Bible Chapter: Psalm 15 & 16

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Do you want a strong personal relationship with God?  Who may abide in God’s tabernacle?  The one who walks uprightly, works righteousness and speaks truth.  Godly behavior brings us close to God.  Sinful behavior drives us away from God.  So, we must look at our lives and make sure we are following what God’s Word says.  Be careful not to use words to destroy other people, don’t put other people down.  Fear the Lord and treat people honestly.  God wants us to be people of integrity.  This makes for the best life.
    Do we need God in our lives?  Absolutely.  Life has no meaning apart from God.  It is only in a close walk with God that anyone has any promise of eternal life.  The Lord is everything in life.  As a result, we can rejoice in the Lord and we can have a genuine hope.  This hope is not grasping at some worthless thing. The hope we have in God is something solid that carries us through.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    It is up to each one of us to make the choice to serve God and live a life that is close to Him.  God offers us forgiveness, but we are responsible to receive it and live it.  Psalm 15 gives an effective and simple outline for living a life close to God.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Not only read God’s Word, but apply it.  I see people who are deceived in to thinking that God allows anything they want to do.  That is a major lie of the enemy.  Life is so much better when we get out of the way and seek God and follow Him.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 13 & 14

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    I know that many can identify with the Psalmist here.  He feels discouraged and in trouble.  He feels that God had abandoned him.  God, where are you?  God, I need your help.  Lord, listen to me. The good news is that the writer does say he puts his trust in God.  God doesn’t always answer prayer quickly.  He has His perfect timing.  This is part of learning to grow in our relationship with Jesus and putting our trust in Him.  Yes, we can rejoice in Him.
    I am always amazed at the people who so blatantly declare there is no God.  Some don’t even want to write the word “God”.  Here David says that the one who does this is a fool.  The evidence of God is all around us in creation.  Those who declare that God doesn’t exist show their moral corruption.  Many who don’t believe in God are involved in much corruption because the don’t have a solid foundation to stand on.  We who believe in HIM can rejoice, for the Lord is with the generation of the righteous.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    When things are going hard, I can put my trust in God.  It can seem that God has abandoned me, but He has promised that He will never do that. So, I can trust in His promises.  I am thankful that I have not been trapped in that deception that says God doesn’t exist.  There is an interesting pride in folks who say they have life figured out and we don’t need this God that people talk about.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people see the evidence for and the love of God.  It would be impossible to write out all the illustrations of God’s love across history.  There is a lying enemy we face, but God is there for us as we put our trust in Him.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 11 & 12

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Where can I go when there is no one else to turn to?  What should I do with the pressure to compromise when the principles of the Bible are being rejected by society?  The only solution is to turn TO God, not away from Him.  The world today is aptly described in this Psalm.  The foundations are being destroyed.  Because of this the world is a mess and people don’t see it.  I must put my trust in God knowing that He will deal with the sinners when they face Him.  Those who love violence will be judged. It is amazing to think that people not only sin, but that they love sin. That is now very common.
    There are always wicked people in the world.  They do many evil things against godly people.  These activities bring trouble to the hearts of believers.  Evil will become more common.  God’s people must put their confidence in Him for their help.  God will be with His people.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Don’t let problems cause you, me, to run from God.  When stress increases, when temptation works to overwhelm, stay close to Jesus.  When the hard and impossible times are exploding on the scene, keep trusting God.  The enemy is tricky and deceptive.  Don’t think that doing whatever seems like the most fun at the time is the best choice.  Keep trusting and obeying God.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people see the difference between short and long term perspective.  Sin often looks like the solution.  It only makes the problems of life worse.  Trust God and think eternity.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 9 & 10

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    David was a man of praise and worship.  He wrote many times giving all the glory to God.  He also emphasized that God is righteous.  God is a righteous Judge who will rightly deal with wicked people. There was no doubt in David’s mind that this would happen.  He said that God destroyed the wicked, even though it had not fully happened yet.  The Lord will endure forever and be the righteous Judge.  9:17 really jumped out to me.  “The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.”  (NKJV) This is something that our world has either forgotten or mocked.  I believe the word “judgement” needs to be proclaimed to our society, because many are headed to a judgement they will regret for eternity.  There is still time for people to repent.
    David had faith in God, and yet was honest in his expressions asking God deep questions.  Psalm 10 is his plea to God seeking to understand why He seems to delay justice and permits the wicked to succeed.  The world seems filled with unfairness and all kinds of iniquity.  The question comes up: God, where are you?  Are the wicked going unpunished?  We know that there will come a day when justice and judgement will come.  The wicked may appear arrogant, but they will stand before God.  There will come the day in God’s time when the fatherless and the oppressed will receive justice.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    One of the thoughts that helps me often is to look at situations and issues from an eternal perspective.  King David’s thoughts about his assurance of God’s righteous judgement of the wicked, while at the same time wondering about the apparent delay in judgement, help me see the importance of seeing life from God’s eternal perspective.  Two seconds is not a long time for the majority of life’s events, but it is an eternity if one is holding his hand on a hot stove.  I think the lesson is to trust God’s timing and wisdom.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Grow to the place where you know you not can trust God, but that you actually DO trust Him in all the various situations of life.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 7 & 8

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Here we find a prayer for deliverance.  This was a time of trouble for David.  He came to God take refuge, crying out for His protection against those who would hurt him.  God’s desire is that people will serve Him.  When God’s people are under attack they can receive His help.  They need to commit to God and strive to have an upright heart.  David said in his prayer that he did have an upright heart.  He was humble before, and submissive to, God.  God is a just Judge and will deal with wicked people in His proper time.
    Psalm 8 is a Psalm of praise to God.  Lord, Your name is excellent and high in all the earth.  Your glory is above anything, anywhere.  You, the almighty Creator, have made us your highest creation.  You have given people rule over the animals, over your creation.  God, you are awesome.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    God is worthy of all the praise and worship people can give him.  I have recently read some comments that God doesn’t need the praise people can give Him.  It is more important to God that we be happy.  That is pathetic.  God is SO WORTHY of all the worship His creation can give Him.  We are blessed to have God in our lives.  Life is not about us, but about God.  When there is trouble, we can turn to Him.  We can enter His presence as we worship Him.  We can let God take care of those who need judgement.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Learn to give worship to God.  Declare His mighty acts to the world to hear.  Learn to trust Him through the troubles in life.  God is always here to help.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 5 & 6

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    David cried out to God to hear him.  He longed for a strong relationship with his Creator.  Every part of his life needed God’s power and presence.  David understood that God hated evil and sin.  God takes no pleasure in wickedness.  Evil will never dwell in God.  God hates evil and He opposes all who practice it.  All who refuse to repent and receive God’s forgiveness will be banished from Him forever.  God will destroy all who continue to lie.  They are guilty before the Lord.  All who put their trust in God can rejoice, for God will defend them.
    David expressed sorrow and repentance for the sins he had committed.  He cried for God’s mercy.  He needed it because he was weak and troubled.  He cried tears of sorrow for sin.  He also cried out for God’s healing.  He longed for physical healing, but even more for healing, deliverance for his soul.  He continually longs for the strong sense of God’s presence in his life.  He is weary of his groaning and pain and wants more of God.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Let reaching out to God be a normal part of life.  The times I experience God’s presence prove His existence and power.  There is nothing anyone can experience in life that comes close to the strong presence and power of God.  David often expressed his desire for more of God in his life.  Temptation is so common and strong.  It can seem overwhelming.  Yet, the best place to be is in God’s presence.  We desperately need HIM continually in our lives.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Learn from the life of King David.  He had many ups and downs.  He had victories as well as destructive times connected with sinful choices.  Learn from his failures and reject the tempter as you seek more and more of God.  Learn from his strong desire for God.

Bible Chapter: Psalm 3 & 4

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    King David was having troubles.  That seemed to happen often in his life.  He expressed his grief to God. In spite of all his problems and failures, David knew to turn to God.  And at the same time of these trials, he expressed his confidence in God for His protection.  He thanked God that he was not alone as he went through his problems.  David talked about God’s glory.  To experience God’s glory is awesome.  It will take a person in deep sorrow and bring them into God’s presence.  There is no better place to be than in His presence.
    David prayed for God to hear him when he called.  Believers in Jesus can have hope to know God is with them.  We have a solid hope in Jesus.  We have God’s presence as we live in the righteousness He reveals in His Word.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    There will be trials in life.  There will be hard times.  But, God will not abandon His children.  We can call on Him and trust in Him.  Often when problems come people are tempted to run from God.  I have observed that over the years.  Instead of running TO God, people run AWAY and hide.  They run from the fellowship of the local church, thinking that they can’t admit their hurt and seek help from other believers.  Somehow they think that things will get better by hiding.  I want to keep running TO the Lord and seeking help from other believers.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Trust God.  As I write these thoughts each day I keep on being reminded of the extreme importance of the basics.  Trust God.  Be faithful to Him.  Obey His Word.  Seek HIM through whatever you may experience in life.