no attempt to blame his sin on anyone else, to rationalize it, or to justify it because of what someone else did. His sin is always before him. How often do you hear someone apologize and say, "That isn't who I am. I made a mistake, but it doesn't represent my character." David admitted his depravity and sin.

He committed himself to changing in God's power, to walking the holiness from which he'd departed. This is our good news and our cause for rejoicing. In this Psalm and in the rest of Scripture we have God's promise that our sin, though awful, is put under the blood of Christ and forgiven. When we confess it and forsake it, we are forgiven completely. 

One note that must be made here. David was forgiven of his sin - washed as white as snow. But the consequences of his sin remained until the day he died. God's forgiveness for sin does not guarantee that he will shield us from all of the consequences that flow from that sin. 

Father, thank you for your grace and forgiveness. I need that grace every day. Even as a pastor and a "mature" Christian, I see so much of my sin, the wickedness of my heart before you. Forgive me, Lord. 

Think and Pray:

Meditate on this passage and write down:

1. The character qualities of God for which you can praise him. 

2. The gracious acts of God for which you can give thanks to him. 

Ask the Spirit to expose the sin in your heart today. Do not deny it or hide from it. Confess it and be cleansed.
Praise God for the reality of his forgiveness. 

Indescribable Glory - January 24 Readings: Revelation 21:1-8, 22:1-6

We are going to "enter the year with praise." Our January readings and devotionals will all focus on the goodness and grace of God. Get a journal or notebook to write down your thoughts every day. Our passages are shorter - please don't rush through them. Take time to meditate and consider why God is worthy of your praise.

Enter 2020 with the praise of God on your lips!

Today's Praise Passage: Revelation 21:1-8, 22:1-6

Revelation 21

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.
 3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.
 5 Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” 6 Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. 7 The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. 8 But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Revelation 22

Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, 3 and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever.
6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.

Through the Bible Reading: Genesis 49–50, Matthew 15:10–39, Psalm 15, Proverbs 3:19-20

Some of our readers want a little more "meaty" devotional, so I am including a link to the through Through the Bible in One Year readings we did last year. 

Devotional: Indescribable Glory 

People have spent a lot of time trying to figure out exactly what the descriptions of John in Revelation mean. There is a cottage industry assigning modern-day identities to his first-century visions. Bible teachers, even conservatives, have a plethora of views of the meaning of the book and it is not the intent of a devotional to settle that here. It is my view that John saw visions of "things to come" and described them in best way he could. Words were inadequate to communicate in human language what will be experienced in eternal glory.

Revelation 21 and 22 describe heaven in the clearest terms the Bible offers, and yet most of it stills confuses us. There are descriptions of bejeweled streets and walls and dimensions are given. Most of the descriptions are negatives.

• There's no sea (21:1). This may refer to the sinful nations of the world. The roiling and political machination is gone and Jesus reigns supreme. 
• Death no longer exists (21:4). Jesus has once and for all defeated the enemy of humanity and it is no longer a threat. 
• There's no tears, grief, crying or pain (21:4). All the "former things" have passed away as the new order of things has taken over. God is now in charge and all is well. Every trace of sin, of the curse and all of its effects has been forever banished. 
• There's no sanctuary (21:22). No sacrifice or place of worship is needed. God is there personally. 
• There's no source of light - sun or moon (21:23). It's not needed because the glory of God provides all the light that is needed. 
• There's no closing time (21:25). The gates are open eternally. 
• There's nothing profane (21:27). Sin has been banished once and for all. 

Revelation 21:5 summarizes heaven's glory, the eternal purposes of God, and the reason that we have such difficulty understanding the eternal state. " I am making everything new." What awaits us is unlike anything we have ever experienced here on earth. What will be is nothing like what is.

Heaven is so outside of our experience that John could only describe it in the negative; what will not be there. What will be there? Jesus. Joy. Eternal rest. Paul promises us that our current sufferings will seem like nothing in comparison to the glories that will be revealed as we enter glory.

John struggled to describe heaven, but this we know: it is unending glory for those who are in Christ. You and I may have hard days, frustrating days, stressful days, sorrowful days, and painful days here on earth, but we know that glorious days await us at the end of it all. Whatever you are going through today you can rejoice because your future, assured in Christ, is amazing.

Thank you, Father, for the glory that awaits us in heaven. Help me to remember the future you have guaranteed me when I struggle day by day. 

Think and Pray:

Meditate on this passage and write down:

1. The character qualities of God for which you can praise him. 

2. The gracious acts of God for which you can give thanks to him. 

Think through the blessings of heaven described in Revelations 21 and 22.
Give thanks to God for the future he has prepared for you. 

Without Cost - January 23 Readings: Isaiah 55

We are going to "enter the year with praise." Our January readings and devotionals will all focus on the goodness and grace of God. Get a journal or notebook to write down your thoughts every day. Our passages are shorter - please don't rush through them. Take time to meditate and consider why God is worthy of your praise.

Enter 2020 with the praise of God on your lips!

Today's Praise Passage:  Isaiah 55

“Come, everyone who is thirsty,come to the water;and you without silver,come, buy, and eat!Come, buy wine and milkwithout silver and without cost!2 Why do you spend silver on what is not food,and your wages on what does not satisfy?Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,and you will enjoy the choicest of foods.3 Pay attention and come to me;listen, so that you will live.I will make a permanent covenant with youon the basis of the faithful kindnesses of David.4 Since I have made him a witness to the peoples,a leader and commander for the peoples,5 so you will summon a nation you do not know,and nations who do not know you will run to you.For the Lord your God,even the Holy One of Israel,has glorified you.” 6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;call to him while he is near.7 Let the wicked one abandon his wayand the sinful one his thoughts;let him return to the Lord,so he may have compassion on him,and to our God, for he will freely forgive. 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,and your ways are not my ways.”This is the Lord’s declaration.9 “For as heaven is higher than earth,so my ways are higher than your ways,and my thoughts than your thoughts.10 For just as rain and snow fall from heavenand do not return therewithout saturating the earthand making it germinate and sprout,and providing seed to sowand food to eat,11 so my word that comes from my mouthwill not return to me empty,but it will accomplish what I pleaseand will prosper in what I send it to do.” 12 You will indeed go out with joyand be peacefully guided;the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you,and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.13 Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will come up,and instead of the brier, a myrtle will come up;this will stand as a monument for the Lord,an everlasting sign that will not be destroyed.

Through the Bible Reading: Genesis 47–48, Matthew 15:1–9, Psalm 14:4–7, Proverbs3:13-18

Some of our readers want a little more "meaty" devotional, so I am including a link to the through Through the Bible in One Year readings we did last year. 

Devotional: Without Cost

The entire prophecy of Isaiah is filled with messianic foreshadowings, verses that are familiar because they are applied to our Lord and Savior in the New Testament. Isaiah 7's "Immanuel" prophecy. Isaiah 9 and the names of Jesus. Dozens of others.

But the pinnacle, perhaps, is reached in chapters 52 and 53, which gives a remarkable prophecy of the death of Christ by crucifixion. Chapters 55-56, continue this theme by emphasizing, in a prophetic way, some of the elements of the gospel. Today, we focus on the powerful message of Isaiah 55.

Isaiah 55:1 speaks to the principle of grace.

Come, everyone who is thirsty,
come to the water;
and you without silver,
come, buy, and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without silver and without cost!

The root of the gospel is the recognition of sin. Jesus said that it was the poor in spirit who would be blessed. To experience the goodness of God, we must recognize our sin, our absolute inability to provide our own spiritual sustenance. We must recognize our thirst and hunger for God and come to him for what only he can give. 

This is a beautiful picture of grace. We buy what we need to survive, but we buy it "without cost." That which we need for righteousness and eternal life is ours in Christ - and it doesn't cost us a thing. Why? Because "Jesus paid it all!"

Verses 6 and 7 are an OT invitation. 

Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call to him while he is near.
 Let the wicked one abandon his way
and the sinful one his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord,
so he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will freely forgive.

Throughout the New Testament, sinners are admonished to do two things - repent and believe. Here, sinful Israel is called on to seek God with all their hearts and to abandon their sin in repentance. Whether for sinners coming to faith in Christ or for believers who are seeking greater intimacy, repentance is a necessary part of the process of seeking God. 

The proverb says that there is a way that seems right to a man, but it ends in death. It seems to us that we should earn the favor of God, that our good works should contribute to things. We have all sorts of human assumptions about the way of the world that we make. But Isaiah 55:8-9 (one of my favorite passages) says, 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not my ways.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
 “For as heaven is higher than earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God is smarter than we are and has designed a system of salvation and sanctification based on his logic, not ours. My destiny is not based on my good works (or sins) as I naturally think it should be, but only on the grace of God, who does for me what I cannot do for myself. 

There is one more part of this passage we need to remember, extending to Isaiah 56:10, which reveals the heart of God. 

“This is because my Temple will be called 

    a house for prayer for people from all nations.”

God's work in us always points to the nations. He saves us because of his love for us, but also because of his love for the entire world. The temple was supposed to be a house of prayer, but not just for me and mine - for the NATIONS! God has his eyes on the world. And our lives, redeemed and sanctified by the grace of God are called to reflect God's heart for the whole world. 

Father, I thank you that I am saved by your grace and made holy in it. May I live by your wisdom and let my life be a beacon to the world. 

Think and Pray:

Meditate on this passage and write down:

1. The character qualities of God for which you can praise him. 

2. The gracious acts of God for which you can give thanks to him. 

Remember the gracious work of God that came to you "without cost." You are saved by grace through faith, not by your own merit or works.
Recommit yourself to the way of God, to his wisdom.
How can you be used for the purposes of God in the nations? 

In God Alone - January 22 Readings: Psalm 62

We are going to "enter the year with praise." Our January readings and devotionals will all focus on the goodness and grace of God. Get a journal or notebook to write down your thoughts every day. Our passages are shorter - please don't rush through them. Take time to meditate and consider why God is worthy of your praise.

Enter 2020 with the praise of God on your lips!

Today's Praise Passage:  Psalm 62

I am at rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will never be shaken.
 3 How long will you threaten a man?
Will all of you attack
as if he were a leaning wall
or a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to bring him down
from his high position.
They take pleasure in lying;
they bless with their mouths,
but they curse inwardly.Selah
 5 Rest in God alone, my soul,
for my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock.
My refuge is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts before him.
God is our refuge.Selah
 9 Common people are only a vapor;
important people, an illusion.
Together on a scale,
they weigh less than a vapor.
10 Place no trust in oppression,
or false hope in robbery.
If wealth increases,
don’t set your heart on it.
 11 God has spoken once;
I have heard this twice:
strength belongs to God,
12 and faithful love belongs to you, Lord.
For you repay each according to his works.

Through the Bible Reading: Genesis 45-46, Matthew 14, Psalm 14:1–3, Proverbs 3:11-12

Some of our readers want a little more "meaty" devotional, so I am including a link to the through Through the Bible in One Year readings we did last year. 

Devotional: In God Alone

Yesterday we talked about "Songs of Ascent" that were recited when Israelites entered the presence of God, walking up the hill to worship at the Temple. Today our text is a "Psalm of Trust," one that expresses the Psalmist's faith that even in the darkest night our faith in God is not displaced. Psalm 23 is one of these, expressing faith that the Lord is our shepherd in the darkest valley and in the presence of our enemies.

Psalm 62 is a powerful expression of faith in God. David's life was marked by harassment from people he had tried to serve, from family members who betrayed him, from close friends scheming to use him, from the consequences of his own sin - he had a difficult life. But he learned the secret of handling the difficulties of life. He sought the help of the God of heaven. There are several truths we learn in this passage that we can carry with us.

1. The key word in this psalm is "alone." He found rest in God - in God ALONE. In verse 8, he says he trusted God "at all times." God is not our 911. We cannot live as we please and simply call him when there is a problem. He is gracious and he does respond, but those who would find true rest must seek God alone for their salvation and security and must trust him at all times.

2. In verses 9-10 David recognizes that people are a vapor. Fellowship is wonderful and people can be a support in times of need, but David realized that you could not put your faith in others, only in God. We are social creatures and cannot live on emotional islands, but God is our help and salvation.

3. Throughout these verses David affirmed that when he put his faith in God he was never disappointed. Look at the words he used to describe God. His rock. His salvation. His stronghold. His refuge. David had learned that God is trustworthy in all things.

We serve a God who can be trusted in all things. He is faithful to his word and to his people. When we trust in him we are never disappointed.

Father, thank you for being a God I can trust. 

Think and Pray:

Meditate on this passage and write down:

1. The character qualities of God for which you can praise him. 

2. The gracious acts of God for which you can give thanks to him. 

Think of the most challenging situations in your life - your fears, your relationship problems, the biggest issues that cause pain, stress, and anxiety for you day by day.

Pray through each of these and remind yourself that God is your strength and you can trust in him, in God alone. 

Ascending to God's Presence - January 21 Readings: Psalm 121

We are going to "enter the year with praise." Our January readings and devotionals will all focus on the goodness and grace of God. Get a journal or notebook to write down your thoughts every day. Our passages are shorter - please don't rush through them. Take time to meditate and consider why God is worthy of your praise.

Enter 2020 with the praise of God on your lips!

Today's Praise Passage:   Psalm 121

I lift my eyes toward the mountains.Where will my help come from?2 My help comes from the Lord,the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to slip;your Protector will not slumber.4 Indeed, the Protector of Israeldoes not slumber or sleep. 5 The Lord protects you;the Lord is a shelter right by your side.6 The sun will not strike you by dayor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will protect you from all harm;he will protect your life.8 The Lord will protect your coming and goingboth now and forever.

Through the Bible Reading: Genesis 43-44, Matthew 13:44–58, Psalm 13, Proverbs 3:9-10

Some of our readers want a little more "meaty" devotional, so I am including a link to the through Through the Bible in One Year readings we did last year. 

Devotional: Ascending to God's Presence 

The trek would start at the Pool of Siloam, at the lower end of Jerusalem, the City of David. As the pilgrims would come to worship, they would ascend on a wide road up past the ancient city, past the king's palace, toward the Temple Mount. They would walk up the steps in the picture here to the gate that led into the Temple area, to bring their offerings, worship God and make atonement for their sins.

And as they walked up the street, as they ascended the steps, they would sing psalms that declared the goodness of God. These are called the "Songs of Ascent" and they are found in Psalm 120-134.

The City of David is on a ridge below the Temple Mount and it is surrounded by hills all around. As the Israelites walked up Mt. Moriah, burdened with fears and cares, struggles and trials, they could gaze at those mountain peaks all around and they could ask:

I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

They reminded themselves of the grace and mercy, the goodness and kindness of the God they worshiped. Whenever they had turned to them, no matter how great the need, he had been their help. The Creator was also their Savior. 

David's city was positioned among these mountains for protection and provision. Inside this southern slope of Mt. Moriah was the Gihon Spring, which would provide water for Jerusalem, even in times of drought or when enemies surrounded. The hills around the city were designed to protect them as well. Jerusalem provided natural protection and provision. But the Psalmist did not forget where the real help came from. 

Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.
The Lord protects you;
the Lord is a shelter right by your side. Psalm 121:4-5

Hills can help, but God is the real shelter, the real protector. And as the Israelites walked up the mountain with the hills surrounding them, they reminded themselves of this. 

They were utterly dependent on the Lord. Sometimes they forgot that and suffered for it. But the Psalms of Ascent were designed to remind Israel that they had a good God, one who cared for them and one who would never leave or forsake them. 

The Lord will protect you from all harm;
He will protect your life.
The Lord will protect your coming and going
both now and forever. Psalm 121:7-8

We don't ascend the steps into the church singing psalms (maybe we should - a little pre-service spiritual preparation couldn't hurt), but we, like Israel, must remind ourselves daily that our God is good, faithful and that his love is everlasting. 

Father, I thank you for your goodness and grace, displayed every day. May I never forget who you are and what you have done for me. 

Think and Pray:

Meditate on this passage and write down:

1. The character qualities of God for which you can praise him. 

2. The gracious acts of God for which you can give thanks to him. 

When you are hurting or in danger, where do you look for your strength and help?
Do you trust the God who promises to be your protector and your help?

Consider this conundrum: Verse 7 says that God will protect us from "all harm." Yet Jesus promised that we would suffer persecution for the name of Christ. What is the solution there? Does this teach some kind of "health and wealth" gospel? (hint: NO!) I don't want to offer an easy solution. Meditate on this!