Psalm 27 Whom Shall I Fear?

The just shall live by his faith, not by his fear. There are many things in life that can be a source of fear. It can be financial, social, even political. But whether enemies surround my life, or I lose everything I own, or   people persecute me for whatever reasons, I can trust in the Lord all the days of my life. Let's examine some of the things David says about God that should move me to trust him.

The Lord is my light... In the darkest hours of persecution, ridicule, slander, etc. God remains as the source of light for my life. It is a light that shines within. It is not external. I may look down the tunnel of life, filled with darkness, with no light in sight, but I have a God who promises to be with me and provide the light I need. The light at the end of the tunnel may help me see the path, but the Lord illuminates one step at a time. Faith is not to fret because I can't see the path. It is to overcome the paralysis and take one step at a time with the light God provides.

The Lord is my salvation... If my life had been all safe and secure, I would have no need of saving. But the truth is that my life is in danger. I was lost, in sin, estranged from God. But God rescued me and continues to rescue me day by day. The perils of life cannot take my confidence in God away because he saves me. Many times I think that this rescue is from the dangers against my physical life, but the truth is that there are many more threats against my soul. God saves me from losing my faith in him.

The Lord is the stronghold of my life... When enemies assail me, I can run to the arms of my God. He is my refuge. A stronghold is a place that has been fortified to resist enemy attacks. When I am bombarded by ungodly thoughts, I can run to God's presence. When temptation seems to overcome my will, I can seek God's face. It is not necessarily a physical place. It is a soul place. It is to engage the mind, the emotions, and the will to connect with God through all the resources he has given us: his word, prayer, etc.

The one thing David asked God was to dwell in his house all the days of his life. That prayer has been answered through Jesus Christ. Through the Spirit of God, I can enjoy God's presence every day without having to visit a building made by human hands. I am the temple of the Holy Spirit thanks to the work of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He fills my life with his light. He rescues me day by day from the perils of life that assail my faith. He becomes a stronghold for me when I need to take refuge from the attacks of the enemy.

Father, help me live by faith and not by fear. Fill my heart with your light. Rescue me from the world, self, and sin. May I run to you when I feel faint under the attacks of life. Amen.

Psalm 18 The Lord is for Us!

As I read this long song of celebration for victory over enemies, I could not help myself from looking for God's qualities that inspired David to write it. David, after a long time of persecution and unjust treatment by many, finally enjoys justice. His enemies have been taken care of in one way or another and David celebrates his victory with all his heart.

What is God for me in the midst of my battle? For David it was literal enemies, but for me, I know that I don't battle against flesh and blood but against the powers of darkness. In my battle of faith, how does the Lord show himself on my behalf? David calls the Lord "my strength." In the midst of battle when my strength seems to fail, God sustains me - he is my strength. It is important to note how personal David gets with God and this is how I should pursue him - as MY GOD! Sometimes I want to battle on my own strength and forget about the endless supply of strength I have in my God. "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."(Phil.4:13)

God is "my rock." Rock is a solid foundation that cannot be moved as opposed to sand that shifts very easily. God is the foundation of my life and nothing can move me from my stand to serve my God. Obedience to his commands places me on a solid foundation that no enemy of mine can move.

God is "my fortress." A fortress is a place of refuge from danger and distress. God serves as my refuge. In the battle of faith, God's presence is the place where I desire to be. In his presence there is cover from the dangers of the battle. An oasis for the soul to recover and replenish.

God is "my deliverer." When the enemy has an upper hand upon my life, the Lord comes through and delivers me from his hand. The implication here is to save or to rescue. It means my life is in danger and needs the intervention of someone to get me out because I can't do it on my own.

God is "my shield." In the heat of battle when the enemy is pursuing with arrow shots, the shield serves as protection against those shots. The shield functions by standing between the shot and the body and preventing any harm to the body. My God stands in the way of the shots of my enemy and prevents any harm to my soul.

God is "my salvation." Salvation also implies rescue. When my life is in danger, God is my salvation. But I can't forget that the salvation implied here is not just of my physical life. Actually, I may not be saved in this life from becoming a martyr, but it is the salvation of my soul. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, so that all who believe in him shall be saved. I have eternal life through the salvation God has brought forth for me.

God is "my stronghold." A stronghold is a strategic place that has been fortified for battle. God is not only my refuge when I need to get away from battle for a breather, but he is in the midst of battle with me as I wage battle day by day against my foes.

Father, may I constantly seek you and rely on you in the midst of battle. When I feel faint, may I be reminded that you are there for me as my strength, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my shield, my salvation, and my stronghold. In you I find refuge! Amen.

Psalm 14 We Are All Fools

Foolishness in the Bible has nothing to do with being dumb. Foolishness is all about moral character. A  foolish person in the Bible is a person lacking good sense or judgment from a moral perspective. It is a person with a lack of moral character, corrupt, estranged from God, and constantly breaking God's Law.

From Psalm 10, we learned that the unbelieving, foolish heart says: "There is no God." Again, it does not mean that they don't believe in God's existence, but their lifestyles certainly don't show it. They are corrupt, practice abominable deeds, and there is no one who practices good. Our culture and some religions believe that mankind is inherently good. But the Bible tells us that we are not inherently good. We are capable of many good things, but deep down, we have a foolish heart. Many good deeds can be performed with the wrong motivation and with very self-serving purposes.

When God looks down from the heavens, he does not find among human beings, one person who is good - in the biblical sense, with moral character and integrity, a person who is in relationship with God and never violates his law. There is none to be found. We are all sinners. I am a sinner. What then? What is our plight if God cannot stand the presence of sin and sinners will not stand on the day of judgment? The only solution to this problem is salvation. Humanity needs a Savior. We need to be saved from our sin to be able to enjoy the blessings of God.

The psalmist exclaims: "Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!" And it has! The salvation plan is this: that God himself would come into the world to pay the penalty for our sin. The innocent dies for the guilty to fulfill all justice and be able to offer heaven, eternal life, as the reward for all those who trust in that salvation. We must trust in our Savior. Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the only way to be saved from my foolishness, corruption.

Father, thank you for the salvation plan. Thanks for sending your Son Jesus Christ into the world to save us. Help me trust in him every day of my life that I may not be consumed by my foolishness. May I convey your salvation plan unto others. Amen.

Psalm 3 Save me, OMG!

While visiting Aqaba, Jordan, I went out snorkeling to take a peek at its beautiful coral reefs and fish. The view was spectacular. Unfortunately, the current had dragged me quite a distance from shore and I was not able to swim back. It did not matter how hard I tried, I just got tired and could not go on. Fortunately, there were ropes installed offshore for snorkelers like me. I hung unto the rope and cried out for help. A lifeguard heard me and came to rescue me. He dragged me all the way to shore safely.

In Psalm 3, David cries out to the Lord in his time of distress. He was being persecuted by his own son and his life was in danger. In the midst of his distress he cries out to the Lord with an OMG (O My God). Here is the proper use of an OMG - as a call unto the Lord in the midst of our distress. The Lord listened to his prayer and  he was able to sleep because all his fears left him.

On many occasions, I have been in great distress. Whether it be due to lack of money to pay the bills, or sickness striking one of my kids, or  stress in a close relationship, all these tend to rob me of my peace. The anxiety does not allow me to even sleep. Under such circumstances, like David, I have cried out to God to save me from my distress. And he did. Salvation belongs to the Lord!

I have experienced first hand, like David, that the Lord is a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. The Lord offers protection from distress to the point of making us able to sleep well in peace. He is our glory, the one in whom we take great pleasure and delight. When we call on him, he soothes our soul with his very presence. His is the lifter of our head, the one who encourages us in the midst of our ordeal. God not only saves our souls from eternal condemnation, but in the here and now, he saves us from the distress of life trying to choke faith out of us. It is important to note that David's circumstances did not change immediately, but he changed right away when he called upon the Lord.

So, when in distress, cry out to the Lord: "Save me, O My God!"

Father, help me to cry out to you in my time of distress and realize that you are able and willing to rescue me. Amen

Matthew 19:16-30 The Rich Young Man

It is easier for me to think of doing something to get eternal life. The concept "there is no free lunch" is pretty embedded within me. If I need something, I buy it. I work to earn the things I need. Unfortunately, the kingdom of God is not like that. The rich young man asked Jesus what he must do to receive eternal life and Jesus told him: "keep the commandments." To be certain to major on the important ones, the young man asks: "which ones?" Jesus goes through a partial list of the commandments and the young man feels pretty confident that he has kept them. He has done well.

But Jesus challenges the young rich man: "If you would be perfect..." The kingdom of God is about being. The doing follows the being. I turn God's kingdom upside down when I think that doing is what comes first. Doing without being is empty and void. My heart cannot be committed to the things I do unless I am changed from within. The Lord prescribes to the young rich man what he needs to be perfect: "sell what you possess, and give to the poor, and come follow me." The young rich man went away sorrowful...

What do I have to give up in order to be perfect? Do I own anything I must give up? Is there something in my life that I must give up? Are there habits that I must give up? Attitudes? Beliefs? Values? Lord, help me pinpoint what I need to give up to truly be perfect.

It is difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God (as difficult as passing a camel through the eye of a needle). Some scholars believe that the eye of a needle is a small entrance at the gate of a city. It is not easy for a camel to make it through. But if we go by the impossibility expressed by the disciples, it may actually be a thread needle becoming a figure of speech to express an impossibility. But for God nothing is impossible. He can change a rich man's heart. He can change my heart. Salvation, eternal life, entrance into the kingdom of God is not about performing the commandments; it is about being perfect and that being is brought about through the transformation power of our God alone.

There is no sacrifice (giving up something for less) in the kingdom of God. I can't give up anything for which God will not compensate me a hundredfold. My job, my salary, my family, my possessions, my anything cannot amount to more than what God can offer me. God promises me a compensation that cannot be measured by earthly possessions when I decide to follow him. When I decide to follow him into ministry, there is no sacrifice no matter what I give up.

Father, create in me a heart that is willing to abandon it all and follow you. I am yours. May nothing in this world hold me back from committing myself wholeheartedly to serve you.