R³ Devotional - Day 123

Are you proud of your children?  Your Grandchildren?   We used to pull pictures out of our wallets to show everyone.  Now we pull out our cell phones.  We have thousands of pictures and even videos.  We are quick and loud to tell others about their latest and greatest accomplishments.

Why aren’t we that way about our Jesus?  Are we embarrassed?   Ashamed?   All throughout the bible, we see examples where believers spoke of the miracles of God or Jesus and were ridiculed, laughed at, and some were even exiled from their family or even stoned.  

Psalm 123 sings of “One enthroned in heaven.   I lift my eyes to you.” (vs. 1)
Ephesians 4:6, Paul says, “there is One God, and Father of all, is over all, and through all and in all”.   That’s why we look up.  He is OVER all.   On a throne in Heaven.  

Real Life Principles:
He is our Master (vs 2).  He is the master of all things, our plans, our provisions, He is our father.  Why would we not look to His hand, that has always reached down to us?   Whether to provide for a need or pull us out of a hole.

In this Psalm, we see LORD referenced twice.  That’s LORD with ALL CAPS.  That is the Proper Name of God.  Not a Title or position, but HIS Name (Exodus 3:15).  Jehovah/Yahweh:  Derived from the Hebrew verb “Hayah”, meaning to be or exist.

“Our eyes are on the LORD Until He shows us mercy”…..  Even though we are undeserving, He still loves us and will show us mercy.  Recognize who He is ..  LORD
 
Vs 3 – Call on the Lord for mercy.   He wants to hear from us.   He’s our father.  Don’t you want to hear from your children?

Vs 4 - Our enemies, the minions of satan, has challenged us and continue to challenge us.  They will be complacent, but our God will provide us with mercy and grace.

Relevant Life Applications:

• Yes, we will be ridiculed, laughed at, and sometimes shunned for telling others about Christ
• Jesus went to the Cross and died for telling others what He believed in

Ready Action Steps:
How far will you go?  

Be as proud of our Jesus as you would your children or grandchildren.

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Psalm 106

Psalm 106: Remembering God's Enduring Love
Psalm 106 recounts Israel's history of disobedience alongside God's unwavering faithfulness.

Real Life Principles:

• Human Fallibility vs. God's Steadfast Love: We, like Israel, often forget God's blessings and stray. Yet, God's loving-kindness endures forever.
•  The Importance of Learning from the Past: Ignoring past mistakes leads to repetition. We must learn from our history to avoid similar pitfalls.
•  The Power of Repentance and Praise: Even after failure, repentance is possible, and praise is the appropriate response to God's enduring love.
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Relevant Life Applications:

•  Remember God's blessings in your life.
•  Reflect on past mistakes and learn from them.
• Repent & Praise. Confess any shortcomings and offer praise for God's unfailing love.

Ready Action Steps:

• Recap weekly and apply the above applications.