Daily Encouragement

JULY 6, 2008 - Our God Is Real

Meditation on Psalm 33

The theme song of our Vacation Bible School this year is "Our God is real". Our children and teachers loved this song and sang it with motion. Some people today rather think that God is a fake. But King David long ago had proved that God was real and we can still experience that God is real today.

Psalm 33 calls us all to sing and praise God because God speaks to us through His Word in the Scriptures and He sees all dwellers of the earth. God's Word created all things and He knows what is going on. He cares for all of us especially those who love Him with awe.

No matter how great a man or a nation think they are, in the end every man needs God to deliver him out of trouble. You and I must wait on the LORD and hope in Him.

In this Independence Day season of U.S., let us remember that it is God who established this nation through our founders. And "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance." (v. 12 NKJV)

JULY 7, 2008 - God Is So Good

Meditation on Psalm 34

After God had delivered him from his trouble as a fugitive, David wrote this Psalm. It is such a wonderful psalm that you would love it as you read it.

As usual, David began by praising God as all believers should. Have you noticed the word, "continually" in verse one?

I enjoy reading all that God would do for those who trust in Him such as

"The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them." (v. 7 NKJV)

"O taste and see that the LORD is good;" (v. 8a)

"Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing." (v. 9 NIV)

"But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing." (v. 10 NKJV)

Several times, God's word affirmed that He will deliver us out of all our troubles.

Most importantly, "the LORD redeems the soul of His servants" (v. 22)

David also spelled out in detail the requirement to have these blessings: Humility, broken heart, contrite spirit, reverent trust in God, keeping tongue from evil and deceit, seek peace and the righteousness of God. (Thank God we can have it by believing in Jesus.).

Indeed, God is good all the time!

JULY 8, 2008 - When Friends Become Enemies

Meditation on Psalm 35

In our walks of life, we may run into a terrible situation as David had experienced: Our intimate friends turn against us for no legitimate reason. It is very difficult to face a time like this. Let us see how David dealt with it.

This man of God showed us he told God all about it. Since he was gifted in music, he expressed his feeling of frustration openly to God.

This emotion of being betrayed is hard to be understood by others sometimes. But we can learn to air it out with God.

David pleaded for God 's defense for him and destruction against his enemies who tried to trap him. (v. 1-8) He had confidence that God would see his poor and needy condition and would deliver him so he could praise the LORD. (v. 9-10)

David pointed out that he did love those enemies and declared how he prayed and fasted for them with genuine feelings when they were sick. Yet to no avail, his prayers were not answered. But when David was in trouble, these people gathered together to attack him. (v. 11-16)

Once again, David promised to God that he would praise God for his deliverance among the congregation. (v. 17-18)

David could not stand the laughter, verbal attack, the deceit, and the boasting of these people whom he knew so well yet had hated him for no cause. He asked God to vindicate him but shamed his attackers and confused their plot. (v. 19-26)

The third time in this psalm, he worship and prayed, "Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. And let them say continually, 'let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.' And my tongue shall speak of your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long." (v. 27-28 NKJV)

All Christians who offer his or her gifts, talents and resources to the ministries of God are servants of God. We should pray as the servants of God like David and defend for all the servants of God in the days when the servants of God are blamed, criticized, abused and attacked without right cause by those who deny Jesus and make fun of the Word of God.

JULY 9, 2008 - In God's Light We See Light

Meditation on Psalm 36

David, the servant of the LORD claimed that this psalm was an oracle which meant that it was an utterance from God in the prophetic tradition. (v. 1a)

God had directly revealed to David the content of this psalm. There were three parts to it.

First, God revealed to him the sinfulness of mankind who did not fear God. (v. 1-4) "For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin." (v. 2 NIV) In other word, people do not see their own sin.

Then, God also showed David that he was merciful to man, "Your mercy, O LORD is in the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the cloud." (v. 5 NKJV) God grants understanding to us so that "In Your light we see light". (v. 9) Consequently, we would seek His salvation by trusting in Him. This section from verse 5 to 9 is such a rich description of God's goodness that you must read it again and again. It is so interesting to notice David said that God's house would provide us with fullness of spiritual blessings. (v. 8) We find that is so true in our church these days as we see how God has blessed our Vacation Bible School, heard our prayers for healing, provided our lives with happiness and used us to minister to others.

From verses 10-12, God illuminated us through David that we need to ask God to grant us mercy and love continually. God will protect us as we pray.

May all of us understand such truth of God under His light.

JULY 10, 2008 - Inherit The Land

Meditation on Psalm 37

We all want to have our own property. We feel secure when we own our land and our house. God knows that. In this psalm there are six times David mentioned that God's people will inherit the land. Spiritually this refers to God's people having God's covenant to cover them and belong to His kingdom. Therefore they are given inheritance in the land of God. Verse 11 says, "The meek shall inherit the earth..." That is the same as Jesus said in Matthew 5:5, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." (NKJV) Today all Christians are purchased by the blood of Christ and are under His new covenant.

God calls upon us not to feel bad when the evil doers are threatening us. He has a lot of promises for those who have an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. Read these precious promises from this psalm: "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 desire of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday." (v. 3-6) When you and I rely on these Words of God, we will have no fear in any circumstances.

But then we also need to "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him..." (v. 7)

This psalm also describes the judgment for the wicked. But it tells us for more about what God will do for the righteous.

Today even if you do not own a piece of land now on earth, you have been granted an inheritance in heaven. (Ephesians 1:11) Moreover, one day when Jesus will come as He promised, you will also own your land on earth too. Praise Him!

JULY 11, 2008 - The Result Of Sin Unconfessed

Meditation on Psalm 38

There are times when we may harbor some secret sins that have screwed up our lives tremendously. This sin will cause great pain for us emotionally, physically as well as our relationship with God and people.

The only way to remove those hurts is sincere confession like David did.

David realized God's chastening in his own soul. He was ill and afflicted with wound which needed healing badly. In his terrible condition, he realized that he needed to be humble and cry for God's deliverance.

His strength was failing and there seemed to have no one willing to help him including his own relatives and friends. Instead his enemies kept giving him more troubles and said bad things about him.

At time like this, the best thing to do is not to response to the critics. "But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; and I am like a mute who does not open his mouth. Thus I am like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth is no response." (v. 13-14 NKJV)

But turn ourselves wholly to God and confess our iniquity. Continue to pray to Him who will not forsake us and is our salvation. Ask Him to make haste to help us.

This psalm was written for a memorial. (See title) Indeed God had restored David so he would tell us his experience: Sin must be acknowledged by oneself before God. And have faith in Him who not only punishes sin but also can wash our sins. King David did. (Psalm 51:7)

JULY 12, 2008 - A Serious Reflection Of Life

Meditation on Psalm 39

When we run into some serious opposition and difficulties in life, it is God's way of telling us to have a careful reflection and evaluation of our own life. David did that. It could be a time of his mid-life crisis. He had great successes and achieved what he wanted. But he realized that his own sinful ways are making him unhappy. He recognized his own inadequacies. He still had people who opposed him. His relationships in the family were not harmonious at all. So I think he wrote this psalm. Handel, the great musician wrote his Oratorio, Messiah with words of this psalm:

“LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measures of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. (v. 4 KJV)

Behold, thou hast made my days as a handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. (v. 5)

Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. (v. 6)

And now, LORD what wait I for? my hope is in thee.” (v. 7)

If you are a Christian, you will find that God's scrutiny is intense. David even said, "O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more." (v. 13) The original idea is that David pleaded God not even to gaze upon him. When you find that this sentiment is happening in your life, you should turn your life to Jesus completely. He is speaking to you.

It seems to me that many Christians are living a successful and a very fast pace life outwardly. But you need to slow down and meditate from God's view point what you are doing. Is you life a vanity? Do you realize that you are living on earth just as a sojourner? (v. 11-12)

God is seeking your total dedication to Him today.