Deuteronomy 23 - 9.27.2024

Scripture - Pick one verse that stood out to you.

Deuteronomy 23:21-23

If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with your own mouth.

Observation - What about this verse stands out to you?

Maybe it is because I feel the winds of change blowing in my life again, I have become more reminiscent of late. As I read Deuteronomy this morning and was, as per usual, struck by its rigidity, my heart and my brain were also struck by several moments in my overly-zealous youth, when I made promises to You, that I shouldn’t have…

I probably should have asked for forgiveness again and right away. Instead I just sat here shaking my head at my younger self letting a small tidal wave of misbehavior resurface, and remind me of what I had been like. 

I apologize, Lord. For it all. I think about my youth and I can’t help but wince at times (and not just at times during my youth). I am so lucky that You have been patient with me. So loving with me. My hope is that I can continue to grow in Your wisdom and love.

Application - How will you apply this to your life?

Matthew 5:33-37
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

I want to continue to put this into practice today, Lord Jesus. 

Prayer - Write out a prayer.

Forgive me Lord, I have but ignorance as my poor excuse. As the years have rolled on I have become better at controlling what enters my mind, what is conceived in my heart, and what comes out of my mouth. But I can be better. Let my yes be yes and let my no be no. I aim to become a man of my word. Help me to work at this and grow deeper in this principle, Lord. I thank you for being so patient with me all these years. I am still not sure why I have been given such a great opportunity to continue growing in you, but I am grateful for every second that I have been given. I thank You so much for your wisdom Lord. With Love. In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.

-kenneth lee

Psalm 56 - 9.26.24

Psalm 56:3-4

S - 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
4     In God, whose word I praise
in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?

O – This is another Psalm written by David when the Philistines had captured him in Gath. It reminds us to trust God’s care for us in the midst of fear. When all seems dark, one truth remains ….When God is for us, those against us will never succeed.

David was alone, desperate, and afraid. He was subjected to attacks, defamation, and slander from his enemies. David found himself fearing death and experiencing legitimate reasons to be afraid. (scripturalgrace.com)

A – Although we may not have anyone physically trying to capture or murder us, I am sure some of us can relate to things in our lives which can cause all-consuming fear. We too experience very real legitimate reasons to be afraid sometimes. Just watch all the political stuff for 5 minutes! This verse starts off by acknowledging the presence of fear…. WHEN I am afraid…However, we can choose to be like David and intentionally redirect our focus away from our fears by meditating on the character of God. David's heart overflowed with gratitude, leading him to praise God and place his unwavering trust in His presence. We can do that too!

Trusting God in the midst of fear is a choice we have to make daily…perhaps hourly some days. We humans have a very limited power over anything, but God’s power and His promises are limitless. WHY then do we spend so much time entertaining thoughts of fear and anxiety? Why do we let fear dictate how we feel and keep us from living the joyful life God wants us to live? With God on our side, we are more than conquerors. He has already given us victory over every earthly battle. We may never see the outcome of certain situations here and now, but we are promised that HE has already won the battle. It’s written throughout scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:57 - "But thanks be to God, He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Deuteronomy 20:4 - "For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory."

Psalm 108:13 - "With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies."

Romans: 31 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

When you are faced with circumstances that bring overwhelming fear, the key to overcoming it lies in placing your trust in God Almighty. This involves actively experiencing and affirming His true nature as revealed in His Word. This happens by devoting time to reading His Word, by spending time with Him in prayer, and by journaling your thoughts and what He speaks to you. You will then be able to sense His reassuring and calming presence. It is through trusting God in this process that you can have confidence in His ability to intervene and bring about positive changes in your circumstances.

I currently have some things in my life that I am fearful over, but I am choosing to trust Him, abide in Him, persist in prayer and petition on behalf of those things, and know that He’s got me, as well as those I am praying for. I want to walk in His will and His way so that I can continue to be a vessel for Him while I am still here and able.

P – Lord Jesus, please help us to lay down any and all fears. Thank you that your Word is truth, and you have promised to fight for us. Thank you that we can unload that burden. Lord would you speak to anyone whose heart is filled with fear and/or anxiety in this moment. Would you replace that fear with a calm peace that can only come from you. Lord, help us to trust even though our circumstances may look unchanged at times, you ARE working for us and not against us. Help us remember that You love us, your plans for us are good and perfect. May the way we walk through our fears in a way that leads others to trust you with their fears and anxieties. May we walk through all the things thrown at us with assurance and confidence in the God we love to handle it for us….help us to pray and leave it all at the Throne! Help us to live lives that are FEARLESS!

In Jesus’ name, amen!

- Crystal Flory

Psalm 55 - 9.25.24

Scripture

Psalm 55

 Listen to my prayer, O God,
    do not ignore my plea;
2     hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
3     because of what my enemy is saying,
    because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me
    and assail me in their anger.

Observation

In this Psalm, David is expressing his heartbreak and anguish over being betrayed and attacked. He describes feelings of anguish, terror, fear, trembling, and horror, and a desire to run away. After he pours his heart out to God, he reminds himself that God will sustain him and he declares, “But as for me, I trust in You.”

Application

I know David was going through a different situation, but his description of his thoughts and feelings reminds me of the times I have struggled with anxiety. In verse 5, David says, “Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.” Sometimes that is how I feel. At times it is in response to a specific situation and at other times because I am working myself up about things that haven’t even happened yet. But the best response to these feelings that I have found is to pour out my heart to God and release them to Him, trusting with my head - until it reaches my heart, that HE IS IN CONTROL. And my other response is to memorize and quote scripture. At times I have had had sticky notes with Bible verses throughout my house and on my desk at work, reminding me that God is for me, He loves me, He is going to be with me no matter what may come, and He is in control.

Isaiah 41:10

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand"

Philippians 4:6-7

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God"

Psalm 55:22

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken".

Prayer

God, thank you for your patience with me. Thank you for loving me in spite of my lack of faith. Thank you for continually surrounding me with your presence. But as for me, I trust in You.

Promises:  https://youtu.be/36qxkc7IdMs?si=egcpBWr0oKpk2m42

- Debbie Dunn