I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil. I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride. I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will…

Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. —Psalm 96:1-2 What song has the Lord put on your heart? Is there anything you have praised God for today? Why not? There is so much to praise Him for. If we have not praised Him today it is more than likely because we are too focused on ourselves. Oh, let us praise the Lord in/to the whole earth! Let us proclaim the good news that He saves today and every day. When was the last time you or…

O Lord, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth! Arise, O judge of the earth. Give the proud what they deserve. How long, O Lord? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat? How long will they speak with arrogance? How long will these evil people boast? They crush your people, Lord, hurting those you claim as your own. They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans. “The Lord isn’t looking,” they say, “and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.” Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on? Is he deaf—the one who made your ears? Is he blind—the…

It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved. —Romans 11:5-6 God’s grace! It is “free and undeserved! In His purposes God chose you to be His, to be what He desires you to be, to do His will and to be with Him forever. There was no good work that you could have done to make yourself acceptable to God. You and I…

You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves. —Psalm 89:9 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey…

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” —Romans 9:33 Jesus is a Rock, my Rock. He causes many to stumble (I Corinthians 1:23; 10:1-12). Those who truly trust “Him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11). No, the person who sincerely trusts in the Lord Jesus is a wise man who will stand in and after the storms of life (Matthew 7:24-27). Those who do not build on the Rock will be destroyed— “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise…

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 8:38-39 Nothing means nothing and nothing can separate the follower of Jesus from the love of God— nothing! There are those who fear death, but fellow follower of Jesus we need not…

O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born—…

It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall. —Psalm 75:7 Wow, so many people are anxious, bitter, angry or even despairing over this up-coming election. That should not be so with us fellow follower of Jesus! We know who is ultimately in control of all things and works all things together to carry out His plans and purposes. That is what He has been doing since the Fall of Man (Genesis 3) — since man decided not to follow God’s ways, rebel and do what He desires. But this does not hinder the Lord God Almighty to accomplish His desires. He works in…

You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. —Psalm 73:24-28 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace…