Psalms 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

Have you ever sat down at a restaurant to eat dinner and your water glass was empty before the waiter brought your food and they never came and filled it up? How did you feel? Were you willing to give a big tip? Have you ever sat down at a restaurant to eat dinner and as soon as your water glass was half empty, there was someone there to fill it up. It may not have been your waiter, but all the waiters in the restaurant were paying attention to all the clients and the second anyone appeared to have a need, they made sure to take care of it.

What was the difference? It was how attentive the staff was. One staff was trained to be looking to take care of the needs of their clients while the other one saw their position as a job and they really did not care about taking care of their clients even if it meant that they might get larger tips.

In this Psalm, David gives us a very important analogy of how we are to respond to God. Imagine you are a waiter at a restaurant and God comes in and sits at your table. How are you going to treat God? Are you going to just leave HIM alone or are you going to make sure that HIS every desire is taken care of?

If you were waiting a table and you saw Bill Gates sit down at your table, would you make sure you gave HIM the best service possible so that you could receive the largest tip possible? It is our Father which is up in heaven that can bring down showers of blessing upon your life. It is our Father which is up in heaven that can bring forth much fruit from our lives.

We need to understand that God desires to make HIMSELF known unto us on a regular basis just as HE made HIMSELF known unto Adam and Eve when they were in the garden. We need to understand that God desires to have regular fellowship with us just as HE had regular fellowship with HIS SON while HIS SON was on this earth. That fellowship is ours if we only set our eyes upon HIM. We need to first seek first the kingdom of God.

How can you expect to hear the voice of God if you do not first focus your attention upon the things of God? If you desire God to bring about HIS perfect will in HIS perfect timing, you cannot simply sit back and pretend that God does not exist. Instead, you need to spend hours reading your Bible and talking with HIM in prayer. As you focus your attention upon HIM, you will learn to hear HIS still small voice which will give you the direction that you need.

God does not always respond quickly. Instead, you may have to be attentive for a long time in order to receive the message that God has for you. Nonetheless, we must patiently wait on the Lord and keep our focus upon HIM. Those who are attentive to the things of God will receive the rich spiritual blessings that come to those who put God first.

Even an un-attentive waiter will receive a large tip every now and then. However, as a general rule, the attentive waiters will receive large tips much more frequently than an un-attentive waiter. If you long to receive the desires of your heart, learn to be attentive to the things of God and as you put more time into the things of God, you will soon learn to experience the rich blessings that come to those who put God first.

Psalms 69:6 Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.

The world has a way to discouraging you from serving God. When things are not going according to plan, the world will make fun of you and ridicule you for putting all of your trust in God. The world does not understand the ways of God and they do not understand how a loving God could allow you to suffer the way that you do.

We serve a living God. During the times of the judges, Israel would do that which is right in their own eyes. God would send an enemy to rule over the nation. Once the Israelites grew tired of being ruled over by the wicked, they would cry out to God and God would raise up a judge to deliver them. Time after time this cycle repeated itself.

The nation of Israel probably thought that they understood this cycle and one day they cried out to God to deliver them. However, rather than send a judge to deliver them right away, instead HE allowed a woman to conceive a son. God sent HIS angel to speak with this child’s parents and explain to them how they were to raise this son so that he could deliver Israel from its enemies. The nation of Israel had cried out to God, but now they had to wait for Samson to grow up.

God sometimes has reasons why HE allows us to suffer certain trials. In the case of the nation of Israel, they were suffering trials because of the hardness of their hearts. However, those who do that which is right in their own eyes are not the only people who face trials by God. We have heard the stories of Joseph and Job who suffered much so that God would receive the glory from their lives.

Waiting on the Lord is never easy. Patience is a precious promise from God that we can add to our life when we put our hope in HIM. When we put our focus upon the things of God, the world will attack us for the choices that we have made. The world desires to make us ashamed of the choices we have made so that they feel justified in the decisions that they have made. The world knows that if there is a God, they are in trouble and rather than change their own ways, it would be easier to take care of their guilt by trying to get you to change then for them to change themselves.

When you put your hope in the things of the Lord, do not allow the world to distract you from God’s best for your life. Once you have determined that you are going to wait for God’s best, you need to be ready for the attacks from the enemy. Satan is going to bring attacks to test your resolve. Satan knows that God’s best for your life is never good for him. Satan knows that if you wait patiently for God’s best, there will be a powerful testimony that can touch the lives of others and encourage others to live a life that is pleasing unto the Lord. Satan understands that it is better to get you to give up early then to let you wait a long time and see God’s blessing.

In this Psalm, David understands that he will need to wait on the Lord. David understands that there will be things that happen that will persuade him from not pursuing the perfect timing of God. As such, David very wisely is praying to God and asking God not to allow him to become ashamed of waiting. David is basically asking God to keep him from temptation while he is serving the Lord. David knows that the attacks of the enemy will come. We need to follow the example of David. We need to ask God to protect us while we wait on HIM.

Psalms 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

Eighteen inches is the difference between your head and your heart. It is not a long distance, but the difference between the head and the heart is the difference between saying that you trust in God and actually believing that you trust in God.

How many of us can say with our heads that we believe that Jesus can walk on water? Now, how many people have actually walked on water to met Jesus? Of all the disciples that were in the boat, only Peter believed with his heart.

In this passage, David is making a statement that his expectation is from the Lord. David has declared that he will patiently wait for God’s perfect timing because David is not expecting protection from any other source.

When Rahab helped the spies, she did so at risk of losing her life. The men of the city did not believe her when she lied and said that the spies had just left the city and they searched her house. After the men of the city had left, she acknowledged that the God of the nation of Israel was going to deliver her city into the Israelites hands. She did not first negotiate a deal for her safety before she helped the spies, instead, she helped the spies and then asked for mercy. Rahab and her household received mercy from God by remaining in her house. By hanging the cord out the window, she and her household were saved.

Rahab was not saved because she lived a life that was pleasing unto the Lord. Rahab was not saved because she had great wealth and could get out of town. No, Rahab and her family were saved because she believed in her heart that God was the only one who could protect her from the pending war. Rahab could have trusted in the walls of the city as many of her brethren had done, but Rahab had heard the stories of how God had rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt and she believed that there was nothing she could do in her own strength to spare her life.

If Rahab who was a prostitute had the faith necessary to forsake everything that she knew in order to put her trust in the Lord, how come we have such a hard time putting our expectations in HIM? We all have read the same Bible, we know the same stories, yet different Christians have different levels of faith when it comes to putting their trust in the Lord. Some have very dynamic lives for the Lord watching the Lord save them time after time. Others just seem to get by with no real power in their life.

David understood that HIS hope was in the Lord. When David went out to fight Goliath, he was not relying upon his own strength. David simply relied upon skills that God had given him and he understood that God would use the limited skills that David had in order to defeat the enemies of the Lord. David understood that it was God who dwelt in HIM who would see the victory that day, David was only a vessel in the hand of the Lord.

If you desire to add patience to your life, you first must determine that your hope is in God. If your hope is not trusting in God, there is no way that you in your own strength will ever be able to patiently wait for God’s perfect timing. As long as your hope is in your own strength, you will try to use your own strength to escape from the trials God brings into your life. The sooner you learn to place your expectation in HIM, the soon you will find the true peace that passeth all understanding.

Psalms 52:9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

Open up your mouth and shout forth the praises of God. Go into HIS mountains and sing forth HIS praises. Go to HIS oceans and remember all the good things that HE has done unto you.

It is easy to focus upon the negatives but God desires that you learn to give thanks in everything. Even though Daniel was taken from his home at a young age, Daniel found plenty of things to praise God for. God gave him favor with a foreign king. God answered his prayers by telling him what the king had dreamed. God protected his friends from fire and God protected him from the lions. God gave Daniel favor with four different kings and allowed him to have positions of authority.

Most of us if we were in Daniel’s shoes would spend most of our time complaining. We would ask God why he took us from our home. Why did he not allow us to return home? Why did God not allow us to marry?

Daniel’s life was not perfect and we do not know exactly the words that he said when he prayed. But what we do know is that Daniel put the things of God first in his life. Daniel took time out of his busy day to make God a priority. You do not think that holding a position of authority in one of the biggest countries in the world did not pull at Daniel’s time? However, regardless of his responsibilities, Daniel chose to put the things of God first. Daniel chose to take time to pray.

It does not matter what terrible things have occurred in your life, you must understand that God works all things together for good for those who love HIM and are called according to HIS purposes. It does not matter the unfair things that you have seen happen, God desires that you take the time to praise HIM. Maybe it will be hard at first to praise HIM for the evil that you have seen, but as you take the time to praise him for all the good that has occurred during the hard times, you will learn to praise God for hard and difficult times.

David did not write this Psalm on his wedding night when everything was good. David did not write this Psalm on the day he was crown king. David did not write this Psalm on the day that he defeated some great enemy. No David wrote this Psalm while he was escaping for his life. David had obtained the sword of Goliath and some bread to feed his army from the priest. Doeg saw David there and Doeg ended up killing the priest because the priest saw David and did not report it to Saul.

David had just allowed an innocent man to die along with his family because this man helped him. What is David’s response? David says that he will praise the Lord. David said that he would wait on the name of the Lord because that name is good before all the saints. David had a heart after God’s own heart and he understood that while he had been anointed king, he still had to wait on the Lord to bring it to pass. There may have been many unfair things that David saw that he never would do as king, but all David could do is praise God because HE was in control.

It does not matter if things are good or if things are bad, you need to have an attitude of praise. Learn to patiently wait on the Lord for it is in the Lord that you have your hope. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and HE will not lead you astray. God is in control and if you learn to praise HIM and wait on HIM, you will have a lot less stress in your life.

Psalms 37:34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

It is not easy to wait on the Lord. Even though you have many promises from God about the blessings that will come your way if you wait on the Lord, it does not make waiting any easier.

When Paul shared with us the fruit of the spirit, one of the nine fruits was patience. When Peter shared with us the precious promises from above, one of the eight promises of God was patience. While it does not seem to be something that we naturally would desire, in truth, there are great blessings for those who learn to take their focus off of things of this world and to place their focus upon God.

The nation of Israel had to wait hundreds of years to return to the land of Canaan. However, while they waited, God blessed them with the best land in Egypt. The Israelites had two choices, either they could focus on the future and where God had told them they would one day be, or they could thank God for today and where HE had placed them today.

Simeon had been promised of God that he would not die until he saw the Christ. For many years, Simeon could not do anything but wait on God to fulfill HIS promises. One day, Christ entered Jerusalem and Simeon saw the fulfillment of God’s promise to him. Simeon knew that Satan saw a great defeat as the result of Christ entering into this world.

It is not easy to wait on the Lord. It is much easier to focus upon the things of the world and try to obtain more possessions for yourself now. The things of this world are attractive but they do not have lasting value. It does not matter how many houses you own, how many nice cars you have in the driveway. It does not matter how many board positions you maintain. At the end of your life, what really matters is your relationship with God.

If you were told that you could be a millionaire in five years if you followed a specific plan for your life, how diligent would you be to follow that plan? Most people would have no problem following a specific plan for their life if it meant that they would soon be a millionaire. How come so many people who would be willing to follow a plan to be a millionaire here on this earth are unwilling to follow God’s plan for their life so that they can obtain riches in the kingdom of heaven?

God has a plan for your life. God has given you instruction as to how HE desires you live your life. If you seek first the kingdom of heaven, then there will be many blessings that will be added unto your life. Throughout scripture, God has given great promises to HIS children. Those who waited on the Lord, received the fulfillment of those promises. Those who did that which was right in their own eyes did not receive that which God promised to give to those who waited.

It is not easy to wait on the Lord. However, if you want God’s best for your life, that is what you must do. While you wait on the Lord to bring to pass the fulfillment of HIS promises for your life, you need to spend time hearing HIS still small voice. While you wait on the Lord, you need to spend time reading the Bible. While you wait on the Lord, you need to set apart time to fast and pray. However, just because you do everything that is pleasing to the Lord, it does not mean that God will immediately answer your prayers and give you the desire of your heart. The longer the wait, the greater the blessing.

Psalms 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

There are rewards for those who demonstrate patience and wait on the Lord. This passage does not mean that if you simply wait on the Lord once in your life, you will become the world’s dictator because God is going to allow you to own every square inch of land. When we are told that we will inherit the earth, what this means is that we can live in this world and not have the things of this world control us.

Scripture tells us that we are to be in this world but not of this world. We cannot afford to have two masters. If we refuse to wait on the Lord, that means that the things of the world are controlling our actions and we are choosing the things of this world over the things of God. However, when we wait on the Lord in the power of HIS might, we are demonstrating that the things of God do not control us and now God can bless us with the things of this world because we have our priorities in place.

Abraham was a man who was told by God to leave his home and travel in the land of Canaan. God told him that he would not own the land of Canaan, but that his descendents would one day possess the land. Because Abraham patiently waited on the Lord and did as HE said, Abraham ended up owning great possessions. Abraham had many servants and had great flocks.

Because Abraham waited on the Lord and was willing not to possess the land, he was able to say to Lot, you chose where to go and I will go the opposite direction. Abraham was not consumed with land and making sure he possessed the best the land could offer. Lot on the other hand was focused upon what he could possess and as such, he chose the best of the land but was not careful about whom he associated with and this ended up destroying him and his family.

Solomon was a man who was wise beyond his years. He had just been made king and he went up and made 1,000 burnt offerings unto the Lord. God was so pleased with this offering that God told Solomon to ask whatsoever he wished. Solomon asked for wisdom to govern the people God gave him. Because God saw how Solomon was willing to make burnt offerings unto the Lord and because God saw how Solomon put the people before himself, God was willing to give to Solomon much more than just wisdom to govern the people. Solomon was willing to wait for God’s best and God promised Solomon that as long as he served the Lord, he would have many possessions.

We need to understand that God is looking at our heart. God sees who we really are. God knows whether we are serving the things of this world or are serving the things of God. God sees how we respond to HIS promises and HE knows if we are waiting on HIM or if we are trying to bring God’s promises to pass in our own strength. If we are demonstrating that we are waiting on the Lord, God will see that we are faithful in that which is least and HE can bless us with much.

What is one thing that you are patiently wait on the Lord for? Are you spending time in prayer each day asking God to give you the desires of your heart, or are you asking God for patience to endure until it is HIS perfect timing? The sooner you learn to not allow the things of this world to control you, the sooner you will be able to see God bless you with more things that are of this world. Be careful that you do not allow the things of this world to control you.

Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Waiting on the Lord is never easy. In fact, it takes great courage to not allow the things of this world to distract you from waiting for God’s best. Waiting on the Lord can be like running a marathon; a marathon is never won with a short burst of energy at the beginning of the race, instead, it takes patience and perseverance to keep pounding the miles to the finish line.

After Adam was created, God recognized that Adam was alone. God made a statement that it was not good for man to be alone. God and Adam had perfect fellowship. There was no sin in the world. However, even though Adam had fellowship with God, Adam still had a need.

God created all the animals in the world and he brought them to Adam and had Adam named them all. However, in all the animals of the world, there was not found a suitable helpmate for Adam. God did not immediately bring to Adam the perfect helpmate. Just because God and Adam knew that Adam needed something more, God did not bring Eve into the picture. Instead, God allowed Adam to go through the process of naming all the animals. God allowed Adam to find many things that were not God’s perfect will before HE brought Eve into the picture.

How many times has God revealed to you HIS will for your life but then allowed you to go a long time before you saw the fulfillment of HIS perfect will? God may have even brought many other options across your path so that you had to demonstrate great courage to remain focused upon the perfect will of God.

Adam did not find a helpmate when he named the lion, the horse, or a dog. These were all God’s creations and God brought them to Adam, but that did not mean that they were God’s perfect will for his life. Too often, we look at our life by our own perspective. We think that just because something unusual happens, surely this must be God’s perfect plan for us. However, we must understand that God may have other reasons why HE has directed someone or something into our lives.

When God blessed Joseph with a position of leadership in the prison, it was not so that he could be released from prison. God blessed Joseph in prison so that he would be in the position to interpret dreams so that one day, God could bring Joseph out of prison to save the nation of Israel. How disappointed would Joseph have been when his interpretation as to why God allowed him to rise to a level of leadership did not come to pass?

Our ways are not always God’s ways. It takes great courage to wait on the Lord. If you are going to wait on the Lord, you must first allow God to strength your heart. You will never be able to survive all the disappointments that you may face waiting on the Lord. Satan will throw too many obstacles into your life that only the strength of the Lord will enable you to overcome.

Focus on the Lord and on the power of HIS might Do not grow impatient just because God has told you something and HE has not brought it to pass. Allow the things of the Lord to fill your time, and just because God appears to be blessing in one area of your life, do not automatically assume that this is God bringing HIS perfect will to pass. This might be God showing you something that is not HIS perfect will before showing you HIS very best. Trust in the Lord and wait on HIM and one day, you will experience HIS very best.

Psalms 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

It is hard to wait on the Lord. It is hard to put aside your own selfish desires in order to pursue the things of God. Many people have a mindset that when they become a Christian, they are giving up so much fun stuff that God should be honored by their sacrifices.

We serve a holy God who created a perfect world. Sin destroyed this perfect world. Because of sin, many people think that sin is normal and that doing the will of God is extra ordinary. However, God sees those who are doing that which is right in their own eyes as those who need correction.

We all understand that if we put our hand on top of a burning stove, we should be burned. We all understand that if you start juggling knives, you should not be surprised if you are cut. We all understand that if you fall thirty feet, one can be seriously injured or die.

When we sin, there are consequences for our actions. In this psalm, David asks God to protect him because David is patiently waiting on the Lord. Throughout his life, David understood that there were those who desired to kill him. David needed the Lord to protect him. David refused to take the life of Saul because he was the Lord’s anointed. Because David waited on the Lord’s perfect timing for him to become king, David requested the Lord to protect him from his enemies.

Have you ever heard someone share their testimony where they had all sorts of problems in their life? This individual had some sort of secret sin and they could not understand why their kids were rebelling, their wives health was in shatters, and why they kept going deeper into debt. Then this individual shares the powerful story of how once they forsook their secret sin, they saw a change in their children, their wife was healed, and their financial fortunes had changed.

Maybe you have a similar testimony in your life? There are consequences for our actions. Rather than think that we should be rewarded by the Lord when we do the right thing, we need to understand that doing that which is right in the eyes of the Lord is what God expects of us.

We all know people who do not act with integrity. They say one thing with their mouth and do another thing with their actions. We watch these people appear to succeed by their dishonest actions. We feel that if we do the right thing we are going to miss out. We feel that if we do the right thing, not only will we be considered out of touch but that we will be taken advantage of.

We understand that God does not want us to lie. We understand that God has commanded us to allow our yes be yes and our no be no. It will never be easy to do the right thing. However, by patiently waiting on the Lord and refusing to do that which is right in your own eyes, you put yourself in the hands of the Lord. Do you really want to rely upon your own strength or would you rather see God protect and provide for you.

All around you will be people who are refusing to wait on the Lord. Just because others are doing what is right in their own eyes it does not mean that it is right to do it. Just because someone else would jump off a cliff, does it mean you would jump off a cliff? We need to understand that God’s ways are not our natural response. By putting the things of God first in our life, God will be your protector and God will be your provider.

Psalms 25:5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

What does it mean to wait on the Lord all day? Does it mean that you are a waiter or waitress and all you do is run around and do what the Lord wants you to do all day? Does it mean that you are supposed to be sitting at home on your couch all day waiting for the Lord to give you the desires of your heart?

While it is good that you do the perfect will of God all day, this is not what this verse is talking about. While it is important to spend time in prayer and reading the Bible, scripture also teaches that if a man does not provide for his family, he is a worthless man. As such, God is not telling us in this passage that we are supposed to do nothing until the Lord provides us the desires of our heart.

David is a man after God’s own heart. David was told that one day he would become king. However, just because David would one day become king, that did not mean that he went into the palace and insisted that he become king immediately. David had many opportunities to kill Saul and he refused because he understood he did not have the right to touch the life of the Lord’s anointed.

Many unfair things happened to David while he was waiting for the Lord to make him king of Israel. David made sure he spent plenty of time drawing closer to God and understanding HIS perfect will. David did not blame God when bad thing occurred because he understood that his duty was to serve the Lord and it was up to the Lord what the results of David’s life would be.

This verse is similar to the scripture that we are to pray without ceasing. Many people have wondered how you pray 24 hours a day. So likewise, what does it mean to wait all day on the Lord? While the concept may sound difficult, it is important to understand that in the same way that we need to be in an attitude of prayer, so also, we need to be in an attitude of waiting on the Lord. This means that we do not put wicked things before our eyes that destroys our relationship with God. This means that we do not put wicked things before our ears that destroys our ability to hear the voice of God.

When we see, hear, or speak things that are not pleasing to God, we have to spend our time renewing our relationship with God rather than continuing to hear us. Pretend you were on the telephone talking with God. You spent one hour on hold before God started talking with you. However, God starts speaking and you decide to hang up the phone. In order to renew the connection with God, you would have to spend another hour on hold. It would be much easier to just not hang up the phone to begin with then go through the hassle of being on hold again.

Not that God requires you to wait an hour if you cry out to HIM. However, when we sin, our sin destroys the communication we have with God. We must confess our sins in order to restore that which we had before. We are much better of never destroying the connection we had with God.

If you are going to wait on the Lord all day, this means that you must learn to bridle sin nature in order to do the things of God. You must be patient and not allow the things of this world drive your decision. Serving God with every decision is not easy, but there are great rewards for those who learn to trust in God and put HIM first in their life.

Psalms 25:3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

What does it mean to wait on the Lord? In this passage, we hear David crying out to God and asking God to ensure that those who are living their lives pleasing to the Lord do not find themselves disappointed. It is hard to wait on the Lord. How much more discouraging is it to wait on the Lord and then not obtain the thing that you were waiting on?

Abraham was a man who was told that he would have a son. At the time of the promise, Abraham was 75 years old. Abraham waited and waited and waited, but still no son came. Evidentially, him and his wife became discouraged at waiting and they ended up allowing Abraham to go into Hagar so that she might conceive a child. Abraham did not wait long enough because God eventually gave him the promised son when he was 100 years old.

What if God told you that HE did not want you to be in debt anymore? For the first couple of weeks, it probably was not very difficult. Then all of a sudden, an emergency occurs, something like your child has an emergency surgery and you do not have health insurance. Then all of a sudden there is a storm and your house is flooded and the insurance company refuses to cover it. Then you have an automobile accident and it was your fault. How could you possibly wait on the Lord to provide for your needs? If you had a good credit rating, it would seem logical to just use that credit to take care of all your needs. However, God had a reason for speaking to you several weeks before when HE told you HE did not want you in debt. If God had spoken so clearly to you in the past, there is a miracle HE wants to perform in your life so that you have a testimony to share regarding the glory of waiting on the Lord.

It is not easy to wait on the Lord. Satan loves to bring things into your life to discourage you from waiting on the Lord. Satan desires to get you to react and to use your own strength to do that which God has promised so that you do not have a powerful testimony of God’s power. Instead, all it will be is another story where you relied on your own strength and you obtained the desires of your heart.

In this Psalm, David is concerned about God taking so long to fulfill HIS promises that those who are waiting on HIM become ashamed that they are still waiting. David believes that it is right for those who do evil to be ashamed, but not those who are doing that which is right in the eyes of God. If an individual was having pre-marital relations, they should be ashamed. The individual who is waiting for marriage should not be ashamed. However we know that in today’s society, the one who is waiting will be made to look like a fool while the one who transgresses God’s law will not be ashamed.

It is hard to wait on the perfect will of God. The world will want you to give up and do that which is right in your own eyes. It takes patience to not do what you want but instead to wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises. You must remember that God’s work done in God’s timing, will not lack God’s provision.

Keep your eyes focused upon the Lord. Spend time daily reading HIS word and do not neglect talking with HIM. Let God be first in your life and allow HIM to direct your paths. It will never be easy to wait, but there is great pleasure when you see God perform a miracle in your life.

Psalms 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

If you are reading this devotional then this verse applies to you. You have breath, the only question is, are you taking the time every day to praise the Lord. You are a human, created in the image of God; you have plenty of reasons to give glory to God.

Start right now; think of three things that you can thank God for regarding what makes you unique that you can praise God for. Think of three things in nature that you have seen that you can praise God for. Think of three people whom God has brought into your life that you can praise God for.

The list goes on and on. There are so many things that you can thank God for if you only set aside the time to think about them. You need to develop a love for your God once again. A couple that is in love will take the time to find things that they can praise their spouse for. A couple that has lost its first love will quickly forget the positives and they will be quick to bring up any little negative thing. What is your love relationship with God at this time? Are you waking up each morning singing forth God’s praises or are you grumbling under your breath about all the things God has yet to do for you?

If you have lost your first love, it is time that you set aside time and go and seek HIS face. Learn to desire to put God first. Do not allow your own selfish ambitions to hinder your relationship with your Father. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God has not changed; HE has not moved. You need to learn to seek HIS face; you must learn to draw closer to God so that HE will draw closer to you.

It does not matter how big the storm clouds are around you, God is still bigger than any of your problems. Learn to praise God for both the good times and the bad. Remember that while Joseph had to suffer trials as a slave and a prisoner, it was all a part of God’s perfect plan. Things may look pretty bad, but God intends to use it for HIS glory if you will only allow HIM to have HIS way in your life.

Do you have breath? Then praise the Lord. Praise the Lord every day. Praise HIM in the morning when you wake up, praise in during your day, and praise him in the evening when you go to bed. It does not matter where you are or what you are doing, you should always have time to thank God for HIS goodness in your life.

You cannot praise God properly if there is something in your life that becomes you and God. If you love something or someone more than God, then you will have a hard time focusing your attentions upon those good things that God has done for you. However, if you follow Christ’s command to love the Lord with all your heart and then love your neighbor as yourself, you will find it much easier to praise God.

Taking the time to praise the Lord should be an important part of your day. It forces you to think of the good things God has done and to find ways that you can thank HIM for it. When you take the time to praise God both publicly and in private, your faith will grow and God will be glorified by your action. You must change your thinking; in order to praise God properly, you must fill your mind with the things of God. Filling your life with virtue will enable you to have the right heart and mind to do God’s perfect will.

Psalms 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;

Are you ready for action? There are those who say that they trust God but they are unwilling to act upon their faith. God desires that you not only acknowledge HIM in your life but that you also be willing to respond with action.

When David killed Goliath, David acknowledged to everyone that it was God who was going to bring the victory. Nonetheless, David still went out onto the battlefield with his slingshot. David was willing to put action to his faith.

When Gideon fought the Midianites, he acknowledged the fact that it was God who would bring the victory. Nonetheless, Gideon still went out onto the battlefield prepared to fight. Gideon knew that God was going to win the victory, but he still needed to put action to his faith by strapping his sword to his side.

It is important that you acknowledge God’s goodness in your life. It is important that you learn to hear HIS still small voice. James tells us to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). Peter could have said a million times that he trusted Jesus enough that he would walk on the water to be closer to his Savior, however, until Peter was willing to step out of the boat in faith, his faith was worthless and nothing but words.

God desires to hear you sing forth HIS praises. However, HE also expects you to be ready to obey HIM and step out in faith and do those things that HE commands of you. You must learn to do both. You must learn to let God work through you as you put action to your words. It is not just about you and what God can do for you, you must learn to use your mouth to sing forth HIS praises and then put action to your faith so that you can see exactly how God is going to work through you.

When was the last time that you put action to your faith and went out and did something great for God? When was the last time you stepped out in faith and decided to simply trust God? It is time that you start putting some action to your words? Stop what you are doing and ask God to show to you what HE would have you to do. Praise God for the direction that HE gives you and then step forth in faith and watch how God opens the doors for you to continue to walk in faith.

Are you a Monday morning quarterback? Do you sit back and second-guess everything that everyone else is doing? It is time that you get up and go do something great for God. Start singing forth God’s praises so that HE might be glorified in your life. Start stepping out in faith so that HE might be glorified through you.

As long as you are thinking about yourself and your own needs, you will not sing forth God’s praises and recognize HIS provision in your life. In order to step out in faith and do great things for God, you must change your mindset and start putting God first. As you fill your mind with virtue and think on those things that are pleasing to God, God will be able to guide you and direct you so that HE can receive the glory from your life. Stepping out in faith requires you getting your mind right with God. It requires you to fill your mind with the things of God so that the things of this world have no influence.

Psalms 148:13 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

Have you learned to see the Lord’s glory in this earth? It is not hard to see HIS magnificent creation. However, just because you see God’s splendor, it does not mean that you give God the credit for the works of HIS hands. Everywhere you look, you see God’s creation, the question becomes, do you see God’s glory.

When mankind does what is right in their own eyes, they stop seeing the glory of God and start focusing on themselves. God needs to be the center of your universe, not only because HE created it, but also if HE is not, then your life will not be in balance. You need to learn to see God for who HE is and start giving HIM the credit that is due HIS name. You need to daily start praising HIM for all the good things that HE has done.

You do not have a hard time asking God to give you those things you desire, however, it is against human nature to have a grateful heart. Satan will try to get you to focus upon yourself for the simple reason that HE knows that if you are focusing upon yourself, then you will not give God the praise that is due HIS name.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus gives us an example of how we are to pray. Jesus’ example contains praise at both the beginning and the end of the prayer. A masterful speaker puts the most important things that he wants his audience to remember first and last. Praise is the most important thing and that is why Jesus taught us to start and end our prayers in praise. When we take the time to start and end our prayers in praise, then God becomes the center of our universe. We begin to recognize HIM for who HE is and we give HIM the glory due HIS name.

When Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, the armies of Moab and Ammon came up against him. Jehoshaphat did not instantly go to war, instead, he proclaimed a fast and he started praying to God. Jehoshaphat started out his prayer acknowledging God and praising God for HIS glory. God answered Jehoshaphat’s prayer by the prophecy of Jahaziel. Jahaziel told the nation that they did not have to fight because God would be with them.

The next morning, Jehoshaphat reminded the people to believe in God. He then appointed singers to go before the army to praise God and acknowledge God’s goodness. When the army reached the battlefield, they saw that God had gone before them and had utterly destroyed the enemy. Jehoshaphat trusted in God and put the praises of God first and he saw God work mightily. Jehoshaphat recognized the importance both in his prayers and his actions that all should see God’s glory. Because Jehoshaphat ensured that the praises of God were first in his life, he saw God do the impossible.

If you do not fill your life with the praises of God, you open the door for Satan to fill your mind with pride. When you think more highly of yourself then you ought, your life is no longer in balance. Your life will be in balance when you set your mind upon the things of God. As you fill your mind with virtue, then you will learn to see God’s glory and naturally start praising HIM for who HE is. God may be withholding from you the answers to your prayers because you do not recognize HIS glory.

Psalms 147:10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

God does not need your talents. God has given you your gifts and abilities, but God does not need them. When you do something in your own strength, you are the one who receives the credit. However, when you do something knowing that you do not have the ability or strength, then you naturally must give God the credit for the things that he has done in your life.

God takes delight in those that fear HIM. God is more concerned about your heart with HIM than HE is about your ability to accomplish tasks. God can do the impossible. HE does not need your help so that HE can do the impossible, all HE needs is your willingness to obey HIM and seek HIS face.

When Jesus turned the boy’s lunch into a meal for thousands, Jesus did not need the money of the disciples nor did HE need the wisdom of the disciples all HE desired was that HIS disciples trust and obey. Would the people who were feed that day have the same faith in God had the disciples had enough money to run into town and purchase food for all the people? God was glorified not because of the strength of man but because of the gift of a boy and the obedience of the people.

When Peter walked on the water, he was not doing so out of HIS strength. Instead, Peter walked on water because he was willing to rely upon God. Peter understood that Jesus could do the impossible and he was willing to walk in faith, not by what he could do or what was humanly possible but to step out in faith so that God would receive the glory.

Think of all the times that God did the impossible. God did not need the strength of man. God instead simply desired to see HIS people trust in HIM and be willing to obey HIM. When the people of God demonstrated the fear of the Lord by their obedience, then God was glorified and the entire world knew the power of God.

God is more concerned about your heart than HE is about your talents and abilities. You may be the best orator in the world, but if you do not trust God and give HIM the glory, your talent is worthless. When you do something because of your strength and ability, you naturally take credit for what you do.

Remember the second time Moses brought water out of the rock, Moses struck the rock twice and water came out even though God had commanded him to speak to the rock. Moses out of the abundance of his faith brought water from a rock. HE was able to do the impossible, but he did so in his own strength and God was not pleased.

Examine your life. Are you living by faith or are you living by your own strength and abilities. God desires that you learn to fear HIM and live your life in HIS strength. You need to spend time studying the testimonies of what God has done through others. You need to fill your mind with the things of God. As you put God first in your life, you will see HIM do great things through your weaknesses. As you fill your mind with virtue, as you allow God’s strength to flow through you, your life will change and God will receive the glory. No longer will it be about you, but it will be about the One whom you serve.

Psalms 146:5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

When you trust in the Lord, you can be happy because you understand that it is God who provides for your needs. Because of your complete trust is in HIM, you are able to be content knowing that it is God who will provide for you. You understand that it is God who will deliver you from your trouble.

The world thinks that it is the things of this world that gives them their happiness. The world strives to obtain happiness through their possessions but the more they possess the more they desire. Their possessions do not give them happiness. The world strives to obtain happiness through their relationships. They do things that are not pleasing to the Lord. However, they do not find happiness in their relationships because they do not do it God’s ways and they make their relationships an idol. The world strives to obtain happiness through power. They assume that if they are in a position of power, that they would be happy. However, no amount of power is ever enough and as such, they are never content and power never gives them the happiness they desire.

You must learn to completely trust in God. You must learn to put all your hope in HIM. Solomon understood the importance of putting God first and seeking God’s wisdom for his daily life. Without God’s wisdom, he understood that he could never be happy. God had placed him on the throne and while he could have asked for so many things to give him happiness, it was pleasing God that he would obtain true happiness.

Solomon had seen his father’s relationship with God. Solomon knew that David had a special relationship with God. Because of David’s relationship, Solomon saw that David had a happiness that most people did not possess. Solomon knew that it was not power or possessions that brought happiness but it was the relationship with God that was important. David constantly sought the Lord.

It does not matter what your trial is, God has a plan of escape for you. Stop worrying about your trial and what you could do get out of your problems. Instead, focus your attention upon the things of God. Fill your mind with the testimonies of God’s goodness. Remember those things that God has done for you and how HE has directed, protected, and provided for you.

When you fill your mind with the things of God, you will discover that God is all that you need. You will learn to be content and it is by contentment that you can find true happiness. As long as the things of this world are more important to you, then you can never be happy. However, when the things of God are the most important, then you can have true happiness.

Love the Lord with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. When you follow God’s commandments, then you will find happiness. In order to obey God you must change your mindset; you must learn to put others first. This change of mindset will give you the ability to find true contentment and happiness. Because you fill your mind with God’s virtue, God is able to give you that which you desire, peace and happiness.

Psalms 145:15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

God desires that your eyes be fixed upon HIM for your needs. HE does not want you looking to anything else for your substance. God will allow trials to come into your life so that you are looking to HIM. God will bring you to a breaking point so that your complete trust must be in HIM.

When the nation of Israel was wondering in the wilderness, they had to rely upon God for their provision. If they needed water, it was God who provided. If they needed bread, it was God who provided. If they needed meat, it was God who provided. Unfortunately, the nation of Israel did not trust God for their provision. Instead of realizing that God led them into the wilderness and that HE would provide for their every need, they did not trust God and instead blamed HIM for the trials that were meant to draw them closer to God. There trials were designed to help them realize just how powerful of a God they served, but they took God for granted and were not grateful for HIS provision.

Think of a baby eagle in the nest. It is not strong enough to fly and gather its own food. Instead, the baby eagle must depend completely upon its mother for its provision. When the mother eagle comes back to the nest, the baby eagle looks towards its mother with full expectation that its mother has brought it something to eat. The baby eagle is not disappointed and it receives its substance.

The picture of the baby eagle looking towards its mother is the same concept that David is trying to get us to understand in this verse. God desires that our eyes be fixed upon HIM. We do not know when HE is going to provide, but we know that HE will provide and more importantly, we are expecting our provision from no one else other than HIM.

Jesus told us that unless we had the faith of a little child, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. A little child does not spend all day worrying about where the next meal is coming from, instead, the child simply comes to the dinner table and enjoys the meal. We need to have that kind of faith with God. We cannot become like a young adult who thinks that they know it all and depend upon their own strength.

God is all that you need. When things get tough, you need to turn to HIM and draw closer to HIM. The closer your relationship with God is, the more HE will be able to use you. When all your trust is in HIM, God is able to show HIMSELF strong in your life. When you trust in yourself and your own strength, then God will have to bring extra trials into your life so that you might once again learn to trust in HIM. Do not let yourself get to the point that you do not set your eyes upon HIM and rely upon HIM for your provision.

Set your eyes upon God and place your complete trust in HIM. Fill your mind with the things of God so that Satan has no ability to distract you with your own strength. As you fill your life with the mind of Christ, you will learn to have a whole new relationship with God. As you allow God’s virtue to flow through your life, you will learn to wait upon the Lord for your substance. David said that he never saw the righteous begging for bread. God is able to meet your every need. Learn to completely trust in HIM.

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

Look at all the great battles throughout the Old Testament. Look at who received the glory for the victory. When God brings battles into our lives, it is our responsibility to turn to God and see just how God would have us to fight. Do not rely upon your own strength; instead, turn to God and allow God to receive the glory.

When Gideon led the nation of Israel to drive out the Midianites, God led Gideon every step of the way so that HE received the glory. Gideon did not consider himself a warrior, but when he followed God’s direction, HE saw that through God, anything is possible. Gideon had to simply learn to trust God. In trusting God, God demonstrated HIS power so that all the world knew that there is a living God.

Solomon was king of Israel and God gave him the opportunity to ask for anything he wanted. Solomon could have asked for long life, riches, or that he would be conqueror of the world. Solomon did not ask for these things but instead, he asked God for wisdom to properly rule those people whom God had made him king over. Solomon understood that in and of himself, he could do nothing. However, by the grace of God, if he were to apply God’s wisdom to his life, then God could use him to do great things.

Joshua was commanded of God to take out the Canaanites out of the Promise Land. Joshua received instruction that he was to take out Jericho and because he obeyed, he saw God receive the glory. After the battle at Jericho, Joshua chose the strategy and decided to go and take out Ai. However, because Joshua did not seek the Lord and allow God to choose the next city and the means by which they were to attack, Joshua was not warned that there was sin in the camp and several Israelites lost their lives at Ai. If Joshua would have simply consulted with God first, God would have shown Joshua the sin and the men would not have lost their lives.

Shortly after the second battle at Ai, men from the city of Gibeon deceived Joshua and tricked him into making peace with them. Had Joshua simply taken the time to seek God and allow God to show him the way he was to go, Joshua would have avoided making such a serious mistake. When Joshua took the time to seek the Lord, the Lord showed him the way that he was to go and the Lord received great glory. However, when Joshua took matters into his own hands and did what he thought was right, God did not receive the glory and Joshua faced some of his more difficult times.

Do you want to be like Joshua at the battle of Jericho or like Joshua at the battle of Ai? If you desire to see God do great things through you, then you must take the time to put God first in your life. You must take the time to seek the Lord’s direction. As you learn to hear HIS still small voice, God will be able to use you to do great things for HIM.

You know what gifts God has given to you. You know the areas that you are strong in. Nonetheless, you still need to take the time every day to fill your mind with the things of God. As you seek to put HIM first in your life and fill your mind with HIS virtue, HE will be able to show you those things that you need to do in order to be a true success.

Psalms 143:5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.

David decided that he was going to fill his life with the testimonies of God’s goodness. There may be many difficult things that he was facing, but he made a conscience effort to fill him mind with the good things that God had done both in his life and the life of his ancestors. David understood that if he concentrated on the things God had done, his faith and trust in God would increase. However, if David allowed his focus to remain on the current distress, Satan would use his trials to discourage him from doing that which is right in the eyes of God.

Satan desires that you take your focus off of God. Satan desires that you start thinking about yourself and start feeling sorry for yourself because you do not have what you once had. If Satan can get you to start focusing on yourself, than he knows that your faith in God will diminish, the time seeking God will be greatly reduced, and the more likely God will have to bring additional trials into your life to try to bring you back to HIS loving hands. Satan desires to lead you into a downward spiral where you hate God and want nothing to do with God’s goodness.

God has given you the Bible. It is full of examples of what God can do for those who trust HIM. Abraham heard the voice of God and he left his home in order to sojourn in a land that God would give to his seed. God blessed Abraham for his trust. It was not always easy on Abraham. Abraham had to wait 25 years for the promise son. Abraham had to be willing to sacrifice the promise son to God. Abraham had to be willing to give up some of the promise land to Lot in order to avoid strife. Nonetheless, because Abraham trusted in God, God was with him and directed, protected, and provided.

The Bible is also full of examples of what God can do for those who do not trust in HIM. God killed many Israelites when they did not trust the Lord and bowed down to the golden calf. God killed many Israelites when they committed adultery with foreign women. God killed many Israelites along with Korah when they rebelled against the authority of Moses. When one does not trust God, and they have seen the power of God in their lives, God must bring judgment in their lives to remind all that God is living and is worthy to be feared.

Do not let the trials that you face cause you to doubt God’s goodness. Instead, fill your life with the things of God. Follow David’s example and meditate upon God’s word. If you take the time to think about what God has done in the past, and you understand that HE is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then you will have the faith to watch and see what God does through you.

When was the last time you sat down and just mused upon the things of God? Not a quick 30 second praise God session but a prolonged period of time where you just filled your mind with all the things God has done for you. When you take the time to think about the goodness of God, it will increase your faith and will give you the strength to overcome the trials that you face. As you take the time to fill your mind with that which is pleasing in God’s sight, God will be able to bless you in ways you never imagined.

Psalms 142:3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

David was in distress but he understood that God saw him every step of the way. It did not matter how difficult things became – God was with him. David had a heart after God’s own heart. Because David sought the Lord, he understood that when things became difficult, God would always show him the way that he should go.

When the storms of life arise in your life, you have two options. Either you look to God and cry out to HIM for your help, or you can attempt to rely upon your own strength and bemoan your difficult times. God allows trials in your life to cause you to put your focus upon HIM. If you have sinned, God may have allowed you to face this trial so that you will repent and return to HIS perfect plan. King Ahab was allowing the worship of Baal in the country; as judgment, God sent a drought into the land.

Not all trials are a result of some sin in your life. God allowed Job to face great trials in his life. These trials were used to prove to Satan that Job served God not because of the blessings that he had received but because he feared God and desired to serve HIM. It was not because of some sin in Joseph’s life that he faced the trials of being a slave and a prisoner. It was not because of some sin in David’s life that he faced the trials of being almost killed by Saul. It was not because of some sin that Christians in the early church were persecuted and killed for righteousness sake.

When you face the storms of life, you must remember that God is your guide and help in time of trouble. Turn to God and examine your life. If you have sinned, ask God to forgive you and seek HIS mercy. When David sinned by numbering the people, David humbled himself and pleaded for the Lord’s mercies. The nation of Israel did suffer punishment as a result of David’s sin, but it was David’s cry for mercy that resulted in God’s judgment being removed from the land.

After examining your life and ensuring that your life is right before God, if you are still facing trials, learn to thank God that HE has counted you worthy to face the trial that will bring you to a closer relationship with HIM. Learn to love the Lord with all your heart. Learn to put all your trust in HIM.

God knows the path HE has for you. Are you spending enough time seeking HIS will every day so that HE might show you that path? Too often we rely upon our own strength and do that which seems logical to us. When storms come, do not abandon the ship, instead, focus your attention upon the Captain of your salvation and see what HE would have you to do. God may be leading you in a new direction, or HE might just be doing something to demonstrate to the world HIS power and strength.

It does not matter what is going on around you, you need to turn your attention back to God. Set your mind upon things above so that HE can make your paths straight. Put on the mind of Christ and add virtue to your life so that your life might be pleasing to God. Do not get mad at the trials that you face, instead, focus your attention upon God and watch as HE shows HIMSELF strong in your life.

Psalms 141:3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

Do you pray daily for God to protect you from evil? Do you pray that God will put a guard over your mouth so that you do not say foolish things? Do you pray that God will guard your eyes so that you will see no wicked thing? Do you pray that God will protect your mind so that you do not think thoughts that are not pleasing to God?

There is a spiritual battle going on around you. Every day the enemy will attempt to cause you to sin and fall short of the glory of God. Since the battle is constant, you must be spiritually ready for the battle.

David was a man after God’s own heart. One thing that David did as we can see in this Psalm is that he asked God to protect him from evil. David asked God to guard his mouth and to guard his heart.

God hears our prayers. If you have the fear of God in your life, you will have no desire to sin and fall short of the glory of God. However, because you know your own sin nature, you know how easy it is for you to slip from God’s perfect path. Those who desire to please God will take the time to ask God for deliverance. God will hear your prayer and HE will protect you from evil.

When Jabez prayed, he asked God to “keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!” Jabez received the desires of his heart and God protected him. When Jesus’ disciples asked him how they were supposed to pray, one of the elements of the Lord prayer was that we are to pray “and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”.

God can protect you from doing that which is displeasing to HIM. You must first learn to hate doing evil. When you learn to hate evil, you can then come to God in prayer and ask HIM to protect you from that which is displeasing to HIM. God hears your prayers and HE is willing to show HIMSELF strong in your life.

Very often, you do not know all the ways that God has protected you. However, you need to learn to praise God every evening. Praise God for how you did not face temptation. If you know how HE protected you from evil, be specific in your praise. If you do not know how HE protected you but you made it through the day without being tempted to do evil, thank HIM that HE protected you from the attacks of the enemy.

Every morning when you get up you need to pray to put on the full armor of God. Every morning you need to establish your mind to do that which is right in the eyes of God. Every evening you need to praise HIM for all that HE has blessed you with including HIS protection from evil.

God is real; HE knows your thoughts, actions, and deeds. You desire to have the fear of the Lord and to do that which is right in HIS eyes. Establish your heart and mind upon the things of God. Focus your attention upon those things that are pleasing to God. As you fill your mind with virtue, and that which is pleasing to God, God will bless you by protecting you from temptation so that your borders might expand and you can do even more for HIS glory.

Psalms 140:7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

When Joshua fought against Amalek, Moses stood upon the hill lifting up the rod of God. As long as Moses’ hands were raised, Joshua prevailed. When Moses’ hands grew weary and fell down, then Amalek prevailed. Joshua was only as successful as Moses was able to intercede on his behalf. Because Moses became to tired to hold up his hands, eventually Aaron and Hur had to help Moses keep his hands raised so that Joshua was able to defeat Amalek.

Of his own strength, Joshua was able to do nothing. Joshua could only win the battle if Moses was successful at interceding on his behalf. Moses of his own strength could not hold up the rod of God all day. Moses needed others to help him. Because no one person was responsible for obtaining the victory over Amalek, God was the one who received the glory. God received the glory for the actions of Joshua, Moses, Aaron, Hur and the entire Israelite army.

Joshua was covered in the day of battle by the interceding of Moses. When we are pursuing the battle that God has called us to, than we have HIS protection. Unlike Moses, God does not grow weary and HE will be with us every step of the way. God will protect you when you are in the center of HIS will.

God protected David when he stepped onto the battlefield against Goliath. David understood that HE was doing God’s will and that it would be God who protected HIM, not the weapons of the world. Daniel’s three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah understood that God did not want them to bow down to gods made of man’s hands. They did not know if God was going to save them, but they knew that they were not going to disobey God and not receive the blessings of HIS protection.

What can man do to you when you are doing HIS will? God is able to protect you regardless of the situation that you face. God does not grow weary but is faithful and just to be with you every step of the way. In Psalm 23, David acknowledges that “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.” David understood that no matter how dark the situation becomes, God would never forsake him. God would always be HIS cover.

When you are doing the will of God, you will face some difficult times. However, this is not the time to give up and walk away. Instead, this is the time where God desires you to step up and trust in HIM. Make a commitment that you are not going to allow Satan to discourage you. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and allow HIM to work through you to do many great things. Let God be your covering in all that you do.

If you are going to see God do great things through you, than you must allow HIM to be your cover and protection. This will require that you no longer lean on your own understanding but instead requires that you fill your mind with the things of God. When you add virtue to your faith and fill your mind with the things that are pleasing to God, God is able to do many mighty things through you.

Psalms 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

Jonah was instructed by God to go to Nineveh. Jonah decided to run away from God so he went the opposite direction. Jonah tried to hide from God and God sent a storm. Jonah understood that the storm was from God and that God was punishing him so he asked to be thrown into the sea. Jonah had not yet repented for disobeying God so most likely he was willing to die rather than repent and turn from his wicked ways.

God showed mercy on Jonah and sent a great fish to swallow Jonah. It took Jonah three days in a fish’s stomach before he repented of his wicked ways and was willing to obey God’s direction for his life. Jonah tried to hide from doing the will of God but there was no place that Jonah could go to hide from God.

It does not matter where you are at in this earth, God can see you. When Jesus was choosing his disciples, Philip found Nathanael and told him to come and see Jesus. When Jesus found Nathanael, he said “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Nathanael was surprised and asked how Jesus knew him and Jesus replied that he knew that Philip had found him under the fig tree. Nathanael was surprised which indicates that he was in a place where people would not have been able to see him. However, God knew that he was there and used that instance to demonstrate to Nathanael and us that there is no place we can go that God does not know our whereabouts.

God cannot only sees you but HE knows your every word. Once the tax collectors came to Peter and asked him if Jesus paid taxes. Peter replied that Jesus did. Later, Jesus talked with Peter and sent him out fishing. The first fish that Peter caught contained a piece of money that Peter was to use to pay the taxes. Jesus knew what Peter said even though he was not there.

There is no thought, action, or deed that you can hide from God. God knows everything about you and HE still loves you. God desires that you learn to trust HIM and change from your wicked ways and follow HIS direction for your life. If you refuse to do HIS perfect will, HE will allow trials to come into your life to drive you to HIS perfect will. You do not have to follow the direction of God, but it will be much easier for you if you do follow HIS perfect will.

Do not be like Jonah who thought he could run away from the presence of God. Instead embrace the fact that God can see you whether you are on a high mountain, on a ship in the sea, or in a cave. It does not matter where you go, God knows who you are and where you are and what you are doing.

You must change your thinking. It is one thing to say that you know that God knows your every thought; it is another thing to actually believe it. If you believe that God knows your every thought and that you are going to give an account unto HIM for your thoughts, then you would not allow certain thoughts to creep into your head. If you really fear God, than your life would be filled with virtue because you would take the time every day to fill your mind with the things of God.

Psalms 138:8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

There will be times where you feel like God has forsaken you. The storms of life will be blowing. It will appear that the storm is about to engulf you and that there is no way to escape. However, when there is no hope, this is when God desires to show HIMSELF strong. When things become impossible, that is when HE will receive the glory.

God can do the impossible through you. It does not matter how difficult of a situation you find yourself in, God can deliver you like HE delivered the nation of Israel from the hands of the Egyptians. The Egyptians had the nation of Israel trapped but God put a pillar of cloud between the Egyptians and the nation of Israel that delayed the Egyptians until the people could cross the Red Sea on dry land.

When you are in trouble, God is still beside you. God’s mercy endures forever. It does not matter how difficult your situation is, HE can deliver you from anything that faces you. However, when trials come, you need to learn to have the attitude of Job. When everything was against him, he did not blame God. Job did not become bitter at God. Instead, Job acknowledged that God is in control. Job was willing to die desolate. Job understood that when he was born he had nothing and that it was God who had given him his wealth, his health, and his family. Job understood that what God gives, God can take away. Because Job maintained a right attitude towards God, when Job had passed the test, Job saw the blessings of God upon his life once again.

God allows you to go through the trial of fire so that HE can purify you of your iniquity. The fire reveals to both God and the world what you are made of. It gives you the opportunity to cleanse your life of those things that come between you and HIM. As you allow yourself to be purged of your iniquity, remember that God’s mercies are forever. Praise God for the cleansing power of the blood.

Trials are never fun. You may have thought that you had already learned the lesson that you are now facing again. God desires to purge all iniquity out of your life so HE brings greater trials then you think you can bear so that you turn your eyes upon HIM and allow HIM to be glorified through you. If you can overcome a trial on your own, then why do you need HIM? As soon as you are confident that you can overcome one trial, God must bring a larger trial into your life so that you must learn to be utterly dependant upon HIM.

You are to be a diamond that properly reflects the light of God. In order to properly reflect the light of God, God must perfect you so that when HIS light shines upon you, the world does not see you – they see the light. The storms of life are God’s tools to perfect you so that you become more like HIM.

The next time you face a storm, turn to God and cry out to HIM. Look to HIM to save you from all your distresses. Do not allow yourself to think that you can escape in your own strength. Instead, learn to fill your mind with the things of God so that when trials come you might have the attitude of Job. As you fill your mind with virtue, God will be able to work through you so that HE might receive all the glory.

Psalms 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

The nation of Judah is held captive in Babylon. They are weeping as they remember how God use to bless them when they were in Zion. Now they are suffering God’s judgment for their sins and the sins of their father. The nation does not serve God with a whole heart and because of their sin, of worship false gods and sacrificing their children to false gods, God has brought judgment upon them.

This is the first step of repentance, recognizing God’s judgment upon the land. Once your eyes become awakened to God’s judgment, then you are in the position to humble yourself, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from your wicked ways. Once God’s people humble themselves and pray, then God can come and heal the land and remove the oppression.

The nation of Israel suffered oppression for seven years from the children of Midian before they finally cried out to God for deliverance. Once they cried out to God, he sent Gideon. The nation of Israel suffered oppression for eight years from Cushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia before they finally cried out to God for deliverance. Once they cried out to God, he sent Othniel who delivered them. The nation of Israel suffered oppression for eighteen years under the hand of Eglon, king of Moab before they finally cried out to God for deliverance. Once they cried out to God, HE sent Ehud who delivered them. Throughout Israel’s history you see how once the nation of Israel recognized the judgment of God and they cried out to HIM for deliverance, HE would raise up a man to deliver them from the hand of the enemy.

It is important to recognize the judgment of God upon this country. It is important to see just how God has allowed the enemy to rule over us and to dictate how, when, and where you worship God. As you look back at history and realize that there was a time where you had more freedom in worshiping God, you will see the bondage that this nation is in. The first step of this revival begins when you allow God to open your eyes to see the oppression of the enemy.

The enemy is a master at gradually taking away your freedoms. In order to understand the attack of the enemy, you must allow God to open your eyes and to see how things used to be and how they were meant to be.

You will never humble yourself, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from your wicked ways until you first allow yourself to see just how God is judging you and the nation. As you allow God to awaken your heart and you begin to weep, you need to be prepared for how God might use you to encourage others to also cry out to HIM for deliverance.

To open your spiritual eyes to the judgment of God, you must first fill your heart and mind with the things of God. As you begin to think upon the things of God, the bondage of Satan will become more evident. Adding virtue to your life will open your spiritual eyes and enable you to see that greater is HE that is in you than he that is of this world. When God opens your spiritual eyes, than you are ready to be used of HIM.

Psalms 136:1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Throughout this psalm, the psalmist reiterates the point that God’s mercy endures forever. All 26 verses contain the phrase about God’s mercy. The psalmist gives many examples of how God demonstrated HIS mercy upon the nation of Israel. He gives examples of God’s protection, provision, and direction.

It is important that we take the time to remember the mercy of God. It is important that we keep record of just what God has done in our life to demonstrate to us that HE is God. Look at HIS creation, look at the things HE has done for you, and look at what HE has done for others. If you do not see that you serve a living God, than you need to examine your heart and see what is clouding your vision.

It is important that you learn to thank the Lord. It does not matter if it is good or bad; you need to thank the Lord for what HE is doing in your life. God has a purpose for your life and you need to learn to acknowledge HIM in all your ways. Someday you will be able to look back and see exactly how God directed your steps.

HIS mercies are new every morning. Stop and take the time to acknowledge just what God has done for you. If you think about it, God owes you nothing. If God owes you nothing, than what gives you the right to complain about what God has not done for you. You much change your attitude and start being faithful to God for what HE has done for you. Learn to give thanks to God for telling you “no” or “wait”. You must change your attitude and be willing to serve God right were HE placed you today.

Giving thanks to God is important. You should learn to daily praise HIM for the good things HE is doing. Your time of prayer should not only be about the daily bread that you need. Instead, you must learn to have a grateful heart. You must learn to see the hand of God in everything that occurs in your life and no matter how difficult things become, God is still in control.

You will find it hard to praise the Lord if you do not love the Lord with all your heart. If you are serving two masters, your ability to praise God will be very difficult. If you have placed something or someone above the one true God, then you will be singing the praises of your false god and not the praises of your Creator.

It is easy to praise that which is important in your life. When a young couple is pursuing a closer relationship with each other, they are so in love that all they can do is sing the praises of their future spouse. They have purposed in their hearts to love each other and because of that purpose it becomes natural for them to complement each other to anyone who is around to listen.

You need to have a grateful heart. You need to fall in love with God your Creator once again. By adding virtue to your faith and by putting the things of God as a priority in your life, you will be like the psalmist and you will begin to understand the mercies of God. As you see all the things God has done for you, your heart should naturally desire to sing out God’s praises. Praise the Lord for HIS mercy endureth forever.

Psalms 135:5 For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

Do you personally know how the Lord is great in your life? Do you have a long list of personal testimonies of how God has shown HIMSELF strong in your life?

It is one thing to say with your mouth that God is great; it is quite another thing to say that God is great and believe it with your heart and mind. The difference comes based upon not only how God has shown HIMSELF strong in your life but also how you have given HIM credit for the things that HE has done.

What is the long list of testimonies of God showing to you that HE is great? How often do you share with others these testimonies? Hardly a day should go by where you do not share with someone the good things that God has done for you. As you talk with people, you will hear about their problems. This is an excellent opportunity where you are able to share with them how God took care of you in a similar situation. This not only will increase their faith but it also will increase yours.

Do not be like the nation of Israel who saw God’s deliverance at the Red Sea yet did not trust HIM to protect them from the giants in Promise Land. Do not be like the nation of Israel who saw God’s direction by a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day but did not trust HIM to direct them into the Promise Land. Do not be like the nation of Israel who saw God’s provision by the water coming out of the rock when Moses struck it but did not trust HIM to provide for them in the Promise Land. Do not be like the nation of Israel who saw God’s discipline because of the golden calf, yet they did not believe that God would discipline them when they did not obey HIM after HE told them that there would be 40 years in the wilderness.

It is one thing to say that God is great; it is another thing to believe it. Do you believe in God’s greatness? Do you have a personal walk with the Lord where HE is real to you? God desires to show HIMSELF strong in your life if you will but only trust in HIM. Cry out to the Lord as King Asa did. Recognize that HE is the only ONE who can direct, protect, and provide for you. Put your complete trust in HIM and acknowledge HIM in all your ways.

If God is truly great; than what are the evidences of this in your life? Do not sing about the greatness of God if you do not believe it. If you do not feel that God is great, it is time to examine your life. God is alive and active today. HE is performing miracles in the lives of those who believe HIM and trust in HIM. If you do not see the power of God in your life, than maybe you are putting something else above God in your life. Look at your life, does God have your time, talent, and treasure? Is God number one in your life?

You will not be able to sing about how great God is until you change your attitude about God. As long as God is not real and active in your mind, you will do what you want when you want with no fear of the consequences. You need to add virtue to your faith. You need to fill your mind with the things of God. As you fill your mind with the things of God, HE will be able to direct, protect, and provide for you. As you put God first, you will see the power of God. As you share with other HIS testimonies your faith will grow.

Psalms 134:1 Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.

How many times have you asked the Lord to bless you? How many times have you interceded with God that HE would do something great in your life? How many times have you allowed yourself to dream of what it would be like if God started granting you the desires of your heart?

In this Psalm we see that we need to live our lives so that God is blessed by our actions. When you think of blessings you probably think of Jacob who wrestled with God until God blessed him. Jacob also deceived his father in order to receive the blessing that belonged to his older brother. A blessing is a word from the Lord that gives direction to ones life. It was used to give vision to the people.

God obvious does not need us to be like Isaac and to prepare a blessing to let the Lord know what to do next. God is not looking for that kind of blessing. This particular Hebrew word that is translated bless means to kneel down, to praise. God desires to hear our praises. When we take the time to ensure that our actions are right before the Lord and we allow our heart to sing forth HIS praises, God becomes pleased with us.

Think of how much joy a father has when his son does something great. Even if it is just kicking the winning goal in a soccer game, a good father will be beaming ear to ear and will go into work the next day and tell all of his co-workers all of the details of his son’s winning goal.

God is no different then a good father who is active in the life of his son. God is watching us and HE takes great joy in seeing us do those things that are pleasing in HIS sight. When we go into the house of the Lord and spend the time ensuring that our heart is right before HIM, HE is glorified. When we open our mouth and sing forth HIS praises, HE is blessed by our actions.

Yes, you can praise the Lord in your home, but God also desires that you praise HIM in HIS house. HE has commanded you not to forsake the assembly of the saints. Visiting the house of God should be a regular activity in your week. Not only should you visit the house of God, but also you should enter HIS house with an attitude of worship. Learn to understand the power, and praise HIM for HIS hand upon your life.

It is not all about you. You are not here on this earth to see how many good things God can give you during your life. You are here on this earth to see how you can bless the Lord. Stop and take the time to examine your life. Is your life pleasing to God? Are you doing the things that bring glory to HIS name? Are the words of your mouth pleasing to God? Are you a blessing to God? Is God bragging to Satan about your life?

In order to get the thoughts of self-sufficiency out of your life, you need to change your thinking. No longer can you allow pride to rule your mind, but instead, you must fill your mind with the things of God. As you fill your mind with those things that are pleasing to God, God is glorified. Add virtue to your faith and start changing your life so that God is pleased at not only your words but also your actions.

Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Ask a mother how much she likes it when her young children quibble among themselves. A mother desires for her children to work together, to be friends, to be a team. However, there are days when her children just cannot get along together and this always frustrates her. It seems no matter what she does, her children insist on being at war with each other.

It is no different with spiritual brothers and sisters. God does not like it when HIS children who are called by HIS name are at battle with one another. Not only does it displease God that the body is fighting against one another, it emboldens the enemy since there is not a united battle against him.

When the children of God are fighting against one another, they are not fully prepared to fight against Satan. Because of all the fighting that is going on today among the children of God, Satan has been able to encourage the children of this world that Christianity is nothing and encourage them to continue to battle against traditional Biblical values. As long as Christians continue to fight among each other, they are no longer able to properly defend the basic Biblical values.

You would think it stupid for an individual to constantly cut themselves with a knife. You might warn that individual and tell them how they are destroying their body. How by their actions, they are destroying their ability to defend themselves against diseases and any other enemy who might wish to destroy them.

This is exactly what the body of Christ is doing as they attack one another. The body of Christ is at war with each other and because of that war; it is not able to properly defend itself against the attacks of Satan. Men and women, boys and girls are unnecessarily yielding to temptation because the body of Christ is weak and being destroyed. The body of Christ is not strong enough to provide protection for the weak members because it is not at unity one with another.

Jesus commanded us to love the Lord with all our heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. If more Christians were to practice the simple command of Christ, the church would have a great influence in this world. If the church were to unite in love, they would be in a better position to be a light unto the world. As long as the church is fighting, the world is not able to look at the church and see the love of God. How will the world know of God’s love to forgive them if the body of Christ cannot even take the time to love one another? How do you expect the body of Christ to properly defend the Biblical truths of God’s word if they cannot even obey the basic principle to love one another?

Paul taught that it did not matter what a Christian had, if they did not have love, then they were nothing. God is looking for those who are willing to lay aside their petty differences and do what is right in the eyes of God. The enemy is attacking, and unless Christians unite together, they will fall divided. Do not worry about God prompting your neighbor, you must take the lead and change and ensure that you are demonstrating love one to another. You must allow Christ’s virtue to flow through you and you must be the light.

Psalms 132:12 If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne forevermore.

David was promised that his seed could sit on the throne of Israel forever if they followed the ways of God. It was up to each generation to follow the ways of God and if they did so, then the next generation was going to be blessed. Each generation had to take responsibility for their actions.

It was David’s job to train up Solomon in the way he should go. It was David’s responsibility to ensure that Solomon understood what the ways of God were and how to follow them. It was David’s duty to ensure that Solomon understood the promises of God. It was then Solomon’s responsibility to ensure that his son Rehoboam was prepared to serve the Lord with all of his heart. Each generation was accountable to God for their own actions; they could not live on the blessings of David. If they followed the ways of God, then God’s blessing would be upon their children.

God is faithful and just, HE will be there for the next generation. HE will teach them HIS covenant and testimonies. However, just because God is teaching the next generation a lesson, it does not mean that they are hearing the still small voice of God. Just because God is teaching, it does not mean that the next generation has the fear of God in their lives and has a desire to obey God.

God is faithful HE has promised to show you the way in which you are to go. In Deuteronomy 6:1 HE said “Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it”. The same faithful God who showed you the way has commanded you that “thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (Deuteronomy 6:7).

If you desire to see the blessings of God continue from generation to generation, then you need to start taking responsibility to not only ensuring that you are living in the way that God has for you, but also start teaching the ways of God to the next generation. God will make himself known to your children and grandchildren, but will they have the fear of the Lord in their lives that will cause them to desire to follow God when they hear HIS still small voice?

God desires to do great things through you. Satan knows that one of the quickest ways to destroy your ministry is by distracting your children from serving the Lord. If you want to truly be used of God, then you must take the time to teach your children the ways of God. Do not only share with them the ways that God has directed and provided for you, but also share with them how God loved you and disciplined you.

We are naturally selfish and think only about our own needs and desires. Satan loves to play upon our selfishness and use that to ensure God’s blessings do not flow from generation to generation. You must fill your life with virtue by thinking upon the ways of God. God desires that you work with the next generation so that HE might be glorified.

Psalms 131:1 Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

David understood that he was a great man who did great things for the Lord. However, David did not allow the fact that God was using him to cause pride to develop in his heart. David did not seek great positions that would have naturally made him proud. Instead, he allowed God to lead him and he watched as the Lord opened the doors for him to do great things.

Satan loves to fill your heart with pride. HE loves to fill your mind with things that you can do to receive the praises of men. As you start making your decisions so that those around you will take notice, then you will not be seeking the ways of God and you will miss the still small voice of God.

Pride is a sin that many believers have a problem with. You must learn to fight the sin of pride in your heart. Do not allow pride to start developing within you because it will quickly destroy your ability to see that it is God working through you that enables you to do all the great things that you do.

Samson was a man who did great things for God. However, he allowed pride and lust to fill his heart. Samson told Delilah the secret of his strength. When he heard that the Philistines were coming, he thought he would go out and conquer them as he had in the past. However, because of the pride in Samson’s life, God had to humble him and he lost his eyes and was bound in chains. It was only after Samson once again humbled himself before the Lord that God gave him his strength back and allowed Samson to destroy the enemies of the Lord one last time.

You must understand that God has great things for you if you will only remain humble. As you seek the Lord’s will, understand that it is only by God’s grace that you will be able to do the impossible things that God has for you. If you constantly remind yourself that apart from God you are nothing, then God will be able to open doors to enable you to do the impossible.

It is so easy to allow yourself after you have achieved something to pat yourself on the back, to seek the recognition of those around you. However, if you desire to be like David and have a heart after God’s own heart, then you must be willing to share with others when the time comes that it was God that enabled you to do great things for HIM. Always be quick to share with others the testimony of what God has done so that you do not allow pride in your heart. In addition, as you deflect the praises of men by sharing the testimonies of God, you will encourage others to do the right thing.

Do not seek to do anything that will cause those around you to praise you. Instead seek to do the will of God. As you follow God’s direction and receive God’s protection and provision, you will understand that apart from God you are nothing. Fill your mind with the good report of what God has done through you. As you fill your mind with the ways of God, HIS virtue in you will enable you to conquer pride and ensure that you do not diminish your impact for God because HE has to humble you.