REDEEMED THROUGH JESUS No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—so that they should live on forever and not see decay…. But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. —Psalm 49:7-9, 16             There are those who think they are good enough to get to heaven on their own.  That is a fallacy.  Then there are those who attend “church” (go to a building called “church”) and think because they do that will get them to heaven.  That is a fallacy. …

MY GUIDE IS WITH ME TO THE END For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. —Psalm 48:14             It is comforting to know that we have “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).  Jesus said, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).  And we can trust Him to guide us— “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (Psalm 32:8).  Again, Jesus said– “Unless I go away, the Advocate will not…

OUR AWESOME LORD AND KING REIGNS For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth… For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise… for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted. —Psalm 47:2, 7, 9             Our “Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth.”  Let us “sing to him a psalm of praise” because “the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.”  Our Lord God Almighty is the Creator/Owner of all things in His magnificent universe.  Those kings of the earth who think they create…

OUR SOVEREIGN LORD “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’” —Ezra…

MY KING AND MY GOD! You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. —Psalm 44:4             Yes, Jesus is my King— “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords” (Revelation 19:6).  And yes, Jesus is my God— Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).  And it is He who gives victories— “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).  So, I will trust Him and seek to faithfully serve…

I PUT MY HOPE IN GOD; MY SAVIOR AND I WILL PRAISE HIM! Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. —Psalm 43:5             Where have you put your hope?  Who is your Savior?  Who is your God? Is it government? Is it the republican party? Is it the democratic party? Is it some other political party? Is it money? Is it a job? Is it a relationship? Is it world peace? Is it in trying to control the climate? Is it some power position? Is it protesting or rioting? Is it some material possession? Is it yourself? Again, where have you…

TICK… TICK… TICK— YOUR DAYS ARE RUNNING OUT… “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.  You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you.  Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure… But now, Lord, what do I look for?  My hope is in you.” —Psalm 39:4-5, 7             What a sorry state for those who are focused only on this temporary life, convincing themselves that this is all there is!  If it is true that life will end here— then what?  We have a certain number…

CONFESS AND HATE SIN! I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. —Psalm 38:18             Does your sin “concern/trouble” you?  If this is not the case when you sin, then something is really spiritually unhealthy.  Our desire should be that of the psalmist in Psalm 119:133— “Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.”  We should not be like the wicked —“In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.”  No, instead we should “Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9).             So let us confess to the Lord what He already knows…

MAY HIS FAVOR ESTABLISH THE WORK OF HIS BY OUR HANDS! Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: —Psalm 37:3-5 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands. —Psalm 90:17             What are we to be about as followers of Jesus?  We are to trust in Him and do good.  He will take care of our needs.  We…

 FLEE FROM YOUR IDOLS TO JESUS! For their hearts were devoted to their idols. —Ezekiel 20:16 I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. —Psalm 36:1 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.  Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep.  You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.  How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!… For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. —Psalm 36:5-7, 9             Now… which camp are you in?  Are you in the camp where…