The Journey Begins

Today my son will get married to a very special lady, Megan Kearon. I thank God for bringing her into his life and filling him with so much joy and vision for the future. We (Lori & I) love you so much and can't wait to see you both begin your lifelong journey together. God Bless you. See you soon in your beautiful dress and handsome tux. 

Psalm 60 “Look To The Lord, Not Man”

“Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help from man.” (v.11)

This verse (and the one that follows) shows us that David realized the source of his success and the secret of his strength, did not lie in the might of his armies but in the Lord. David realized his armies were just as vulnerable as his enemies, unless there were empowered, and directed by God. Unfortunately later in his life, David would forget this great truth and suffered the corrective hand of God for his pride (2 Samuel 24).

Pride can easily get us all off track from our first days in the Lord, when we walked in total dependency upon Him. And, insted of bathing our steps in prayer and looking to be guided by His Spirit, we begin to depend on our own abilities and strength. Then like with David, it becomes a recipe for troubled waters. The good news is, there is a course correction we can take to navigate back to a safe haven - simply “looking to the Lord” for his help and direction.

Just as Peter who in faith stepped out of his boat and onto the water and began walking toward Jesus, but got his eyes off the Lord and on to the circumstances around him, the the wind and the waves and began to sink - So shall we all if we walk in our own strength. Therefore look to the Lord, present your needs to Him, and like both Peter and David, He will help you.

 The Truth: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

Psalm 59 “Sing of the Lord”

“I will sing of Your power; yes I will sing of Your mercy in the morning: for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.” (v.16)

Here in our text David is testifying of his praise to God. Singing of His power, His mercy, His defense and protection against all of his enemies. Singing is such a beautiful way to communicate love and display contentment. My grandmother often sang and hummed in the most contented voice as she ironed, washed clothes on a washboard over the sink, or cooked. To this day I remember the love that went into her daily chores. Mothers have been consoling their restless babies for years by singing them to sleep. There is no greater display of love and affection than the showering of joy through music to another's soul.

Interestingly enough, when king Saul was troubled, tormented, and could not sleep, he would call for David (when he was younger) and have him play the harp and sing songs to calm him down. But now David is fleeing from the very man he comforted, and even though his life is in danger, he sings of His mighty deliverer from the heart.

When we sing worship songs with our hearts fixed on God, we are singing of His presence. When we testify to others of what God has done for us, we are singing of His power. When we give thanks to God for His workings in our lives, we are singing of His mercy. Therefore, “sing of the Lord" and all He has done for you, and make known His faithfulness to all.

The Truth: "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 89:1)

Psalm 58 “There Is A God Who Judges”

"And men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely there is a God who judges on earth!” (v.11)

This Psalm was written against wicked rulers. It has been suggested that it was penned because, Abner and the rest of Saul's princes, who judged David as a rebel and outlaw, urged Saul to pursue him. The psalm is laid out in three parts: a description of the evils of the unrighteous judges (vv.1-5); prayer for their overthrow (vv.6-8); the ultimate realization of the triumph of righteousness (vv. 9-11).

We too at times may feel that unrighteous rulers are chipping away at our lives as well. Whether they are judges, politicians, lawyers, or ones boss, I’m sure you (like David), have prayed against unrighteousness in some area of your life, and even cried out to God for justice. But as Christians, we are also called to love. And therefore, we should also to pray against the forces that bind the unrighteous. Then, as David did, rest in the knowledge that righteousness will eventually triumph.

But, until then as Jesus said, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:28). Remember, if it were not for God's mercy, and long-suffering we would have been found wanting a long time ago. Therefore, be patient, pray for His will in every situation, and leave judgement to God. It will happen, but in His timing.

The Truth: "From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.” (Revelation 19:15)

Psalm 57 “He Will Deliver You"

"I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.” (v.2)

It is a marvellous thing to consider that God is literally willing to perform all things in us, and for us, if only we will let Him. The mystery is that most of us insist on performing all things in the energy of our own resolve, in the strength of our own power, instead of waiting on Him.

Before God will perform all things for us, as He did for his servant, we must learn to wait in his presence that He may teach us our absolute helplessness; that He may assure us of our need of absolute dependence on Him. As the psalmist wrote, let thy heart be fixed in its resolve to take deliverance from none other — and He will send forth his twin-angels, Mercy and Truth (v. 3). They will come, even into the lion’s den, and save thee from those who would swallow thee up (v. 4).

Wait on the Lord and He will deliver you.

The Truth: "Call to Me and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

Psalm 56 “I Will Not Be Afraid"

"In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (v.11)

This psalm records David’s trust in God after being seized by the Philistines. Though his circumstances were overwhelming and discouraging, he chose to take his eyes off what he was experiencing and focus them instead on God. As he began to think of the sufficiency of God, it reminded him of how carefully God watched over him and not to be afraid what the Philistines might do to him. God had rescued David in the past, therefore David believed God would rescue him again, even in the Philistine city of Gath. 

We too can look back over our lives and see the times where God rescued us from different trials and troubles. And, like David, we know He will be there for us in the future as well. Better to trust the one who after the body is dead, has the power to save the soul from eternal damnation. 

The Truth: "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18)  

Psalm 55 “Betrayal By A Close Friend"

"For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; Then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has magnified himself against me; Then I could hide from him. But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance.” (vv.12-13)  

Here in Psalm 55, David pours out his heart to his Lord because a close friend Ahithophel has betrayed him. Ahithophel had been David’s close personal friend and counselor but Ahithophel turned on the King. If the betrayal had been a known enemy, then that would have been expected and David could have handled it. But when betrayal comes from this unexpected, close person, he was caught off guard and it broke his heart.

Nothing rocks our world more than the betrayal of a close friend or a loved one. It can break our hearts and cause us to react differently than if the betrayal came form someone else. In dealing with this, David went through many different emotional stages; heartache and terrors of death (v.4), fearfulness and trembling (v.5), thoughts of running away to escape the situation (vv.6-8), even asking God to take revenge upon his betrayers (v.15). Then David finally came to the correct conclusion concerning this and all disappointments in life, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (v.22). 

We, like David, are going to have disappointments in this life, we are going to get hurt. Family, friends, co-workers, they are all human, and as such will disappoint. 

Therefore, like David, when treachery rears its ugly head call upon the Lord, cast your burden on Him, He will sustain you and hold you up. He will strengthen you, and not allow you to be moved from His protection. Trust in the Lord. For He also is acquainted with betrayal, even from that of a friend and that betrayal led to his death. 

The Truth: “The way of the Lord is strength for the upright, but destruction will come to the workers of iniquity” (Proverbs 10:29)  

Psalm 54 “The Lord Delivers”

“For He has delivered me out of all trouble; And my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.” (v.7) 

David wrote this psalm when the Ziphites told Saul that he was hiding among them and that they would hand him over to Saul (1 Sam. 23:19–20). In response, David cried out to the Lord for help. His cry however, was not one born out of desperation. David, who had often experienced God supplying him a way of escape, so firmly believed God’s promises that he anticipated God’s deliverance with confidence. And, we know from historical records, God did deliver David from the Ziphites.

Today we can also rest in the confidence that God will deliver us, and will always make a way of escape for us (1 Cor. 10:13). But the key is believing in Jesus. Jesus said, “He that believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:12-14). As Jon Courson put it, “Faith sees the glory of the future, not the doom of the present.” 

Therefore, ask in faith and rest in the mighty agent who will fulfill His promises.

The Truth: "Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)