Daily Encouragement

JUNE 8, 2008 - A Morning Prayer

Meditation on Psalm 5

This is a psalm prayed by King David in the morning. The beginning three verses say, "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, for to you I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to you, and I will look up." (NKJV)

David was praying for protection from deception. And he asked for the presence of God in his life as he worship God that day. He wanted to have a straight path for his life. He also appealed to God to deal with those who practiced injustice and disliked God's standard.

Indeed we see our world is full of sinful actions and hypocrisy today. We do need to pray like David in the morning before we go to work. We surely need God's protection in our living from day to day.

We can also have the confidence like David that God will hear our prayer in Jesus' name. We can have the assurance that God will bless us and give us joy for the day because we trust in Him. God in fact will surround us with His shield against any attack. See verse 11-12.

Let us begin praying like that in the morning.

JUNE 9, 2008 - Prayer When We Are Afflicted With Very Serious Illness

Meditation on Psalm 6

Once a while, we may encounter severe sickness in our lives. Let us remember to pray like David to deal with all the physical and emotional stresses that come with it.

First of all David wanted to settle the issue about sins in his life. He pleaded with God not to punish him. He was physically and emotionally in pain. (v.1-3)

"Return, O Lord, deliver me! Oh, save me for your mercies' sake!" (v.4 in NKJV) He sensed that God's favor was not with him. He cried that God would forgive him and come back to him because God was merciful.

David gave another good reason to God that He must hear his prayer in verse 5. What was that?

David's sickness and people's verbal attack caused him to have tremendously emotional pain and worries. He cried so much that his constant tears wet his bed and his eye sight was affected. (v.6-7)

Finally David trusted that God would hear his prayers. Those who attacked him would be ashamed because God was going to heal him. (v.8-10)

One of Jesus' ministries on earth was to heal the sick. The apostle Paul prayed for the sick. Today, the church as Christ's Body can continue to pray for the sick as James prescribed in James 5:14-16.

Each born again believer should remember to pray like David when he himself is seriously ill so that God will answer his prayers.

JUNE 10, 2008 - Dealing With Malicious Slander

Meditation on Psalm 7

Perhaps you may discover someone whom you have treated nicely but turn around to slander you behind your back and is planning with others to harm you. What do you do?

David was accused and pursued by Cush unjustly with the intention to turn him to King Saul. In that tragic moment, David composed this song to sing to God. He expressed his intense feeling and turned to God in prayers.

He communicated to God that he was in great danger. He proclaimed to God his own innocence. He asked for justice and God's action to vindicate the righteous.

This Psalm expressed God's wrath against those who were wicked and constantly committed wrong. What they did will boomerang to themselves.

In times like that, this is the kind of prayers a believer can straight talk to God. And we can also have the confidence like David to sing, "I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD MOST HIGH." (v.17)

God is just!

JUNE 11, 2008 - The Strength Of Praise

Meditation on Psalm 8:1-4, "O LORD our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" (NIV)

This great psalm of David is amazing. It reminds us that we needs to go out door once awhile where there is no obstruction to observe the night sky. Then we will surely feel the glory and majesty of the vast universe and at the same time sense the smallness of self.

The word "praise" in verse two should be translated as "strength" in the original Hebrew. (See NASB) However, Jesus quoted this verse in response to His enemies' criticism of children's praises during His triumphant entry into Jerusalem by saying, "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?" (NIV) That means to me that Jesus understood both the interpretations of "strength" and "praise" were acceptable.

Putting these understandings together, I know that praise needs strength. Moreover, the strength to praise is given by God. He has prepared such strength for children. That is why children love to sing praises to God.

We as adults and youth should recapture the strength of praise from God through the meditation of the greatness of God's creation of the universe.

Most of all we can praise Him for giving us the ability to enjoy and utilize the nature. And we look forward that one day we can all rule over the works of His hand since Jesus has reclaimed the glory and honor for man. (Heb 2:6-11)

JUNE 12, 2008 - Confidence In God's Justice

Meditation on Psalm 9

David, the man of God expressed his thanks to God for His justice. He even sang about it. As believers in God's name we too can pray like him for God's just action in the world and our lives today. We do not give up and feel hopeless as we see the wicked situations in the society and culture. We can trust that God knows it all and He will answer our prayers to show that He is sovereign.

There can be justice in the world today as Christians pray as David did. We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. (Rom 8:28) And He will deal severely with those who forget God.

I have seen it happened in my life. Have you?

JUNE 13, 2008 - Strength For The Heart

Meditation on Psalm 10

Sometimes we are discouraged because God seems to hide Himself. (v.1) We see many wicked deeds and wicked people doing well. Our hearts have become weak in standing for the truth. We worry about what is going to happen in the future. We see that in the world the oppressors against the poor and disadvantaged are not being judged.

The psalmist here teaches us not to give up in praying. He is telling God all that the wicked are doing and thinking. (v.2-11) He pleads for God to rise up and deal with all the unjust situations because God is King all the time. (v.12-16)

There is a tremendous comfort for all the afflicted and humble ones. The psalmist says, "You will prepared their heart; you will cause your ear to hear." (v.17 NKJV) That gives all of us hope that God will even prepare our heart to stand up for the right. Other Bible version translates this as "You will strengthen their heart" (NASB) When our heart is strong, we can continue to be the light of the world rather than hiding under somewhere. And we have the assurance that God will execute His will.

JUNE 14, 2008 - When The Base Of Our Safety Is Eliminated

Meditation on Psalm 11

This short psalm deals with the gut issue of believers' fear and worry. What if the institution or the spiritual advisor whom we have looked up to and relied on in all our life has suddenly crumbled? What if some trusted investment companies or safety installations are destroyed by the terrorists' attacks? David asked, "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteousness do?" (v.3 NASB)

The answer is found in two places: One, God is in His church. We need to get together as His people to worship Him and seek His help away from our enemy.

Two, God is still ruling in heaven. We need to understand that He is still in charge and that He is allowing all these happening as a test of all the sons of men, righteous or wicked. (v.4-5)

God's word also assures us that He will destroy His enemies with fire and wind. However, the upright will personally experience His presence on earth and in heaven. (v.7)