Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 21:8-13
Ps 21:8-13
8 Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes. 9 At the time of your appearing you will make them like a fiery furnace. In his wrath the LORD will swallow them up, and his fire will consume them. 10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from mankind. 11 Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed; 12 for you will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow. 13 Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might.
1 Thess 3:11-13
12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
As long as we live in this world, we will face all kinds of challenges. This life is filled with problems, with heartaches, with pain and suffering. There are financial issues that can bring great stress upon us. There is sickness that comes to us or to those we love. Accidents happen, family members die, marriages end in divorce, jobs are lost and the list goes on. Some of the things we face are considered small while some are major in our minds and even in the consequences of them.
We are faced with all kinds of temptations to turn away from God, to give in to sin in various forms. Again, some of these are what we consider as “big” and may have life changing consequences while others are “small” in our eyes and seem to not really matter. All sin matters because it is an assault on God and a rejection of Jesus as our Lord. Sin comes as we give in to our selfish fleshly desires.
Some of the temptations we face are foreseeable and we can avoid the sin or we can be prepared when it hits. Other trials come on us unexpectedly and we are forced to make a decision that must come from our inner character without even having time to think it over. Many trials come because of where we are or who we are with. These can be avoided with proper planning. Whatever the trial we face, with the help of God we can overcome and our faith will be made stronger.
Heavenly Father I am thankful for your love for me and your promise to never forsake me. Thank you for helping me overcome temptations and for forgiving me when I fail. Give me wisdom to avoid the very appearance of evil and to keep my mind focused on you. Give me a pure heart and clean lips to honor you in all I do and say. Give me wisdom to keep my priorities in order so I can accomplish what you would have me do. Fill my heart with love and compassion for others and use me to help them physically and spiritually. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
