KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, June 10, 2016
Chapters: Psalms 18-22
Message: Thou Art My God
Hello My Friend,
You know, as much as we think we mess up trying to be a faithful Christian there is something we often forget, grace. God’s wonderful and amazing grace. Grace is more than God saving us from what we deserve, it is faith, meekness, humility, patience, favor, mercy, pardon, good will, kindness, the list is endless. Grace is the source of all the benefits received from God. When you are depressed and cannot get out of bed, grace helps you get your feet on the floor. When you are down to your last penny and have no food, grace will provide. When your heart has been broken and you cannot breathe, grace will mend the pieces. “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” – James 4:5,6.
“God resisteth the proud,” The proud, those who are too conceded to admit they have done wrong, who believe all they have was gotten by their own hard work, who will never confess to Jesus they need Him. Understand that it is good to work hard, and there are great benefits when we do, but we must not be so proud that we forget that many play a part in making things happen for us, most of all God. God sends rain down on the saved and unsaved, but He gives much more to those who humble themselves and choose Him. “Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.” – Psalms 18:24-30.
“he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.” Buckler, a shield, a protector. Jesus is our buckler, our protection from hell, the second death, evil, temptation, sin, and the devil. When everything is falling apart it is the grace of Jesus that keeps us together. We must trust Him because every knee will bow to Him, and we will all be accountable for our work. “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” – Romans 14:11,12.
The world makes such a big deal out of choosing God, to them it is like pulling teeth out. God forbid that we are to live by some standards that have nothing to do with flaunting our bodies, acting like drunken fools, or even making the next sell. God will give us everything we need and desire here in earth, of course, He wants us to enjoy life, but He would like for us to live a moral life while doing it. “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” – Psalms 19:9-14.
“and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” What is the great transgression? People have been trying to figure out what this may be for centuries, some have said, talking bad about the Holy Spirit, as Jesus said this was unforgivable, but if you read the whole verse, and even what Jesus said, the psalmist is asking God to keep him away from committing sin that is common to everyone, he knows he is a sinner, he also knows the LORD is his Redeemer. Of all the wrong we can do, the worse, most tragic thing we can ever do is not receive Christ. We could have all that we ever wanted, and live the greatest life the world can offer, but without Christ we are dead, we will be in hell. And nothing is more tragic than eternal hell because we never saved our soul. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” – Revelation 21:8.
David was one of the greatest, most godliest men in the Bible, he was not perfect, he messed up a lot, yet God had respect for him because he feared Him. Fearing God means to give honor to Him by respecting Him, living a life that is pleasing to Him, confessing sin, repenting from dead works. David never saw Jesus, but he had hope, he knew that He would come through his seed, and that the best life has nothing to do with what the world has, but what the anointed have, salvation. “We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions. Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.” – Psalms 20:5-8.
“Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed;” The anointed is none other than Jesus Christ Himself, Christ’s name means, the ANOINTED. Nothing in this world can replace the need for Christ, He saves ALL who believe in and receive Him as their Saviour. Without Him, we will fall, they will have their reward. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” – I Corinthians 6:9-11.
You see, this is not about our flesh, our flesh is going to die, that is something we cannot avoid unless Jesus returns today and raptures all the saved out of here. This is about our soul, where will it be. While David had great faith in God, he dealt with a lot of challenges, before and after becoming king. Quite often you will see him complaining to God in discouragement and praising Him, all in the same Psalm, which is like most of us who live for God. While David does complain, and knows that his enemies will have to deal with God themselves, he wonders why God is so good to him anyway. An amazing prophecy is also foretold here as he describes the crucifixion of the Saviour. “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.” – Psalms 22:6-11.
“thou art my God from my mother’s belly.” Did you realize that we are born with the knowledge of God from birth? Yes, we are all God’s in the womb. Worldly influence, emotions, pride, all these things play a part in whether or not we keep that knowledge of God and come to know Jesus. Jesus was brought here to be despised by the sons of men, to be the sacrifice to redeem a life bound for hell once and for all. He did not have to live a sinless life, He did not have to be mocked, beaten, and spit on, He did not have to stay on that cross, He could have come down from that cross, but He endured it all so all who believe in Him could live. Living a godly life has nothing to do with our salvation, it has everything to do with bringing others to Christ. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1,2.
Jesus Christ Revealed: Today, Jesus is revealed in several places, as the Rock (18:31), as the Anointed (20:6), and as His crucifixion is described (22:9-18). Jesus is the only Rock upon which we stand that we are anointed with eternal life by believing in His death, burial, and resurrection. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” – Romans 10:9.
Today’s Prayer: God, As much as I understand that Your timing is everything and as long as I wait patiently You will give me what I need. I thank You for bringing me this far, to imagine what mess I would be in if You were not in my life would be frightening. I know You have more waiting for me as I patiently allow You to prepare me, strengthen me, and keep me depending on You. I ask You to give me Your power to wait on You, to not become discouraged, and to be strong even if I am the only one trusting You. I trust that You will bring me to victory, my Lord, my strength, my Redeemer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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