Difference between revisions of "September 8th"

Latest revision as of 22:18, 30 July 2011

Day By Day Grace Readings September 1, September 2nd September 3rd September 4th September 5th September 6th September 7th September 8th September 9th September 10th September 11th September 12th September 13th September 14th September 15th September 16th September 17th September 18th September 19th September 20th September 21st September 22nd September 23rd September 24th September 25th September 26th September 27th September 28th September 29th September 30th

David Urging Others to Trust in the Lord

Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:3-5)

Those who live by grace trust in God to work in their lives. We can see David's heart to live this way, as he urges others to trust in the Lord. "Trust in the LORD... feed on His faithfulness... Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him.

God wants His people to be characterized by goodness. Yet, David affirmed that no one does good on their own. "There is none who does good, No, not one" (Psalm 14:3). So, for anyone to do good, the Lord must do a good work in and through their lives. Those who place their trust in the Lord find the will and the strength to do that which is good in the sight of God. "Trust in the LORD, and do good." To be faithful in doing good, God's people must be nurtured in God's faithfulness. "Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness." Those who place their trust in a faithful God become increasingly faithful servants of God.

Of course, the work of God in lives is centered in the heart of man. David prayed for an undivided heart of reverential trust toward the Lord. "Unite my heart to fear Your name" (Psalm 86:11). Everyone who is willing to let the Lord be the captivating joy of their inner man will have God Himself planting godly desires within their heart. "Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart." These implanted desires are then worked outward unto godly living.

As this godliness is developing, we desire that the Lord's path for our lives would become increasingly evident. We have a growing interest in walking in the ways of the Lord. David had such a desire in his heart toward the Lord. "Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me" (Psalm 25:4-5). The Lord teaches those who are willing to entrust their lives into His directing. "Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass." Those who do place their lives under the sovereign care of God enjoy the great privilege of having the Lord God almighty governing the very steps that they take day by day.

Heavenly Father, I want to trust in You that I might see Your goodness developing in my life. I want to have You as the ultimate joy of my heart that You might have free rein to plant Your desires deep within me. I want to entrust my life into Your hands that I might have You controlling my daily path, through Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.

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-'''[[Day By Day Grace Readings September 1]], [[September 2nd|September 2nd]] [[September 3rd|September 3rd]] [[September 4th|September 4th]] [[September 5th|September 5th]] [[September 6th|September 6th]] [[September 7th|September 7th]] [[September 8th|September 8th]] [[September 9th|September 9th]] [[September 10th|September 10th]] [[September 11th|September 11th]] [[September 12th|September 12th]] [[September 13th|September 13th]] [[September 14th|September 14th]] [[September 15th|September 15th]] [[September 16th|September 16th]] [[September 17th|September 17th]] [[September 18th|September 18th]] [[September 19th|September 19th]] [[September 20th|September 20th]] [[September 21st|September 21st]] [[September 22nd|September 22nd]] [[September 23rd|September 23rd]] [[September 24th|September 24th]] [[September 25th|September 25th]] [[September 26th|September 26th]] [[September 27th|September 27th]] [[September 28th|September 28th]] [[September 29th|September 29th]] [[September 30th|September 30th]] [[September 30th|September 30th]] '''
+'''[[Day By Day Grace Readings September 1]], [[September 2nd|September 2nd]] [[September 3rd|September 3rd]] [[September 4th|September 4th]] [[September 5th|September 5th]] [[September 6th|September 6th]] [[September 7th|September 7th]] [[September 8th|September 8th]] [[September 9th|September 9th]] [[September 10th|September 10th]] [[September 11th|September 11th]] [[September 12th|September 12th]] [[September 13th|September 13th]] [[September 14th|September 14th]] [[September 15th|September 15th]] [[September 16th|September 16th]] [[September 17th|September 17th]] [[September 18th|September 18th]] [[September 19th|September 19th]] [[September 20th|September 20th]] [[September 21st|September 21st]] [[September 22nd|September 22nd]] [[September 23rd|September 23rd]] [[September 24th|September 24th]] [[September 25th|September 25th]] [[September 26th|September 26th]] [[September 27th|September 27th]] [[September 28th|September 28th]] [[September 29th|September 29th]] [[September 30th|September 30th]]'''
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-===Once More on David and the Lord's Loving-kindness ===
+===David Urging Others to Trust in the Lord===
-<span style="color:darkred">How '''precious''' is Your '''loving-kindness''', O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and '''You''' give them '''drink''' from the '''river''' of '''Your pleasures'''. For '''with You''' is the '''fountain''' of '''life'''.</span style="color:darkred"> (Psalm 36:7-9)
+<span style="color:darkred">'''Trust in''' the '''LORD''', and do good; Dwell in the land, and '''feed''' on '''His faithfulness'''. '''Delight yourself''' also in the '''LORD''', And He shall give you the desires of your heart. '''Commit your way''' to the '''LORD, Trust''' also in '''Him''', And '''He''' shall '''bring''' it to '''pass'''.</span style="color:darkred"> (Psalm 37:3-5)
-As we go further into these verses, David confesses to God another reason why he had such a yearning for the Lord's loving-kindness. "'''You''' give them '''drink''' from the '''river''' of '''Your pleasures'''." Those who are drawn to God's lovingkindness (desiring to face all of life on the basis of His loving commitment to His people) find a delightful spiritual river from which to drink by faith.
+Those who live by grace trust in God to work in their lives. We can see David's heart to live this way, as he urges others to trust in the Lord. "'''Trust in''' the '''LORD... feed''' on '''His faithfulness... Commit your way''' to the '''LORD''', '''Trust''' also in '''Him'''.
-This world is a dry place, spiritually speaking. As we saw previously, David understood this clearly. "O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul '''thirsts''' for '''You'''; My flesh '''longs''' for '''You''' in a '''dry''' and '''thirsty land''' where there is '''no water'''" (Psalm 63:1). In this dry and barren world, David experienced much anguish. He served a king who wrongfully persecuted him. "'''Saul''' saw and '''knew''' that the '''LORD''' was '''with David''', and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him; and Saul was '''still more afraid''' of '''David'''. So '''Saul''' became '''David's enemy continually'''" (1 Samuel 18:28-29). David had a wife who mocked his love for God. "And as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, '''Michal''', Saul's daughter, looked through a window and '''saw''' King '''David leaping''' and '''whirling before the LORD'''; and she '''despised him''' in '''her heart'''" (2 Samuel 6:16). He had a son who betrayed him. "Now '''Absalom''' would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate...Moreover Absalom would say, ''''Oh, that I''' were made '''judge''' in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to '''me'''; then I would give him '''justice'...''' So Absalom '''stole the hearts''' of the '''men of Israel'''" (2 Samuel 15:2, 4, 6).
+God wants His people to be characterized by '''goodness'''. Yet, David affirmed that no one does good on their own. "There is '''none''' who does '''good''', No, '''not one'''" (Psalm 14:3). So, for anyone to do good, the Lord must do a good work in and through their lives. Those who place their trust in the Lord find the will and the strength to do that which is good in the sight of God. "'''Trust in''' the '''LORD''', and '''do good'''." To be faithful in doing good, God's people must be nurtured in God's faithfulness. "Dwell in the land, and '''feed''' on '''His faithfulness'''." Those who place their trust in a '''faithful''' God become increasingly '''faithful servants''' of God.
-In this barrenness of unfaithful relationships, David sought after the Lord earnestly. "I spread out my hands to You; '''My soul longs for You''' like a '''thirsty land'''" (Psalm 143:6). In stark contrast to such heart-breaking, human disappointments, David found the Lord's lovingkindness to be like a satisfying river of spiritual delights. "'''You''' give them '''drink''' from the '''river''' of '''Your pleasures'''." He found the Lord to be an ever-flowing supply of true life. "For '''with You''' is the '''fountain''' of '''life'''." In the Lord's lovingkindness, David found loyal love, steadfast commitment, and abounding grace.
+Of course, the work of God in lives is centered in the '''heart''' of man. David prayed for an '''undivided''' heart of '''reverential trust''' toward the Lord. "'''Unite''' my '''heart''' to '''fear''' Your '''name'''" (Psalm 86:11). Everyone who is willing to let the Lord be the captivating joy of their inner man will have God Himself planting godly desires within their heart. "'''Delight yourself''' also in the '''LORD''', And '''He''' shall '''give''' you the '''desires''' of your '''heart'''." These implanted desires are then worked outward unto godly living.
-<span style="color:red">Dear Lord, my fountain of life, the world as been a dry and thirsty land for me as well. There has been opposition, rejection, and betrayal. Lord, I want to come to You day by day to drink by faith from the lovingkindness that You alone can pour forth, in Jesus' name, '''Amen'''.</span style="color:darkred">
+As this godliness is developing, we desire that the Lord's path for our lives would become increasingly evident. We have a growing interest in walking in the ways of the Lord. David had such a desire in his heart toward the Lord. "'''Show''' me '''Your ways''', O LORD; '''Teach''' me '''Your paths. Lead''' me in '''Your truth''' and '''teach''' me" (Psalm 25:4-5). The Lord teaches those who are willing to entrust their lives into His directing. "'''Commit your way''' to the '''LORD''', '''Trust''' also in '''Him''', And '''He''' shall '''bring''' it to '''pass'''." Those who do place their lives under the sovereign care of God enjoy the great privilege of having the Lord God almighty governing the very steps that they take day by day.
+<span style="color:red">Heavenly Father, I want to trust in You that I might see Your goodness developing in my life. I want to have You as the ultimate joy of my heart that You might have free rein to plant Your desires deep within me. I want to entrust my life into Your hands that I might have You controlling my daily path, through Jesus Christ, my Lord, '''Amen.'''</span style="color:darkred">