You’re Moody
This is Josh and Debs Walker. They do ministry on the streets of Houston. They are great in the Kingdom of God and two of my favorite people in the world.
You’re Moody
Psalms 34
This morning as I sat down to do my devotions in Psalms 34, I didn’t really feel like it. Amazing how our moods can swing without cause, so it seems. Yesterday morning my devotions were sweet and refreshing, yet this morning I sat down and felt nothing. Fortunately, the habit has been bolted and secured within my mind, so it’s not like I’m going to just watch a movie or something. I’m going to persevere, but it’s odd that none of the glow of yesterday remains. Yesterday was a normal day, a good day, but moods just vacillate sometimes. So, I said to myself, ‘you should write about it.’ So here we go.
First, I prayed and disciplined myself to write out my prayer further than I felt. That felt good. I wrote, “Give me a deeper devotion to You and a heart, soul, and mind to pray and seek you more.’ I trust God to answer. I have read Psalms 34 and a it has triggered a spark. Let’s see where this takes me.
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and rejoice.
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and deliver me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed. Read more
Psalms 106
This beautiful young lady is Hope. Hope was a middle schooler in my Youth Group many years ago when I was in youth ministry. Now she's a mom, raising her two wonderful daughters to follow the Lord. What a blessing!
Psalms 106
Many times, He would deliver them; they, however, were rebellious in their counsel, and so sank down in their iniquity.
Nevertheless, He looked upon their distress when He heard their cry; and He remembered His covenant for their sake, and relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness. He also made them objects of compassion in the presence of all their captors.
Save us, O lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. And let all the people say, Amen. Praise the Lord! Psalms 106:43-48 Read more
His Greatness!
His Greatness!
Psalms 145
This Psalm is rich and overflowing with praise and worship. David exclaims God's attributes: His greatness, splendor, goodness, righteousness, His acts of grace and mercy, slow to anger, full of lovingkindness and power. Very moving.
Great for meditating on who God is and who He is to you.
Not only is it majestic in its content but it is beautifully poetic. It is written as an acrostic with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Unfortunately, we can’t appreciate it in English, but know that it is there. Read more
Despair, part 2
Despair, part 2
Psalms 42 & 43
Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! For You are the God of my strength; why have You rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling places. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy; and upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God.
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.
Yesterday, I wrote:
The shifting of emotions in these chapters is shocking. In one verse he says God, where are you? You have forgotten me. The next verse he says, You are my hope and joy. It seems extreme at first reading but if I really put myself in his place of extreme danger, well, it starts to make sense. Despair is a battle of the mind. It’s OK to go low and express your rawest feeling to God. Take your time, as you need it. But, by God’s grace, don’t stay there. Read more
Despair
Despair
Psalms 42 & 43
As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’
Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. O my God, my soul is in despair within me; Therefore, I remember You...!
Sometimes we confide in someone about a difficult situation we are facing and the person replies, “I can relate.” They then tell of a situation they faced and, in our mind, we are saying to ourselves, ‘your situation is not nearly as bad as mine. You can’t relate.’ Nevertheless, we smile and nod our head. Read more
Blessed
I recently attended a Star of Hope Gospel Mission commencement service. The lives of men and women are being transformed through this great ministry!
Blessed
Psalms and Proverbs
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law, he meditates day and night. Psalms 1
Who wants to be blessed?
This opening Psalm gives a fitting introduction to the entire book of Psalms as well as the following book, Proverbs. The simplest way to state the theme of this chapter, and consequently all of Psalms and Proverbs, is how to live the life of a blessed follower of God.
This opening Psalm is not evangelistic. In other words, it doesn’t explain how to become a follower of God, a believer. But it tells us how to live as a believer. And how to live in such a way as to be blessed. Certainly, the blessings of forgiveness and eternity in heaven are of utmost importance. But also, Psalms and Proverbs reveal, in great detail, how to have a blessed life while living here on earth. Read more
Innocent Blood
Innocent Blood
There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spread strife among brothers. Proverbs 6:16-19
Psalms 83
This is not a political post. Big government vs. small government. Big spending vs. reduced spending. Levels of national debt, immigration policy, constitutional amendments, etc. Those are political views. I won’t write about political views in my devotional blog. I prefer to share and teach God’s Word which will guide us in all our views of life and godliness, accordingly. God’s Word stands on its own.
This post is an expression of my belief that God has created all human beings at conception in His image. Psalms 139 reinforces this view of the preciousness of each life from conception: Read more
Honey From A Rock
Honey From A Rock
Psalms 81
“I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it. But My people did not listen to My voice, and Israel did not obey Me. So, I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk in their own devices. Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their adversaries...But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat and with honey from the rock I would satisfy,” verse 10-17
This is a Psalm that projects God in the first person speaking to Israel. God’s main point in this brief motivational speech is ‘you have no idea the fullness of blessings that will come to you if you will just LISTEN AND OBEY! Read more
Psalms 138
Psalms 138
I will give thanks with all my heart; I will sing praises to You before the gods. I will bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth. For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name. On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.
What does one do when they don't feel like having their morning devotions?
- Sleep an extra 30 minutes beyond your alarm. Check!
- Curse the weakness of your flesh. Done!
- Piddle around with email. Check!
- Check out the news websites. Ok, Ok, Ok, I’ll open my Bible!