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Nehemiah 9:5-33 ...

“Stand up and bless the Lord your God Forever and ever!

“Blessed be Your glorious name, Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

6 You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.

7 “You are the Lord God, Who chose Abram, And brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, And gave him the name Abraham; 8 You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give the land of the Canaanites, The Hittites, the Amorites, The Perizzites, the Jebusites, And the Girgashites— To give it to his descendants. You have performed Your words, For You are righteous.

9 “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, And heard their cry by the Red Sea. 10 You showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, Against all his servants, And against all the people of his land. For You knew that they acted proudly against them. So You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day. 11 And You divided the sea before them, So that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; And their persecutors You threw into the deep, As a stone into the mighty waters. 12 Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar, And by night with a pillar of fire, To give them light on the road Which they should travel. 

13 “You came down also on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven, And gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments. 14 You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, And commanded them precepts, statutes and laws, By the hand of Moses Your servant. 15 You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst, And told them to go in to possess the land Which You had sworn to give them. 

16 “But they and our fathers acted proudly, Hardened their necks, And did not heed Your commandments. 17 They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion They appointed a leader To return to their bondage.

But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them.

18 “Even when they made a molded calf for themselves, And said, ‘This is your god That brought you up out of Egypt,’ And worked great provocations, 19 Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, To lead them on the road; Nor the pillar of fire by night, To show them light, And the way they should go. 20 You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, And gave them water for their thirst. 21 Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; They lacked nothing; Their clothes did not wear out And their feet did not swell. 

22 “Moreover You gave them kingdoms and nations, And divided them into districts. So they took possession of the land of Sihon, The land of the king of Heshbon, And the land of Og king of Bashan. 23 You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, And brought them into the land Which You had told their fathers To go in and possess. 24 So the people went in And possessed the land; You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, The Canaanites, And gave them into their hands, With their kings And the people of the land, That they might do with them as they wished. 25 And they took strong cities and a rich land, And possessed houses full of all goods, Cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive groves, And fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and grew fat, And delighted themselves in Your great goodness.

26 “Nevertheless they were disobedient And rebelled against You, Cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets, who testified against them To turn them to Yourself; And they worked great provocations. 27 Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, Who oppressed them; And in the time of their trouble, When they cried to You, You heard from heaven; And according to Your abundant mercies You gave them deliverers who saved them From the hand of their enemies.

28 “But after they had rest, They again did evil before You. Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies, So that they had dominion over them; Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies, 29 And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, ‘Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear. 30 Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful.

32 “Now therefore, our God, The great, the mighty, and awesome God, Who keeps covenant and mercy: Do not let all the trouble seem small before You That has come upon us, Our kings and our princes, Our priests and our prophets, Our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day. 33 However You are just in all that has befallen us; For You have dealt faithfully, But we have done wickedly."

Psalm 89:11-18

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them. 12 The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.

13 You have a mighty arm; Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.

15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. 16 In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted. 17 For You are the glory of their strength, And in Your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, And our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Proverbs 21:29-31

A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way.

30 There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the Lord.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the Lord.

Acts 27:27-44

God has a plan for each one of us. In Acts 27, we read of God's plan to send Paul To Rome.

As these readings from different sections of the Bible tell of God's plan, God also provides protection and provision. What is God's plan for you?

#1 Do you know Jesus Christ personally? John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

John 8:32; John 14:6

The bolded letters are for emphasis and not in the Bible. All the scripture is the NKJV from BibleGateway.com

Standing in the Storm

Psalm 62:1-8 

Truly my soul finds rest in God;

    my salvation comes from him.

 

Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

    he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

How long will you assault me?

    Would all of you throw me down—

    this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

 

Surely they intend to topple me

    from my lofty place;

    they take delight in lies.

With their mouths they bless,

    but in their hearts they curse.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

    my hope comes from him.

 

Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

 

My salvation and my honor depend on God;

    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

 

Trust in him at all times, you people;

    pour out your hearts to him,

    for God is our refuge.

   "What am I going to do?" How many times have we all uttered this cry of despair? Sometimes the storms of life come without letup; they seem endless, successively crashing against us until we feel as though we can't take any more. In those times of desperation, Psalm 62 offers three valuable lessons.

   FIRST, WE MUST WAIT. It's understandable that we want answers and relief immediately, but the Lord acts in His own perfect time, and He's never late. Therefore, we must wait for Him to guide us to the next step-even when that means resisting our natural desire to react quickly and take control of circumstances.

   SECOND, WE MUST WAIT IN SILENCE. When we quiet our mind and tongue, we give God an opportunity to speak His words of hope and trust to our heart. Instead of letting anxiety and worry occupy our thoughts, we must focus on God's promises from Scripture. Then He will give us  patience, trust, courge, and the assurance that He cares and is in control.

   THIRD, WE MUST KEEP IN MIND THE MOTIVATION FOR WAITING-GOD'S INTERVENTION. Our focus is to be on the Lord, not on our troubles, ourselves, or other people. We must learn to filter out whatever is pulling our attention away from trust in almighty God, who is working according to His will and timing.

   When the storms of life batter you, make sure that your feet are planted on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Do not despair, asking, What am I going to do? Rather, ask, What is God doing? And be assured-He is doing something.

Stanley, Charles F. "Standing in the Storm." In Touch: Daily Readings for Devoted Living. In Touch Ministries: Atlanta. April 2019, page 23.

Our Heavenly Father

"This, then, is how you should pray:

"'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'" Matthew 6:9-13 NIV, www.biblegateway.com

When Christ taught His disciples to pray, He told them to call God "Our Father" when communicating with Him. Jesus often addressed God as "My Father," but now they, too, shared in that privileged family relationship. All of us who've been born again are part of the household of God and have this same right.

   Consider some of the ways our heavenly Father cares for His children. He...

LOVES. God's love is unconditional, since it's based on His nature rather than our performance (1 John 4:16).

LISTENS. When we pray, He gives us His full attention (Psalm 55:16-17).

PROVIDES. The Father assumes responsibility for meeting all our needs (Phillipians 4:19).

GUIDES. He is the one who directs our path when we trust in Him (Proverbs 3:5-6).

PROTECTS. The Lord shields us spiritually, emotionally, and physically, sifting every experience through His sovereign fingers (Psalm 121).

STAYS. He's not an absentee parent, since He will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8).

DISCIPLINES. The Lord disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness (Hebrews 12:5-11).

   Though experiences with our earthly dads may have distorted our perspective of the heavenly Father, we can learn to see HIm as He truly is. By viewing Him through the truth of Scripture instead of our preconceptions, we will see evidence of His loving care and discover a security we've never known before.

Stanley, Dr. Charles F. "Our Heavenly Father." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living. Atlanta: InTouch.org. November 2018. page 27.

Encouragement in Every Season

Psalm 62:5-8 New King James Version (NKJV)

5 

My soul, wait silently for God alone,

For my expectation is from Him.

6 

He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be moved.

7 

In God is my salvation and my glory;

The rock of my strength,

And my refuge, is in God.

8 

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah

New King James Version (NKJV) www.biblegateway.com

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

   Maybe there's not enough money in the bank to cover that bill. Or a loved one died. Or your family is facing hard times. In difficult or painful circumstances many believers turn to the Bible in search of comfort and guidance. Within its pages, we find assurance that encourages us through every season of life: "The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for HIs compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23).

   God truly is faithful. In other words, we can count on Him to be and do exactly what He says. For instance, the Bible assures us that the Lord is trustworthy, loving, and incapable of failure ( Psalm 37:5; Romans 5:8; Joshua 1:5). Out of deep love for us, He'll use any aspect of His multifaceted nature to provide exactly what He knows we need. He's our Savior, Comforter, and Discipliner, who safely guides us through life's changes and challenges.

   No matter what hardships we face, we can trust God because He knows all things. He's aware of the duration and intensity of our current season and uses his knowledge to offer us the best possible help and support. What's more, the Lord is all-powerful, which means He is more than adequate to meet needs and change circumstances according to His plan. And our Father is everywhere, including right beside us in whatever we face. He promises, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).

   Difficulties may cause us to question God's dependability. But if we'll place our trust in our omniscient, omnipotent Father, we can begin each morning with a fresh sense of His faithfulness, which will carry us through the day.

Stanley, Charles F. "Encouragement in Every Season." In Touch: Daily Readings for Devoted Living. February 2018. Atlanta. page 18.

Why Our Needs Remain Unmet

James 1:5-8

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. 
NIV Bible Gateway.com

   If our loving, omnipotent Father really does desire to meet His children's needs, then why do some go unmet? Let's look at a few key reasons why we may lack essentials.
  WE DON'T ASK. If this seems elementary, it is. And yet it's astonishing how many people fail to bring their concerns to God. Some say, "Oh, He has too much to do to worry about my little problems." Nonsense! Our Father is a very personal God, who cares deeply about everything that affects His children. In fact, Matthew 10:30 says He even knows the number of hairs on our head. So of course we should share with Him the details of our life. 
   WE ASK BUT DOUBT THAT GOD CAN OR WILL DO IT. It's a tragic mischaracterization to go before the omnipotent, sovereign God of the universe and essentially say, "You aren't big enough to handle my needs." James 1:8 describes such a person as "double-minded" and "unstable." When you approach God, do so knowing that He can meet your needs.
   WE ASK GOD TO ADDRESS THE SYMPTOM, NOT THE REAL NEED. At times we pray and pray about something—a particular emotional pain, perhaps—without seeing any change.The reason may be that we are focusing on the symptom rather than the actual need. As you continue talking to the Lord about the situation, you may discover the root need is something you have not even considered.
   The heavenly Father wants to meet all of your needs. If you cannot see Him acting on your behalf, be sure to take a critical look at yourself from His perspective. Then ask yourself, Is it possible that I could be standing in the way of God's intervention? 
Stanley, Charles F. "Why Our Needs Remain Unmet." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living November 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 21.

Our Generous Provider

Psalm 65

¹ Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
    to you our vows will be fulfilled.
² You who answer prayer,
    to you all people will come.
³ When we were overwhelmed by sins,
    you forgave our transgressions.
⁴ Blessed are those you choose
    and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
    of your holy temple.

⁵ You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
    God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
    and of the farthest seas,
⁶ who formed the mountains by your power,
    having armed yourself with strength,
⁷ who stilled the roaring of the seas,
    the roaring of their waves,
    and the turmoil of the nations.
⁸ The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
    where morning dawns, where evening fades,
    you call forth songs of joy.

⁹ You care for the land and water it;
    you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
    to provide the people with grain,
    for so you have ordained it.
¹⁰ You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
    you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
¹¹ You crown the year with your bounty,
    and your carts overflow with abundance.
¹² The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
    the hills are clothed with gladness.
¹³ The meadows are covered with flocks
    and the valleys are mantled with grain;
    they shout for joy and sing. NIV Bible Gateway.com

   Generosity is usually a term we apply to people, but have you every considered how generous the Lord is toward us? First of all, He created the earth and all its contains as a habitation for mankind. He made the sun to give light and cause vegetation to grow, and He sends rain to water the land and quench our thirst. The Lord has abundantly made provision for our physical needs.

   This alone should cause us to stand in awe of His love and care for us, but His generosity doesn't end with the physical necessities. He's also provided for all our spiritual needs through His Son. As a result of Jesus' death on the cross for our sins, we who believe in Him are reconciled to God and given a wealth of spiritual blessings. We have His Word to Guide us, His Spirit to empower and transform us into Christ's image, and His church to encourage and support us. Yet His generosity doesn't end there.

   The Lord has also promised us an imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance in heaven. (See 1 Pet. 1:4.) All that He has prepared for us is beyond our human understanding, bu Revelation 21 and 22 describe the new heaven and earth as a place of abundance and blessing, untainted by sin and death.

   In light of all that the Lord has so richly provided and promised, gratitude should be our first response. However, since we are His people, who are called to walk in His Spirit, we should also be characterized by generosity toward others. That means meeting not only physical needs but also spiritual ones by proclaiming the gospel and encouraging fellow believers. 

Stanley, Charles F. In"Our Generous Provider." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living October 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 33.