Tag Archives: psalm 25

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Seeking God’s Favor

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Charles Stanley

Proverbs 3:3-4

Were you ever tempted to think that the Lord plays favorites? Some stories in the Bible give that impression. Take Mary, for instance. When the angel Gabriel saw her, he said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). Then think about Moses—God used to speak with him face-to-face as a man speaks with his friend (Ex. 33:11). And of course there’s Samuel, who grew in favor with God and man (1 Sam. 2:26). The Bible says that God let none of his words fall to the ground (3:19 niv). Wouldn’t these be considered examples of favoritism?

In spite of appearances, it really is not. As we learned in yesterday’s lesson, God can bestow or withdraw favor, but it does not happen arbitrarily. God’s favor is available to everyone.

How, then, is the favor of the Lord obtained? First of all, by asking for it. The psalmist says, “I sought Your favor with all my heart” (Ps. 119:58). And then in today’s passage from Proverbs, we learn that we can embrace kindness and truth, and they will lead to favor in the sight of God and men.

An especially helpful scripture is found in Psalm 25. Here we are told that “the secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him” (v. 14). The word “secret” in this context refers to a sweet and private closeness. It is available to those who fear God, which means that it is not just for a few favorites. On the contrary, His precious “secrets” are for everyone who chooses to walk in kindness, obedience, and the fear of the Lord.

 

 

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — All Through This Hour

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Our Daily Bread

Psalm 25:1-11

Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day. —Psalm 25:5

The majestic chime of London’s Great Clock of Westminster, commonly known as Big Ben, is familiar to many. In fact, some of us may have clocks in our homes that sound the same hourly chime. It is traditionally thought that the melody was taken from Handel’s Messiah. And the lyrics inscribed in the Big Ben clock room have a time significance:

All through this hour,

Lord, be my guide;

And by Thy power,

No foot shall slide.

These lyrics are a good reminder of our constant need for God’s guidance. King David recognized that he needed guidance all through the day as he faced the challenges of life. In Psalm 25 he says: “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day” (v.5). Wanting to be a teachable follower of God, David looked to his Redeemer for direction. His heart’s desire was to wait on God with dependent faith throughout the entire day.

May this be our desire as well. Our requests for God’s help often begin the day, but then competing distractions can pull our attention away from Him. Lord, remind us to pray: “All through this hour, Lord, be my guide.” —Dennis Fisher

There’s never a day nor a season

That prayer may not bless every hour,

And never a prayer need be helpless

When linked with God’s infinite power. —Morton

Let Christ be first in your thoughts in the morning, and last in your thoughts at night.

Bible in a year: Proverbs 6-7; 2 Corinthians 2

 

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – He Cares About You

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Max Lucado

Maybe you don’t want to trouble God with your hurts.  After all, “He’s got famines and pestilence and wars. He won’t care about my little struggles,” you think.  Why don’t you let Him decide that?

Jesus cared enough about a wedding to provide the wine. He cared enough about the woman at the well to give her answers.  1 Peter 5:7 says, “He cares about you.”

Your first step is to go to the right person.  Go to God.  Your second step is to assume the right posture.  Bow before God.  Luke 18:7 reminds us, “God will always give what is right to His people who cry to Him night and day, and He will not be slow to answer them.”

Listen to the prayer in Psalm 25:1-2: “Lord, I give myself to You, my God.  I trust You.”  So, go…bow…and trust.  It’s worth a try, don’t you think?

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – When We Feel Lonely

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Charles Stanley

Psalm 25:15-18

As believers, we have a Father who loves us and desires the best for us. We are part of a large spiritual family with many brothers and sisters. But if that’s the case, why do we sometimes still feel lonely, even when there’s no major crisis in our lives?

The greatest loneliness man can experience is due to separation from the Father. This is a spiritual problem whose source is sin. We experience a break in our close fellowship with the Lord when we disobey Him and go our own way. The remedy is confession (1 John 1:9), which leads to restored fellowship with God. If we refuse to admit our sin, the separation grows worse.

Busyness and preoccupation with earthly affairs also cause this isolation. Sometimes we push aside time with God in order to fulfill our obligations. Or we might focus so heavily on daily living that we ignore Him. To overcome loneliness, spend time reconnecting with God through His Word—take in the knowledge of His deep, abiding love, and meditate on His great promises (Eph. 3:16-18).

Being in harmony with the Lord renews our purpose and energy for life. Then that sense of isolation lessens, hope replaces discouragement, and our focus shifts from “self” to others. It’s important to reconnect with people, so look for opportunities to practice the “one anothers”—encouraging, serving, loving, and supporting those around you.

When David felt isolated and lonely, he turned to the Lord and sought His help. Intimacy with God is both the antidote to loneliness and protection from it.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Who is Privileged?

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Alistair Begg

A woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!’ but he said, ‘blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’ Luke 11:27-28

It is fondly imagined by some that it must have been a very special privilege to be the mother of our Lord, because they suppose that she had the benefit of looking into His very heart in a way in which we cannot hope to do. There may be an appearance of plausibility in this notion, but not much. We do not know that Mary knew more than others; what she did know she did well to store in her heart; but she does not appear from anything we read in the Gospels to have been a better-instructed believer than any of Christ’s other disciples. All that she knew we also may discover.

Are you surprised by this? Here is a text to prove it: “The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”1 Remember the Master’s words–“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”2

The Divine Revealer of secrets tells us His heart, and He keeps nothing back that is needful for us. His own assurance is, “If it were not so, would I have told you . . . ?”3 Does He not today reveal Himself to us in a way that He does not to the world? And since this is so we will not ignorantly cry, “Blessed is the womb that bore you,” but we will intelligently bless God that, having heard the Word and kept it, we first of all have as real a communion with the Savior as His mother had, and in the second place as true an acquaintance with the secrets of His heart as she can be supposed to have obtained. Happy soul to enjoy this privilege!

1 – Psalm 25:15

2 – John 15:15

3 – John 14:2

 

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Joyce Meyer – God Knows and Sees

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The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning. —Psalm 25:14

Nobody else may see the things you do, but God sees them all. Every time you pray, God sees it. Every time you do an act of kindness secretly, God sees it and plans a reward to give you openly (see Matthew 6:1–6).

Serve the Lord in all that you do today. The Word says, “In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hands, for you know not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both alike will be good” (Ecclesiastes 11:6). God will prosper what you do for Him.

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Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Ways That Are Right and Best

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“He will teach the ways that are right and best to those who humbly turn to Him” (Psalm 25:9).

A guide, taking some tourists through Mammoth Cave, reached a place called “The Cathedral.”

Mounting a rock called “The Pulpit,” he said he wanted to preach a sermon, and it would be short.

“Keep close to your guide,” he said.

The tourists soon found it was a good sermon. If they did not keep close to the guide, they would be lost in the midst of pits, precipices and caverns.

It is hard to find one’s way through Mammoth Cave without a guide. It is harder to find one’s way through the world without the lamp of God’s Word.

“Keep your eye on the Light of the World (Jesus) and use the Lamp of God’s Word” is a good motto for the Christian to follow.

Humbly turning to God is one of the most meaningful exercises a person can take. We come in touch with divine sovereignty, and we become instant candidates to discern God’s will for our lives.

Humbling ourselves is clearly in line with God’s formula for revival:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14, KJV).

Bible Reading: Psalm 25:1-8

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: With the enabling of the Holy Spirit, I will fix my heart and mind on Jesus first and others second, which is true humility.

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Learning to Wait – Charles Stanley

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Psalm 25:20-21

What are we to think when God withholds His answer to a prayer? Most likely, you’ve wondered this at some point. As creatures stuck within time, we can find those ticking seconds very frustrating.

We must realize that God doesn’t see us simply in the here and now; He perceives the big picture all at once—where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. He knows exactly how every little decision, action, or blessing will impact our lives.

Do you think God wants to bring some- thing into your life that would absolutely destroy you? Of course not! He knows that what may be a tremendous blessing for you later could completely wreck your life now. For this reason, though the Lord hears your prayer, He often pauses to give you time to prepare for that blessing.

Learning to wait on God demands at least three things of us. First, we must be sensitive to Him. That is, we must nurture our relationship with the Father so we can hear Him when He says “Wait.” Second, we must trust His judgment. Does God know more than we do? Yes. Then we should trust Him. Third, we must be obedient to Him. If we try to make something happen on our own after God tells us to wait, then we’re heading for disaster. The Lord blesses obedience—even obedient waiting.

God doesn’t operate in a vacuum; He works within His relationship with you, on the basis of His omniscience, omnipotence, and love. Never forget He’s actively walking with you, even when He withholds an answer to prayer. It doesn’t mean He’s not there; it means He’s looking out for you even more.

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Receiving Direction without Doubt – Charles Stanley

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Psalm 25:8-9

God wants us to make right decisions, which means choices that align with His will. He has promised to give us instruction and direction so we’ll know how to proceed (Ps. 32:8).

One way to discover the Lord’s will is by following the pattern we looked at yesterday. First, make sure you have a clean heart, clear mind, surrendered will, and patient spirit. Then, add these steps: praying persistently, trusting God’s promises, and receiving His peace.

Although we all want quick answers from the Lord, Scripture tells us to pray tirelessly, without giving up. I remember praying daily for six months before I received a response about one need. During this time, the Lord showed me that He’d tried to give direction earlier, but I hadn’t listened. Fear of failure had been my stumbling block. Once I surrendered my fear, He gave instructions and empowered me to obey. When we persist in prayer, God has the opportunity to draw us closer to Him and prepare us to hear His response.

Knowing and trusting in God’s promises will lift us above our doubts into a place of quiet rest. We may not have an answer yet, but as we wait on Him with hopeful expectation, we’ll experience His peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7).

Scripture urges us to be persistent in prayer, trust in God’s promises, and let Christ’s peace rule in our hearts (Col. 3:15). Doing so will help us find our way past confusion and receive His clear direction without doubting. Discovering Gods will is worth every effort we make and any time spent waiting.