Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13 KJV)
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (1 Peter 1:6, 7 KJV)
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10 KJV)
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord : be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. (Psalms 27:7-14 KJV)
Sometimes we will need to run, sometimes we will need to hide, but we must always stand firm! When we get broadsided with something unexpected, we need to be ready to run, to cling, and to hold fast and tight to what we know to be true of our God, regardless of the circumstances.
Is God our God? Do we know Him? Do we love Him? Do we really believe what we think we believe and hold fast to that belief, or do we give in to the pressures and doubts that squeeze us?
Read 1 Peter 1:6-7. Sometimes unbelief can be very subtle and hard to recognize. The truth is that it is in difficult times that our faith is tested and strengthened. We need to trust the Lord in those times and run to Him.
Proverbs 18:10 says, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe" (ESV). Make a mental list of at least five names of the Lord. Look online if you need to. What do these names tell you about who God is? Keep them hidden in your heart that you might call upon His name in the day of trouble and by faith wait upon Him, believing He has heard your call.
Like we've learned from David this week, in times of deep difficulty, in the pit of despair, and in the midst of confusion, we can remember God's past deliverance, His mighty hand, and His tender love towards us. In the midst of great trouble, we can hide ourselves in the shadow of His wing, by faith believing that under His wing we will find safety. We will be able to sing songs of thanks and praise to God, believing that He is good, all the time. The joy of the Lord will be our strength; and this can be our reality amidst a whirlpool of tribulation.
Read Psalm 27:7-14. What can you learn from this psalm to apply to your own prayer life? What does David ask for in verse 11? What is his plan in verse 14?
Choose one scripture from today that the Lord is using to renew your mind and transform your heart. Take this truth to heart and bring it to life throughout your day.
No comments:
Post a Comment