Tag Archives: psalm 34

Presidential Prayer Team; C.P. – For the Birds

October 9, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

As the builders for Domino Day worked on their 4 million domino project in 2005, a sparrow got into the building – and created quite a challenge. The bird caused 23,000 meticulously placed dominos to fall. They tried to capture the creature, to no avail. Finally, as last resort, the sparrow was destroyed. Outrage spread worldwide about the death of the small bird. The shooter had to pay a 200 Euro fine. The bird’s remains were even displayed in a museum in Rotterdam for several months.

Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Luke 12:7

If people can care that passionately about a tiny bird, imagine how much more God cares about people? Today’s verse declares humanity is more valuable than sparrows. They are so treasured in God’s eyes, He sent His only Son to save them (John 3:16).

Jesus said that not one sparrow is forgotten before God and He even knows your hair count. God treasures and cares for you. Find rest and hope in that truth as you deal with whatever challenges come your way. Then pray for this country, the leaders and the troops…knowing God loves you and is attentive to your prayers.

Charles Spurgeon – Comfort proclaimed

September 21, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.” Isaiah 40:1

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Protection From Accidents

August 30, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“The good man does not escape all troubles – he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one. God even protects him from accidents” (Psalm 34:19,20).

Jerry was a new Christian and for the first time was hearing about the importance of the Spirit-filled life. His was a logical question, put to me following one of my lectures on a large university campus.

“Does the Spirit-filled Christian have problems, testings, temptations like the non-believer and the disobedient Christian?” he asked.

“No,” I replied, “the Spirit-filled Christian does not have the same kind of problems that the non-believer and the carnal Christian have, because most of the problems we experience in life are self-imposed. The Spirit-filled person is one who seeks to do the will of God and lives by faith drawing upon the supernatural resources of God the Holy Spirit for every attitude, motive and desire of his life.”

There may be many problems, such as loss of loved ones, financial reverses, illness and disappointments. The Spirit- filled Christian does not escape all troubles. But the Lord is always there with him, undergirding, helping, inspiring, motivating, encouraging, imparting to him wisdom – physical, mental and spiritual resources. Even when tragedy, heartache, sorrow and disappointment come, the Spirit-filled person knows that God is still in control.

Therefore, by faith and obedience to the command of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, he can say, “In all things I give thanks.”

We can know that God helps us in each and every trouble and that He even protects us from accidents.

Bible Reading: Psalm 35:1-9

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I will look for opportunities to remind myself and my friends that our loving God and Father is working in and through every problem we face each day, so that we might mature and become more like our Lord Jesus Christ.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Reverence Brings Reward

August 24, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“If you belong to the Lord, reverence Him; for everyone who does this has everything he needs” (Psalm 34:9).

Roger had a heart for God. He wanted to be everything the Lord wanted him to be. But he was troubled over how to achieve the balance between being what God wanted him to be and doing what God wanted him to do.

As we talked together I reminded Roger that everything flows from our relationship with the Lord – that He has to be primary. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus says, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” As we follow Him, He enables us to become fishers of men.

“If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7, KJV). “Out of the heart are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23, KJV). That which is most on our hearts will be most on our lips. If we love the Lord Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, it will be impossible for us to remain silent.

At the same time, obedience is a confirmation of our walk with the Lord. Jesus said, “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21, KJV).

One of the most important commandments of our Lord is that we lead holy lives. Another is that we be fruitful in our witnessing for Christ. There is no substitute for reverence, worship, praise, adoration.

As we remember to reverence God by enlisting His guiding hand before we get into a predicament, He reaches out in love and extends a protecting hand in the midst of the trouble as we again invoke His divine care. If I am to live the supernatural life today, it will require divine enabling, and I must remain yielded to God’s indwelling Holy Spirit.

Bible Reading: Psalm 34:10-15

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will worship God today as a demonstration of my love and trust for Him by spending quality time with Him in His word and in prayer, and helping others to understand the importance of reverence for and worship of God.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Reflections On Windows

August 8, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Psalm 34:1-10

Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law. —Psalm 119:18

Much of the scenery I saw during our vacation in Alaska was through the windows of moving vehicles. I was thankful for glass that allowed me to see the beauty while remaining warm and dry. But the windows also presented a challenge. When it rained, water drops on the outside obscured the view. When the temperature changed, condensation caused fog to develop on the inside.

Those challenges help me understand why it is impossible for us to see life the way God intended it. Sin obscures the beauty of life that God wants us to enjoy. Sometimes sin is inside—our selfishness creates a fog that makes us see ourselves as more important than we are and causes us to forget about others’ interests. Sometimes sin is outside. The injustice of others causes our tears to fall like rain, preventing us from seeing the goodness of God. Sin of any kind keeps us from seeing the wonder and glory of life as God designed it.

For now, even though “we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror” (1 Cor. 13:12 NLT), we see enough to know that God is good (Ps. 34:8). The many wonderful things that God has revealed will help us to forsake sin and work to minimize its consequences in the world. —Julie Ackerman Link

Lord, improve our vision. Clear the fog that comes from

self-centered thinking. Help us to uphold justice,

to offer comfort to others, and to wipe away the tears

that have been left by the storms of life.

The only way to see life clearly is to focus on Christ.

Bible in a year: Psalms 74-76; Romans 9:16-33

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Bless the Lord at All Times

August 5, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

At times it seems like the whole world lives in fear and dread, but God’s children should not. We are to behave differently from the people of the world; we should let our light shine.

Just being positive in a negative circumstance is a way to do this. The world will notice when we are stable in every kind of situation.

Make up your mind right now that all of life does not need to make you feel good in order for you to face it with peace and joy. Make a decision that you will not dread anything you have to do. Do it all with a thankful attitude.

I never considered driving down the street to get a cup of coffee to be a huge privilege until after I had been hospitalized with breast cancer and had surgery. When I was released, I asked my husband to take me out for a coffee and a drive through a local park. It was amazing how much joy I felt. I was doing a very simple thing that was previously available to me every day, yet I had never seen it as a privilege.

Our son went on an outreach with a team of people who go visit the homeless each Friday evening, and after helping in this ministry, he was appalled at himself for the things he had murmured about in the past once he saw, by comparison, how some people were living.

We would all feel exactly the same way. Those without a place to live would love to have a house to clean, while we dread cleaning ours. They would delight in having a car to drive, even an old one, while we complain about needing to wash ours or take it in for an oil change.

The point is, most of the time we lose sight of how blessed we are, but we should work at keeping it in the front of our thinking. Be thankful you can do anything in Christ, and don’t dread things you have to do.

Trust in Him What are you thankful for? If your trust is in Him, you can face anything with peace and joy and gratitude in your heart.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Anticipate Heaven for a Few Years

July 20, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

The guarantee of our inheritance. Ephesians 1:14

Oh, what enlightenment, what joys, what consolation, what delight of heart is experienced by that man who has learned to feed on Jesus, and on Jesus alone. Yet the realization that we have of Christ’s preciousness is, in this life, imperfect at best. As an old writer says, “‘Tis but a taste!”

We have tasted “that the LORD is good,”1 but we do not yet know how good and gracious He is, although what we know of His sweetness makes us long for more. We have enjoyed the firstfruits of the Spirit, and they have set us hungering and thirsting for the fullness of the heavenly vintage. We groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption. Here we are like Israel in the wilderness, who had but one cluster from the vine; there we shall be in the vineyard. Here we see the manna falling small, like coriander seed; but there shall we eat the bread of heaven and the old corn of the kingdom. We are but beginners now in spiritual education, for although we have learned the first letters of the alphabet, we cannot read words yet, much less can we put sentences together.

But as one says, “He that has been in heaven but five minutes knows more than the general assembly of divines on earth.” We have many unfulfilled desires at present, but soon every wish shall be satisfied, and all our powers shall find the sweetest employment in that eternal world of joy.

O Christian, anticipate heaven for a few years. Within a very little time you will be rid of all your trials and your troubles. Your eyes now suffused with tears shall weep no longer. You will gaze in ineffable rapture upon the splendor of Him who sits upon the throne. Better still, you shall sit upon His throne. The triumph of His glory shall be shared by you; His crown, His joy, His paradise-these will be yours, and you will be co-heir with Him who is the heir of all things.

1 – Psalm 34:8

Uncategorized

Charles Stanley – Led by the Shepherd

June 19, 2013 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

Psalm 34:9-10

As our Good Shepherd, the Lord fills many roles. Yesterday, we saw Him as a pardoning shepherd. He is also a providing shepherd—He knows our necessities before we even ask for help, and He delights in meeting those needs (Matt. 7:9-11). In practical terms, that means He knows what we need physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And He is already at work, achieving and providing things that we may not even have thought of as yet.

Not only does God provide for us; He’s also a protecting shepherd, who defends us from attack. In verse 4 of Psalm 23, notice what comforts the writer—the Lord’s rod and staff. Ancient shepherds used these two implements to defend their sheep from vicious animals seeking a quick meal. God goes ahead of us, clearing our path of the Enemy’s snares.

It is important to note, though, what Psalm 23 does not say. As much as we might want to avoid hard times, this passage doesn’t tell us that God will lead us around the “valley of the shadow of death.” Rather, He leads us through it (v. 4). This means that God’s plan often requires us to walk through painful circumstances, facing those shadows and dark places in our lives. However, in the midst of the rough journey, we can remain confident by keeping our eyes on the Shepherd, who leads us safely home.

Have you experienced the Lord’s provision, only to fall into subsequent doubt and fear because of loss or hardship? He has not left you. God remains your Good Shepherd, leading you through the darkness and into the light, where He is.

Uncategorized

Charles Spurgeon – Looking unto Jesus

May 23, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.” Psalm 34:5

Suggested Further Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

See there he sits in heaven, he has led captivity captive, and now sits at the right hand of God, for ever making intercession for us. Can your faith picture him today? Like a great high priest of old, he stands with outstretched arms: there is majesty in his demeanour, for he is no mean cringing suppliant. He does not beat his breast, nor cast his eyes upon the ground, but with authority he pleads, enthroned in glory now. There on his head is the bright shining mitre of his priesthood, and look you, on his breast are glittering the precious stones whereon the names of his elect are everlastingly engraved; hear him as he pleads, hear you not what it is?—is that your prayer that he is mentioning before the throne? The prayer that this morning you offered before you came to the house of God, Christ is now offering before his Father’s throne. The vow which just now you uttered when you said, “Have pity and have mercy,”—he is now uttering there. He is the Altar and the Priest, and with his own sacrifice he perfumes our prayers. And yet, mayhap, you have been at prayer many a day, and had no answer; poor weeping suppliant, you have sought the Lord and he has not heard you, or at least not answered you to your soul’s delight; you have cried unto him, but the heavens have been as brass, and he has shut out your prayer, you are full of darkness and heaviness on account of this, “Look to him, and be lightened.” If you do not succeed, he will; if your intercession be unnoticed, his cannot be passed away; if your prayers can be like water spilt on a rock which cannot be gathered up, yet his prayers are not like that, he is God’s Son, he pleads and must prevail.

For meditation: The prayers of the true seeker and of believers are not a waste of effort; they are not like letters lost in the post, but reach the throne of God (Acts 10:4; Revelation 5:8). But only praying in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is accepted; prayers addressed to saints, to false gods or to the dead are always turned away—“not known here.”

Sermon no. 195

23 May (1858)

Uncategorized

Campus Crusade – Bill Bright – We Shall Never Lack

May 10, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those of us who reverence the Lord will never lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:10)

“When you have nothing left but God,” a Christian leader once observed, “then for the first time you become aware that God is enough.”

With every command of God is a specific or implied promise to enable us to do what He commands us to do. He always makes it possible for us to fulfill the conditions to obey His commands.

Rarely, will some of us see a check for a million – or even thousands – of dollars. But here is a check for millions of millions, waiting to be cashed by those of us who know and love the Lord, who love Him enough to obey His commands.

Here is a promise of God which is great enough to meet our needs, our wants, even our deepest desires and distresses.

As you and I go through our day, how reassuring it is to know that our reverence for the Lord will be rewarded by provision of every good thing we need. That means the strength, the peace, the courage, the love I need to get me through the decisions, the trials, the testings.

That also means a new consciousness of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit, the one through whom I find the supernatural, abundant life. That means a tender conscience toward God, so that I make a supreme effort to avoid yielding to temptation in any way, lest I grieve my wonderful Lord.

Bible Reading: Psalm 34:1-9

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I shall not be afraid to go to the bank of heaven today and cash a check for all my needs, enabling me to share the supernatural life with all whom my life touches.

Uncategorized

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Gives Attention

May 8, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“For the eyes of the Lord are intently watching all who live good lives, and He gives attention when they cry to Him” (Psalm 34:15).

A mother and her little 4-year-old daughter were preparing to retire for the night. The child was afraid of the dark, and the mother, on this occasion alone with the child, also felt fearful.

After the light was turned out, the child glimpsed the moon outside the window.

“Mother,” she asked, “is the moon God’s light?”

“Yes,” replied the mother.

“Will God put out His light and go to sleep?”

“No, my child,” the mother replied, “God never goes to sleep.”

“Well,” said the child, with the simplicity of childlike faith, “as long as God is awake, there is no sense in both of us staying awake.”

God expects you and me – with that same kind of childlike faith – not only to live good lives but also to cry out to Him in our times of need, knowing that He watches intently and gives attention to our every cry.

Again we have that helpful imagery of guiding eyes, the eyes of Him who rules and reigns over all – who is concerned about each one of His children, and equally concerned about those who have not yet trusted in Him for He is not willing that any should perish.

Bible Reading: Psalm 34:16-22

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I shall not be afraid to cry out to the Lord when circumstances warrant a call to the Almighty. In the meantime I will devote special time today to worship, praise and thank Him for His goodness to me.

Uncategorized

Joyce Meyer – Use the Keys

May 1, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

They who seek (inquire of and require) the Lord [by right of their need and on the authority of His Word], none of them shall lack any beneficial thing. –Psalm 34:10

Jesus said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19).

As a believer, you have authority to live a life of victory and to forbid the devil to torment you. It is not lawful for him to destroy you in heaven, so it is not lawful for him to destroy you during your days on earth. Use the keys of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus has passed to you. Loose God’s blessings upon your efforts and bind the evil works that come against the fruit of your labors today.

Uncategorized

Charles Stanley – Trusting God in All Situations

April 5, 2013 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

Romans 8:28-29

Psalm 34:7 promises that every believer is encircled with God’s presence. We are also assured that even the hardest parts of life will be woven into His plan and nothing can touch us without His permission. That’s good news.

The idea that God is present in everything often brings up a lot of questions in the Christian’s mind. For example:

• Does the Lord cause people to sin? God never initiates sin, nor does He lure us to transgress. His purposes are to rescue us from sin’s power (Col. 1:13) and transform us into Jesus’ likeness (Rom. 8:29).

• How can the Lord use our sin for good? Through the times we fail, He will reveal to us our true nature—that is, our weaknesses, faults, and pride. His Spirit will convict us of wrongdoing and lead us to true repentance (John 16:8). Furthermore, He will teach us the consequences of disobedience and the wonders of His forgiving nature.

• Is God present in the lives of those who are not in His family? The Lord is involved with unbelievers, but in a different way: He continually extends His love in order to convict them of sin and their need for a Savior. However, He does not ignore their rebellion (Rom. 1:18; 2:2).

Now consider the life of Jesus Christ. Though our Savior was without sin, He suffered in many ways during His earthly life because of others’ spiritual rebellion, ignorance, and failures. But notice how the heavenly Father used His Son’s suffering for our good and His glory.

The Holy Spirit is willing to teach us more about this important topic. So request His guidance. Whenever you open the Bible, come with an open mind, and be ready to align your thinking with God’s truth.

Uncategorized

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – The Foil for Fear

April 3, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

What does it mean to seek God? A wonderful example may be found in the life of E.M. Bounds, well known as a tireless prayer warrior and author of many books on intercession.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

A biographer wrote that Bounds “did not merely pray well that he might write well about prayer. He prayed because the needs of the world were upon him. He prayed, for long years, upon subjects which the easygoing Christian rarely gives a thought, and for objects which men of less thought and faith are always ready to call impossible. As breathing is a physical reality to us, so prayer was a reality for Bounds. He took the command, ‘Pray without ceasing’ almost as literally as animate nature takes the law of the reflex nervous system, which controls our breathing.”

Would that describe your prayer life…or are you an “easygoing” Christian living in fear or apathy? Ask God to help you be more faithful and more fervent in your prayers. It will make a difference for you, and for America, if you can end this day by saying that in everything, truly, you sought the Lord.

Joyce Meyer – Consecrate Your Mouth

March 23, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great assembly [tidings of uprightness and right standing with God]. Behold, I have not restrained my lips, as You know, O Lord. —Psalm 40:9

What would happen if every morning we gave our mouth to God so that only godly things came out of our lips? Psalm 34:13 says, “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.”

Dedicate your mouth to God and use it only for what pleases Him: praise and worship and edification and exhortation and giving thanks. Put your lips on the altar each morning. Give your mouth to God through praying His Word: “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise” (Psalm 51:15).

Uncategorized

Worship Changes Our Face – Max Lucado

February 25, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Exactly what is worship? I like King David’s definition in Psalm 34:3: “Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.”

Worship is magnifying or enlarging our vision of God. Of course his size doesn’t change, but our perception of him does. As we draw nearer, he seems larger. Isn’t that what we need? A big view of God? Don’t we have big problems, big worries, and big questions? Of course we do. So, we need a big view of God. Worship offers that.

A vibrant, shining face is the mark of one who has stood in God’s presence. He wipes away the tears. Not only does God change the face of those who worship, he changes those who watch us worship!

Uncategorized

Exalting Christ – John MacArthur

January 29, 2013 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

“[God] seated [Christ] at His right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph.1:20).

To exalt someone is to elevate that person in status, dignity, power, and honor. As God, Jesus possesses all power and authority and is deserving of all honor and glory. But when He was on earth, most people refused to give Him the glory He deserved. Instead they mocked and eventually murdered Him.

Just prior to His death, Jesus prayed to the Father, “Glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I ever had with Thee before the world was” (John 17:5). The Father answered that prayer by giving Him an exalted name and an exalted position.

Paul wrote, “God highly exalted [Christ], and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Farther” (Phil. 2:9-11).

Hebrews 1:3 adds that when Christ had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Old Testament priests didn’t sit down while on duty because their work was never finished. Repeated sacrifices were necessary because of the priest’s own sins and the sins of the people. Christ, on the other hand, made one all-sufficient sacrifice, then sat down. His atoning work was completed.

The “right hand” of God is a metaphor for the highest place of power, prominence, authority, and honor. From that exalted position Christ reigns as the Sovereign Lord of the universe.

There’s one aspect of Christ’s exaltation that we as believers can participate in right now. David said, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together” (Ps. 34:3). Psalm 99:5 adds, “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool.” Be generous in praising Him today, for He is worthy!

Suggestions for Prayer: Read Psalm 34 and exalt the Lord for all the benefits He demonstrates on behalf of His people.

For Further Study: Read Colossians 3:1-4

Describe your position in Christ (vv. 1, 3).

What should be the focus of your life (v. 2)?

When ultimately will God vindicate your faith in Christ (v. 4)?

What must you do to be exalted by God (see James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6)?

DAILY DEVOTIONS, NEWS AND INFORMATION

Tag Archives: psalm 34

Presidential Prayer Team; C.P. – For the Birds

Charles Spurgeon – Comfort proclaimed

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Protection From Accidents

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Reverence Brings Reward

Our Daily Bread — Reflections On Windows

Joyce Meyer – Bless the Lord at All Times

Alistair Begg – Anticipate Heaven for a Few Years

Charles Stanley – Led by the Shepherd

Charles Spurgeon – Looking unto Jesus

Campus Crusade – Bill Bright – We Shall Never Lack

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Gives Attention

Joyce Meyer – Use the Keys

Charles Stanley – Trusting God in All Situations

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – The Foil for Fear

Joyce Meyer – Consecrate Your Mouth

Worship Changes Our Face – Max Lucado

Exalting Christ – John MacArthur

Scriptures, Lessons, News and Links to help you survive.