How long will we fight these same battles? How long will chaos and turmoil abound in the streets? How long will a tiny virus wreak havoc in the world? News report after news report lands heavily on my heart. Has God forgotten us? Has He turned away from us? Sorrow lingers all day. How long until God intervenes? How long until relief?
It is easy to get stuck in the lingering sorrow, anguish, and despair, but this is not a safe place to remain. Some fights will continue until the Lord returns or takes us home. We fight for the truth. We fight for sanity. We fight for justice. It’s equally vital that we fight against the falling curtain of despair or encroaching fears. Join me in Psalm 13 and acknowledge your woes, declare your dependence on the Lord, and resolve to take the only action that can change your heart. Work through Psalm 13 and feel every emotion the psalmist expresses in those early verses, and then determine to follow his example in the end.
Psalm 13 asks a question we are all thinking: How long? Fight against the falling curtain of despair and encroaching fears by studying #Psalm13. Acknowledge your woes. Declare your dependence on the Lord. Take action.
Read Psalm 13 and answer the following questions. (A printable version of the short study is available on the free short study page.)
When have you felt forgotten, unseen, or not important enough? Create a list of words that describe how you felt at that moment.
Many of the words on your list could likely be used to describe the psalmist’s emotional state in verses 1-2. The psalmist asks the Lord four questions in his grief (1-2). When we are overwhelmed, it is common to ask questions. What questions do you have for the Lord pertaining to your current needs and concerns?
It’s doubtful the psalmist expected answers from God. Asking his questions was more likely a way of communicating his anguish on feeling forgotten. Read Isaiah 44:21 and 49:15. What do these verses indicate about God’s memory?
Based on what you’ve learned from Isaiah 44:21 and 49:15, it’s clear that the psalmist’s feelings of being forgotten are not a reliable source of truth. How do your feelings in emotionally charged moments threaten to lead you astray? Find at least one truth from Scripture that can speak into those lies.
Psalm 13 shifts in verses 3 and 4. The psalmist stops expressing his sorrow and begins asking the Lord to intervene. What are the possible results of the Lord failing to intervene in the psalmist’s life (4)?
How do you need the Lord to intervene in your life? What do you fear might happen if the Lord does not intervene?
Another shift occurs in verse 5 indicated by the word “but,” which contrasts all the earlier despair with decisions the psalmist has made. What three things does the psalmist resolve to do (5-6a)?
What do you learn about God’s character from verse 5-6a?
Why does the psalmist decide to do these things (6b)?
The NASB, ESV, NKJV and the KJV all use the word “bountifully” in verse 6. What images does the word bountiful bring to your mind? Make a list of synonyms for the word bountiful.
Where else in Scripture do we see God dealing with his people and expressing his love for his people in lavish and bountiful ways?
How has the Lord “dealt bountifully” with you?
Jesus understands what it is like to feel far from God. What does he say in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 that conveys the agony of his soul? Also, see Hebrews 5:7. What does Christ’s suffering as a punishment for our sins reveal about God’s love for us? What sort of response does that stir in you?
Application
a) Go back to question eight and praise the Lord for His character qualities that never change.
b) Rejoice in your salvation (5a).
c) Praise the Lord in song (6a). Either sing, listen to, or sing along with a worship song that expresses your trust in the Lord.
d) Confess the fears you have listed in question six and express your trust in the Lord to work in those circumstances (5).
e) Thank the Lord for His kindness and mercy toward you that you discovered answering questions ten through thirteen.
If you enjoyed this study, check out my other free short studies. If you’d like to try something deeper, check out Glorious Surrender, a short book that will help you discover the freedom of living for God. Or, if you’d like something even more in-depth, try Chasing Holiness and learn how to train for the race you are already running.
Winner of the Women’s Journey of Faith contest 2016. Available for purchase.
Today is a day of high stress for the people of God. Normal has evaporated, and there is no telling when it will return or even if it will ever return. The entire world might be gearing up for a new normal that looks radically different from the past.
The children of God have a choice to make. We can press into God and his Word and fight against fear with the truth that never changes, or we can succumb to dread and anxiety. I am choosing to fill my mind with the Word of God.
The children of #God have a choice to make. We can press into God and his #Word and fight against #fear with the #truth that never changes, or we can succumb to dread and anxiety. ##Free short #study on Ps 77. #Faith
If you join me in Psalm 77, you’ll find some striking similarities between the psalmist and us. The people of God are in distress, and the psalmist cries out to God. He is in a moment like ours, and he decides to turn his attention and energy into prayer and meditation. If you follow along with the psalmist, you’ll find that God leads his people through by the hand. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of a better place to be right now than hand-in-hand with God.
In verses 3, 6, and 11-12, the psalmist repeats his decision to do two things. What has the psalmist decided to do?
Consider the progression of his decision preceded by the words when (v3), let me (v6), and I will (v11-12). What do these words convey about biblical thinking?
In verses 1-9, the focus in on the psalmist. If you mark every reference to the psalmist and then every reference to the Lord, you will notice a 20:12 ratio. The psalmist is very focused on himself. In verses 10-15, this begins to shift—the ratio changes to 7:15 in favour of the Lord. Finally, in verses 16-20, the entire focus is the Lord. Ten times the Lord is referenced, ending with a declaration in verse 19-20. What does the psalmist declare?
In verse 19, the word through shows the relationship between “way” and “sea,” and the same word through shows the relationship between “path” and “water.” What is the significance of the word through? How might this apply to the COVID-19 pandemic?
It is frightening to consider what going through COVID-19 might mean for us. What comfort can you find in the last half of verse 19? What is the significance of the word unseen, and how does it comfort you today?
In what two ways does God lead his people in verse 20? Explain what those phrases meant for the psalmist and what they mean for you today.
If you’d like to hear more from this passage, check out this short video devotional my husband has put together for our church. It is social-distancing friendly, and it is a great way to address the question: Where is God when I need Him?
Looking for something even deeper? Check out what people are saying about Chasing Holiness. Now is the time to fix your mind and heart on Christ. Each chapter concludes with an in-depth study on a passage of Scripture or theme from Scripture. The e-book is only $4 and is social-distancing friendly! ($2.85 in the USA.) I’ve just learned that my publisher is lowering the price on all their e-books to make them more accessible, so check those prices for steep discounts.
Wisdom compels us to stay up-to-date with the news and the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Wisdom tells us to wash our hands. Wisdom dictates that we isolate if we show worrisome symptoms. Wisdom also tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is insight (Proverbs 9:10). The antidote to your anxiety and fear is not bravery, denial, or stocking your basement with hundreds and hundreds of bottles of hand sanitizers. The antidote to your anxiety and fear is wisdom, the wisdom of the Lord.
The antidote to your anxiety and #fear is not bravery, denial, or stocking your basement with hundreds of hand sanitizers. The antidote to your #anxiety and fear is #wisdom, the wisdom of the #Lord.
Psalm 91 speaks of God’s presence and His protection. This theme repeats throughout the Psalm with words and phrases like shelter, refuge, fortress, in whom I trust (v1-2). As I meditate on these truths, a calm overcomes my soul. I will not fear the terror of night, the attacks in the day, or the fears that come in the dark because God is my refuge and dwelling place (v5-6, 9).
Look at all the Lord does for his children. He shelters us in his shadow and delivers, covers, and shields his people. He commands the angels to guard and uphold those depending on the protection of the Lord. God sets his people securely on high, remains with them, rescues, honors, and satisfies them. He lets them see salvation (v3-4, 11-12, 14-16). The Lord is active in our troubles, but the psalmist is active too.
Like the psalmist, we act by dwelling in the shelter of the Most High. That means we find our shelter and comfort in His presence. We abide in the shadow of the Almighty, and for his shadow to cover us, we must be close to him. We declare God is our safe place and fortress. We declare our trust in Him. We seek refuge with Him. We will not fear because we dwell with Him. We love Him. We know Him. We call upon God (v1-2, 4, 9, 14-15).
We decide to fill our minds with God and His Word, not fear and unknowns.
It’s time to replace thoughts of fear about the unknown with thoughts of God and His Word. #Trust #Faith #God #Christian
None of this means that believers are protected from physical harm. The promise in Psalm 91 is not supernatural protection from the virus sweeping across the world; it’s a promise that God is present and at work. It is a reminder that if God is for us, who can be against us (Rom 8:31)? The Family Worship Bible Guide explains that “God’s ordinary way is to answer the prayers of Christians by sustaining them in the trouble, then rescuing them from the trouble, and ultimately giving them eternal life (Ps. 91:15-16)” (409).
What does this mean for my family and yours? It means that we walk by faith, trusting the Lord is at work. We stay up-to-date with the news and the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We wash our hands. We isolate if we show worrisome symptoms. We apply wisdom and refuse to succumb to fear. We dwell in the shelter of the Most High and abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Works cited:
Beeke Joel R. et al., editors. Family Worship Bible Guide. Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2016.
The familiar words of Psalm 73 washed over me anew. I had read these words before, but this time, for some reason unknown, they came alive. The preacher read Psalm 73, and the Spirit of the Lord opened the eyes of my heart.
The psalmist begins in the right place. He begins proclaiming the goodness of God to those pure of heart. But he quickly shifts his attention from the Lord to the people around him. He confesses he is envious of the wicked (v3a), envious of their prosperity (v3b), envious of their plenty (v4b, 7), and envious of their apparent ease of life (v5). The psalmist is envious even as the wicked mock the Lord (v11).
I see myself in these verses. I begin right. I believe God is good to me, but then I shift my eyes to those around me who appear to have it easier or appear to have so much more. I am tempted to respond like the psalmist, who questions the worthwhileness of following God (v13).
Until.
What a transition word. The psalmist’s eyes are on himself and on his dissatisfaction UNTIL he enters the sanctuary of the Lord (v17). The antidote to my self-centeredness is not a change in circumstances or reward from heaven. The remedy to my self-centeredness is a focus on God, entering into His presence. Only then will I see that God is sovereignly working out His plan.
“Until” is an amazing transition word. The Psalmist’s eyes are on himself and his dissatisfaction UNTIL he enters the sanctuary of the Lord. Psalm 73 #biblestudy #bibleverse #bible
As I enter the Lord’s presence, I see that God will justly deal with evil (v18-20), but I also see that I am no better than the wicked (v21-22). I am senseless and ignorant. I am like a beast before the Lord. I deserve what the wicked receive, yet that is not what the Lord offers me.
The psalmist celebrates because he is continually with the Lord, and I, too, can celebrate because my faith in Christ for the forgiveness of my sins allows me to enter into the presence of the Lord Most High. God sees me through the filter of Christ, and He takes my hand and leads me with wise counsel. He welcomes me into His glory.
The wicked were still prosperous, had plenty, and lived a life of ease, but it no longer mattered because the Psalmist had God. When you have God, you have everything. #bible #biblestudy #bibleverse
All this happens when we lift our eyes to the Lord. Notice that the circumstances of the psalmist’s life did not change. The wicked were still prosperous, had plenty, and lived a life of ease, but it no longer mattered because the psalmist had God (v25). When you have God, you have everything. When your heart and flesh fail, God is your strength and your portion forever (v26). There is no need to envy the wicked, for they will perish apart from God. But you? You are near the Lord, and it is good. He is your refuge. Go and tell of His wondrous work. Chase holiness.
If you need help lifting your eyes to the Lord, or if you don’t know where to start, consider checking out Chasing Holiness. It will encourage you in your pursuit of holy living, and it releases MARCH 4th!
If you missed the first few segments of the FREE bible study on Jeremiah 17:5-10, you can catch up here. Once you are caught up, there is a sign-up link that will direct all future segments into your inbox.
The words ring out. Children pour from their hiding places assured of their safety. Something in the game has changed. The threat of penalty has been eliminated. This phrase was an old-school re-set. A new “it” counts to ten, the children scramble to hide again, and then ready or not, “it” comes searching.
Christmas arrives similarly. The countdown begins months in advance. We scramble to fulfill our culturally imposed Christmas duties in an ever increasing panic of the dreaded phrase: ready or not, here it comes!
Five days remain. Is the baking finished?
Four days. Are the gifts wrapped?
Three days. I still have to decorate.
Two days. Are there any new places where I can stage that silly elf for the children to find?
One day. Hang the stockings. Light the candles. Leave out the cookies and milk.
Ready or not, Christmas is here!
Year after year, multiple generations snuggle by the fire pursuing the promise of a wonderful life. But when we search 34th street for a miracle that can only be found in a manger, we are left wanting.
Ready or not, God spoke. He called creation into existence, declaring His unparalleled glory, breathing life into you and me. He spoke to us through prophets and His Word. Prophecy after prophecy announced his imminent arrival, but we did not listen. Finally, God put on skin and stooped to earth to speak to us face to face through a miracle that began in a manger.
Olly Olly Oxen Free! Something has changed! Come out of hiding and meet the One who has paid the penalty.
This God-child, born needy and weak, meets all needs for all of time in His perfect strength. He pursues your heart through the cross. He speaks forgiveness in His dying breath and brings life through His resurrection. The Pharisees were not ready, yet they should have known. They had read the prophecies. They had memorized the Word of God, but distracted by tradition and greed; they missed His arrival.
And, so might we.
Christmas is more than jolly and generous gift-giving. It’s more than tradition and making a list rooted in greed and desire. It’s our reminder that the call to safely come out from hiding will not ring out forever. One day, the lion of Judah, the root of David, the slain Lamb, who was born in the manger, died, rose again, and ascended into heaven, will return and collect His own. He will take the scroll and break its seal. He will open the books and judge the living and the dead. He will establish a new heaven and a new earth, a holy city, a new Jerusalem, prepared as a bride for her husband. Because of Him, the dwelling place of God will be with man. The Great I Am is the Son of the Most High and His kingdom will have no end.
Ready or not, Christ is coming again! This is the message of Christmas that began thousands of years ago in the manger. Behold, He will make all things new. He will be called holy—the Son of God. Olly Olly Oxen Free. The penalty is paid for those who repent and believe. They can safely enter the presence of the living God and worship Him for all eternity. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.
Both books are part of an online book tour. If you visit the daily tour stops, you can enter for your chance to win the morse code bracelet featured in Mistletoe Mission. The tour starts tomorrow; visit http://www.celebratelit.com/mistletoe/ to participate.
#Christmas #books Mistletoe Mission and Mistletoe Melody are part of an online book tour from Dec 20-Jan 2. Visit the daily tour stops & enter for a chance to win the morse code bracelet featured in Mistletoe Mission. http://www.celebratelit.com/mistletoe/
Newsletter subscribers – look for the Christmas newsletter tomorrow – it will arrive with an updated password for the extras page, a small holiday gift, and our family Christmas letter. Not a subscriber? Sign up today!
Mistletoe Mission releases today, and I open my hands to hold loose this story God placed on my heart. It is my offering to Him.
As a writer, I long to worship God with my words. Carefully chosen, and purposefully crafted, they are my offering of praise. Today, as book two set in Mistletoe Meadows hits the market, I’m avoiding Amazon stats and download numbers. Instead, I linger in the Psalms. This is the prayer of my heart:
Give ear to my words, O Lord. Draw me up from the water, out from the darkened pit. Spread your protection over me, cover me with favour as with a shield. Hide me in your shelter.
You remember me. You lead me. You restore me. You are the stronghold of life. I respond in a stillness that knows You are God.
So, I fret not, waiting patiently, forsaking anxiety. You cause broken bones to rejoice and grant dry and fainting flesh satisfaction. My mouth overflows with reverent praise. I will not fear. With lifted hands, I praise your name.
The heavens declare your glory. The sky proclaims your handiwork. I sing. You are the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
As Mistletoe Mission releases, exposing my heart and making me vulnerable, I am choosing to be still. I will not fear. I lift my hands and praise the God who has gifted me this passion to write for His glory and fame.
Order your copy of Mistletoe Mission and rediscover the God of Christmas miracles.
