Read the Bible in Year (26JUN19)

PSALMS MOMENT – (26JUN19) Asaph, the temple Levite, wrote an open and honest testimony about himself and how he had been blinded, and almost lost faith by what he had seen. He was envious of the wicked and how they seemed to prosper no matter what they did. They seemed to have the best of health, did not have any major concerns, and enjoyed the bounty of the land. This was all while they were prideful, arrogant, violent, and scoffed at others. They had no fear of the Lord, and yet, they seemed to be blessed. This deeply troubled the Levite because he had lived a life where he struggled to be righteous, but had all sorts of afflictions and challenges. He did not understand any of this nor did it make sense until he went into the House of the Lord. Then, it all made sense. Their vanity was only temporary, but the day was coming when all of it would come to an end. The Levite finally understood that it was better to be under the protection of the Lord than to have the prosperity of the wicked.

Many of us can relate. Oftentimes, it seems that those who reject God are the ones who are coming out on top. This is not limited to the ones in the world, but even those who pretend to be righteous in the body of Christ. For example, those who teach half-truths seem to have thriving ministries. Christians who teach worldly compromise seem to have thousands of followers. Those who are apostate have a massive amount of friends. But those who speak truth are persecuted, mocked, scoffed at, and scorned. Yet, we must never become envious of those who are seemingly thriving in their wickedness. They may seem to have it all as the true body of Christ struggle, but we must remember that even Jesus went through challenges, and yet, He was the Son of God. If He was rejected, so will His followers, but Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father and one day, we too will be rewarded by Him. This life is only temporary, but we have an eternity in Heaven to gain. Something to ponder….

QUESTION OF THE DAY – (26JUN19) How do you handle difficulties that come your way as it pertains to your relationship with God. Do you become bitter and disgruntled, or do you draw even closer to Him? The psalmist wrote, “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up” (Psalm 71:20). The psalmist was testifying to the fact that God had allowed him to go through many trials and challenges, but he had faith that God would restore him once again. It is not always easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you are knee-deep in water, and yet, the Light of God is always there. The enemy wants us to feel defeated, depleted, and discouraged. He desires that we give up on God and throw in the towel. Yet, we must never listen to his lies despite how convincing they are. God is not a God who will go back on His word, nor is He a God who changes His mind. We know that if we endure to the end, we will be saved. In this life, we are guaranteed to face our share of troubles, but for those who keep striving, we are guaranteed to receive our heavenly reward. “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19). Something to ponder….

PSALMS MOMENT – (26JUN19) “Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come” (Psalm 71:17-18). The psalmist wrote these words to let the reader know that the Lord taught him from the time that he was a child about Him and that he wanted to pass down what he had learned to the next generation. How many parents are leaving their children a Godly legacy? Parents tend to leave money, houses, cars, stocks, bonds, household goods, and more to their children, if they are able, but what about the example of a Godly life? Will they be able to remember that you were a praying parent who prayed with and for them? Will they remember long after you are gone that you planted seeds of life into them and not death? It is more vital than ever that parents and grandparents pass down to their children and grandchildren the ordinances of God. We are living in a generation that if parents do not teach their children, the devil will. MTV, BET, mainstream media, musical artists, sport stars and actors should not receive more attention and praise than our God. Nevertheless, it all starts with the caretakers of children to be the ones to instill in them righteous values. Ungodly parents are teaching their children all sorts of nonsense, but it is up to YOU to pass down the Word of God to them, so that they can pass it down to their own children. The next generation is in serious danger of not knowing the Lord, and if we fail to teach, they will be in the devil’s reach. Something to ponder….