7 May
Hos. 1:7
The means of our salvation
While Judah was yet to come under His wrath (Jer. 9:12-16; Jer. 52:27),
God promised to save them, not by their bow, sword, horses and horsemen,
but by Himself (Hos. 1:7). Their safety and security were due to God,
not their weapons (Hos. 1:7). This reiterates an important and abiding
point. Physical salvation does not depend on human resources but on God
(see 1 Sam. 17:45-54; Ps. 44:6-8). Human resources are impotent as far
as salvation is concerned. Those who depend on human resources for their
physical wellbeing do so in vain. Anyone who seeks physical salvation
from God is certain to get it. This is also true of spiritual salvation.
Only God alone can save, whether physically or spiritually (cf. Heb.
7:25). He can save entirely by Himself, without the use of any means
or resources (see 2 Kgs.19:35).
PRAYER: 1. Father, please let your own hand save
me.
2. Father, please fight all my battles for me.
8 May
Ps. 138:3
God answers His children
According to the psalmist, one of the reasons for which he resolved
to praise God with all his heart is that God answered him when he called
upon him (Ps. 138:1,3). This is true of God. It is His nature to answer
His children when they call upon Him (Ps. 18:3-6; Ps. 30:2; Ps. 99:6;
Ps. 116:1). His children are even assured of His answer when they call
upon Him (Ps. 50:15; Matt. 7:7-11). Therefore, we are entitled not only
to call upon Him but to be heard by Him. Whatever is our circumstances
or need, let us call upon Him, for He will answer us (Ps. 18:3-6; Ps.
30:2; Ps. 99:6; Ps. 138:3). Since He is an answering God, we forfeit
our answers when we fail to call upon Him (see ps. 116:2).
PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to call upon
you.
2. Father, please answer me whenever I call.
9 May
Ps. 10:17-18
God’s attitude to the afflicted
We learn from this passage how the Lord is committed to the cause of
the afflicted. He hears or listens to their desire or cry(Ps. 10:17).
To hear or listen to their desire or cry is to do something about it.
In the instant case, He defends them from the terror of men (Ps. 10:17-18).
It is quite clear from this passage that the Lord has a special place
in His heart for the afflicted (cf. Matt. 9:12-13). While men despise
and ill-treat them, the Lord cares for and defends their cause. The Lord
is indeed a sufficient refuge for the afflicted (Ps. 9:9; Ps. 46:1).
It is His nature to attend to the needs of the afflicted. No one cares
for and defends the afflicted like Him. With the Lord, the afflicted
are assured of a hearing or listening partner as well as His care and
defense. They should therefore look up to Him alone.
PRAYER: 1. Father, please listen to my desire and
cry.
2. Father, please enable me to look up to you alone.
10 May
Ps. 138:7
God saves His children
According to the psalmist, another reason for his praising God with
all his heart is that God preserves him while in trouble and stretches
out
His hand against the anger of his foes and saves him (Ps. 138:1,7). God
is well known for saving His children from their enemies (see Ps. 68:20).
And He has promised to deal with the foes of those who obey Him (Deut.
28:7). His own salvation is sure and unfailing (Ps. 91:3; cf. Ps. 127:1).
As the sovereign one and the Almighty, He is more than able to save all
who trust in Him (see Lk. 1:37). There is neither equal nor comparison
nor rival to God as far as salvation from one’s foes is concerned.
Therefore, we must depend and count on Him for salvation from our troubles
and foes (Ps. 68:20). As He did for the psalmist, He will certainly and
unfailingly do for all who trust in Him alone (Ps. 138:7).
PRAYER: 1. Father, please save me from all my troubles
and foes.
2. Father, please enable me to entrust all my troubles and foes to
you alone.
11 May
Ps. 139:1-12
God knows everything concerning us
The psalmist states here that God knows everything concerning him
(Ps. 139:1-12). He knows when he sits and rises (Ps. 139:2). He knows
his
thoughts from afar (Ps. 139:2). He knows his going out and lying
down (Ps. 139:3). He is familiar with all his ways (Ps. 139:3). Before
a
word is on his tongue, God knows completely (Ps. 139:4). There is no place
to which He can flee from His presence, whether to the depths or
far side of the sea (Ps. 139:8-10). Even darkness is as light to
God (Ps.
139:11-12). The psalmist is stating the truth. God indeed knows everything
concerning us (1 Sam. 2:3; Ps. 94:11). He knows all our deeds (see
Rev. 2:2-6,19-20; cf. Gen 4:8-10). None of our activities escapes His attention
(see Gen. 4:8-10). We are accountable to Him for all our actions
(2 Cor.5:10;
Rom. 14:10-12). He also knows all our needs to take care of them
(see Rev. 2:9). Therefore, we must live our lives with the realization
that
God knows all our deeds and holds us accountable for them all (2
Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10-12). Whatever our needs may be, we must also
realize
that He knows them to take care of them for us (see Matt. 9:36; Matt.
14:14; Matt. 15:32; Rev. 2:9).
PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to realize that
you know everything concerning
me.
2. Father, please enable me to be faithful to you in everything.
12 May
1 Tim. 1:3-5
The task of Pastors and believers
Paul urged Timothy to remain in Ephesus for the special purpose of
confronting false teachers of the law (1 Tim. 1:3-5). Paul did
the right thing by urging
Timothy to remain in Ephesus for this purpose. His pastoral oversight would
have been found wanting if he had failed to urge Timothy to tackle
these false teachers.
He himself did so when occasion demanded it (see Acts 17:1-4). This is
task of all pastors and believers. False teaching of any form is
not to
be tolerated
or condoned. It is the task of pastors and believers, not only to teach
the truth but also to combat error. False teachings, if not combated,
can seriously undermine
the truth (see 1 Tim. 1:3-4). It is not in the best interest of the truth
to condone or overlook false teachers and their teachings. A pastor
or believer
who does not combat false teachings is not faithful to his calling and
faith.
Wherever false teachers and false teachings thrive, it means there is negligence
in combatting them. The best way to combat false teachings is to confront
their teachers with the truth. This is an essential and indispensable
work for the
Pastor and the believer.
PRAYER: 1. Father, please give me wisdom, knowledge,
insight, revelation and love
of the word.
2. Father, please keep me from false teachers and teachings.
13 May
Ps. 144:1-2
The Lord keeps His children
The psalmist praises God for what He is to him (Ps. 144:1-2). To
the him, God is his loving God, his fortress, his stronghold, his
deliverer,
his
shield, his refuge, and the one who subdues peoples under him (Ps.
144:2). To put
it
simply,
the Lord is the one who keeps him safe. His safety comes from no one
but God (Ps. 144:2). What was true of the psalmist, is true for all
believers. The
Lord is more than able to keep us completely safe (Ps. 127:1-2). No
one else can keep
us safe than or like Him (Ps. 127:1-2). He alone can keep us safe (Prov.
18:10). We are completely safe in His hands (Prov. 18:10). Therefore,
let
us depend
on Him completely for our own safety(see Prov. 29:25). We will not
be disappointed for doing so (Rom. 10:11; Prov. 29:25). Like the
psalmist,
let us also
praise Him for His assurance of our safe keeping.
PRAYER: 1. Father, thank you for your safe keeping.
2. Father, please be my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my
shield, my
refuge,
and the one who subdues all my enemies.
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