Writing On Eagles Wings

Scripture: ““But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.” – (9:7)

Observation: David again contrasts righteousness with evil and explains the viewpoint of God toward both. He asserts that God will not forsake those whose trust is in the Lord, but that God will dispense justice one day to all.

Application: Many people are quick to say that God is all-loving, but they ignore the holiness and justness of the Lord. The overwhelming thought seems to be that God will welcome all people into His heaven regardless of how they lived because He is such a loving God. They deny that there will be any divine judgment on mankind. These beliefs are not biblical, in fact, the exact opposite is what is found in the Scriptures.

It is true that God is love. 1 John 4:16 affirms that. “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” But the love of God doesn’t negate His other attributes that society chooses to reject.

God’s justice is referred to more than 1500 times in the Bible. Here are a few examples.

• “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” – Deuteronomy 32:4
• “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.” – Psalm 89:14
• “And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.” – Isaiah 30:18

Additionally, the concept of God’s holiness is often dismissed as unimportant when compared to His love. Again, this is not biblical. Here are a few verses about the holiness of God.

• “Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.” – Psalm 99:9
• “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” – Exodus 15:11
• “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” – Revelation 4:8

Lastly, the Scriptures warn us of the future judgement of God upon this earth. To refuse to accept this as a reality to come is foolishness on the part of men. Here are a few verses regarding God’s judgment to come.

• “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” – Matthew 12:36
• “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” – 2 Corinthians 5:10
• “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” – Hebrews 9:27

There is only one way to be assured of eternity in heaven and that is through faith and trust in Jesus, God’s Son, and His work on the cross. John 14:6 records the words of the Saviour, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” The Bible clearly states that those who reject Jesus will one day face God’s wrath and judgment.

If you’ve never trusted Christ as Saviour, today could be YOUR day of salvation! In Acts 16:31, the Bible tells us that all who call on His name will be saved, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Jesus is just a prayer away!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gift of eternal life through Your precious Son, Jesus. May Your name be exalted and blessed because of Your holiness, justice, and great love! You alone deserve to be praised and glorified! And thank You for being my heavenly Father and adopting me into Your family! In Your Son’s precious name, I pray with great thanksgiving. Amen.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, Holy, Holy! though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in pow'r, in love, and purity.

(from “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Reginald Heber)

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“And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.” – Revelation 16:7

Scripture: “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” – (8:4)

Observation: In this psalm, David marvels that God, the Creator of the heavens, would be concerned with humanity. We are so insignificant when compared with all that God has created, and David basically questions, “Why us?”

Application: It is pretty amazing to think that after God created the universe with all of its stars and planets and the earth with all of its plants and animals, He still wanted to create man. Not only did He create mankind, but subsequent verses tell us that He gave His final creation dominion (control) over everything He had previously made! Even more amazing is that God did not sit back and just watch what was going to happen, He chose to walk in the garden and commune with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8).

When this beautifully divine relationship was severed by the sin of disobedience, God did not abandon humanity. He chose to redeem us and offer restoration for this lost relationship by sacrificing Himself on an old rugged cross. Think on this… the almighty Creator of the universe and Sustainer of all life wanted a relationship with us so badly that He made a way for us to be reconciled to Him! Why? John 3:16 gives the answer. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Since there was absolutely nothing humanity could do to fix the sin problem, and because we were powerless to fix the sin problem, God chose to remedy it Himself. In our place, the beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ, bore the wrath of God against sin on the cross for us. As the perfect sacrifice, Jesus accomplished what no man could do. He shed His sinless blood to pay the cost for mankind’s disobedience and rebellion against God. Then, three days later, He demonstrated the awesome power of God in His bodily resurrection from the grave. Now, anyone who trusts in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins and accepts Him as their Saviour can be reconciled to the Lord forever! The Bible tells us in Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

The psalmist asked, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” Here are three reasons

• God loves us.
  • “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” – Jeremiah 31:3
• God receives glory through us.
  • “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” – Isaiah 43:7
• God desires us to do good works.
  • “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10
• God takes pleasure in us.
  • “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” – Revelation 4:11

He is our Father; we are His children. What a wonderful Father God we have!

Prayer: Dearest Father in heaven, thank You for loving me as You do! Thank You for my salvation through Jesus, my Lord and Saviour. Thank You for the presence of Your Holy Spirit in my life, teaching me, guiding me, convicting me, and comforting me. Create in me a clean heart, O God, that I may be used to tell others of the hope found in the gospel, and the peace and joy that comes from knowing Christ as Saviour. May Your name be exalted in all the earth! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

(from “How Great Thou Art” by Carl Boberg)

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“For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.” – Psalm 149:4

Scripture: “O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:” – (7:1)

Observation: David desires to be examined for his own righteousness, and if he is found to have sinned, to have judgment from God upon him. He understands that God is not pleased with the wicked, and judgment will come from the Lord. David also acknowledges that God will be his defense when He determines that David has an upright heart.

Application: The world we live in hates Christians and the God of the Bible. There is no place in the world where Christians can openly worship without the underlying possibility of negative interactions with others. In some countries, Christians are killed for their faith, forcing believers to worship “underground”. In many countries, it is illegal to be associated with any form of Christianity. Even in America, which is a country founded on the Judeo-Christian principles found in the Bible, there are acts of extreme violence against Christians. This world can definitely be a frightening place for those who place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why do we continue to worship the Lord Jesus Christ? Because it is He who saves and delivers! It is He who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. Our God created all things and sustains all things, and the God we worship loves us with an everlasting love. He has redeemed us; we belong to Him, and He keeps us in the palm of His hand. “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:28).

The Scriptures record numerous examples of how God protects His own in perilous situations. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 121:7-8, “The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Here are a few of those who trusted in God despite overwhelming odds against them:

• Daniel – saved from the lions’ den
• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – saved from the fiery furnace
• Esther – saved from annihilation along with the Jewish citizens of Persia
• David – saved from Goliath
• Peter – saved from drowning
• Paul – saved from several assassination attempts

This is by no means an exhaustive list; there are so many others in the Bible whose names could be included.

From these examples, we can also see that being a child of God doesn’t exempt you from persecution and challenges, but we are promised God’s deliverance. Being a child of God doesn’t necessarily mean we live a life on easy street. It means that God will never leave us, and His perfect plan for each of our lives will come to fruition. Sometimes, the way is hard, but when we walk “through the valley of the shadow of death”, He will be with us (Psalm 23:4). In the latter part of Matthew 28:20, Jesus promised, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

Prayer: Dearest heavenly Father, I praise You for who You are. Your mercies are truly new every morning, and Your faithfulness is unfailing! Thank You! Father, please help me to remember that You will always help me through hard times. You will always help me endure whatever comes my way. You will always carry me when I cannot go on. Your Spirit will give me the strength I need to face anything this world throws my way. I am Your child and You have promised to take care of me. I will trust You even in the hard times for You are my Saviour and my Deliverer. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

I feel the touch of hands so kind and tender
They're leading me in paths that I must trod
I'll have no fear 'cause Jesus walks beside me
For I'm sheltered in the arms of God

So let the storms rage high, the dark clouds rise
They won't worry me
For I'm sheltered safe within the arms of God
He walks with me and naught of earth shall harm me
For I'm sheltered in the arms of God

(from “Sheltered in the Arms of God” by Dottie Rambo)

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“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” – Isaiah 41:10

Scripture: “The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.” – (6:9)

Observation: This psalm of David is filled with great anguish and despair. David speaks to his grief over circumstances in his life, but regardless of what has  happened, he clings to his faith. He is confident the Lord hears his prayer and will ultimately deliver him.

Application: There are times in our lives when we are overwhelmed with circumstances. Those can range from catastrophic illnesses, financial struggles, broken relationships, and more… even grievous sins we ourselves have committed! We pour our hearts out to the Lord, but He seems to be silent. No answers come. Does God really care? Will He forgive once again? Does He even hear?

Here is what He says in His Word:

• “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
  • Yes, God most certainly cares! He wants us to share every burden with Him. He is ready to meet every need that we have in life, but we must remember that God sees the big picture, and He will answer according to His perfect plan for our lives. Sometimes that means we have to wait, and waiting is never easy.
• “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9
  • Yes, God forgives! When we come to Him with a penitent heart, God is quick to forgive and restore! Remember, Philippians 1:6 reminds us that we are a work in progress. To expect perfection just because you are saved holds yourself up to a standard you can never meet. God forgives every sin every time we ask… no matter how many times we sin.
• “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” – Psalm 34:17
  • Yes, God hears! In fact, Isaiah 65:24 tells us that God hears us even before we call out to Him! One of the greatest blessings of salvation through Christ is access to God the Father 24/7. Whenever we pray, God inclines His ear to us, and He will answer.

Prayer: Dearest heavenly Father, what comfort I find in Your Word that reassures me that You hear me each time I pray. Just to know I can come before your throne boldly and without fear fills me with such gratitude. Thank You that Your forgiveness has no limit. Thank You that You want me to share everything that is on my heart with You. Thank You for Your great love that is everlasting. I rest in You; I trust in You, O God, my Saviour. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray. Amen.

God answers prayer, O do not doubt Him;
God answers prayer, believe His Word:
God answers prayer, now venture on Him,
His Word the test of time has stood.

God answers prayer, O soul, believe Him;
God answers prayer, I’ve proved Him true!
God answers prayer, now venture on Him;
He answered me, He’ll answer you.

God answers prayer, O child so weary;
God answers prayer, pure you shall be:
God answers prayer, His blood availeth;
From self and sin He’ll make you free.

(from “God Answers Prayer” by George Bennard)

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“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” – Psalm 34:19

Scripture: “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.” – (5:11)

Observation: In this chapter, David speaks of the benefits of being a godly individual and the consequences that befall an ungodly person. Today’s verse explains that all who follow the Lord can rejoice because He truly is our joy!

Application: We live in a very chaotic world filled with so much acceptance of all things against God. It can be very unsettling and even frightening at times. Even though the Bible clearly describes how wicked things will be as the return of Jesus nears, we need not fear. God is our defender; He will protect those that belong to Him.

Here are a few reassuring verses that we can use when it seems like the world is closing in on us.

• “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” – Deuteronomy 31:6
• “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” – Psalm 46:1
• “The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.” – Psalm 121:7
• “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” – Proverbs 18:10
• “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” – Isaiah 43:2

Prayer: Dearest heavenly Father, I praise You for who You are… faithful, holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, and so very loving! Thank You for keeping me safe in Your hand always. You give me such peace and joy, and for that I thank You and praise You! In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Rejoice, ye pure in heart, rejoice, give thanks, and sing
Your festal banner wave on high, the cross of Christ, your King!,

Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks, and sing!

Praise God, who reigns on high, the Lord whom we adore
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, one God forevermore!

Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks, and sing!

(from "Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart” by Edwards H. Plumptre)

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“But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.” – Psalm 68:3

Scripture: “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.”  – (4:4)

Observation: In verse 3 of this chapter, David stated that the Lord hears the prayers of those whom He has set apart. In today’s verse, David relates the awe of that knowledge and the truth that God inclines His ear toward His children.

Application: A relationship with God means that He has sanctified us (set us apart) for His purposes. It is awe-inspiring to think that the Creator of the universe, the Almighty God, has chosen us to be His children, and has a perfect plan for our lives! This incredible truth should lead us to strive for a life that is pleasing to God… to do our best to “sin not”.

Additionally, we should nurture our relationship with God by remaining in close contact with Him daily. This is done in two major ways. The first is to faithfully read the Bible. This is God’s communication to us. He speaks to us through His Word, and His Spirit uses the Scriptures to teach us and help us grow in our faith. The second way is to pray. Prayer is how we communicate with God. He desires to hear from us so much that He says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “Pray without ceasing.” After engaging in both of these ways to communicate with the Lord, we need to take time and be still. Why? Here are a few reasons.

• “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” – Psalm 37:7
  • Waiting on God is often difficult, but we can trust that His timing for the answers to our prayers is always perfect!

• “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10
  • We need to always take time and reflect on the magnificence of God! Just to think about His holiness, mercy, and love should move us to silent worship!

• “It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.” – Lamentations 3:26
  • Trusting God involves waiting quietly for the Lord to act. Remember, He doesn’t need our help, and He is always faithful to answer!

• “Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.” – Zechariah 2:13
  • It is vital that we take the time to listen to His Spirit. He speaks to our hearts whenever we call upon Him, but to hear, our souls must be quieted within us for God speaks in a still, small voice (I Kings 19:12).

David knew the value of prayer. The Psalms are full of his prayers to His Lord. Make time today to have a chat with God. He loves to hear from us!

Prayer: Dearest heavenly Father, thank You for loving me and desiring a personal relationship with me! Thank You for Your holy Word that speaks to my heart, and for Your Spirit that gives me understanding to the application of Your Word in my life. It is good to know that You desire to hear my prayers, wherein I can cast my burdens upon You, praise Your holy name, and seek Your unending forgiveness and direction. How blessed am I to be Your child! In Jesus’ sweet and precious name, I pray. Amen.

I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses;
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

(from “I Come to the Garden Alone" by C. Austin Miles)

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“The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.” – Psalm 145:18

Scripture: “I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.”   – (3:4)

Observation: David wrote this psalm when fleeing from his son, Absalom. Absalom was trying to take the throne away from his father, and David did not want a conflict in the city of Jerusalem, so he fled the city. In his sorrow, he called upon the Lord.

Application: Life is full of problems. Most of them, we can manage without too much distress, but sometimes we face troubles that are overwhelming. We cannot see a possible way out of the situation, and the feelings of anger, dread, despair, and hopelessness threaten to overtake us. When David found himself in these types of circumstances, he always turned to the Lord.

Learning to trust God for the outcome of situations is not an easy lesson, but it is the only way to find peace in our hearts and soul. Through prayer and Bible study, we can find the answers we need to get through life’s daunting challenges. Sometimes the answers are not forthcoming or exactly what we had hoped for, but God always provides what we need to navigate through the struggles we face.

God is available to us 24/7. He always has a listening ear; we will never receive a “busy signal” when we call out to the Lord. Here are a few verses that remind us that God is always available to us when we pray.

• “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.” – Psalm 18:6
• “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” – Psalm 34:4
• “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” -Psalm 50:15

We have the assurance that when we pray to God, He hears us and answers because of what Jesus did for us. Once we have received Jesus’ forgiveness of sins and subsequent gift of salvation, God becomes our heavenly Father, and He desires for us to communicate with Him. 1 Peter 5:7 states, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”  God cares about everything and anything on our hearts. Hebrews 4:16 assures us that we are welcomed by God to approach Him. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

I heard someone once say if a person isn’t in the midst of a storm, they are either about to enter into one or just exiting one. Problems will always be in our lives, but we can go to the One who controls all things and can do anything! Take time to pray because God is listening!

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for desiring to hear my prayers! Thank You for answering them according to Your perfect will. Help me to remember that You do all things good all the time, and I can trust You for the outcomes of every struggle. Help me to seek You out first for Your counsel and direction, instead of when I’m at the end of my rope. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray. Amen.

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge-- take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

(from “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Joseph Medlicott Scriven)

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“I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.” – Psalm 116:1-2

Scripture: “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” – (2:11)

Observation: When we serve God, we should do so with the right heart. Here, David writes that we should serve the Lord with the reverence and honor due Him. With the right attitude, our service will please God and bring us great joy!

Application: There are many different verses in the Bible that describe how our hearts should be when we serve God. Here are a few of them.

• With Singing
  • “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” – Psalm 100:2
• With Sincerity
  • “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.” = Joshua 24:14
• With Truth
  • “Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.” – 1 Samuel 12:24
• With All Thy Heart and Soul
  • “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,” – Deuteronomy 10:12
• With Reverence and Godly Fear
  • “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:” – Hebrews 12:28

When we have an understanding of who God is and how much He loves us, our hearts rejoice with trembling as today’s verse states! Our spirit desires to serve Him as only He deserves… with singing, sincerity, truthfulness, and reverential fear with the entirety of our heart and soul!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Oh, how I love You, Lord. Help me to serve You with a heart that is Yours completely. Cleanse my heart from sin, so that I come to you in fear and trembling… fear of Your awesome greatness and holiness, and trembling from the incredible joy that only You can give! Thank You, O God, for Your precious gift of salvation and promise of eternal life with You in heaven. Until then, may I serve You with my whole heart and soul. In Jesus’ sweet name, I pray. Amen.

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.

(from "I Surrender All" by Judson W. Van DeVenter)

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“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;” – Romans 1:9

Scripture: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”  – (1:1)

Observation: “Go with the flow” refers to following the majority because it’s easier to follow than to fight against the nor. This is even more critical to heed when the majority stands for things that are ungodly! The Psalmist cautions that doing so is not the wise choice for one’s life, and it will most certainly not reap the blessings of God.

Application: It is never easy to be the “odd man out”. In fact, it never has been. Taking a stand for one’s beliefs can lead to alienation, loss of relationships, even acts of violence. It is very difficult to “agree to disagree”, but just because it is challenging to stand up for one’s beliefs doesn’t mean one must compromise. In fact, the Bible specifically instructs us to stand firm in what we know to be right and good in the sight of God regardless of how many stand with us. Titus 2:12 states, “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” and Colossians 3:23 reminds us to whom we should seek to please in our appearance, words, and actions. “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”.

As Christians, we need to be very mindful of the counsel of God. Psalm 33:11 states, “The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” His ways and thoughts are higher than ours could ever hope to be (Isaiah 55:9), and all wisdom and knowledge comes from God (Proverbs 2:6). If we desire wise counsel, there is no one who is the Lord’s equal. 

Once we receive God’s counsel and choose to live accordingly, we will be blessed. Psalm 128:1-2 tells us how God responds to those who follow His ways. “Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.”

Let us choose to walk in His paths of righteousness no matter what society dictates. This will lead to true joy and contentment in our lives!

Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, how wonderful to be able to have the counsel of the One who created all things and knows all things! Teach me, O God, to understand Your Word and apply it to my life. Help me to remember that it is You who are wisdom and truth, and my trust is to be placed solely in You. In Your precious name, I pray. Amen.

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty; hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, feed me now and evermore;
Bread of heaven, feed me now and evermore.

(from “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” by William Williams)

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“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” – Psalm 1:3

Scripture: “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” – (31:30)

Observation: This chapter is well known for its description of a virtuous woman. Today’s key verse teaches that the outward appearance of a woman does not necessarily portray the true essence of who she is. A teasing smile, a pretty face, a flattering outfit… all are fleeting. That which lasts is what is in the heart, and it is the woman whose heart revers God who is valued and praised by Him as well as those in her life.

Application: The world often places value in superficial things such as appearance, fame, riches, etc., but these things eventually fade. When it comes to the regard of women, the world emphasizes physical beauty, seductive charm, and even immodest dress as standards by which their value is measured. The Bible clearly tells us that these attributes are not long-lasting, and they are rooted in sin.

The value of a woman is directly related to her fear of the Lord. This doesn’t mean she is afraid of God or His judgments upon her. It means she honors Him, respects Him, and worships Him with a pure heart. By this enduring relationship with God, a woman is respected and praised by her husband and children. Proverbs 31:28 states, “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.”

More importantly, God declares, “…for them that honour me I will honour…” (1 Samuel 2:30). Jesus also said in John 12:26, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” A woman who honors God through her life has His eye upon her; He blesses her and the work of her hands! Psalm 90:17 records, “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.” God highly values this woman and His Word states that she is virtuous and “…her price is far above rubies.” (Proverbs 31:10). Let us strive to be a precious gem to the Lord each day!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, how I long to be highly favored in your sight. Empty me of myself, O God, and fill me with Your sweet Spirit. Mold me and make me a vessel of honor to Your use, to serve You in this life to the best of my ability, leading others to Jesus. In the precious name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I'd rather be His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands.
I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.

Than to be the king of a vast domain or be held in sin's dread sway.
I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause;
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than world-wide fame.
I'd rather be true to His holy name.

Than to be the king of a vast domain or be held in sin's dread sway.
I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.

(from "I'd Rather Have Jesus" by Rhea F. Miller)

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“Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.” – Proverbs 31:25