Devotional Time with God

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm 1

Blessed is me who will not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.  But my delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His word I will meditate each day and night.  I shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season. Whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever I do shall prosper.

I shall not be like the ungodly, which are nothing but like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. The ungodly shall perish.

Lord Jesus, I pray right now to ask for your forgiveness if I’ve neglected to read your word and obey what it says. I thank you for your grace and mercy. I thank you for the constantly speaking to me, reminding me to follow you, so I may not stumble, nor perish.  Bring on the river, the fresh water for my soul and spirit.  I want to grow in your great beauty and majesty.  I want to be where you are – that is my reward in heaven. I shall hang on to your words, God, as you said in the scripture John 8:31-32, your truths will set me free, indeed.  Amen.

“All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

1 Peter 1:24-25

What I am is weak. Easily swayed back and forth between seasons and worldly circumstances. All of my achievements stand on this weak body.  This body will get sick. This body will die. I can’t rely on this body. I can’t rely on this world to give me what I need.

What I need is God’s word. What I need is Jesus’ love and grace.  What I need is a constant reminder – a constant rebuke from the Lord, that I have to listen and look for God’s calling. Because God is everlasting and I need to be where God is.

In Psalm 1, I have God’s commands that I need to obey:

God blesses those people who refuse evil advice and won’t follow sinners or join in sneering at God.

Psalm 1:1

I must refuse using God’s name in vain. This is common in today’s world, where it seems ok to mock Jesus. It is NOT OK to me. I must not join those evil chorus.

The LORD protects everyone who follows him

Psalm 1:6a

I must also follow God so He may protect me from this evil world.  My faith, in Christ, will be my saving grace. I will follow Him, by doing what He told me to do, as stated in the Bible.

In Psalm 1:1-6, there’s a picture of those who follow God’s word, and those who don’t.  I can imagine a tree by the river, where it’s constantly have access to unlimited water and nourishment.  The tree, in turn, bears many fruit and productive.

Then, the other picture is a piece of straw lying on the ground.  When the wind comes, it gets blown away – carried away to some unknown place and gets lost.

The same picture is for me when I don’t read the word.  The same fate will happen if I don’t obey the word and laws of God. His word is a guide. His word is light for my life. It’s limitless for my daily life. It’s like a river that nourishes, so I may become fruitful and multiply. How can I not delight in that? I want that every day!

My declaration today to God will be:

I enjoy pleasing you.    Your Law is in my heart.

Psalm 40:8

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

Psalm 119:105

I never try to walk in the dark. I certainly don’t want to do that in my life.  I need light. I need to know where I’m going. I need to see the path.

I thank God for His word, for it is guiding me in my darkest hour.

The LORD protects everyone who follows him, but the wicked follow a road that leads to ruin.

Psalm 1:6

What stands out in this verse is that God will protect EVERYONE who follows Him. That’s reassuring because He makes no exception – anyone who listens to God will be protected. I’ll be on the right path, as long as I follow His advice, laws, and word.

My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus

Philippians 4:19

God’s the creator of all things. He is limitless. He is everything. So when God promised His riches, is there anything I can’t ask for?  Will be short of anything?

It’s mind boggling. I’m just amazed and awed by His benevolence.

Lord Jesus, you are the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. You are everything, everywhere, at anytime. If you’re with me, who can be against me? I thank you Lord, for all of your riches that you bestowed on me. I’m forever grateful. I’m forever yours. Amen.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

When I focus on Jesus, there’s nothing I can’t accomplish. Jesus gives me the power and knowledge to handle any situations. I draw my strength from Him, to guide me through this treacherous and unforgiving life.  I know there’s hope.  I know there’s hope.  I know there’s Jesus who enables me.

Thank you Jesus, for providing me strength when I need it.  You’re the cornerstone. You’re the rock. You’re the foundation of my life. I believe you when you said this because it is written.  I take in your word and I take you into my life. Dwell in me, O Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6–7

God is a giver. He will give me what I need, if I only ask for it.  Most of the time, God gives without even me asking for it!  He makes miracles happen every day for me.  I don’t understand how He knows, but He knows!  He knows what’s in my heart. He knows what’s in my mind.

So I need to be careful what I put in my mind and heart. Filthy things cloud my connection with God. Obscene things hinder God’s blessings.  Pride and anger deviate my walk with God.  I have to be right, according to God’s laws.

I’ll feed on God’s word, every day, so I’ll know what He has in store for me, and I don’t have to worry about anything.

Lord Jesus, thank you for the provisions you have given me. Thank you for the ones will you give, because I know you’re a benevolent God. You know what I need before I even know!  I love you during my ups and downs, and I can always rely on you.  I give this time, this life, this resource that I have, all to you – so you may do as you please, according to your will. Amen.

. . . I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Philippians 3:12b

God has taken a hold of my life. He has grabbed my attention.

And now He’s in the process of shaping me. I let Him. I let Him guide and mold me to His image. That’s all I have to look forward to – to be with Him.

So I press on, living in this world, with only His purpose for my life.

God, please continue to use me for your glory. Continue to take a hold of me. I stray quite often and I deviate from your path frequently. I want to stay on course. I want to reach heaven where you are. Hold me steadfast, Lord. I will continue to read your word, listen to you, and pray to you, throughout my life, to receive and do your instructions. Amen.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Philippians 2:13

God is still working me.  He is empowering me to do whatever I like to please Him. The Holy Spirit guides me, rebukes me, cajoles me, but ultimately it’s my decision to do what’s right, for God.  I need to use God’s word to find my way to heaven. I need to use God’s word to stay on fire for Him. To be the light that He wants me to be.

No more excuses! No more compromises!

Oh Lord, thank you for work in me. Thank you for giving me the desire and the ability to do what is required of me. Help me through these troubled times. Help me, using  your word and laws to guide me through the treacherous world. Don’t let me cheat or lie my way out of situations. Rather help me use your truths and wisdom to gain more trust and be the example of your wonderful kingdom, God.  Amen.