BEWARE OF SHIPWRECKING THE FAITH! Yes, I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. —Psalm 38:18             David, the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), was truly bothered by his sin.  It was troubling to him and he confessed it.  Confessing our sin is agreeing with God that we have fallen short of His perfection and expectation.  David was well aware of his short-comings.             David wanted a clear conscience just as the apostle Paul desired and Paul also encourage Timothy to have a good conscience.  It is this lack of a good conscience that “some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. …

BE FAITHFUL IN FINANCES The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving. —Psalm 37:21 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. —Galatians 2:10 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. —Ephesians 4:28 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. —Romans 13:8             Somebody has once said, “Show me your checkbook and…

LIFE & LIGHT For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.  —Psalm 36:9 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.  In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John.  He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him…

PROCLAIM HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS! My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long. —Psalm 35:8             Yes, I will proclaim Your righteousness and that righteousness You have given me—- “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Corinthians 5:21).  But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.  And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely…

SERVING IN REFUGE But the LORD will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. —Psalm 34:22             To serve Him is to take refuge in Him and to take refuge in Him is to serve Him.  This gives evidence that one has been redeem by Him and will not be condemned. “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service” (I Timothy 1:12).  “Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God” (Psalm 86:2).  For when God made…

I STAND IN AWE! By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.  He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.  —Psalm 33:6-9             To not worship the Lord God Almighty but to ignore Him, to stand against Him, to dishonor Him, to despise Him, to speak against Him, to blaspheme Him and to encourage others away from Him… is truly foolish, wicked and an eternal…

REJOICE, BE GLAD AND SING!  Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!            —Psalm 32:11              Rejoice, be glad and sing!  You who are righteous are righteous because He has made you righteous (Romans 10:3)— “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:9).  We rejoice and “we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (II Peter 3:13).  The only way we can be with Jesus in that “new heaven and…

SERVING, SECURE AND GUIDED For You are my rock and my fortress; lead and guide me for the sake of Your name.  —Psalm 31:3 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.  He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my…

SINGING, THANKFUL SAINTS! Sing to the LORD, O you His saints, and give thanks to His holy name —Psalm 30:4             Do you have a song of thanks to our Lord in your heart today?  New Hampshire woke up to a blanketed snowscape.  It is a wonderful reminder that it is He who says to the snow, “Fall on the earth” (Job 37:6, Psalm147:16).  As we age we might not be so excited about snow removal, but we need to remember that He has purposes even in snowfall.  So, even in our older age we can be thankful for the snow.  It melts, runs off and provides us water which we…

OUR WORK IS WORSHIP Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts.  And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.  He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers,…