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Oct 1st Devotion Psalm 95:1-2

Vs.1-2 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of

our salvation. 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;

Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

Oh, Come…

What keeps us from coming to Him? Our pride, our sin or perhaps we aren't

so sure how to come or how to approach Him. The writer of the book of

Hebrews encourages us to come boldly unto the throne of grace, to come

boldly into His presence because He is a faithful high priest. Jesus has

passed into the heavens before us; He has been touched with the feelings of

our weakness, tempted in all points, yet without sin. Come to Him and find

grace for your life, to obtain mercy that you might receive help in your time

of need. Come unto Him and sing and make a joyful noise in

acknowledgment that He is your Rock of Salvation. Come before His

presence with thanksgiving to receive the mercy and grace He has so freely

poured out on your behalf. Don't hesitate today, but come………….

Matt 11:28-30

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in

heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My

burden is light."

Heb 4:14-16

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the

heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do

not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was

in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come

boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to

help in time of need.

Ps 100:4-5

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

Oct 2nd

Devotion Psalm 95:6

Vs.6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD

our Maker.

Oh, Come…

Let us bow down, let us bend our stiff neck, let us bend from the weight of

our sin and let us bend because we are in the presence of a most Holy God.

Let us go down as dead men, no longer standing in our own strength but

yielding to one greater than ourselves. Let us kneel, ready to receive from

His mighty hand, let us kneel in surrender no longer ready for a fight but

willingly submitted to our great God and Savior. Our bowing, our going

down our kneeling is done as an expression of worship. Not out of

compulsion for that is meaningless, because one day even the unbeliever

will bow down and kneel before God because he will have to. But we have

the privilege and option now of willingly surrendering, willingly bowing,

willingly kneeling before our God. Come now and express your love and

worship by bowing down and kneeling before the Lord your maker.

Rev 1:12-18

Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden

lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed

with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His

head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;

15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of

many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp

two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And

when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to

me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead,

and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

Phil 2:5-11

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God,

did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation,

taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found

in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death,

even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him

the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every

tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Oct 3rd

Devotion Psalm 96:5

Vs.5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the

heavens.

But the Lord…

Jonah would cry out from the depths of his despair and rebellion against God

and declare that if we live for anything else other than God we will have

forsaken our own mercy. But the Lord, as the Psalmist is to point out, is full

of beauty, the beauty that comes from His purity and holiness. He is to be

worshipped and reverenced as the One who has created all things, honor and

majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. We are to

give to Him glory and strength, we are to bring an offering as we enter His

courts and we are to declare that He reigns over the affairs of men. Let us

forsake our vain and worthless pursuits and may we stop to consider our

great God, and honor Him with the surrender of our lives.

Jonah 2:8

Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.

Ps 96:1-10

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.

2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation

from day to day. 3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders

among all peoples. 4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;

He is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

But the Lord made the heavens. 6 Honor and majesty are before Him;

Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. 7 Give to the Lord, O families of

the peoples, Give to the Lord glory and strength. 8 Give to the Lord the

glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts. 9 Oh,

worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the

earth. 10 Say among the nations, "The Lord reigns; The world also is firmly

established, It shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously."

Oct 4th Devotion Psalm 96:11-12

Vs.11-12 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea

roar, and all its fullness; 12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then

all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord.

Let…

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad and let the sea roar. Let the

fields be joyful and all the trees of the forest rejoice. Why all the

commotion? Why all the joy and gladness? Because the King is coming!!!

The Apostle Paul tells us that the fall of Adam and the curse it brought to

man and creation had caused great damage. He says that we have suffered

and we long to be set free, but not only us but all of creation waits for the

fullness of redemption to be revealed in the coming of Christ for the

restoration of all things. For the whole creation groans and travails in pain

together with us, waiting for the Lord to come down. For one day we shall

be delivered from this present bondage into a glorious liberty as we wait for

our adoption and the redemption of our body. The Psalmist tells us that the

Lord will accomplish all this for He is coming to judge. It will be a precious

judgment because it will be done with righteousness and truth and it will

restore all things. Come quickly Lord Jesus…..

Rom 8:19-25

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of

the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly,

but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself

also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious

liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation

groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but

we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within

ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24

For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why

does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not

see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Ps 96:13

they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth

Oct 5th Devotion Psalm 97:1

Vs.1 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be

glad!

The Lord Reigns…

Are you glad He reigns? He is an awesome God a God that dwells in an unapproachable

light with clouds and darkness surrounding Him, there is lightning, thunder and a

consuming fire that goes before Him. All the earth shall see Him, the hills will melt like

wax before Him, the people shall see His glory and all those who have worshipped vain

and worthless idols, that have blasphemed His holy name shall be confounded. This is an

awesome and terrifying picture but to all those who love Him, He will preserve us and

keep us in His love. The writer of Hebrews tells us that we can approach God, not the

terrible and fearful mount that burned with fire and blackness but unto the mount unto the

city of the living God unto Jesus the mediator of the new covenant in His blood. God

reigns in righteousness and justice and they are the habitation of His throne. The heavens

declare His righteousness for He is Lord, high above all the earth, exalted above all gods.

May we rejoice at this good news and be glad that He reigns, let us exalt, love, and adore

Him.

Ps 97:2-10

Clouds and darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His

throne. 3 A fire goes before Him, And burns up His enemies round about. 4 His

lightnings light the world; The earth sees and trembles. 5 The mountains melt like wax at

the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6 The heavens

declare His righteousness, And all the peoples see His glory. 7 Let all be put to shame

who serve carved images, Who boast of idols. Worship Him, all you gods. 8 Zion hears

and is glad, And the daughters of Judah rejoice Because of Your judgments, O Lord.

9 For You, Lord, are most high above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.

10 You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers

them out of the hand of the wicked.

Heb 12:18-24

For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire,

and to blackness and darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice

of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them

anymore. 20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: "And if so much as a

beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow." 21 And so

terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.")

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly

Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church

of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just

men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of

sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.


Vs.7 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell in

it;

Fullness…

In this verse we see the beauty and power of coming into agreement with

fullness of God’s plans and purposes. Just as the power of the sea is

unrivaled and is able to exert its influence over the entire earth it can also be

enjoyed by the smallest of children at its calm shore line. God has given to

each element of His creation some form of influence and power, with His

master plan woven together into fantastic eco systems allowing all creatures

to live and thrive. May we come into union with God’s plan for our lives,

whether in great turmoil and warfare, or in sublime peace and tranquility,

each element has its place in our lives so that God’s plans may ultimately be

fulfilled in and through our lives.

Ps 104:5-13

You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved

forever, 6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; The waters stood

above the mountains. 7 At Your rebuke they fled; At the voice of Your

thunder they hastened away. 8 They went up over the mountains; They went

down into the valleys, To the place which You founded for them. 9 You have

set a boundary that they may not pass over, That they may not return to

cover the earth. 10 He sends the springs into the valleys; They flow among

the hills. 11 They give drink to every beast of the field; The wild donkeys

quench their thirst. 12 By them the birds of the heavens have their home;

They sing among the branches. 13 He waters the hills from His upper

chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.

Ps 104:19-23

He appointed the moon for seasons; The sun knows its going down.

20 You make darkness, and it is night, In which all the beasts of the forest

creep about. 21 The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food

from God. 22 When the sun rises, they gather together And lie down in their

dens. 23 Man goes out to his work And to his labor until the evening.


Vs.9 For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge

the world, And the peoples with equity.

Our Judge…

As we saw in the previous verse there is great joy, power and purpose

fulfilled when we are in agreement with God’s plan and purpose for our

lives. With this as the backdrop, judgment is also a perfectly ordered event

in God’s plan, for it puts all things right. Often we reject God’s plans and

order for our lives and go about to establish our own plans and purposes, and

in doing so, chaos and confusion will be the order of the day. God will allow

such rebellion and disorder for only a limited time and will move to establish

the correct order so that all things might work as they have been designed,

for if one thing is out of order all things are affected. God’s judgment if

received with humility and thankfulness will bring us great joy because we

are set right and we will be doing what we have been designed to do. God’s

judgment brings power, for we are now in line with God’s power, and this

power flows through us to benefit others. His judgment also brings a

completion of His purposes for us and gives to us a reason and purpose for

living. May we embrace this judgment in our lives that we might be full of

joy, power and purpose.

1 Peter 4:5-6

They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the

dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead,

that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to

God in the spirit.

1 Cor 11:32

But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be

condemned with the world.


Vs.3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name — He is holy.

He is Holy…

His holiness, purity, righteousness and absolute consistency can and should

be the basis of our praise. It’s His holiness that brings such separation from

man, its beauty and purity stands in stark contrast with the ugly darkness that

resides within us. Yet, it was this Holiness that brought salvation, it moved

God to remedy this great gulf between Himself and His creation. It was the

Holiness and perfect purity of Christ that brought us salvation, His Holiness

and the perfect sacrifice was the coin that was paid to redeem us from our

hopeless condition, sold into slavery because of our dark and ugly sin.

May we not shy away from His purity and Holiness that would remind us of

our failures and flaws, but may we embraced His provision of Holiness

given to us through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rom 4:24-25

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.

Heb 9:14-15

how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit

offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead

works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of

the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the

transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may

receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Heb 10:19-22

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of

Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the

veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God,

22 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.


Vs.6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among

those who called upon His name; They called upon the Lord, and He

answered them.

Call Upon the Lord...

Our Psalmist gives us a short list of men who availed themselves of God’s

presence and power for their lives, whether Priest or Prophet, King or

Pauper God’s ears are open to those who place their trust and confidence in

Him. For Moses, Aaron and Samuel, God would answer their cry for

wisdom and understanding in leading His people. They didn’t want to rely

upon their own abilities, their own strength, their own wisdom and

understanding in determining the correct path, course and method of care in

carrying out their responsibilities of leadership before God in behalf of His

people. They would cry out and God would answer, sometimes with fire and

judgment and at other times with grace and mercy, yet always answering

with the perfect application of instruction, discipline and hope. No matter

who we are or what responsibilities we may have, how much more do we

need to call upon His name and receive from the Lord the answers to life’s

questions and dilemmas.

Ex 33:9-11

And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of

cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked

with Moses. 10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the

tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent

door. 11 So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his

friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of

Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.

Ex 29:43

And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be

sanctified by My glory.

1 Sam 7:9

And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to

the Lord. Then Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord

answered him.

Oct 10th

Devotion Psalm 100:2

Vs.2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.

Serve…

In Deuteronomy 28:47, God tells us the root of Israel’s rebellion in failing to

walk before Him, their failure that would lead to their destruction. We are

familiar with their sin of idolatry and self-seeking, their unbelief and

rejection of God’s sovereignty over their lives. Their failure to honor the

Lord with their substance, their failure to serve the Lord with integrity, their

failure of compromise and their failure to hold fast to the His Word of Life.

Yet, in all of this failure we learn from God’s perspective, what His nation

lacked the most and failed most miserably at was that their service to the

Lord was done without joy, done without gladness and done without

thanksgiving. This trinity of worship towards God was Israel’s greatest and

most profound failure, and from God’s perspective the reason for their

ultimate destruction and humiliation. May this simple yet powerful truth not

escape our notice and undivided attention, and may it forever keep our

priorities where they need to be.

Deut 28:47

"Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of

heart, for the abundance of everything,

Ps 16:11

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Oct 11th

Devotion Ps 100:4

Vs.4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with

praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Enter…

The nation of Israel’s restricted access was the order of the day for all who

would come to the Temple. Restrictions based upon Levitical Law had to be

observed, restrictions on gender, restrictions on the type and quality of

sacrifice, restrictions upon your availability for access based on whether you

were a priest or not. But full access has always been the heart of God, His

holiness and righteousness demanded and commanded complete purity in

order to have full access to Him. Thanks be to the Great Shepherd of the

sheep, who by His perfect sacrifice has given to us full access to the very

throne room of God. Christ has opened the door for all who would enter by

faith into the glorious presence of His Father, fulfilling God’s heart for us to

have full access to Him.

John 10:7

Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door

of the sheep.

Heb 10:19-22

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of

Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the

veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God,

22 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.

Rev 22:17

And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say,

"Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the

water of life freely.

Oct 12th


Vs.3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who

fall away.

Nothing Wicked Before My Eyes…

Idolatry is the act of placing our love and devotion on something other than

God. Religion, hobbies, jobs, careers, our position in life can all be idolatry.

The Psalmist is encouraging us not to place the things of this temporal world

and life above God, to not fix our eyes upon things that would lead us away

from Him. Eve would be enticed with the fixed gazed upon the forbidden

fruit; this action would lead and open the door to further steps away from

God. Knowing the power that our eyes have, our Psalmist gives us a warning

and an instruction because it is the eyes that take the lead in the beginning of

our awful slide and progression away from God. May we take full heed to

this warning and encouragement and always continually put the Lord before

our eyes, so that our love, worship and devotion would grow and blossom

under His watchful and loving eye.

Gen 3:5-6

For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and

you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 So when the woman saw

that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree

desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her

husband with her, and he ate.

1 John 2:15-16

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.

Ps 16:8

I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall

not be moved.

Oct 13th


Vs.6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with

me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me.

The Faithful…

In verse three of this Psalm the Psalmist instructs us to not put wicked things

before our eyes and in this verse he has us redirect our eyes on to the faithful

of the land. The Psalmist looks for those who are faithful, who walk or order

their life in such as way that it continually glorifies God. These are men he

wants to be around and surrounded with, men that would mutually

encourage each other, that would hold each other accountable. He goes on to

say that this relationship with the faithful would not just be a surface one,

but that they may dwell with him. It’s in the heart of the Psalmist to have

relationships with the faithful that would be deep, personal and abiding,

relationships that put them together in close proximity, that would allow for

a full disclosure and revelation concerning each other’s character. Who do

you surround yourself with? Who is it that you spend the most time?

A closer examination of your life and who is involved deeply in your life is

always the order of the day. May we not settle for anything else, but

continue to strive for deep relationships with the faithful of the land.

Ps 26:9-10

Do not gather my soul with sinners, Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme, And whose right hand is full of

bribes.

Ps 119:63

I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.

Oct 14th


Vs.18 This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to

be created may praise the Lord.

All Generations to Come…

The verses preceding this verse outlines a series of distresses and complaints

by our Psalmist. He outlines how his heart had been smitten, consumed and

forsaken, his enemies seemed to have the upper hand and that he was slowly

wasting away under these severe circumstances. This verse marks a dramatic

and powerful statement of confidence and faith in the midst of his terrible

distress. Our Psalmist will from this point on declare, pronounce and with

great joy rehearse the faithfulness of his God. He declares that not only for

himself, but for all those in future generations that would cry out to the Lord.

Future generations would find God, listening, caring and acting to relieve,

restore and establish those who put their trust in Him. May we place our

hope and confidence in such a faithful and loving God.

Ps 22:22-24

I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will

praise You. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of

Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For He has

not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden

His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard.

Ps 22:30-31

A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next

generation, 31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people

who will be born, That He has done this.

Oct 15th

Devotion Psalm 102:27-28

Vs.27-28 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."

Because You are the Same…

Because He is the same our descendents, our heritage will not only continue

but will prosper and will ultimately be established. Because God is

establishing it and because His unchanging work of faithfulness will touch

each successive generation to come, each generation will maintain its

testimony and witness to this world. We are to pass on the knowledge of the

Lord to the next generation; this has always been a part of our

responsibilities and a part of God’s plan. May we be diligent to pass on our

love of God to our children, to pass on our experiences, to pass on our

knowledge of this wonderful God we serve. With this in place God will help

the next generation to pass it along to their children to come.

Gen 18:19

For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his

household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness

and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to

him."

Deut 6:6-9

"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You

shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you

sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when

you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be

as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of

your house and on your gates.

Mal 2:15

But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why

one? He seeks godly offspring.

Oct 16th


Vs.2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

Forget Not...

How we forget, how prone we are to this malady, how we need reminding.

God would institute the feast days and festivals as reminders to His people

of His past works of faithfulness and provision for them. Moses would warn

and exhort the children of Israel in Deuteronomy to not forget all that the

Lord had done for them in giving them the Promised Land. For they were to

enjoy houses they never built, vineyards they never planted, and water from

wells they never dug. Christ would institute the sacrament of Communion to

help us to never forget His great sacrifice of love in our behalf. Our Psalmist

continues in this Psalm to list the wonderful things God has done for His

children, and may we never forget……….

1. He forgives all our iniquities

2. He heals all our diseases

3. He redeems our life from destruction

4. He crowns us with loving kindness and tender mercies

5. He satisfies us with good things.

Deut 4:7-9

"For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our

God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? 8 And what great

nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all

this law which I set before you this day? 9 Only take heed to yourself, and

diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and

lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to

your children and your grandchildren,

Oct 17th


Vs.8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in

mercy.

The Lord Is…

Despite popular opinion or despite your current set of circumstances

according to verses 8-14 the Lord is……..

1. Merciful

2. Gracious

3. Slow to anger

4. Plenteous in mercy

5. Will not always chide

6. Won’t keep His anger forever

7. Doesn’t deal with us as our sins deserve

8. Doesn’t rewarded us according to our iniquities

9. Has great mercy toward those who fear Him

10. Removes our transgressions from us

11. As a father pities His children so the Lord pities us

12. He knows our frame is but dust

May we rest in Hope, being fully persuaded, and fully confident in the One

who loves and cares so much for us!!

Rom 8:31-39

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against

us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all,

how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring

a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who

condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even

at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall

separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or

persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

"For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for

the slaughter." 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors

through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor

life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things

to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able

to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Oct 18th


Vs.27 These all wait for You, That You may give them their food in due

season.

All These Wait…

In Genesis chapter twenty one, God fulfilled His long awaited promise of a

child for Abraham and Sarah. Some twenty five years had passed, yet at the

set time, the due time the established time God answered and fulfilled His

promise given so long ago. In the book of Luke, Jesus would instruct us

concerning prayer and declared that we must be persistent in our asking, and

unwavering in our faith and confident that God will answer our requests.

However, Christ would proclaim a most remarkable promise and a most

profound truth in stating that all those who would ask, seek and knock would

receive, find and have opened all they had come to God for. May we with

great confidence and faith come to our heavenly Father to receive all that we

need for this life, waiting faithfully for His set time and His due season.

Gen 21:1-2

And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He

had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age,

at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

Luke 11:5-13

And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at

midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of

mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

7 and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is

now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to

you'? 8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is

his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many

as he needs. 9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and

you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks

receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a

stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then,

being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more

will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

Oct 19th


Vs.30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face

of the earth.

Create and Renew…

Only God’s Spirit can create as well as renew and man in his sin needs both.

The Psalmist in Psalm 51 would find himself dirty, broken and damaged

because of his sin and he asks the Lord to create in him a clean heart, to

renew his broken life and repair his damaged mind. We wonder and see

God’s magnificent creation and wonder at the power of His creative mind. In

Genesis we learn that God created something from nothing, He only thought

and then spoke this world into existence. We see in verse two of Chapter one

in Genesis that it was the agency of His Spirit that moved upon the face of

the waters, it was the Spirit that played an intricate part in all God had done

in creation. However, because of Adam’s sin this perfect world was subject

to death and decay and subject to a slow process of disintegration. So God

solicits His Spirit once again to renew what had been damaged, to repair

what has been suffering under the cruel master of decay. Praise the Lord,

that by His Spirit all things can truly be made whole.

John 6:63

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I

speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Rom 5:5

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Rom 15:13

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that

you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

2 Cor 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have

passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Oct 20th


Vs.4 Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!

Seek…

Our initial seeking of Him revolves around our needs and what He can do to

provide for us, however His attributes, which allow Him to fulfill those

needs rarely cross our minds. Hopefully this is only a season of time in the

development of our relationship with Him. Ultimately our needs should

bring us to a place where we seek Him not for what He can provide for us

but for the pure and awesome privilege of coming to him just for Him. How

we need to seek His face to know what He looks like, what he feels and

thinks, rather than only coming to Him for what we need. May He lead us to

a closer and more intimate relationship, full of His glory.

John 6:26-27

Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me,

not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were

filled. 27 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."

John 15:4

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it

abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

1 John 2:28

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have

confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

2 Cor 3:18

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the

Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as

by the Spirit of the Lord.

Oct 21st


Vs.43 He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness.

His Joy…

If we rehearse the history of the nation Israel we see that they were by God’s

account a stubborn, and stiff necked people, bent on disobedience, idol

worship and going their own way. However in this verse we see the gracious

longsuffering and tenderness with which God still dealt with them. God

would tell Moses that even before his death that the children of Israel as

soon as they could would rise up and go after idols and break the Covenant

which God through Moses worked so hard to maintain. Moses would pass

this information on to the people as a warning and admonition, yet in all of

the disappointment and heartache Moses commands a blessing upon them.

Oh, the wonder and beauty of His love for us, if He loves us at our worst,

how much more if we could come to him today with humble and contrite

hearts.

Deut 31:16

And the Lord said to Moses: "Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and

this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the

land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break

My covenant which I have made with them.

Deut 31:27-29

for I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. If today, while I am yet alive

with you, you have been rebellious against the Lord, then how much more

after my death? 28 Gather to me all the elders of your tribes, and your

officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and

earth to witness against them. 29 For I know that after my death you will

become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way which I have

commanded you. And evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will

do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger through the work of

your hands."

Rom 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still

sinners, Christ died for us.

Oct 22nd


Vs.7 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not

remember the multitude of Your mercies, But rebelled by the sea — the Red

Sea. 8 Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake, That He might make

His mighty power known.

Understand…

The book of Hebrews outlines Israel’s failures, for how we error in our

hearts, how little we understand Him and His ways. First, they had hard or

unreceptive hearts towards the Lord. Second, they had experienced firsthand

the wonders and miracles of the Lord that had brought them such a great and

powerful deliverance, yet at the end of the day it meant nothing to them and

was of little consequence as they were to decide to trust God or not, for they

would reject His goodness. Third, they continually put God to the test in

every trial and every difficult circumstance; they would demand from God

and accuse God of being a poor and unfaithful Shepherd. But God in His

faithfulness as pointed out in verse eight continued to deal, work and deliver

His unfaithful, distrusting children. In the face of such rebellion,

un-thankfulness, and unbelief God still loves. May we not misunderstand

our God, may we acquire for ourselves a knowledge of the Most High and

may this lead us to be faithful, believing and trusting children.

Heb 3:7-13

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice,

8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the

wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works

forty years. 10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, 'They

always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.'

11 So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'" 12 Beware,

brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing

from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called

"Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Hos 4:6

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected

knowledge,

Oct 23rd


Vs.15 And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul.

He Gave, But He Sent…

What a tragic circumstance to find ourselves in, in having put our God in a

position to give us what we want and having attached to it the tragic result of

the desires of our flesh being fully satisfied and we are left hungry and

empty hearted. Oh, how we settle for far less when we insist on our own

way. Jesus would always attach an ‘if’ to the demands and rigors of being

His disciple, He will not force or demand anyone to follow, love or serve

Him. The Prophet Isaiah would counsel us to come, buy and eat from the

abundance of what God has in His inexhaustible and eternal warehouse of

complete supply. How are we to purchase for ourselves this vast storehouse

and abundance of God? Isaiah would instruct us to buy without money or

price that God’s rich abundance would be freely given to anyone who would

listen to Him carefully and obediently and not seek their own way. May we

be rich and full of the abundance that God offers for our lives and may we

never settle for less.

Isa 55:1-3

"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no

money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not

bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me,

and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live;

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you — The sure mercies of

David.

Oct 24th


Vs. 9-11 For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with

goodness. 10 Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound

in affliction and irons — 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God,

And despised the counsel of the Most High,

Because…

The Psalmist rehearses for us a long and ugly list of the consequences of us

not submitting to God and His will for our lives. The result of rejecting the

words of God and its ensuing distress and the inevitable consequences are

found in verses 9,10,12,13,17,18,20. We will one day have to come back to

the place where we rejected His will for our lives, unfortunately we will

suffer much and in the end, and we will still find ourselves dealing with

God. In rejecting God and His counsel we are forsaking our own help and

salvation, leaving us open to contempt, affliction and iniquity. Oh, how the

Lord longs to pour His loving kindness into our lives, how He longs to

deliver us from our distresses and troubles, to free us from our darkness and

to break the bands of iron that hold us in the prisons of our own making. We

will at some point have to address our situation with God, but sadly it’s after

we have suffered much and have travelled a long painful road of

unnecessary suffering. May we quickly surrender to His Word and His

requirements for our lives now and find for ourselves a forgiving and loving

God.

Ps 107:15-22

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful

works to the children of men! 16 For He has broken the gates of bronze, And cut the bars

of iron in two. 17 Fools, because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities,

were afflicted. 18 Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the

gates of death. 19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out

of their distresses. 20 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their

destructions. 21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for

His wonderful works to the children of men! 22 Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of

thanksgiving, And declare His works with rejoicing.

Ps 107:43 Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of

the Lord.

Oct 25th


Vs.33 He turns rivers into a wilderness, And the watersprings into dry

ground;

He Turns....

Only God can turn the wasteland of our lives into something special and this

happens only after we have turned. God is beautiful and bountiful and where

we are dry and have no life giving moisture, only He possess endless

supplies of life giving water and He is even able to produce it from a rock.

Only he can turn our self-satisfied existence into the nothingness that it is,

where we are as barren as the desert wilderness. Only He can turn it into the

garden of the Lord, producing fruit for all to benefit and enjoy. And only He

can turn the fruit manufactured by our own self-determination into

nothingness, all to show us that we can only be satisfied in Him. May we

praise His awesome work in our lives, knowing that He turns what we don’t

have or do have into something of eternal value and worth.

John 7:37-38

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out,

saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who

believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of

living water."

Isa 41:18-20

I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the

valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs

of water. 19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, The

myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine

And the box tree together, 20 That they may see and know, And consider and

understand together, That the hand of the Lord has done this, And the Holy

One of Israel has created it.

Oct 26th


Vs.1 O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my

glory.

Steadfast…

Oh, how fickle and prone to division is our heart, our heart is so quick to be

enticed and led astray from our loving Savior and on to the path of

destruction. Adam and Eve were in a perfect environment complete with

God’s endless supply of provision, beauty beyond belief and with power

unequalled and a presence so profound. Yet in all of that, their hearts could

be turned so quickly and completely so as to be satisfied with a bite of fruit

and passed on everything the Lord had given to them. The Prophet Jeremiah

would declare to us a statement that we don’t like to fully address with our

minds nor embrace with our hearts. He told us that our hearts were deceitful

above all things and desperately wicked, it’s the acknowledgment that we

too are capable of rejecting God and His provision of love for a trinket of

passing pleasure. But praise be to God through the sacrifice of His Son, God

has reconciled these two opposing facts, to unite us with Himself, for He is

larger and more powerful than our wicked deceitful hearts.

Jer 17:9-10

"The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can

know it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every

man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

1 John 3:18-21

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in

truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our

hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our

heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us,

we have confidence toward God.

Oct 27th


Vs.7 God has spoken in His holiness: "I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem

And measure out the Valley of Succoth.

His Holiness…

God speaks to us in His holiness, it penetrates and makes no excuses, makes

no compromise, makes no provision for our weaknesses or any other action

or activity other than my complete, immediate and loving obedience. Can I

rejoice in this fact, for left to myself I’m quick to make excuses, to

compromise and to make provision for my flesh. There is only one way that

I can rejoice in His Holiness, only one way that I can rest in the fact of His

complete purity contrasted with my filthiness and that’s found in the way of

brokenness. The way of the cross, the way of self-denial, the way of Calvary

is all that God is looking for, are we willing to deny ourselves, to pick up our

cross and follow Him. Are you rejoicing when He speaks to you, do you

agree with His Holiness or do you become despondent, self-centered and full

of self-pity, if you cannot rejoice it is a sure sign of un-repented sin in your

life. Come to Him quickly, bow your knee to His verdict and find all the

Holiness you will ever need in Him.

Ps 51:1-4

Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness;

According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my

transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me

from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always

before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in

Your sight — That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless

when You judge.

Ps 51:16-17

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in

burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a

contrite heart — These, O God, You will not despise.

Oct 28th


Vs.1 Do not keep silent, O God of my praise!

The Silence of God...

The Psalmist reflects here in this Psalm that the wicked aren’t silent. In

verses two and three their mouths are open with deceit and lying tongues,

with hateful words and they fight against God. It seems that God is silent,

but I think it is a silence only in contrast. But as we know God’s ways aren’t

our ways, His silence might appear to some as indifference or lack of

knowledge, but His children know He is carefully recording all that is being

done. Let’s give God the opportunity to respond His way and in His timing,

for He will outwit the wise at their own game and is only waiting to give the

wicked enough rope to hang themselves, only waiting for them to fall into

the very pit they had dug for someone else.

Proverbs 26:24-27

He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself;

25 When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, For there are seven

abominations in his heart; 26 Though his hatred is covered by deceit,

His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly. 27 Whoever digs a pit

will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

Ps 57:6

They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They have

dug a pit before me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen.

Ps 94:13

That You may give him rest from the days of adversity, Until the pit is dug

for the wicked.

Oct 29th


Vs.22-25 For I am poor and needy, And my heart is wounded within me.

23 I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust.

24 My knees are weak through fasting, And my flesh is feeble from lack of

fatness. 25 I also have become a reproach to them; When they look at me,

they shake their heads.

I’m Poor and Needy…

Our Psalmist lays out before us the characteristics of those who are poor

and needy….

1. Heart wounded within them

2. Like the shadow when it declines

3. Tossed up and down like the locust

4. Knees that are weak through fasting

5. Become a reproach to others

6. God shall stand at the right hand of those who are poor and needy.

In all our distress the Lord is standing alongside of us with His gentle but

powerful hand. This is the rest of the story, the conclusion for those who are

broken, poor and needy, God is our stay.

Ps 109:31

For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor,

To save him from those who condemn him.

Matt 5:3-10

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are

the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger

and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the

merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For

they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called

sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness'

sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Oct 30th


Vs.3 Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the

beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of

Your youth.

Your People, Your Power…

We will be willing in this day because it is the day of His power? It seems

the Lord is confident that we will, and we will because it is His power and

we are His people. The source and basis of His power is found in the beauty

of His holiness, it is as fresh and pure as the breaking of a new day. His

holiness is clean and strong as a youth in his strength and as refreshing as the

morning dew. How the Lord loves to renew and refresh our lives, to pump

new fresh life, vigor and power into everything we do, to turn these tired,

weak and anemic lives into powerful witnesses and living testimonies of His

eternal power and love.

Heb 10:20

by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that

is, His flesh,

2 Cor 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have

passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Col 3:10

and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the

image of Him who created him,

Rev 21:5

Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And

He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

Oct 31st Devotion Psalm 111:1

Vs.1 I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, In the assembly of the

upright and in the congregation.

My Whole Heart…

What is it in your life and heart that would cause you to praise His awesome

name with all of your heart? What is it that you seek? What is it that gives

you pleasure? Is it in passing pleasures of your flesh, ready to be consumed

in selfishness and the satisfying of your ungodly lusts? Pleasures which

bring only death, the numbing of the senses and pleasures that produce

weakness, shame, darkness and that follow the wicked to their grave, giving

no lasting memorial or name. But God’s works bring the testimony of an

enduring and eternal pleasure, a work that is great, honorable, and glorious,

and a righteousness that endures forever. Works that will be remembered,

full of power, works that are full of justice, that stand fast forever and are

done in truth and uprightness. What is it that you seek with a whole heart, is

it the passing pleasures of this world or the eternal pleasures of worshiping

the one true God?

Ps 149:1-4

Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the

assembly of saints. 2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of

Zion be joyful in their King. 3 Let them praise His name with the dance;

Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. 4 For the Lord takes

pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.

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