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Nov 1st Devotion Psalm 111:10

Vs.10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding

have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.

The Fear of the Lord…

The fear of the Lord is that reverence that freely acknowledges the Lord’s absolute

Holiness and sovereignty over our lives, it is a fear that draws us to Him in

humility and honor. Wisdom is the application of knowledge, and in this case, we

apply this fear of the Lord to our everyday life. Wisdom is that which will begin

even at the very beginning of our relationship with God and later if it is pursued it

will bring us a good understanding in following Him. This understanding produces

life and godliness in following His precepts and commands, an understanding that

will bring an eternal and everlasting reward that is full of His praise. The opposite

is to reject this holy reverence for our lives, to reject its protection for the folly of

going our own proud way. This rejection produces foolishness, the opposite of

wisdom and an understanding that is darkened and ultimately rejects and ignores

the very love of God extended to us through the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.

Sadly, if there is no turning on to the path of life, there is no remedy for this

condition, only the reaping of corruption that foolishness has sown.

Proverbs 8:12-14

"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion.

13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way

And the perverse mouth I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am

understanding, I have strength.

Rom 1:28

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over

to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

Heb 10:29

Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who

has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by

which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

Nov 2nd

Devotion Psalm 112:4

Vs.4 Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of

compassion, and righteous.

He Is…

The Psalmist in verses 4-9 gives a comprehensive list of 16 characteristics of a

man who has an upright heart…..

1. Light Arises Out of the Darkness

2. Gracious

3. Full of Compassion

4. Righteous

5. Shows Favor to Others

6. Lends

7. Guides His Affairs with Discretion

8. Not be Moved Forever

9. Forever Remembered

10. Not Afraid of Evil Tidings

11. His Heart is Fixed

12. Trusts the Lord

13. His Heart is Established

14. He Distributes to the Poor

15. His Righteousness Endures

16. His Horn or Power Shall be Exalted

I can only be right if I first have looked up. May this be the cry of our hearts, may

this be the longing of our soul. Oh Lord, make me upright in heart as I look to

you!! May our lives be full of the light of life given to us from the very hand of

God.

Ps 112:4-9

Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of

compassion, and righteous. 5 A good man deals graciously and lends; He will

guide his affairs with discretion. 6 Surely he will never be shaken;

The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He will not be afraid of evil

tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is established; He

will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies. 9 He has dispersed

abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will

be exalted with honor.

Nov 3rd

Devotion Psalm 113:2-3

Vs.2-3 Blessed be the name of the Lord From this time forth and forevermore!

3 From the rising of the sun to its going down The Lord's name is to be praised.

Blessed be God and His Name…..

His name is everything it should be; blessed, honored, reverenced, and for us it

should always be about doing it now. It’s today that we are to bless, honor and

praise His name, for as the Psalmist points out eternity is coming. This world and

our daily round of activities is coming to an end, the Sun, Moon and Stars will one

day be folded up as an old used garment by the Lord, the universe as we know it

will have come to the end of its usefulness. May we with great joy along with a

keen sense of expectancy praise Him today as we look for the blessed forever to

come. May we not miss our daily opportunity while it is still called today, to bless,

honor and praise His most precious name.

Ps 102:24-28

I said, "O my God, Do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are

throughout all generations. 25 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the

heavens are the work of Your hands. 26 They will perish, but You will endure;

Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them,

And they will be changed. 27 But You are the same, And Your years will have no

end. 28 The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be

established before You."

Heb 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Nov 4th


Vs.3 The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back.

The Sea Fled…

Not only is God our Shepherd but He is also the mightily God. Not only does He

tenderly feed us, protect us, bandage us as a faithful Shepherd, His strength power

and dominion over all things is brought to bear in our behalf. The sea will be

parted and rivers stopped in its tracks along with bread from heaven and water

from a rock. This will be the result of all those who place their trust and hope in

God. He is not only the Good Shepherd, and the Chief Shepherd, He is also the

Great Shepherd of the sheep, mighty to save. What is it oh little sheep that is in

your way, what mountain, valley, ocean or river can stand in your progress toward

God’s final victory established for you? May we place our hope in the Great

Shepherd of the sheep to faithfully lead us home.

Luke 3:5-6

Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low;

The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth;

6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"

Heb 13:20-21

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that

great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21

make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well

pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.

Amen.

Nov 5th


Vs.12 The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of

Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron.

Mindful…

The Lord is mindful of us in so many countless ways. He counts our tears, counts

the hairs of our heads, and counts the days determined for us upon this earth. But

most important He is mindful of our hopeless condition. We were sold into sin,

bound in our pride and rebellion against His own goodness. We hated Him and His

light that would shine into the darkness of our lives, exposing our rebellion and

love of self above all other things. However, God demonstrated His love for us by

not just being mindful of us or thinking about us, but He was moved to action for

us. How could we not respond and move ourselves towards this God who loves us

so. May we draw near to Him and ever be mindful of His love for us, for He has

blessed us so.

Rom 5:6-11

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man

someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us,

in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having

now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His

Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not

only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom

we have now received the reconciliation.

Heb 10:22-23

let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts

sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let

us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is

faithful.

Nov 6th


Vs.7 Return to your rest, O my soul, For the Lord has dealt bountifully

with you.

Return to Rest…

We can return to rest from the chaos of this world, the busyness of our lives and

the turmoil of our conflict with our arch enemy. We can rest because first, the Lord

has dealt bountifully with us, He has withheld nothing that we need, in fact He has

given us more than we need. Second, He continues to deliver us from all that

would harm us. Third, He brought us back from the dead and has given us new life.

Fourth, He has dried the tears of sorrow and rejection from our eyes to see Him

high and lifted up. Fifth, He has upheld my steps, and has kept me from falling into

the pit of destruction. Sixth, and finally, all that God has done allows us the

freedom and power to walk before the Lord. We can be full of the light of life, in

fellowship with others who have embraced their God for salvation, and found for

themselves the rest and peace found only in Him.

Ps 116:8-17

For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears,

And my feet from falling. 9 I will walk before the Lord In the land of the living.

10 I believed, therefore I spoke, "I am greatly afflicted." 11 I said in my haste,

"All men are liars." 12 What shall I render to the Lord For all His benefits toward

me? 13 I will take up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the Lord.

14 I will pay my vows to the Lord Now in the presence of all His people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints. 16 O Lord, truly I

am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant;You have loosed

my bonds. 17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,

And will call upon the name of the Lord.

Nov 7th

Devotion Psalm 117:1-2

Vs.1-2 Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! 2 For His

merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord!

Praise Him Because…

This short but beautiful Psalm starts with praise and ends with praise and so this

truth should be and can be played out each and every day of our lives. This truth is

so vitally important to us today and each day of our lives. It isn’t some abstract fact

that has no immediate bearing in our lives. Jesus would tell us to know the truth, to

experience it, to apply it to our lives right now, because it’s the truth that will set us

free! Pilate would ask Jesus with all the sarcasm and distain he could muster ‘What

is truth’. The life he knew was full of compromise, backbiting, a world with no

absolutes where the guilty go free and innocent and oppressed are left to die. Let us

come to recognize the truth presented to us in Christ, that He is the Way, the Truth

and the Life. May this ever lead us to the truth that He is worthy of all our Praise!

John 18:33-38

Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You

the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered him, "Are you speaking for yourself

about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?" 35 Pilate answered, "Am I a

Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have

You done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom

were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the

Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." 37 Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are

You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this

cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear

witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." 38 Pilate said to

Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews,

and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all.

Ps 119:142

Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.

Nov 8th


Vs.19 Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, And I will

praise the Lord.

Open to Me…

These gates of righteousness can only be opened by God, He is the one who owns

them. Only He is pure enough to open these gates for us because our righteousness

is as fifthly rags, we are too filthy and sold into slavery to open such doors of

beauty and purity. But praise be to our God, that allows me to go through because

He has imparted to me His righteousness, He didn’t patch up this old wretched me,

but He remade me, cleansed me whiter than snow and laid upon me His garment of

righteousness, pure and clean. May we rejoice full of praise for such a beautiful

and mighty gift and may we enter through His gates of righteousness, never

hesitating, but completely and wholly embracing all that He has so freely given to

us.

Jer 33:15-16

'In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David

A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the

earth. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, And Jerusalem will dwell safely.

And this is the name by which she will be called:

Rom 4:3

For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to

him for righteousness."

Isa 61:10-11

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has

clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of

righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride

adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its bud,

As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,

So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the

nations.

Nov 9th

Devotion Psalm 119:17b

Vs.17b That I may live and keep Your word.

That I May Live…

I can only have life as I yield, submit and obey His Word. However, throughout

history, paraded before us is the universal fact that we at our very best cannot and

do not keep His Word. The Psalmist ends this great Psalm with the inescapable fact

that ultimately, even though we have His laws, His testimonies, His discipline and

I am most humbled because I cannot attain to any of His standards. I’m so prone to

stray like a lost sheep without the covering, protection and care of my Great

Shepherd. So I must ask Him to come out and seek me, I may stray but may we

never forget, unless He seeks us, unless His own arm brings salvation we have no

power or ability to keep His Word. But thanks be to God through Christ Jesus our

Lord who has saved us from such a great death as this and has brought us to life.

Ps 39:4-5

"Lord, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days,

That I may know how frail I am. 5 Indeed, You have made my days as

handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his

best state is but vapor.

Rom 7:15-25

For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not

practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree

with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that

dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells;

for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For

the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells

in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do

good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see

another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me

into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I

am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God — through Jesus

Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the

flesh the law of sin.

Nov 10th Devotion Psalm 120:7

Vs.7 I am for peace; But when I speak, they are for war.

They Are for War…

Why are we always so surprised at the response of men to the peace we offer to

them. The life of Christ was full of hatred and war in response to His message of

love and reconciliation, it was His heart to bring us peace with God the Father.

Paul would say ‘Am I your enemy because I tell you the truth’. Don’t be surprised

that men love the darkness rather than the light for so it will always be, even until

the end. Our responsibility is to bring this message of peace with God for men

in spite of the potential of rejection and hatred of the very remedy for man’s sick

and broken condition. May we not lose heart and may we always pursue peace

with men, yet knowing that our message might bring strife, rejection and war to the

surface, for in the message of peace it reveals the hatred man has for the truth.

Luke 2:10-11

Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good

tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day

in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Matt 10:34-35

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace

but a sword. 35 For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter

against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law';

Nov 11th Devotion Psalm 121:7-8

Vs7-8 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth,

and even forevermore.

The Lord Shall Preserve…

The keeping power of God is proclaimed all through this Psalm. His keeping

power is unparalleled and His ability to preserve us is absolute. Our Lord is the

foundation of our safety and security, forever established and firm, allowing us to

rest assured in the security of His great power. God preserves us or keeps us in

three ways. First, He preserves us from the spoiling of our enemy, He doesn’t

allow any encroachment that might occur over a slow process of time, nor will He

allow an all out assault to succeed against us. Second, He preserves us as we go

about the business of our daily routine and labor for the Lord. Third, He preserves

the essence of who we are, we will not be lost in the maze of confusing thoughts

and emotions that seem to overtake us at times, we will be able to maintain a sound

mind. Praise His mighty name who preserves us now and forevermore!!

John 11:7-10

Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." 8 The disciples

said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there

again?" 9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks

in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if

one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

Ps 121:3-8

He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your

keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you

by day, Nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He

shall preserve your soul. 8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your

coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.


Vs.1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord."

Let Us Go…

We notice the Psalmist is asked by others to join them as they enter into the house

of the Lord. How important it is that we are linked together in the corporate

worship of our God. Hebrews tells us not to forsake our assembling together. How

we need each other, how important it is to be joined together, to receive

encouragement from others in this long race toward our heavenly goal and in

fulfilling our calling. Earlier in this Psalm we saw the importance of linking

together in fellowship for support. But let us not forget that it is also for mutual

encouragement, and it is not just in receiving things for myself, I must do for

others, to help and encourage my companions and friends, things that I do for their

sake, their benefit and for their encouragement. I can be guaranteed that when I

give to others it shall be given back to me to over flowing, may we receive as we

have given out. What is it that makes you glad today?

Heb 10:24-25

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not

forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but

exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Ps 133:1

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

1 Cor 12:27

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually


Vs1 Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.

My Eyes to the Heavens…

In this Psalm is the simple but profoundly humble acknowledgement that I must

look up if I’m going to experience anything greater than myself. It is an offence to

man’s pride and self sufficiency that he would need any other help other than from

his own strength, wit, wisdom or ingenuity. Men rebel against God’s sovereignty

universally and we will submit to anything other than God, this all to our own

destruction, rather than to humbly acknowledge God’s place and provision for our

lives. May we do as the Psalmist does here, he stops to acknowledge something

greater than himself and in turn receives to himself the resources God has stored up

for him in His vast, eternal and endless storeroom.

Isa 55:9

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your

ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isa 40:13-17

Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him?

14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in

the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of

understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted

as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.

16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt

offering. 17 All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him

less than nothing and worthless.


Vs.8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

Our Help…

Surely our only help is in the Lord. The Psalmist has outlined for us in the previous

verses all that God has done for us in delivering us from our enemies, our

circumstances and ourselves. But this deliverance is only really the start, for the

Lord who has made the heaven and the earth, has rescued us for a purpose. In verse

seven we are likened to a bird, a creature designed to fulfill a specific purpose with

its own set of unique characteristics and abilities. This bird has been captured and

imprisoned unable to fulfill its intended purpose or use it’s unique talents, however

it is rescued that it might fly again to fulfill its original design and purpose. May

we as the bird illustrates, come to a place of not just being rescued but ones

rescued and released to fulfill God’s design for us, finding complete fulfillment in

God’s great plan for our lives

Ps 124:7-8

Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; The snare is broken,

and we have escaped. 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and

earth.

Eph 2:4-10

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5

even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by

grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together

in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show

the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For

by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift

of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we

should walk in them.


Vs.1 Those who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved,

but abides forever.

They Who Trust…

This powerful and beautiful verse is reserved, it is restricted for only these who

have actively placed their trust in the Lord, all others may not enter. But for those

who have been granted entrance, who have placed their trust in the Lord, they can

experience His loving protection and keeping power. I love this verse because in it

we get a small glimpse into the heart of the Lord. Our trust that is placed in Him is

translated back to us in the illustration of a mountain. How much the Lord moves

in our behalf when we place our trust in Him. He desires to show us how big and

powerful He is by making us as strong and as unmovable as a mountain. The best

thing in all of this is that it isn’t just any mountain, but it’s Zion…God’s mountain.

Nothing will ever be able to move or disturb us in our abiding in Him

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to

you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Phil 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with

thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God,

which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through

Christ Jesus.

Isa 26:3-4

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is

everlasting strength.


Vs.3 The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad.

Great Things…

David asked the Lord to restore to him the joy of his salvation, he asked the Lord

to reinstate the gladness of heart that once danced for joy over God’s powerful

deliverance in his life, because somewhere along the line he had forgotten, he had

lost what he once possessed. How often we need to be reminded of His Great

goodness to us. The Psalmist here declares that the reason for our gladness is in the

acknowledgement of God’s activity in our lives. We often attempt to manufacture

joy and gladness of heart, when in reality we only possess the ability to remember

God’s great work in our lives and it is only in doing this activity that we will

produce gladness of heart. Psalm 48 gives us even more reason to be glad, even if

the circumstances of life have clouded our vision and thinking, it declares that God

is greater than our confusion and dismay. Let us lay aside our work and may we

continually remind ourselves of His goodness to us.

Ps 51:12

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Ps 48:1-10

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God,

In His holy mountain. 2 Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth,

Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King. 3 God is in her

palaces; He is known as her refuge. 4 For behold, the kings assembled, They

passed by together. 5 They saw it, and so they marveled; They were troubled, they

hastened away. 6 Fear took hold of them there, And pain, as of a woman in birth

pangs, 7 As when You break the ships of Tarshish With an east wind. 8 As we have

heard, So we have seen In the city of the Lord of hosts, In the city of our God:

God will establish it forever. Selah 9 We have thought, O God, on Your

lovingkindness, In the midst of Your temple. 10 According to Your name, O God,

So is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness.


Vs.1 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

Unless…

In the book of Genesis we see man’s vain attempt to rebel against the Lord and His

Kingdom with the Tower of Babel. Our attempts at building things is one of the

ways we rebel against the Lord and His order. We build our lives apart from Him

based on a lie that our strength, resources, and abilities are something we possess

as our own. May we continually humble ourselves before His mighty hand and

acknowledge that except for Him we are helpless and powerless. For unless He

builds, and He guards, our efforts are vain and hopeless.

Ps 20:7

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the

Lord our God.

Ps 146:3

Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.


Vs.1 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

Unless…

How powerless and weak we really are in the face of circumstances, let alone

against an enemy stronger than ourselves. We attempt to guard ourselves from

calamity in our own strength and wisdom. Jesus warned of the impending storm

we will all face, whether we be rich or poor, wise or foolish, young or old, our day

of reckoning is coming and it is clear that we will be powerless to protect ourselves

unless we have been settled and founded on the ROCK!

Matt 7:24-27

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to

a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods

came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was

founded on the rock. 26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does

not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the

rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it

fell. And great was its fall."

Proverbs 14:12-13

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. 13 Even

in laughter the heart may sorrow, And the end of mirth may be grief.


Vs.1 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways.

Blessed…

We want and desire blessing, but as this verse points out there is no blessing

without obedience, humility and surrender on our part. The blessed man is the man

who recognizes and submits himself to the Lord’s role as master in his life. This

man reverences the Lord or fears him and in turn finds himself under the Lord’s

covering and protection. The second thing we see is that this reverence moves the

blessed man to obedience, he will willingly and joyfully follow God’s ways. There

is no blessing outside of God’s order and ways. Jesus would tell His disciples that

obedience is the proof of our love for Him. May we enter into the blessing of the

Lord through surrender and obedience provided to us by the sacrifice of His Son.

John 14:22-24

Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to

us, and not to the world?" 23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me,

he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and

make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words;

and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.


Vs.2 When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be

well with you.

You Shall Eat…

The book of Ecclesiastes records for us that the eating and enjoyment of our labor

is a gift from God. It is for us to remember that this eating and enjoyment of our

efforts is a gift. What is it that we labor for? Jesus would tell us to labor for the

food which endures unto everlasting life and that His gift to us is that He will give

us His Father’s food to eat. Jesus would go on further to tell us that the labor or

work is not in our own efforts of accomplishment but rather in believing in Him.

What a gift to discover that our labor is to believe and the promise fulfilled is that

we will partake of the living bread and delight in a vital relationship with our

Savior

Eccl 3:13

and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor —

it is the gift of God.

John 6:27-29

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to

everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has

set His seal on Him." 28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may

work the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of

God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

John 6:51

I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread,

he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give

for the life of the world."

Nov 21st Devotion Psalm 129:2

Vs.2 Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; Yet they have not

prevailed against me.

Many a Time….

Surely suffering is an inescapable human condition. Jesus would promise us

tribulation in this world, and the Apostle Paul would declare to us the same

message. Yet I wonder if we have truly taken this fact into account in our lives.

Peter in his Epistle seems to indicate that our initial response to suffering and

tribulation is to think of it as some strange occurrence that shouldn’t be afflicting

us. But as Peter would go on to say, suffering is the very tool of refining God uses

in our lives. Let’s make our peace with this suffering and though it may come in

our lives may we submit to it as God’s plan of refining and purifying.

1 Peter 4:12-13

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as

though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you

partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be

glad with exceeding joy.

1 Thess 3:3-4

that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we

are appointed to this. 4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that

we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.

James 1:2-4

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the

testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work,

that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Nov 22nd


Vs.2 Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; Yet they have not

prevailed against me.

Not Prevail…

Our Great King and Savior stands forever as a faithful witness and testimony of the

Father’s faithfulness. Even in the face of great darkness and evil, Jesus prevailed.

In the book of Isaiah a precious promise and prophecy was given concerning the

prevailing work of the Savior. The promise fulfilled in Christ was that even though

He was bruised, He should not break, and even though His flame of truth would be

extinguished to just a smoking wick, the truth of His light would not go out. Jesus

didn’t fail and this promise was extended to His Church, His Church shall and will

ultimately prevail and will NEVER be overcome or defeated.

Isa 42:3-4

A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench;

He will bring forth justice for truth. 4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He

has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law."

Matt 16:18-19

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church,

and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys

of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Nov 23rd


Vs.1 Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;

Out of the Depths…

How often we find ourselves in this condition, this world, our flesh and the enemy

are designed to work against us. These forces never take a day off and are

continually pressing, pushing and striving against our forward progress toward the

Lord. This constant unified and ever present force often brings us down into

depression and despair. But rather then feeling increasingly discouraged may we

take our condition as an evident token that we are His, and that we are doing the

right things, and yes we are being kept by His all powerful hand. The fact that we

are discouraged is a sure sign that our life for Him does cost us something and that

we are making a difference in this world. Yet in our despair the Lord has secured

for us the ever present avenue of crying out to our God and the sure expectation of

His deliverance and comfort.

1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love

of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh,

the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world.

17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of

God abides forever.


Vs.5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.

I Wait, I Hope…

What an awesome combination the Lord has given us, what an endless supply of

resources to be applied to the circumstances of our lives. How these two twins go

together. They work in tandem to help us endure whatever circumstance we might

face. I certainly don’t have sufficient strength or power to change my

circumstances or to change God’s plans for my life. However, my capacity to wait

in expectation knows no limits because my hope is sure and my waiting is

confident, because my hope can wait for His mighty provision. These are the

things in my arsenal to help me walk confidently in the Lord. May we not lose

hope along the way, but may we with confidence look forward to the day the Lord

has established for my victory, deliverance, and salvation.

Rom 4:16-25

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise

might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those

who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, "I

have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he

believed — God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not

exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he

became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your

descendants be." 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own

body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of

Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but

was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that

what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore "it was

accounted to him for righteousness." 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone

that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe

in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up

because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.


Vs.1 Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself

with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me.

Great Matters…

Our thoughts about what we would consider as great matters often keeps us from

doing the simple things of the Kingdom. We often consider our efforts only in the

light of great things. Thus in our minds, if we aren’t doing great things this

disqualifies us, or we think we aren’t capable of doing anything of value. In any

event, how opposite the Lord looks at things, may the example of Christ point us to

the way of recognizing truly great things. Christ who created the universe would

strip and empty Himself of all position and the trappings of greatness. He would

wash the disciples feet, cook them breakfast, ride a donkey in His Kingly

procession and die a death between two common criminals. May we become as

children before our King and so do the duty that lies nearest, that we might truly

experience great things.

John 13:12-17

So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He

said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and

Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have

washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given

you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I

say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater

than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

John 21:9-14

Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid

on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have just

caught." 11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one

hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.

12 Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." Yet none of the disciples dared

ask Him, "Who are You?" — knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then came and

took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. 14 This is now the third

time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.


Vs.8 Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength.

Arise to Your Rest…

There must be the recognition in our lives that there can be no rest for us until we

have arisen in the strength that God provides. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to

labor to enter into His rest. We want rest without having to exert ourselves, we

imagine that rest is the absence of activity. The rest that God promises and the rest

that is truly satisfying doesn’t come by the cession of activity, but rather the

intense labor of entering into God’s presence and relying on the strength and power

He provides and believing His promises. We must arise, and exercise our faith and

labor for the rest that finds its fulfillment in His presence and is made secure and

lasting in the strength and power that He provides.

Heb 4:6-11

Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first

preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain

day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said:

"Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts."

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of

another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he

who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from

His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to

the same example of disobedience.


Vs.9 Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for

joy.

Be Clothed…

How the Lord longs to replace our filthy rags, to adorn and cover us in His

righteousness and glory. The Apostle Paul longed to be found in Him, not standing

or covered in his own righteousness but rather covered in the righteousness which

is through faith in Christ. How often when confronted with our own sin and

filthiness, we as Adam, find some garment made with our own hands to cover

ourselves in our nakedness, shame and guilt. How the Lord longs to cover us with

a heavenly garment woven by the blood and scars of His own Son. It was God’s

plan from the beginning ‘And Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as

righteousness’. May we embrace the provision God has made for us, by the simple

act of placing our trust and faith in Him.

Matt 22:2-14

"The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his

son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and

they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell

those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle

are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding."' 5 But they made light

of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the

rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the

king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those

murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding

is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the

highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' 10 So those servants

went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad

and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 "But when the king came

in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.

12 So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding

garment?' And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him

hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be

weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."


Vs.3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion;

For there the Lord commanded the blessing — Life forevermore.

The Dew…

Dew as defined in Webster’s dictionary is the moisture condensed upon the

surfaces of cool bodies at night. The second definition however more completely

expresses the thought of the Psalmist in that dew speaks figuratively as something

pure, fresh or having the power to refresh. The blessing pronounced by God is that

the unity produced in His people under the umbrella of His Headship and presence

will produce in us a pure refreshing for our souls. How often our first response

when we feel tired and exhausted is to retreat into solitude. But here we see that

there is a great promise of refreshing when we come together, God’s blessing is

intended to bring refreshment and life to us. May we not shrink back from

fellowship, but may we rather embrace each other and discover the joy and power

there is in enjoying one another.

Heb 10:23-25

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised

is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good

works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of

some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day

approaching.


Vs.1 Behold, bless the Lord, All you servants of the Lord, Who by night stand in

the house of the Lord!

Behold…

The exhortation is to stop and consider, it’s an exclamation point to look. We are

exhorted to bless the Lord, to have a thankful and joyful attitude towards Him.

First, it’s interesting that it is the night that brings occasion for this praise. The

night and the darkness that it brings as we see in this Psalm should first bring us

together, for the Psalmist says all the servants of the Lord. Second, we find

ourselves standing together, we are standing before our God, finding ourselves in

good standing having our hearts right before Him and right between each other.

Third, it’s in His house or in His presence we find ourselves, we all are standing

together in His presence with praise, it is in doing this that we shall find the

remedy for the darkness that surrounds us.

Ps 139:11-12

If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about

me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the

day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

Isa 42:7-9

To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in

darkness from the prison house. 8 I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I

will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images. 9 Behold, the former

things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell

you of them."


Vs.5 For I know that the Lord is great, And our Lord is above all gods.

I know…

What is it that you know about your God, is the Lord great in the circumstances of

your life. Do you regularly apply this knowledge to the practical issues of your life,

is your knowledge the result of an intellectual pursuit or has experience been your

teacher. In the second part of this verse our attention is drawn to the fact of the

Lord’s position as the ultimate authority. It is for us to first acknowledge this fact

and then in the practical issues of life to apply the attribute of His greatness to our

situation. May we walk in a way that would recognize His supreme sovereignty

and then apply His greatness to our situations, and find Him Great, the Lord above

all gods.

Job 19:25-27

For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;

26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,

27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me!

Job 42:1-2

Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2 "I know that You can do everything,

And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.

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