‭‭Our Reading: Psalm‬ ‭93‬ & Isaiah 53:10

I want you to close your eyes and think about God. What image comes to mind? What characteristics do you give Him? How would you describe the One you have never physically laid eyes on? How would you describe Him to an inquiring child? We probably would not all have the same perspective or answer to this question but  hopefully our perspective would focus on the attributes revealed to us in His Word. 

I love how this Psalm is brief but paints such a vivid image of God as a strong ruler. 

“The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt.” v1

As a nation, we look to our leaders to be strong and protect us from the threats of being invaded or exploited by other countries. Likewise, when we feel weak and vulnerable, we need to know that we can turn to a strong God. We want to know that we can feel secure and protected against physical as well as spiritual threats. God’s Word reminds us that we serve such a God and that not only do we have His strength to lean on but He can impart strength to us. 

 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

The Psalmist also describes God’s eternal existence and absolute control over every circumstance and outcome. 

“Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.” v1-2

Some teach that God does not have control over the current circumstances of this world and is dependent upon man’s actions and behaviors to bring about His will. But, God’s Word does not teach this. In fact, it teaches quite the opposite. God is very much in control and not dependent upon man. 

 “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11

 “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.  I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me.  I am the Lord, and there is no other.  I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.  “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.  By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear.  They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.’” Isaiah 45:5-7,22-24

What a mighty God we serve! Although it can be hard to fully fathom such a majestic being as the God of the Universe,  there is no doubt that God invites us to know Him and wants us to make Him known.

By studying His Word and growing in relationship with Him, He reveals more and more of Himself to us. There are many words used to describe Him such as the 

words found in this list: https://richardharringtonblog.com/words-to-describe-god/

God reveals himself to us in our individual and unique spiritual journey as well. But, ultimately, He reveals Himself to us through Jesus.

“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."” John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭

Prayer:

Father, we are grateful that we serve a mighty and strong ruler who wants to strengthen and protect us. We pray that as time passes, we will grow in our knowledge and understanding of who You are and to know Your truth. We pray that we will be able to pass on to others our knowledge of You through our words, our actions and our journey of faith. We pray that others would see their need for You before it is too late.

Our Reading: Psalm 58 and Ephesians 1:3-4

Just as in our time, there was plenty of evil and corruption in places of power in the time of David.  It is believed that this Psalm may have been penned in response to a council of judges declaring David to be acting as a traitor. He sees the evil intent of these judges. 

“Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly? No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth.” Psalm‬ ‭58‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭

It can be very unsettling to be at the mercy of leaders who are corrupt and have harmful, unjust intentions. They can not be trusted and they spread lies and use tactics of deception and manipulation. Because they are in positions of power, they may seem unstoppable. David, however, pleads to God to intervene and prevent them from being successful in their efforts. 

“Let them vanish like water that runs away; when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted.”  Psalm‬ ‭58‬:‭7‬ ‭

This reminds me of ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭54‬:‭17‬ ‭: “no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord." I saw a quote from Toby Mac recently reminding us: “God never said the weapons would not form. He said they would not prosper.” We have to remember that God remains sovereign even over the events and decisions of those in positions of authority.  It may have looked like Pilot was calling the shots when Jesus stood in custody before him, but Jesus informed him: "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.”John‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬ ‭

David looked to the One who had ultimate power.  He trusted that God would have the final judgement. “Mankind will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth."” Psalm‬ ‭58‬:‭11‬ ‭

We may feel like there isn’t much that we can do when people in authority over us have wrong intentions and we may get discouraged when the world seems full of corruption and evil, but we are encouraged from God’s Word.  God is in charge and empowers us. 

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭4

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭

Eventually the Day of Final Judgement for Earth will come, and God will destroy all evil. On that day, the righteous who have trusted God, will have a grand day of victory and celebration.

“"For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭3‬

Reflection: 

1. Do you get fearful about how much power those in authority have over the circumstances of your life?
2. Do you have trust that God is sovereign over all the affairs of men and will hold them accountable?
3. Do you pray for those in positions of power and leadership?

Prayer: Father, may we not become discouraged by those who have authority and mean harm. May we focus instead on Your sovereign reign over all of the Earth and the affairs of its inhabitants. We know that even the presence of evil will be used to ultimately fulfill your will. We pray for our leaders to be in subjection to You and to have wisdom to acknowledge Your truth and principles. We are grateful that You encourage us through Your Word. You are a God who judges on Earth and we can rest in the knowledge that You hold all things together.

Our Reading: Psalm 33, Isaiah 42:10-13 & John 1:14

If we have been on this earth more than a few decades, we have to realize that there are startling and drastic cultural changes that have transformed the world we live in before our very eyes. If we focus too much on the news and headlines or political rhetoric, we may find ourselves scratching our heads in disbelief and wondering “ Has the world gone mad?”  It can be very unsettling and anxiety producing when life feels chaotic and uncertain and the future looks gloomy and foreboding. The world can seem very dark and overrun with evil. Psalm 33 is one of those encouraging Psalms, reminding us that God is on His throne and very much overseeing all that is going on. 

1. He is faithful!  “For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.” v4.
2. He has established order. “He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.” v5
3. He is in complete control and all of earth should be in awe of His ability. “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.” v8-9
4. His plans prevail over the plans of man. “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.” v10-11
5. He is not fooled by man and will require accountability for his motives and actions. “from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.” v14-15
6. The power and position of man is an illusion. Only God can ultimately save mankind. “The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death…”v16-19

We have to counter the discouragement of living in this fallen, corrupt world by remembering that God is still in control and overseeing every facet of our lives and even the complex details of world events. We are not living in this particular time by accident. We are purposed to be here and be used by Him. Because He is our hope, we can rejoice and share that hope with those around us. 

“For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.” V21

Reflection:

1. What do your words and actions portray to those around you about where your trust is?  
2. Do you struggle with worry and fret about the future or do you focus on the One who sits on the throne, overseeing it all? 
3. Are you making yourself available to be used by Him in your current circumstances to bring Him glory and praise? 

Prayer: Beloved Father, we bring You our praise, our wonder and awe!  You are enthroned and in control which gives us hope and strength to face each and every day. Your righteous plans prevail over the plans of the enemy and Your light overcomes the darkness. Your love and guidance are our daily companions. Help us to be encouraged from Your Word and to share that encouragement with others. Thank You for Your steadfast love! 

Rahab is an amazing woman in many ways. Some may have seen her as just a prostitute, a woman to be scorned in terms of moral purity. But she was an intelligent woman, a courageous woman, a resourceful woman and a compassionate woman. Even more importantly than that, she was a woman who recognized that there was a God who fulfilled His promises to His people.

“I know that the Lord has given you this land .” Joshua 2:9

How did she know about the God of Israel? Well, from stories told and preserved. While the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, these stories were not forgotten. 

“We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.”‭‭Joshua‬ ‭2:9-10‬ 

God’s power was known among the pagan nations but they still clung to their powerless idols. They were afraid and yet they were not willing to change their allegiances and way of life. But Rahab was different. Not only was Rahab aware of these stories that attested to God’s power, but she recognized a very important attribute of God: His sovereignty. 

“for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”Joshua‬ ‭2:11‬ ‭

Being Sovereign means God has supreme power and authority. God had the ability to change Rahab’s circumstances, her destiny, and most importantly her heart. Rahab was ready to submit her life to the God of Israel, the God who would be for her and not against her, the God who would redeem her life. And not only was Rahab rescued from her circumstances but God included her in His sovereign plan of a promised Savior. She was one of the women included  in the lineage of Jesus. 

Because God is sovereign, He can keep all of His promises. He is ultimately in charge and can work his good purposes even in a fallen,sinful world.  Do you recognize and trust in that sovereignty? Just like Rahab, we can find comfort in knowing that our circumstances and the value of our lives rests in the all powerful hands of a mighty and living God whose plans can not be thwarted. 

Some verses about His Sovereignty:

““I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭32:27‬ ‭

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19:21‬ ‭

“Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?”

‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3:37-38‬ ‭

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭50:20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭45:6-7‬ ‭

“Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Job‬ ‭42:1-2‬ ‭