Knowing God In Psalm 91

The Lord My Refuge (March 30)

Though the author of most of
Psalms 90-97 are unknown,
the Object of their worship is well
known: the God of eternity (Ps 90),
the God of protection (Ps 91),
the God of greatness (Ps 92),
the God of majesty (Ps 93),
the God of vengeance (Ps 94),
the God of salvation (Ps 95),
the God of glory (Ps 96) and
the God of holiness (Ps 97).

Praise be to Jehovah Machsi:
He who dwells in the secret place
of the Most High shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord: He is
my refuge (Jehovah Machsi)
and my fortress; my God,
in Him I will trust (Psalm 91:1-2).
Because you have made
the Lord, who is my refuge
(Jehovah Machsi), even the
Most High, your dwelling place,
no harm shall befall you,
nor shall any plague come
near your dwelling. For He shall
give His angels charge over you
to keep you (Psalm 91:9-11).

Lord Jehovah Machsi, as I dwell
in Your shelter, I will abide in
Your shadow. For You truly are
my refuge and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust.
Under Your wings, I seek
my refuge, Your faithfulness
is my shield and strength.
I have made You my refuge
and my dwelling place. Amen.

Lord, there is power in the name
Jehovah Machsi to free me from
that which holds me in bondage.
Forgive me for not accessing
that power on a regular basis; and
trying to figure it all out in my own.
Rather than simply resting in Your
refuge, I try to overcome it, all in
my own strength, which leaves me
only frustrated mostof the time.
May I know You as my refuge
and abide in Your power. Amen.

Lord Jehovah Machsi, show me
where my refuge really is. For I
often run to distractions to take my
mind off of what I’m dealing with.
Open my eyes so that I can see
as Elisha’s servant saw Your army.
Show me my refuge that I may run
there each and every time I need to.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Knowing God In Psalm 90

Our Dwelling Place (March 29)

Though the author of most of
Psalms 90-97 are unknown,
the Object of their worship is well
known: the God of eternity (Ps 90),
the God of protection (Ps 91),
the God of greatness (Ps 92),
the God of majesty (Ps 93),
the God of vengeance (Ps 94),
the God of salvation (Ps 95),
the God of glory (Ps 96) and
the God of holiness (Ps 97).

Lord, You are our Dwelling Place:
Lord, You have been our
dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were created,
or ever You had formed the earth…
Even from everlasting to everlasting
You are God (Psalm 90:1-2).
Satisfy us… with Your unfailing
love, so we may so sing for joy
to the end of our lives (v14).
Let the beauty of the Lord
our God be upon us, and
establish the work of our hands
for us; Yes establish the work
of our hands (Psalm 90:17).

Dear God, I remember the times
that You healed me, rescued me,
guided me and removed obstacles.
Thank You for allowing me to
lead others. I pray that those
who look to me for guidance or
leadership will be drawn to You
through me. Help me Lord to
choose to serve You and no other.

Lord, Thank You for Your promise
of unfailing love. Impress on
my heart a deeper awareness
of Your love and care for me.
Give me Lord eyes to see all
the ways You express that
to me throughout each day.
Forgive me for seeming satisfaction
in material possessions and work.
And I pray that You Lord will
become my greatest source
of satisfaction and joy. Amen.

Lord, I pray You would bless
my work and establish it.
I commit all the work I do so that
it may be used for Your glory.
Give me Lord the strength to
accomplish what I must do
each day, and the wisdom and
ability to do it well. Lord take
charge of every detail of my work
so that it will find favour with
others and be successful. Amen.

Thought for the Week: Psalm 77

God Who Performs Miracles

In Psalms 73 to 77 by Asaph,
those who ignore God will find
their path slippery and their
prosperity short-lived (Ps 73, 75).
By contrast, those who order their
lives according to God’s Word will
discover hope in the midst of havoc
(Ps 74) and resources to face every
situation in life victoriously (P76-77).

Lord, You’re Able to Do Anything:
I will remember the works
of the Lord; surely I will
remember Your wonders of old.
I will also meditate on all Your
work and talk of Your deeds…
You are the God
who performs miracles;
You display Your Power among
the peoples (Ps 77:11-14) Amen.

Lord, You’re Able to do
miracles and work wonders.
Remind me of Your limitless power.
Remind me of Your past deeds.
I serve a God who can do anything.
You demonstrate Your infinite
strengths among the nations.
Display that same might in my life.
For You love to do God-sized
things and nothing is too difficult
for You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lord, In Your sovereignty, You may
choose not to deliver us from our
trials yet, then give us the ability
to hang on and keep Trusting You.
For we realise sometimes You may
be growing our faith muscles,
when one is able because of
God’s sustaining strength endure
crushing troubles until His chosen
kairos timing arrives. Amen.

Lord, You said through Prophet
Habakkuk that the vision
is Yet for an appointed time;
at the end it will speak & not lie.
Though it tarries, Wait for it;
because it will surely come!!
So Lord, make all things
beautiful in Your time.
And show me Lord each day
as You’re teaching me Your way
That You Do just what You say
In Your time. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Meditating on Acts 27-28 (Mar 28)

Trusting God In Trying Time

Paul’s great ambition to reach Rome
with the gospel is at last realized;
but not without storm, shipwreck
and snakebite. Typical of Paul,
he begins his ministry in Rome
by preaching to the Jews. And
(sadly) typical of Paul’s listeners,
they rejected his message of salvation, prompting him to turn
to the Gentiles. Luke ends his
two volume history of the New
Testament church by describing
Paul’s two-year ministry in Rome
– the apostle in chains but the
gospel very much on the loose.

Lord, we see from Your Perspective:
There stood by me an angel of
God saying: Do not be afraid Paul;
you must be brought before Caesar…
Therefore take heart, men, for
I believe God that it will be just
as it was told me (Acts 27:23-25)
Paul said to the centurion and
the soldiers: Unless these men
stayed in the ship, you cannot
be saved… And when he had said
these things, he took bread and
gave thanks to God in the presence
of them all (Acts 27:31-35).
For two whole years Paul stayed
there in his own rented house and
welcomed all who came to see him.
He proclaimed the kingdom of God
and taught about the Lord Jesus
Christ with all boldness and
without hindrance (Acts 28:30-31)

Lord, we may encounter several
storms in our life before we
anchor in heaven of eternity.
But in the storm that may sweep
our world, we can hide in the
secret place of the Most High.
Lord, may I ever be true to You
the lover of my soul, my ceaseless
Friend, my unchangeable savior.
To You I commit my spirit. Amen.

Dear Lord Almighty, when the
going gets tough, preserve me
from panic and deception, and
from thinking I can get through
on my own ingenuity and strength.
Lead me Lord to depend on You,
be receptive to Your resources
and trust You wholeheartedly.
In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.

Lord, help me be like Paul who
did not see himself as being
victim of unfair occurrences.
Help me see God using even plans
of godless to spread the gospel.
For truly You God can do anything
and no one can stop Your plan.
Thank You Lord for Your careful
attention to the details of my life.
Teach me to be so confident in You
even in challenging circumstances
that You work things for good
in Your way & in Your time. Amen.

Meditating on Acts 24-26

Submitting to Lord’s Will (Mar 27)

Though Paul is no longer free
to take the gospel to others,
God uses his imprisonment to bring
the gospel to three Roman rulers.
Felix delays Paul’s case for two full
years in hope of receiving a bribe.
His successor Festus tries to
shift the responsibility to the
Sanhedrin in order to gain favour with
the Jews. At last, Paul exercises his
right as a Roman citizen by appealing
his case to Caesar. Once again,
before the visiting King Agrippa,
it becomes clear that the corruption
and indecision surrounds Paul’s
case can only be resolved in Rome.

Lord, help us Hold On to Your Vision:
King Agrippa I was not disobedient
to that vision from heaven… that
all must turn from their sins and
turn to God… Some Jews arrested
me in the temple for preaching
these… But I teach nothing except
what the prophets said would
happen: that the Messiah would
suffer and rise from the dead as a
light to Jews & Gentiles (A26:19-23)
Agrippa interrupted him: Do you
think you can persuade me to
become a Christian so quickly?
Paul replied: Whether quickly or
not, I pray to God that both you
and everyone here might become
the same as I am (v28-29).
And Agrippa said to Festus:
He could be freed if he had
not appealed to Caesar (v33).

Lord, what vision do You have
for me in this season of my life?
Help me truly discern Your leading.
I know Your vision may involve
a sacrificial mission of sorts.
Grant me Lord the courage to
pursue Your vision for my life.
Let Your vision renew in me
a peaceful & joyful self-denial.
Renew in me Your vision & purpose,
a passion and vigor. In Jesus’ name.

Lord, just as Paul shared the good
news to King Agrippa, we purpose
to seize every opportunity to share
Christ to others. We are amazed
by Paul’s readiness to go to Rome
knowing that’s God’s plan for him.
Grant us grace to serve God’s will
even if it does involve personal
sacrifice in doing so. Amen.

Lord, Agrippa thought Paul’s
decision to appeal to Caesar
was a mistake. However, Paul
knew that going to Rome was
part of God’s plan for him; and
so he was happy to go, rather
than yearning for his freedom.
Lord, help us to hold on to the
vision and promises that God
has given us. In Jesus’ name.

Reflection on Psalms Book 3 (Mar 26)

Knowing God thru His Names

The purpose of Psalms is to provide
poetry for the expression of praise,
worship and confession to God.
Psalms Book 3 is similar to Leviticus.
Just as Leviticus discusses the tabernacle and God’s holiness,
many of these psalms discusses
the temple and God’s enthronement.
This week we understand God better
thru His revelation of names, mostly
related to His ability to meet needs.
On Monday, we learn from Ps 73
about God as Strength of My Heart.
On Tuesday, we learn from Ps 77
about God Who Performs Miracles.
On Wednesday, we learn from
Ps 80 about God of Hosts.
On Thursday, we learn from
Ps 88 about Lord God of Salvation.
On Friday, we learn from Ps 89
about the Lord Our Defense.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.

Knowing God In Psalm 89

The Lord Our Defense (Mar 26)

Psalms 84-89 are essentially
heartfelt petitions to God to
satisfy us again (Ps 84);
revive us again (Ps 85);
hear us again (Ps 86);
gather us again (Ps 87);
encourage us again (Ps 88);
make us to sing again (Ps 89).
And each psalm concludes with
a benediction that God will do
precisely that in response to
the prayers of His people.

Praise be to Lord Our Defense:
I will sing of the mercies of
the Lord forever; with my
mouth will I make known Your
faithfulness to all generations.
For I have said: Mercy shall
be built up forever; Your
faithfulness shall be established…
For You are the glory of
their strength, and in Your
favour our horn is exalted.
For our shield (Maginnenu)
belongs to the Lord (Jehovah)
– Psalm 89:1-2, 17-18.

Lord Jehovah Maginnenu,
my shield belongs to You
because You are our defense.
You are all powerful and stand
in defense of those who fear You
Lord and put their trust in You.
And nothing whether it has to do
with health, finances or relationship
can overtake us when we trust
in You as our defense. Amen.

Lord, I often say that You are
my defense, but when my
back is up against the wall,
I quickly look for someone or
something else to bail me out.
Forgive me for forgetting so easily
that You truly are my defense.
And forgive me for seeking to
justify and vindicate myself rather
than allowing You to do so. Amen.

Lord Jehovah Maginnenu, when
I’m falsely accused, reveal the lie
behind the accusation and silence
those who seek to do me harm.
Lord, I seek Your kingdom and
the advancement of Your will.
Keep at bay those who try to
dissuade me from living a life
of fruitfulness. In Jesus’ name.

Knowing God In Psalm 88

Lord God of Your Salvation (Mar 25)

Psalms 84-89 are essentially
heartfelt petitions to God to
satisfy us again (Ps 84);
revive us again (Ps 85);
hear us again (Ps 86);
gather us again (Ps 87);
encourage us again (Ps 88);
make us to sing again (Ps 89).
And each psalm concludes with
a benediction of confidence
that God will do precisely that
in response to the prayers
of His people.

O Lord, God of my Salvation
(Jehovah Elohim Yeshua) I have
cried out day and night before You.
Let my prayer come before You;
Incline Your ear to my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles…
But to You I have cried out,
O Lord, and in the morning
my prayer come before You.
Lord, why do You cast off my soul?
Why do You hide Your face
from me? (Psalm 88:1-3, 13-14).

Lord Jehovah Elohim Yeshua,
I confess that I sometimes
try to be my own saviour.
Rather than look to You Lord,
I try to find my own solutions
and force them into place.
I acknowledge as Jehovah Elohim
Yeshua, You are the one who saves.
Forgive me for not turning to You
and instead turning to others to
seek solutions for the trials I face.
For I should indeed always turn
to You first in everything. Amen.

Lord Jehovah Elohim Yeshua,
I seek Your Salvation in my life.
Save me from my own mistakes
and sins. Rescue me from the
consequences I have brought
myself by making wrong choices.
Save me from a life of wasted hours
and rescue my heart from pains.
Show me Your great hand of
salvation O Yeshua. And Lead me
from my own bondage and into
a land of rest. In Jesus’ name.

Lord Jehovah Elohim Yeshua, You
are the Lord God of my salvation.
You save not only eternally
but also in time and history.
By trusting in Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of my sins,
I have received eternal salvation.
And by trusting in You Jehovah
Elohim Yeshua in my daily life,
I see You saving me from needless
pain, confusion, waste and regret.
You are the God who saves. Amen

Knowing God In Psalm 80

God of Hosts (March 24)

The psalms of Asaph conclude with
six testimonies to the greatness
and faithfulness of the God of Israel.
He has kept His promises in
the past (Ps 78), a comforting
reminder in the face of an uncertain
future (Ps 79-80). God is there
(Ps 81) and He is not silent
(Ps 82-83) when it comes to
overthrowing idols and enemies.

Lord God of hosts (Elohim Tsebaoth)
How long will You be angry
against the prayer of Your people?
You have fed them with the
bread of tears, and given them
tears to drink in great measure…
O God of Hosts (Elohim Tsebaoth),
restore us and cause Your face
to shine upon us and we will be
saved (Psalm 80:4-7). Amen.

Lord God of hosts, we give You
honour, praise and adoration
for You are worthy of all glory.
You have the power to defeat
the greatest and largest of
opponents because You are
Elohim Tsebaoth the Lord of hosts.
Thank You Lord for the power of Your
name, which gives me the courage
to stand firm in the face of what
will normally frighten me. Amen.

Lord God of hosts, You are great
and powerful. Yet we often dismiss
You as if You were not present.
We go about our business with
little or even no regard for how
our actions impact Your kingdom.
Forgive us for our lack of honour
and respect to You, for You are
indeed worthy of all praise. Amen.

Lord God of hosts, when I am
struggling to overcome an issue,
won’t You help me fight the battle?
When someone is treating me
unfairly, won’t You intervene?
With You Lord on my side,
I will surely come out victorious.
And I have nothing to fear
when I acknowledge You as
the mighty Lord of hosts. Amen.

Knowing God In Psalm 77 (Mar 23)

God Who Performs Miracles

In Psalms 73 to 77 by Asaph,
those who ignore God will find
their path slippery and their
prosperity short-lived (Ps 73, 75).
By contrast, those who order their
lives according to God’s Word will
discover hope in the midst of havoc
(Ps 74) and resources to face every
situation in life victoriously (P76-77).

Lord, You’re Able to Do Anything:
I will remember the works
of the Lord; surely I will
remember Your wonders of old.
I will also meditate on all Your
work and talk of Your deeds…
You are the God
who performs miracles;
You display Your Power among
the peoples (Ps 77:11-14) Amen.

Lord, You’re Able to do
miracles and work wonders.
Remind me of Your limitless power.
Remind me of Your past deeds.
I serve a God who can do anything.
You demonstrate Your infinite
strengths among the nations.
Display that same might in my life.
For You love to do God-sized
things and nothing is too difficult
for You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lord, In Your sovereignty, You may
choose not to deliver us from our
trials yet, then give us the ability
to hang on and keep Trusting You.
For we realise sometimes You may
be growing our faith muscles,
when one is able because of
God’s sustaining strength endure
crushing troubles until His chosen
kairos timing arrives. Amen.

Lord, You said through Prophet
Habakkuk that the vision
is Yet for an appointed time;
at the end it will speak & not lie.
Though it tarries, Wait for it;
because it will surely come!!
So Lord, make all things
beautiful in Your time.
And show me Lord each day
as You’re teaching me Your way
That You Do just what You say
In Your time. In Jesus’ name, Amen