Devotionals for Teens

Wonders of Old!

2012-02-02T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁴Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

⁵I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

⁶I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

⁷Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?

⁸Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?

⁹Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.

¹⁰And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.

¹¹I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

(Psalm 77:4-11, King James Version)

Wonders of Old!

I hope you, like me, have become endeared to Asaph, the writer of many of the psalms, such as Psalm 77. It is hard to believe that he wrote these psalms over 2000 years ago, as they seem so relevant to the 21st century. Because teens do not have the benefit of being alive for decades upon decades, it is good for us to look at Bible passages such as this, and realize the great depth of God's love for us.

Asaph, upon considering the circumstances of his life was deeply troubled. Just as we often are prone to ask, he wondered where God was in all of this. His troubles were so great he was having difficulty sleeping. (Does that sound familiar?) Even though we know that, as Christian teens, we have no need to worry, we find ourselves often worrying over our difficulties in the wee hours of the morning.

So, what did Asaph do?

I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

Look at the thought process that Asaph followed. He began by remembering the ancient times of Israel. When communing with his own heart in the night, his spirit searched diligently, asking these questions.

⁷ Will the Lord cast off forever?
         And will He be favorable no more?
⁸ Has His mercy ceased forever?
         Has His promise failed forevermore?
⁹ Has God forgotten to be gracious?
         Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?  Selah
          (Psalm 77:7-9, New King James Version)

When we forget God and doubt His Word, we are in a sense asking these same questions. By the grace of God, let us hope that we come up with the same answer. Asaph realized that his doubt and worry was his own sickness. He only needed to look at the years of his own life to realize how foolish he had been. Even in his few short years, he was familiar with God's wonders of old.

What an amazing God we serve. Just as He has been ever faithful to His children from the beginning of time, so will He be faithful to us all of the days of our lives. His wonders of old remind us that the mercies of our God are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness!

God Bless You,

Linda

2012-02-01T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.

²In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

³I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

(Psalm 77:1-3, King James Version)

He Listened!

As we continue our series, "First Love," we come to another glorious psalm by Asaph. Just as Asaph pours out his troubled heart to God and comes back again and again to his first Love, so are we, over 2000 years later, reminded as well that God is faithful to us just as He has always been to His children from the beginning of time.

Asaph, living during a time of great civil unrest watched as the kings of Israel turned their backs on God, yet, as he cried out to God in despair, He listened!

I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.

Asaph was, indeed, troubled--so troubled, in fact, that his very soul refused to be comforted. As he poured out his complaints to God, his spirit was overwhelmed.

We have been there, have we not? We do not have to be very old to understand exactly how Asaph felt. Even by our teen years, we can easily be overwhelmed by the difficulties of this turbulent life. Where is God in all of this? Often it seems as though we are stranded and alone, left to face the most difficult trials by ourselves.

Notice, however, that that is not really what we see from Asaph as we read Psalm 77. Before he even began to pour out his heart to God, he boldly proclaimed, "I cried out to God and He listened!" What a great example of hope and faith.

Though our world may quickly be trying to distance itself from God, God has not left the world, and He has certainly not left His children. Let us not treat God and prayer as though they are last resorts, saved for times when all hope seems to be lost. Instead, before we even begin to wade through our difficulties, let us turn to God, knowing that He is constantly by our side, listening to us and aiding us before we even know what to ask.

May this be our glorious testimony to the world. When troubles came upon me, I cried out to the Lord, and He listened!

As teens, go to Christ now; He loves us, He saves us, and He keeps us no matter what trials of life come our way.

God Bless You,

Linda

God is God!

2012-01-31T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁰Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

¹¹Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

¹²He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

(Psalm 76:10-12, King James Version)

God is God!

Is there any doubt that when all is said and done, God is God? Even the wrath of man praises God, because he will restrain the remainder of man's wrath. Therefore, as teens, as we begin each day, let us begin it with God. Let us vow, and then pay unto the Lord what is His due, for it is He who we must fear. It is not man, but God who must dictate all of our actions.

How few of us actually live as though that were true! We are consumed by the distractions and worries of this life; the attitudes of the world are uppermost in most, if not all, of our decision making processes. How much better it would be if, before we even set our foot upon the ground each morning, we prayed for God's grace and help to lead and guide us through the activities of the coming day.

That really is the theme of the entire Word of God, is it not? God pictures the instability of His own people in the Old Testament, yet before we become too critical, we realize that we are so like the children of Israel. Our faith is weak; our hope burns low.

Then, we are overcome with hope, joy, and gladness as we are astounded by the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is our King of King and Lord of Lords. Again we are reminded that God is God, and His love surpasses all of our understanding. Christ, the Son of God, left all the glories of Heaven and took on the form of a man--a man who was despised and rejected by men. Why? So that He could, through His death and resurrection, purchase a people for Himself.

Yes, it is true that God will cut off the spirit of princes: He is terrible to the kings of the earth. Those who despise and reject Christ should tremble and fear, for their end is coming, and it is a terrible end! However, that same end is a triumphant glory for Christ and for His children.

That, dear child of God is the truth! God is God! Let us live this day in total surrender and service to our Lord and King; let us give our utmost for our Highest! Go to Christ in repentance and claim Him as your Savior and the new Lord of your life. He will save you now! (Yes, it is that easy!)

God Bless You,

Linda

Judgment

2012-01-30T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁷Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?

⁸Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,

⁹When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.

(Psalm 76:7-9, King James Version)

Judgment

The word, "judgment," seems to have a negative connotation to it, but according the the psalmist, it is the judgment of God which saves the meek of the earth. Being negative is not all that bad, especially considering a healthy dose of fear puts us in the proper perspective for viewing God.

In reality, when judgment is heard from heaven, the earth fears and is still. Man can be ever so bold when he stands before a group of people, but who can stand before the storm of God's wrath without quaking in their boots.

Unfortunately, we seem to have lost that perspective of God's character. We love to bask in His love, and indeed, His love is great and profound. However, His love must always be coupled with His righteousness and holiness which, of necessity, brings forth His judgment upon a sinful and wicked generation.

In the end, we begin to understand verse 9 much better. It is the meek of the earth--those who understand and fear before a righteous and holy God--who are saved when God rises forth to judge the living and the dead.

The right and proper fear of God, then, brings us to Him. When we come before Him, knowing that all that we ever are or can be is from God and not from ourselves, we are ready to cast off all self love and cling to Christ, who loved us with a love we cannot comprehend.

For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21, KJV

Knowing all of this causes us to look forward, with great anticipation, to the final judgment of God when all wrongs will be made right, and the righteous will live with Him forevermore!

God Bless You,

Linda

Glorious and Excellent

2012-01-29T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁴Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.

⁵The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.

⁶At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.

(Psalm 76:4-6, King James Version)

Glorious and Excellent

Has there ever been a time in our lifetime when the world has not been embroiled in wars and rumors of wars? Has there ever been a time in known history when the world has not been embroiled in wars and rumors of wars? In high school, one of the great frustrations of studying history for me was the need to memorize dates of battles and wars.

How have the strong been appointed into leadership? How have nations appeared as leaders on our globe? Has the victor's crown been given to the most knowledgeable or intellectual or has it been given to those with the most military might or strength?

We speak of and yearn for peace, but without its military might, a nation's words are just as the sound of tinkling silver. With that in mind, Asaph, the psalmist looked to God and says, "Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey."

To what is Asaph referring? When we remember that Asaph lived from the time of David's kingship, through the leadership of Solomon, and into the leadership of Rehoboam and Jereboam, we realize that he was a living testimony of God's power among the nations. The might of men meant nothing apart from the help and power of God. With God, the nation rose supreme among the nations of the world, but when the nation forsook God, so, too, did the nation suffer defeat from its enemies.

These words, and this lesson has been forgotten in our day. It would seem that the nations that have the most advanced nuclear abilities would be considered among the great nations of our day. Is that really true? Has God's arm been shortened in our day of technology and military advancements? Has man become more powerful than God?

As Christian teens, we are quick to acknowledge that nothing man can do will usurp the power of God, but do we really live and act as though that were true?

The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.

As the nations at the time of Asaph could not find their hands, but were cast into a dead sleep, so are the nations today in the same peril. This is the God we serve. He is undone by no man or nation, but reigns supreme among all the nations of the world. That may not be obvious at this time, but the day will come when it will be made abundantly clear to all of mankind.

Go, today, and serve your most glorious and excellent Creator God!

God Bless You,

Linda

God is Known

2012-01-28T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.

²In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

³There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.

(Psalm 76:1-3, King James Version)

God is Known

Three little words, and yet what a difference they make in one's life! God is known. What, really, does that mean? Does not everyone know that God is God? No!

This does not mean that everyone knows that there is a God; instead, it means that Judah and Israel knew the true God, and put their trust in Him. They understood that it was God who fought and won their battles; if they went to battle armed with their own strength they would fail.

How many teens today truly know God? How many teens understand that they cannot put one foot before the other and succeed if they are doing so on their own power? How many teens understand that all of their knowledge, strength, and efforts are futile apart from the one and only true God of all Gods, King of all Kings, and Lord of all Lords?

We live in a time where God is known by only a few; even those who once gave glory and honor to God for their success, have abandoned such archaic ideas in favor of giving honor to man. Is it not man who picks himself up by his bootstraps and, against all odds, gains the glory and prestige for himself?

What has replaced God in our day? Technology, money, power, prestige, etc. Has God changed? With all of man's new discoveries and ideas, does God now expect man to make his way alone?

Even Judah and Israel had to learn that lesson the hard way; time and time again God showed Himself to be powerful on their behalf, and yet when they turned away from Him, it was to their utter downfall and defeat.

We live in a time of many great advancements and discoveries, but the basic truth still remains the same. When God is known in the lives of His people; when they love, honor, and trust in Him, alone, He will honor and uphold them, even in times with extraordinary odds against them.

Go to God today. Know Him, learn of Him, trust Him, obey Him. As He has promised in times past, so does He promise forever that He will never leave nor forsake His trusting children. As Christian teens, you hold in your hands the true secret of success!

We may live in the 21st century, but God is still in control. He still brakes the arrows of the bow, the shield, the sword, and the battle. The time will come when all will bow down and honor Him as Lord and King! May God hasten the day!

God Bless You,

Linda

Horns of the Righteous

2012-01-27T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁹But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

¹⁰All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

(Psalm 75:9-10, King James Version)

Horns of the Righteous

Horns, in the Bible, often signify power or strength. In keeping with that, Psalms 75 contrasts the horns of the wicked with the horns of the righteous.

All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

It is fitting that Psalm 75 should end with two things. First, the psalmist declares forever his praises to the God of Jacob, and secondly the psalmist reminds us that the horns of man (his power or strength) are completely in the hands of God.

That certainly is not a politically correct statement for the 21st century, is it? After all, in a time of the great world super-powers, no nation wants to admit that it has no power in and of itself. It may have been fitting in the 1700 and 1800's for the United States to stamp, "In God We Trust" on their coins, but that has become completely antiquated in the hearts of our leaders today. Even its mere symbolism is a sore spot in the minds of many.

Even as individual teens, in this time of the glorification of humanity, who wants to believe that they have no power of their own, but are totally dependent upon God? We go to great expense to fill our arenas with the super hero, applauding the greatest athlete, the greatest musician, the greatest movie, the greatest men on our planet, and so on. Who among these greats is really ready to admit that their greatness does not rest upon themselves, but upon a God who lives somewhere in the heavens?

Most would take great affront at the very idea that anyone other than themselves, much less some mystical being, would even dare to take the honor and glory that they, alone, deserve. That is understandable in the world, but sadly, many professing Christians feel exactly the same way. They may not vocalize it exactly like that, but their very lives are living examples of their lack of faith.

Does that describe us? As teens, how often do we pray and seek God's will in our daily decisions? How much time do we spend pouring over God's Word, seeking His will for our lives? Are we truly children of God, or do we give lip service to God while dashing through our days seeking our own honor and glory? Are we driven to succeed so that we will look great in the eyes of the world, or so that God will be glorified in the eyes of the world?

It is good for us to examine our own lives and ponder such things. Let us remember that the horns of the righteous are exalted by God, but He cuts off the horns of the wicked. All that is done for self-glory will vanish as wood, hay, and stubble. Only what is done for Christ will advance forth in His mighty kingdom.

Go, today, and live for the glory of the Lord, for He, alone, is our power and strength. He, alone, is the horn of the righteous, so let us sing our praises to Him.

God Bless You,

Linda

Cup of the Lord

2012-01-26T11:46:00.003-06:00

⁸For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.

(Psalm 75:8, King James Version)

Cup of the Lord

What is this cup of the Lord, and why is it filled with red wine? This is not a popular subject; we love the great stories of the love of God, and indeed, His love is great, it is unsurpassed by any other. However, God's love does not stop at His blessings upon His children. Truly, there is no love if there is no justice.

The cup of the Lord is filled with wine, the color of blood--blood that has been shed through the centuries by those who have opposed the God of heaven. From the time of Adam and Eve, Satan has been on a rampage against the children of God. No amount of the shed blood of the people of God will ever satisfy the bloodthirsty longings of Satan and his minions.

Surely, we cannot be speaking of the 21st century, can we? In this day of peace and prosperity, religious freedom is practiced throughout the world, is it not? I No! As many Christian teens in the west live in apathy and indifference, their brothers and sisters in Christ from other lands are giving their lives for the sake of the Gospel of Christ. Does God turn His back on these martyrs for Christ? Would justice be served if, in the name of love, God simply ignored His suffering saints?

Sadly, America is rushing as quickly as it can away from God, as His Word is trampled under the feet of polished liberals who despise the Word of God. Christians who have lived lives permeated with love for this life and the things of the world, will soon be shaken when persecution against true believers becomes the norm. How will they respond when their Bible is taken away, and their pastors and teachers are no longer allowed to preach and teach Biblical truths?

How will they respond when God removes His protection from this land that once stood proudly declaring its trust in Him? Do we honestly believe that God, who allowed His own people to suffer total defeat due to their own turning away from Him, would not do the same thing to America? Is this country so great and so strong that it can continue to dominate the world in its own power apart from the help of God?

It is time that we, as Christian teens, take seriously our charge from God. We are not here to heap treasures for ourselves, but are here as servants of God, placed exactly where we are to be a light and a beacon for the truth of the Gospel. We should not be surprised when the day comes that God shatters the peace and prosperity of this nation--when the cup of the Lord is poured out upon the sin of this land.

There is only one hope for American--indeed there is only one hope for all countries of the world--and that is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14.

¹⁴If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14, King James Version)

Amen, so let it be!

God Bless You,

Linda

God is the Judge

2012-01-24T09:40:00.002-06:00

⁴I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:

⁵Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

⁶For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

⁷But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

(Psalm 75:4-7, King James Version)

God is the Judge

I cannot think of a more appropriate psalm for establishing our life's goal. When all is said and done, on what do you base the actions of your life? In other words, as a teen, what makes you the way you are? Thinking of this, look at the advise given by the psalmist.

I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn: Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

Why does the psalmist give such advice?

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge.

It is time that Christian teens live their lives as though these verses are true! Like the world, we are often so busy worrying about what our neighbors think, that we plunge right in with the world building better and greater barns for ourselves, working to lift our names higher and higher in the sight of the world.

But what of the Lord? Where does the Lord stand in all of this? Do we, as Christian teens, actually believe that God is our Judge? Do we actually believe that it is He who puts down one and sets up another? Do we actually care about the spiritual estate of our neighbor?

I live in a country that, like Israel, was founded upon the Word of God, but that same nation now forbids prayer in school, has discontinued the national day of prayer, and refuses to protect the life of the unborn. Where is God in all of this?

As Christian teens, let us not live as the fools who lift up their own horns on high and speak with a stiff neck. Let us remember that God is the judge; He still puts down one and sets up another. This is the God we serve, and whether our nation is a Christian nation or not, God still rules on high!

Go, today, and live your life for the glory of God. Live as though God is the Judge!

God Bless You,

Linda

Bear Up the Pillars

2012-01-24T09:17:00.003-06:00

¹Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.

²When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly.

³The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.

(Psalm 75:1-3, King James Version)

Bear Up the Pillars

We live in an amazing world, and to that we owe thankfulness and praise to God, alone, for it is He who displays His wondrous works, not only through the beauty of this world, but through His work among the men who inhabit it. As we take the time to learn of the history of this world, we must be amazed again and again at God's hands of protection upon it. Particularly, we see God's hand of protection upon His people, who though persecuted throughout all of history, amazingly persevere and continue on even to our present day.

As Asaph ponders these things, he admits that though the earth has almost been destroyed by divisions and wars, he supports and maintains it.

The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it.

What does he mean when he states, "I bear up the pillars of it."? I found an interesting commentary from John Wesley, who explains that statement in this way.

I support it by maintaining religion and justice, setting up good magistrates, encouraging good ministers who are indeed, pillars of a nation.

As we think about verse 3, what are we, as Christian teens, doing to bear up the pillars of our world? As Christian teens we need to respond in two ways. In whatever way we are able, we need to encourage and support Christians who are actively involved in the governments of our own countries, and even if we are in countries where that is not possible, we need to pray for our leaders. Even ungodly leaders have been known to be used of God on behalf of God's children.

It is time--yes, it is past time, that Christians shake off the dust of apathy and spend their lives for the Lord Jesus Christ. We are here for a purpose, and that purpose is not to sit idly by while the forces of evil seem to take over the world. God is still the Victor, and we are on His side! As a teen, how will your life make a difference?

Go today, and bear up the pillars of this world for the Lord Jesus Christ!

God Bless You,

Linda

Remember This!

2012-01-22T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁸Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.
¹⁹O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.
²⁰Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.
²¹O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.
²²Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.
²³Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

(Psalm 74:18-23, King James Version)

Remember This!

Does God need to be reminded? Asaph, the writer of Psalm 74, begins this psalm with the words, "Remember This." There is nothing that God forgets for which He needs reminders, however the writers of the Bible, especially the Psalms often used phrases such as this. Even though God does not have the negative traits that we possess, such as forgetfulness, it helps us to understand the relationship we have--or at least the relationship we can have--with God.

In our feeble minds, we, as teens, tend to look with despair upon our circumstances and cry out to God, "Have you forgotten me?" Yet, by the very nature of questions such as this, we are encouraged as we realize that, no, God does not forget.

Asaph brings up a very interesting point in these verses.

O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever. Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

The Israelites, due to their continuing sin and rejection of God, found themselves in a terrible place. God turned His back on them, allowing their enemies to cruelly overtake and persecute them. Asaph is now asking God to have mercy upon His people and deliver them from the hands of their enemies, those filled with the habitations of cruelty.

As we ponder this, we must realize that we cannot presume upon God. Though we are Christians, we do not have a license to carelessly forget God and fill our minds with the things of this world. As Christian teens, we have a covenant with God. He saves us and keeps us, and we turn our hearts and lives over to God. Because we are people of this world, we cannot keep that covenant perfectly, but that does not give us a license to forget God and live as the people of the world live.

Typically, when we slip into lives of sin, God uses people and events to nudge us back to Him. However, if we continually ignore God's signals and fall farther and farther from God we will become more and more miserable. What a blessing that God does not reject us forever, but rather continues to prod us until we turn back to Him.

What of those who never return to God? There is a great danger of people assuming they are Christians. One must question if those who leave God and never return have ever truly been believers in the first place. Believing in Christ is more than just believing there is a God and wanting to go to heaven. Believing in or accepting Christ as our Savior involves the changing of our hearts. Hearts that were once filled with the pleasures of the world, now find their greatest joy in the presence of God.

God has not given us the ability to see into the hearts of others, so it is not for us to judge their true state, whether they are true Christians or not. However, God has given us the ability to see into our own hearts. It is good for us to ponder these things and to examine our own hearts to see if we are truly believers.

We will never see perfection; our lives will always be filled with numerous examples of times we have made foolish choices and have imitated the people of this world. However, when we become aware of our sin, we should be filled with remorse and a desire to renew our fellowship with Christ. That is the sign of a true believer.

When we are tempted to say to God, "Remember this," it is a good time to examine our own lives and see if God is sifting us and using the troubles and difficulties we face to bring us closer and closer to Him. That is a good thing, is it not?

What an amazing God we serve. Oh how He loves you and me!

God Bless You,

Linda

Summer and Winter

2012-01-21T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁹We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

¹⁰O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

¹¹Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

¹²For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

¹³Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

¹⁴Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

¹⁵Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.

¹⁶The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

¹⁷Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

(Psalm 74:9-17, King James Version)

Summer and Winter

What do summer and winter have to do with the Lord? In our day of having scientific explanations for every phenomenon that occurs, we have lost the perspective that Asaph had when he penned this psalm.

Asaph was weary! There seemed to be no end to the wickedness that surrounded him, at a time when the Godly had all but vanished from the earth. How long would this continue? There was not even a Godly prophet who could inquire of the Lord. Truly God had withheld His hand of blessing from the few righteous who remained.

Yet Asaph drew encouragement from summer and winter! When he began to think through the amazing attributes of God, He began to see how little were his own problems and difficulties.

After all, he served a God who divided the sea by His strength, broke the heads of dragons in the waters, broke the head of the leviathan, gave food to the Israelites in the wilderness, broke open the fountain and the flood, and dried up the mighty rivers. Every day and night belonged to God who created the light and the sun, defined the borders of the lands of the earth, and made summer and winter.

It is good for us to learn from Asaph's example. Often, as teens, our world becomes very small as we seem to be overcome by our own difficulties and problems. Yet the world is a much bigger place! God, who created this world, and keeps the planets in their courses, has a vested interest in the lives of each one of His children. He cares about even the little details of our lives; no problem exists that He cannot solve.

So, when live seems to overwhelm us, let us remember summer and winter. The God who created and maintains the seasons is there to keep us from all evil and guide us along His paths of light.

God Bless You,

Linda

Why, O God?

2012-01-20T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

²Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

³Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

⁴Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.

⁵A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.

⁶But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.

⁷They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

⁸They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

(Psalm 74:1-8, King James Version)

Why, O God?

Few of us, as teens, have had to experience the grief and frustrations that Asaph, the writer of Psalm 74 faced, crying out, "Why, O God?" After having lived through the glorious reigns of David and Solomon, and having participated in the building of the temple, imagine his despair as he helplessly stood by while men systematically destroyed the temple of God. As a priest of God, seeing the sanctuary of God set on fire was simply unthinkable.

However, these men did more than just destroy the temple, they burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. In other words, this was not just a matter of destroying a building, but rather it was the destruction of the faith in God which had so marked the Israelites as a distinct people of God. Spiritually, they were no better than the nations they had displaced, for they made a mockery of all that God had done for them.

Though we cannot imagine Asaph's grief, we do see the same manifestations of the true heart of man in our world today. Where once we saw churches standing boldly in the name of the Lord, we see churches that barely remain churches at all, making a mockery of the Bible they once professed to believe. Many pulpits are filled with pastors who no longer believe the Word they are called to profess. Rather than holding forth the power of God, these congregations have become mere social organizations useful for networking only.

How can that be? It is important for us to realize that, as Christian teens, we are called to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). But, what does that mean? While it is true that we cannot save ourselves, it is Christ alone who has done that, God does call us to continually renew our hearts and minds by spending time in His Word. The Christian life that is not growing stronger in faith, is growing weaker!

We must dust off the covers of our Bibles and become people of the Word, while we still have the freedom to do so. Daily quiet times with the Lord are not just luxuries, they are necessities! Then, we must pray for our pastors and teachers that they would boldly proclaim the truths of the Word rather than bowing to the whims of this generation.

Rather than just crying out, "Why, O God?", let us take an active part in maintaining a strong faith in our own lives and in the lives of our friends and families. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. He will answer the effectual prayers of His righteous children.

God Bless You,

Linda

Draw Near to God

2012-01-19T04:00:00.000-06:00

²⁷For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

²⁸But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

(Psalm 73:27-28, King James Version)

Draw Near to God

I have so enjoyed traveling through Psalm 73 that I am sorry to have come to the end. Asaph closes this psalm with a summary: It is good to draw near to God, for those far from Him will perish.

As with all Biblical truths, we are amazed at both in their simplicity and their difficulty. We know that what Asaph tells us is true.

It is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.

We know what a precious Savior we have, and all have had those glorious times when we bask in His wondrous presence, and yet we find ourselves, all too often, running after the things of this world. The daily chores of life consume our hearts and we become immersed in homework, family life, friends, dealing with controversies, and then doing it all again the next day. But then, we read Psalm 73:28, and are reminded of the foolishness of our daily pursuits.

In the middle of all of our fretting, we are reminded that, as Christian teens, we have put our trust in the Lord our God. Just as He has faithfully brought us this far, so will He faithfully take us to the end of our days. How much easier life becomes when we begin our day with a quiet time with the Lord, remembering His great love and mercy.

Sadly, if we do not take the time to draw near to God, we will find that we do not just remain stationary, but rather we will find ourselves slipping away from Him. However, God understands that we are but flesh; when we again draw near to Him, we find that He has always been right beside us, guiding our steps so that we did not fall.

What an amazing God we serve. Go to Him today, and thank Him for His wondrous love and mercy. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you!

God Bless You,

Linda

My Portion

2012-01-18T04:00:00.000-06:00

²⁵Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

²⁶My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

(Psalm 73:25-26, King James Version)

My Portion

Asaph, the writer of Psalm 73, takes a minute to ponder his relationship with God, and realizes that God is everything! It is right and proper for us, as Christians, to ask the same question as did Asaph.

Whom have I in heaven but thee?

In the day in which we live, much ado is made about love. Millions of songs, novels, and movies have been written about the power of love which seems to conquer all. As teens, what or who do we love? What or who is worth more to us than even life itself? As humans, we know nothing about true love!

However, we do have the perfect example of a love which knows no bounds. God, our Creator, who could have left us to our own sin and punishment, made a way of escape for us so that we do not have to suffer the consequences of our sin. We deserve to die! The Bible tells us in Romans,

⁶For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6, King James Version)

Now that is a love we cannot comprehend. Christ did not die for the righteous, because no man is righteous in and of himself. By the grace of God, the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, so that in the eyes of God, He does not see our sin and wickedness, but sees, rather, the righteousness of Christ.

How can that be? I do not understand, but I know it is true. That is exactly what Asaph was pondering when he wrote Psalm 73. He saw his own sin and misery, but he understood that even though his own flesh and heart would fail, God was the strength of his heart.

There is no greater love that exists, and this love is available to all who see their sin and misery, and cry out to Christ to save them. That is my prayer to all of my readers this day. The answer to all of life's problems does not lie in our own abilities; the answer to all of life's problems lies in Christ alone. And, as Asaph proclaimed in Psalm 73, He is my portion for ever!

As teens, go to Christ; He will save you now!

God Bless You,

Linda

Guided by God

2012-01-17T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁸Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.

¹⁹How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

²⁰As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

²¹Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

²²So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

²³Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

²⁴Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

(Psalm 73:18-24, King James Version)

Guided by God

Psalm 73 is one of several Psalms written by Asaph, the chief musician during the time of David, Solomon, and Rehoboam, who was guided by God all of the days of his life. Knowing that helps us to understand the great burden Asaph felt in seeing the wicked prosper while the Godly were persecuted. After the golden days of King David and Solomon, Asaph saw the tide turn as Solomon turned away from the Lord, and the country then split into two kingdoms, neither of which remained faithful to God. In spite of this, Asaph, himself, loved and served God faithfully all of the days of his life.

Being grieved by the changes in his land, Asaph took comfort in knowing that God saw everything and would not be mocked. Though the wicked prospered, yet he now understood their end. Indeed, the time would come when they would be brought into desolation and would be utterly consumed with terrors. For those who despise the Lord will come to a time when He will despise them.

As he contemplated all of these things, Asaph was grieved in his heart over his own foolishness. For though he was persecuted in his later years, he was in a much better place than that of his persecutors. Even in the most difficult of times, God was continually with him, holding him by his right hand, and guiding him with His counsel. Though life was filled with terror, the day would come when God would receive him into glory.

The beauty of contemplating these things comes when we realize the truth that this same Asaph has now been with the Lord for over 2000 years! Though as teens our life seems to stretch out before us, our years here on this earth are but a vapor, especially in light of the eternity we will spend with the Lord.

Let us pray that, like Asaph, we will be guided by God and that we, as Christian teens, will faithfully serve Him all of the days of our lives. When we become burdened by the difficulties of this life, may we stop and ponder our amazing God who never leaves or forsakes us.

What a heritage has been left to us by Asaph. As we continue to read the psalms he wrote, may we be reminded that even in the worst of times, God preserves a remnant of those who remain faithful to Him. May we be part of that remnant all of the days of our lives.

Go, then, and be guided by God!

God Bless You,

Linda

Understood Their End!

2012-01-16T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁵If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

¹⁶When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

¹⁷Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

(Psalm 73:15-17, King James Version

Understood Their End!

As we walk through Psalm 73, we find the psalmist bemoaning his lot in life, especially in view of the untroubled life of the wicked. While he seemed to have difficulties on all sides, the wicked seemed to live apparent lives of ease. Verse 17 of Psalm 73 totally changes the viewpoint of the psalmist.

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

What happened to change the psalmist's mind? As teens, it is so easy for us to do exactly the same thing; we are consumed with our own troubles and then take a cursory look at our enemies. Suddenly life seems to be too much to handle; it just seems so unfair! Why is our life so filled with troubles while the wicked seem to skate through life with nothing but pleasures?

However, when the psalmist took his eyes off himself and looked into the Word of God (came into the sanctuary of God), he understood their end. First, he realized that the apparent easy life of the wicked was just a mirage. Even if the wicked lived all of his days in great ease and suffered no evil, what kind of a future did he have? Where would he spend eternity?

It is important that, as Christian teens, we do not take ourselves too seriously. We are not to be consumed by the moment, but rather must always keep our eyes focused upon Christ. This world is the best that the wicked will have, but for the Christian, this life is but a fleeting moment. No matter what the discomforts may be, we will spend eternity in the glorious presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ does not call us to a life of comfort and ease, but He calls us to a life of service for Him. In that life of service we are often tried as gold is tried in a fire, and refined until we come forth shining. Even Christ, Himself, did not live a life of ease. What He asks of us is a small thing in comparison to what He suffered to bring us eternal life!

By the grace of God, let us take our eyes off the comforts and ease of this world, and look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. It is He who saves us and who keeps us until the day we walk into His presence forever! Just as the psalmist understood their end, so too should we look at this life through the eyes of faith granted to us by Christ, and pray for the wicked, that they might come to know Christ.

God Bless You,

Linda

Hidden!

2012-01-15T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁰Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

¹¹And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

¹²Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

¹³Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

¹⁴For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

(Psalm 73:10-14, King James Version)

Hidden!

We have all heard the saying, "What you don't know won't hurt you," but is that really true? We must remember that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is hidden from the ungodly. How else could they live their lives with no fear?

There is no fear of God in their eyes, for they say, "It does not matter what we do, for even if there is a God, how does He know what we do and say? God does not care what man does; He has no knowledge of our secret plans."

It is not hard to understand why they think such things. After all, their life is a life of ease and prosperity. Dwelling on such things can certainly cause great discouragement for the Godly. However, just a little careful thought helps us to realize that the wicked are in a very dangerous position. They do not understand their state before God, but we do!

With that knowledge comes responsibility. It is the responsibility of every Christian to take the knowledge of God to the wicked, remembering that before we came to Christ, we, too, were one of the wicked! Who shared Christ with us? Who prayed that God would open our eyes to understand our need of Christ?

The psalmist continued by stating,

Verily I have cleaned my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

Indeed, we may seem to be plagued every morning, but praise God that He uses such things to keep us close to Him! Without the constant reminders of our daily need of Christ, we would soon forget the Lord and bask in the pleasures of the world.

By the grace of God, the Gospel was not hidden from us. Therefore, let us, also by the grace of God, as teens, seek to pray for the wicked and look for ways to spend ourselves for Christ that His Gospel will be made known to them.

In closing, I pray that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is not hidden to you! Go to Christ; He, alone, holds the key to everlasting life; He will save you now!

God Bless You,

Linda

Purpose of Troubles

2012-01-14T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁴For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

⁵They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

⁶Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

⁷Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

⁸They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

⁹They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

(Psalm 73:4-9, King James Version)

Purpose of Troubles

What is the purpose of troubles? Why does God allow Christian teens to go through so many difficulties? As His children, why are our lives not filled with comfort and ease?

In Psalm 73, the writer answers these questions. As he gazes upon the lives of comfort and ease, he notices something else about the wicked. Do they appreciate the comforts of life they possess? Do these comforts make them nicer people?

Actually, the reverse is true. What does the psalmist notice about the wicked? Though their strength is firm, and they do not seem to have troubles and plagues like other men, their lives are filled with violence. Pride rears its ugly head in their lives, and in their corruption they shake their fists in the face of God and rail against Him.

Just a short tour of history reminds us that possessions and ease bring corruption and oppression. Does it have to be this way? No! The fault does not lie in the possessions we own or the ease of life that comes our way. However, our natures are such that our own pride brings corruption. Rather than looking to God as the source of our hope and joy, we take pride in our own greatness and abilities.

As we look through the annals of history, we realize that God's people seem to have been the strongest when their lives were filled with persecution and difficulties. Just because we are children of God, we are not immune to the sin and pride of man. It was pride which caused Adam and Eve to sin (they could be like God), and pride will tear our hearts away from the Lord.

Could it be, then, that the purpose of troubles is to drive us to the Lord? We serve an amazing God, who understands the innermost secrets of our hearts. His goal for us in life is not to provide us with comfort and prosperity, but rather to draw us to Him.

⁸Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
⁹And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. (Matthew 18:8-9, King James Version)

It is better to live a life of trouble and difficulties that we may live an eternity with our Lord!

God Bless You,

Linda

As For Me!

2012-01-13T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

²But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

³For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

(Psalm 73:1-3, King James Version)

As For Me!

As Christian teens, we are so like the psalmist. We readily admit that God is good to His children, but it is often difficult to understand how He is good to us. In fact, we find ourselves doing exactly what the psalmist did; we find ourselves envying the wicked.

But as for me, . . . I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Though we know better, we find ourselves looking on the outward appearance. Of course, that is not unique to Christian teens; it is in our nature to judge others by what we see, and to assume that prosperity, alone, is enough to bring us happiness.

Often burdened by the struggles of life, we can understand the woes of the psalmist. Our feet slip and slide over the continuous deluge of troubles that seems to come our way, and yet, when we look at unbelievers, they seem to be gliding along with no apparent discomfort. Surely, with such comforts of life, they must be the happiest people alive!

We will discover, later in this psalm, that when the writer takes his eyes off his own troubles and the apparent ease of the wicked, he wisely remembers that true happiness is a gift of God, and does not come from one's possessions. A clean heart is priceless; it is worth more than all of the gold or silver of this world.

Yes, truly God is good to Israel, and to all of His children. Though our lives may seem to be filled with difficulties, the source of all joy and happiness is the Lord Jesus Christ. Like the psalmist, let us focus on Christ who has removed all of the burdens of this life and replaced them with His righteousness.

Rather than envying the wicked, let us say, "As for me, my steps are ordered by the Lord, so that even though the way may be treacherous, He will keep my feet firmly rooted in the truth of His Word."

That, dear friends, is the true secret of joy, happiness, and peace, that will last through all eternity!

God Bless You,

Linda

Legacy

2012-01-12T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁸Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

¹⁹And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

²⁰The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

(Psalm 72:18-20, King James Version)

Legacy

As I read through this psalm it perplexed me as it was obvious that this psalm spoke of King Solomon, but ended with,

The prayer of David, the son of Jesse are ended.

Then I realized that this psalm, written shortly before David's death, was a prayer for King Solomon, for Solomon was placed upon the throne by David while he was still living. What a glorious legacy to leave his son!

Verses 18 and 19 are a benediction; of all the things David could tell his son, he saved the most important for the end.

Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

As Christian teens, we would do well to pray these words every morning before we get out of bed, and every night before we go to sleep. Only God truly does wondrous things! By His grace let us pray that the whole earth would be filled with his glory. That prayer will come to pass; the time will come when all of the earth will acknowledge God for who He is and will honor and glorify His name.

The question to ask, then, is, what are we, as God's children, doing to bring that to pass? God has placed us here, not just to bask in abundance and seek our own pleasure, but to bring the knowledge of God to the uttermost parts of the earth. Each of us reaches our own, unique, group of people. Do we pray for our families, friends, and acquaintances? Do we seek ways to tell them of Christ? Do we show them by the example of our lives what it means to follow Christ?

God has blessed us with the good news of the Gospel, and has granted to us the riches of His kingdom. He has not given these riches to us so that we may hide them under a bushel, but so that we may shine the Light of the Gospel upon others.

Even greater than the legacy David gave to Solomon is the legacy which Christ gave to us! As Christian teens, let us spend our lives sharing the Gospel with those around us who live in darkness, praying that our testimonies will move them to desire Christ, their only hope!

What an amazing God we serve; oh how He loves you and me!

God Bless You,

Linda

Forever!

2012-01-11T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁵And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.

¹⁶There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

¹⁷His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

(Psalm 72:15-17, King James Version)

Forever!

As we continue our devotionals from Psalm 72, we recognize the "handwriting" of King Solomon, who was given the gold of Sheba when the Queen of Sheba visited him. Even though these verses speak of King Solomon, they are also speaking of the One of whom King Solomon is a type, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Though the name of Solomon has endured even to the present day, it is truly the name of Christ that shall endure forever, for truly His name shall continue as long as the sun. Only in Him can we say, men shall be blessed in him; all nations shall call him blessed.

How amazing is it that these words, penned thousands of years ago, are so poignant in our day? As we see the world running as quickly as it can away from the rule of God, may we, as Christian teens, keep our faces steadfastly turned to God, our Rock and our Hope. Let us remember that our prayers should be made to Him continually; daily we must praise His name.

As we look upon the blessings that have been heaped upon us, let us remember that these are the blessings of God. We live in a time of great abundance, but it may not always be so. For while many of us sit in the lap of luxury, we must remember those who, because of their faith and trust in God, are being persecuted, living in poverty, and being torn from their families. Has God left them? Is not His arm of protection strong enough to keep them from evil?

No, God has not left them; He is still their Rock and Fortress. In Him they find hope, peace, joy, and comfort, for the things of this earth are just temporary, but the Word of the Lord will stand forever! Let us continue to pray for these dear brothers and sisters in Christ that they will stand firm in the day of adversity.

Let us also be reminded that the abundance of blessings that are being heaped upon us will not last forever. Even in the supposedly Christian nation of the United States, the tide is continuing to turn against true believers. Let us fill our hearts and lives with God's Word while we can so that, when the day of adversity comes, we, too, will be able to stand against the rulers of darkness.

Only of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ can it be said, His name shall endure forever! Go to Him today, put your faith and trust in Him, and pray that He will guide you and teach you in the way you should go. In Christ is no darkness, neither shadow of turning. In Him, alone, is the Light of Life!

God Bless You,

Linda

He Shall Redeem

2012-01-10T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹²For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.

¹³He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.

¹⁴He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

(Psalm 72:12-14, King James Version)

He Shall Redeem

The writer of Psalm 72 summed up the entire Word of God in just three words: He shall redeem. To what is the psalmist referring? First it seems as though he is just referring to the physical needs of the people:

For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy . . .

However, the psalmist does not stop there, but continues:

. . . and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

Does this mean that all Christian teens will be rich? Does becoming a Christian guarantee no more troubles in life? No! While it is true that God will, indeed, deliver our souls from deceit and violence, that deliverance is an eternal deliverance from the deceit and violence of Satan.

Thankfully, though, God does promise to walk by our side all of the days we live upon this earth. With the troubles and difficulties, He promises grace and strength to walk through the valleys of trouble and despair that often come our way.

You see, while we remain on this earth, we are surrounded by great forces of evil. The children of God are buffeted on every side by the minions of Satan. Our God, however, also surrounds us with His angels who fight the forces of evil on our behalf, and He grants us His Spirit to give us wisdom, comfort, and understanding.

Therefore David, the psalmist, could say, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4, KJV)

I fear that far too many Christians do not take seriously the commission they have been given by God as well as the power of the evil one. Largely through apathy and indifference the modern day Christian walks a life that is consumed by the cares of this world, with little or no thought of the powers of evil that fight against them. Instead, they complacently walk right into the trap that has been set before them, and live ineffective lives for Christ, their Savior.

Jesus came to this earth with one purpose, and He diligently spent His life for that purpose. Even when a child, while submitting to His earthly parents and learning the family trade, He was ever about His father's business as evidenced by His appearance before the scribes in Jerusalem when he was only twelve years old.

As Christian teens let us wake up and take on the battle cry, "He Shall Redeem!" No matter what our vocation will be, that is why God has left us here on this earth. What part will you play in the redemption of souls this day?

Let us pray, today, for the redemption of God's people, and ask that He would show us the work that He would have each one of us do for His honor and glory!

God Bless You,

Linda

Dominion

2012-01-09T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁸He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

⁹They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

¹⁰The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

¹¹Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

(Psalm 72:8-11, King James Version)

Dominion

Dominion is not a word that we see very often, so just what does it mean? One dictionary defines it this way: the power or right of governing and controlling; sovereign authority. Psalm 72 rightly proclaims,

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

This verse was rather significant, as the common thought during the time of David was that each nation had its own god. Therefore, when one nation conquered another nation, it was believed that their god was establishing his superiority over the gods of the defeated nation. Considering that, the psalmist is making quite an assertion. There is only one God, and He has dominion over all the earth, not only from sea to sea, but even unto the ends of the earth.

Then, as if there was any doubt as to the psalmist's meaning, he again asserts in verse 11:

Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

We have seen a partial fulfillment of this prophecy in our day, for the worship of God is not confined to the nation of Israel, but rather God is, indeed, worshiped from sea to sea and even unto the ends of the earth. However, it is also true that, in our day, not every nation, as a nation, worships God. Will that ever happen?

Yes! Every prophecy of God will happen just as He has ordained it to be written in the Bible. There is a lot of disagreement as to how and when that will occur, but make no mistake, a day will come when all nations will bow before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The question we must each ask ourselves, as Christian teens, is, "What am I doing for the Lord to help spread His Word from sea to sea and even unto the ends of the earth?" We are living in a time when the fields are ripe and ready to harvest.

As Christians, God grants us many avenues to aid in the spread of the Gospel of Christ. We can prepare to serve as full time missionaries and pastors, and we can pray for those who serve Christ in full time capacities, but are those the only avenues for teens to serve Christ and spread His Gospel. If we believe that, we are really missing the point.

Praise God for those who have been called to spend their lives in a full time capacity, but they are not the only ones being called! Every single Christian has been called of God to spread the Gospel. To aid in that mission, God has placed Christians in many diverse occupations throughout the whole world. Even now, most of us will find ourselves surrounded by those whose only Bible reading done is that which they see in our lives as we faithfully serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sadly, many Christian teens have become so like the world in their words and actions that Christ's Light shines very dimly, if at all, to the unsaved in their lives. Let us, by the grace of God, reclaim God's dominion in our own lives and boldly live for His honor and glory, praying that the world will no longer shape us in its image, but rather that the image of Christ may be seen in our lives.

I close with the words of this great hymn.

Christ shall have dominion

Over land and sea,

Earth's remotest regions

Shall his empire be;

They that wilds inhabit

Shall their worship bring,

Kings shall render tribute,

Nations serve our King.

Christ shall have domionion

Over land and sea,

Earth's remotest regions

Shall his empire be.

Go, then, with God and serve Him today!

God Bless You,

Linda

Moon is No More!

2012-01-08T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁵They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

⁶He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

⁷In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

(Psalm 72:5-7, King James Version)

Moon is No More!

The New King James translation of the above verses is quite good.

⁵ They shall fear You
         As long as the sun and moon endure,
         Throughout all generations.
⁶ He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing,
         Like showers that water the earth.
⁷ In His days the righteous shall flourish,
         And abundance of peace,
         Until the moon is no more.
          (Psalm 72:5-7, New King James Version)

What a faithful God we serve; the psalmist reminds us that there will remain those faithful to God until the moon is no more! God's faithfulness will continue, as steadily as the rain upon the grass--as showers that water the earth. For the child of God, His faithfulness and peace will remain forever!

What happens when the moon if no more? Will that time ever really come? There are some things that we so take for granted that we rarely consider any alternative. Yet, do not even the scientists warn us of changes in the earthly weather pattern?

For the Christian teen, our peace, hope, and assurance rests in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are already familiar with the truth that our hope does not rest in this world. God is bigger than this world! We do not fear when the Bible tells us that a time will come when God will destroy this earth and will create a new heavens and a new earth.

However, it is important that we, as Christian teens, take the charge God has given to us seriously. He has not sent us here just to have a good life! He has sent us here to be a voice for Him. We know that Christ will return, perhaps very soon; we know that the world will not continue on indefinitely. What, then, are we doing to bring the knowledge of Christ to others?

As Christians we must first prepare ourselves by faithfully reading and studying the Word He has given to us, and we must continually nurture our personal relationship with Christ. We do that through our own quiet times with the Lord, but also by developing good relationships with other believers, and by finding a solid Bible church that God will use to minister to us.

As we prepare ourselves to learn and know that Bible, and to live it in our daily lives, God will use our lives as a testimony to others. Often, Christian teens are the only "Bible" that other teens read. As we face the struggles and difficulties of this life, we draw upon God's strength and help to aid us, and the world sees how we respond!

Tonight, as you look up into the sky and gaze upon the moon, remember that God is faithful, but the days of unbelievers coming to Christ will only continue until the moon is no more--and that day is coming!

God Bless You,

Linda

Judgments of God

2012-01-07T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

²He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

³The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

⁴He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

(Psalm 72:1-4, King James Version)

Judgments of God

The psalmist brings up an interesting point as he begins this psalm.

Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

The nation that governs and lives by the judgments of God is indeed a blessed nation, and so it is right that we pray this for our nations. Sadly, nations that were founded upon the judgments of God are quickly leaving those roots and embracing the wisdom of man. Does this go unnoticed by God?

I live in a nation which has been abundantly blessed by God largely due to the number of true believers within its land, however even professing believers today seem to be more concerned about their status, their bank accounts, and the latest styles rather than by being zealous for the Lord. They are frightened by being criticized about their tacky dress, but seem oblivious to offending the Lord Jesus Christ.

As Christian teens today, we need to wake up and look around us. Where is God in this world today? Does He notice when the world seems to swing farther and farther away from Him? Of course He does. First of all, He is not the least bit surprised, as nothing is occurring that has not been prophesied in His Word. As we see the world quickly slipping away from the foundations of God's Word, we must pray that we are not following in the steps of the world.

Our hope does not rest upon the devices of this world, our hope rests in Christ alone! No matter how things may appear, God is faithful to those who are faithful to Him, but His favor will not abide forever toward the nation(s) or the people who follow Him with their lips but not their hearts.

That is what made David such a great king. David was not sinless, indeed he committed some grievous sins, but he always went back to God, repented of his sin, and followed God. In his heart of hearts, God always remained his first love.

To the righteous, the judgments of God bring peace, but to the wicked they will bring the sword of affliction. Indeed verse 4 is true.

He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

As Christian teens, let us then walk today in the righteousness of God and leave the foolishness of this world behind!

God Bless You,

Linda

Let There Be Music!

2012-01-06T04:00:00.000-06:00

²²I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

²³My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

²⁴My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

(Psalm 71:22-24, King James Version)

Let There Be Music!

Music is often known as the heart-blood of each generation; each generation seems to have songs which are uniquely theirs. In many ways, our teen years define who we are for the rest of our lives. The songs we listen to now, will always hold a deep nostalgia for us, helping us to remember the unique struggles and choices we are now making which will define who we are in the future.

For Christian teens, music also holds a place deep in our hearts giving us the ability to express our great love for God in our own unique way. That music can bring great gladness and joy or great sadness. Such was the case in Psalm 137.

²We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
³For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
⁴How shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land. (Psalm 137:2-4, King James Version)

As the nation of Israel was led away captive, their captors required a song. Yet how could they sing the songs of Zion in a strange land? At times like this, the songs of the Lord can bring great sadness as we contemplate former times when our life was filled with joy, and God seemed so close to us. Music then remains a precious reminder of the joy and love we find in Christ alone.

Did the Israelites remain in captivity? No!

⁹No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
¹⁰And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 35:9-10, King James Version)

Just as God delivered the Israelites from captivity, so He delivers us from the difficulties and sorrows of this life, and when He does, it is the songs of Zion which will bring gladness to our very hearts and souls.

What a precious gift God has given to us in the gift of music. As you go about the duties of this day, let there be music! May the songs of God bring joy and peace to your hearts!

God Bless You,

Linda

Up from the Depths

2012-01-05T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁹Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!

²⁰Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

²¹Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

(Psalm 71:19-21, King James Version)

Up from the Depths

One does not have to live very long until one realizes that this life is filled with difficulties and troubles. Even as teens we know that as Christians we are often tempted to charge God foolishly; after all, God, who can do all things, could remove these difficulties from our lives. So, why does God allow His own children to suffer? Is it His fault?

The writer of Psalm 71 does a beautiful job of answering these doubts which plague us all at one time or another.

Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

It is our nature to become complacent; when life becomes too easy, our faith seems to suffer. It is no secret that the church of God under persecution is a church of strong faith.

What was our life like as children? For most, life was a combination of love, nurturing, boundaries, and discipline. Four year old children left to themselves would soon self destruct! They require much love and assurance, but they also require boundaries as well as a means of discipline to keep them within those boundaries--their very life often depends upon them learning to obey those boundaries.

In the same way, God has given boundaries to His children for their own benefit. In keeping those boundaries we find a life of joy and peace, but as we relax those boundaries, trouble seems to enter the door. As the psalmist states, God uses the great and sore troubles to revive us again and bring us up from the depths of the earth into His glorious kingdom.

Indeed, our God is very high and He has done great things. Though we have shaken our fist against Him and have spurned Him at every opportunity, He has loved us with an amazing love, sending His own Son to take our punishment. Through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are redeemed from the eternal death that we deserve. Then, rather than letting us slink our way through the swamps of this life, He leads us and guides us in the light of His love and compassion.

As teens, may God bless you and bring you up from the depths of despair into His loving and glorious kingdom!

God Bless You,

Linda

When I Am Old

2012-01-04T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁷O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

¹⁸Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

(Psalm 71:17-18, King James Version)

When I Am Old

The new year is a time to look ahead, so what a fitting time to ask, "What will I do when I am old?" The psalmist, who is not identified in Psalm 71, was old and gray. He was taught about the things of the Lord from the days of his youth, and has faithfully declared those works all of his days. Now that he is gray, he does not pray for days of ease and retirement, but rather he prays that God would remain with him until he could declare God's faithfulness and strength to this new generation.

Not only is this a fitting prayer, but it is a lesson to both the young and the old. What will we be doing when we are old? What will we be doing this new year that God has granted to us? What can we learn from the psalmist's plea to God?

The lesson to the old is pretty obvious, is it not? As Christians, there will never come a time when we have so matured in Christ that we are not continually dependent upon God to keep us faithful to Him. We see this lesson repeatedly reinforced in the Bible in the lives of the Old Testament believers. We have only to look as far as Solomon to understand that no matter how wise we may be, we are still susceptible to the corruption of this world. Solomon, the wisest man on earth, followed the corrupt ways of his foreign wives in his later years, even building places of worship for their false gods.

The other obvious lesson to each of us in our later years is that, while we still have life we have a job to do for the Lord. There is no retirement in our service to God. Each age brings its own avenues of responsibility. For the elderly, their remaining years should be spent teaching the new generations the wondrous works of God, admonishing them to put all of their hope and trust in God, alone, and not in the things of this world. Do you remember the words of David in Psalm 37?

²⁵I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. (Psalm 37:25, King James Version)

What is the lesson from these verses in Psalm 71 to the youth--to the teens of this age? First, you are not alone in your dependence upon God to remain faithful to Him, and second, you cannot serve God in your own power! There will never come a time when you are so solid in your faith that you cannot fall, but rather, you will always need to cry out to God to keep you faithful to Him.

I often wonder how many difficulties in life I may have avoided if I had truly learned this lesson while I was still in my teens. However, the teen years are the years of invincibility! When your heart is zealous for the Lord, you cannot imagine a time when you would not desire to serve Him above all others, and above the things of this world.

However, if you are a teen who struggles with faithfulness to God, these verses provide great hope for you. The psalmist assures us that we cannot serve God in our own strength. Nothing you can do can keep you faithful to God; God, alone, holds that power, and that is the key! You cannot, but God can! Go to God, tell Him of your inability to be faithful to Him, and ask Him to give you the strength to be faithful. He will answer that prayer!

How, then, do we answer the question, "What will I do when I am old?"

God is always faithful; I, too, will remain faithful to God when I am old, as long as I remember to continually go to Him asking that He would keep me faithful.

God Bless You,

Linda

Strength of God

2012-01-03T10:59:00.003-06:00

¹⁴But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

¹⁵My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.

¹⁶I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

(Psalm 71:14-16, King James Version)

Strength of God

What an amazing Bible passage for the new year; this would be a great motto for Christian teens for 2012:

I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. . . I will go in the strength of the Lord God.

In my daily Bible reading I am going through the NKJV Chronological Study Bible. Currently I am in the book of Lamentations, and am reading of the Jewish remnant who survived the overthrow of Jerusalem and were not carried away to Babylon. One would think, after all they had been through, that they would not hesitate to obey the voice of the Lord.

Repeatedly, Jeremiah prophesied to the people that Jerusalem would be overthrown by the Chaldean forces from Babylon, yet the people chose to believe the false prophets who said God would save Jerusalem from the hands of the Babylonians. Now, after all Jeremiah's prophesies have come to pass, exactly as he said they would, the refugees are left with a choice. Do they stay in their land, or do they escape to Egypt?

Jeremiah sought God's answer to their dilemma. God answered by saying that if they stayed in their own land, they would be safe, but if they escaped to Egypt, they would die. That should have been an easy decision, right? However, they again chose to ignore God's advice and fled to Egypt where everything that Jeremiah prophesied came to pass, again, exactly as God said it would.

We read these passages and shake our heads at their foolishness, however we need only to look at our own lives and see our own foolishness before the Lord. How obedient are we to the Lord God? His Word is plainly written, and yet we are so influenced by the world in which we live, that often we find our Christian lives compromised, and our trust in the things around us overshadowing our trust in God.

As Christian teens facing the new year, what will we do? Will we go forth in the strength of God, or will we trust our own devices? Even more subtly, we should ask, can we trust in having the strength, in and of ourselves, to make the right choice? As we again read through Psalm 71, verses 14 - 16, let us fall on our knees before the Lord and pray that He will grant to us the strength of God to know and do the right thing. Left to ourselves, we will always choose sin, but in the strength of God we can live for Him.

May God bless you and keep you faithful to Him in this new year,

Linda

Strong Refuge

2011-12-30T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁷I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

⁸Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

⁹Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

¹⁰For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

¹¹Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

¹²O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

¹³Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

(Psalm 71:7-13, King James Version)

Strong Refuge

We are again reminded in Psalm 71 that though thousands of years have passed since this psalm was written, the words are true and relevant just as much today as they were then. For the Christian, God is still our strong refuge.

In this day of self-reliance and self-help, as a teen, where do we turn to find a refuge? Some trust in their governments, in money, in power, in prestige, and many other "secure" things, yet where do they find security apart from God?

In this past year we have seen governments crippled by rebellion from within, natural disasters, nuclear threats, and huge national debts. With the rise of hunger, famine, and even persecution, how secure is our own safety net provided by our government? As the psalmist cries, Cast me not off in the time of old age, we are reminded that our governments certainly do not promise help in old age. In the United States, where social security is in force, one wonders how many years it will be until the system is broke and abandoned. As teens, you must wonder what kind of a world will exist for you in 20, 30, or 40 years?

What about money, power, and prestige? How secure are our financial holdings, or positions of power, or even fame and prestige? With international economic instability on the rise, no one dares to trust in their wealth. Power, in the form of government offices, is only somewhat stable until the next election; fame and prestige in the hands of fickle people are only there until the next public scandal.

The psalmist understood the reality that, in this life, nothing is certain. How sweet, then, to understand that the Lord God, our First Love, is indeed a strong refuge. What He declares in His Word is true; we can rest firmly upon the promises He has made to His people.

For centuries upon centuries, people have trusted in the name of the Lord God Almighty. Where are these people today? They are resting securely with the Lord Jesus Christ, waiting until the day when God will declare that time shall be no more!

When considering these things, we realize that there is nothing that man can do to us. Though oppressed on every side by our enemies, we can rest safely in the arms of our own strong Refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ. He walks beside us day by day, until that time when God has foreordained that we have finished our walk on this earth, and then He will safely escort us into the arms of God forever!

Amen, so come quickly Lord Jesus!

God Bless You,

Linda

Our Hope!

2011-12-29T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

²Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

³Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

⁴Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

⁵For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.

⁶By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

(Psalm 71:1-6, King James Version)

Our Hope

As we near the end of another year, what a great psalm to read and ponder. Reflecting upon the past year, and looking forward to the next, we must agree, with the psalmist that God, alone, is our hope!

On an international level, 2011 has been a year of great uncertainties. Economies have tumbled, wars have raged on, nuclear threats have continued, and national leaders have fallen, with great uncertainties just on the horizon. How, as Christian teens, are we to view such calamities and uncertainties? Is God's arm shortened that He cannot intercede?

Like the psalmist, as Christian teens we can all assert,

By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

No matter what the international scene may reflect, God is still our hope, indeed our only hope. What appears as uncertainties to us are events and occurrences that are safely nestled in the plans of God. Though we are unable to see clearly, for we see as through a glass darkly, we can be assured that our God is the one and only God.

Through Him nations rise and fall, and through Him will all things come to pass just as He has ordained they will. We live in a time when God patiently waits for His children to come to Him, but when that last child has come home, He will return exactly at the moment He has preordained from before time began!

We cannot imagine such things for we are so earthly bound and filled with sin, which clouds our understanding. Yet, the day will come when we shall see Him as He is, our eyes will be opened, and we shall behold Him. Oh was a glorious day that will be.

Let us then take up the banner proclaimed by the psalmist over 3000 years ago,

For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.

May God bless you for the remainder of this year and in the year to come, and may God, our Hope, be your hope as well!

God Bless You,

Linda

Hurry!

2011-12-28T11:28:00.000-06:00

¹Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD.

²Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.

³Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.

⁴Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.

⁵But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.

(Psalm 70, King James Version)

Hurry!

In this psalm of David, we sense David's urgency when pleading with God for help.

Make haste (hurry), O God, to deliver me; make haste (hurry) to help me, O LORD.

Few of us, as teens, have had to spend much of our lives fleeing from our enemies as did David both in his earlier and then later years. Yet, even in his frustration and weariness David knew that unless his help came from God it would be of no effect. It was certainly in God's power to confuse and shame the enemy to the point they would cease to seek David's life, or to overpower them and bring David safely back to his home.

Knowing he faced such hardships helps us to understand his great faith and trust in God. David learned while still a youth that the battle was not his, but was the Lord's! From his heart of hearts he encouraged those who loved God's salvation to continually magnify the name of God. Though he was king, before God he knew that he was poor and needy; if victory was to be his, it would be at the hand of God.

What are we to learn from the words of David as shown in Psalm 70? How can we apply this psalm to our own daily lives? No matter what our circumstances, and no matter who our enemies may be, as Christian teens, our true help will come from the hand of God. It is to Him we must continually go for help and strength to go through each day He grants to us on this earth.

We serve an amazing God who knows us, loves us, and keeps us; He is never too busy or too far away to come to our aid. And, in desperate times, it is not wrong for us to say, "Hurry!" God has put many resources at our disposal, but none will have any affect apart from Him.

May we, then, like David fall before the Lord our God, daily, seeking His help to run with patience the race that He has set before us.

Let God be magnified!

God Bless You,

Linda

Zion

2011-12-27T04:00:00.000-06:00

³⁴Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.

³⁵For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.

³⁶The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

(Psalm 69:34-36, King James Version)

Zion

To what is Psalm 69, verses 35 and 36 referring?

For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

It has been about 3000 years since David penned these words, and yet we do not see His posterity in possession of modern day Zion. Neither do we see peace in the country of Israel today, but rather, we see a continual warring between the descendants of Abraham and Isaac, as well as the descendants of Jacob and Esau.

Was this language just figurative, or was David actually speaking of a time when these verses would be physically fulfilled? I suppose that is the age-old question, is it not? There are those who would see the Biblical writings as wonderful prose, and yet not to be taken too seriously, and there are those who are still waiting for the fulfillment of these verses to come. Are those who are waiting for God's salvation of Zion waiting in vain?

It is important for us to realize that God is not a creature of time; there is no time in eternity. Because we are creatures of time, we see great perplexities in the passing of 3000 years with no literal fulfillment taking place. To a teen, 3000 years is a very long time, but to God it is as a vapor.

Make no mistake, every single thing (every jot and every tittle) of God's prophecies as given in His Word, the Bible, will come to pass exactly as He has said they will. God will save Zion, He will build the cities of Judah, the seed of His servants will inherit Zion, and those who love His name shall dwell therein forever!

There is a dual fulfillment of these verses, for He is not only speaking of the literal Jerusalem as we know it today, but He is also speaking of the New Jerusalem built in the new heavens and on the new earth. That Jerusalem will be the seat of Christ's kingdom which shall last forever!

As Christian teens, let us not be discouraged when we look around us and see the rampant wickedness of our day. Satan is having his final fling with this earth, but the time will come when he will be defeated forever, and the new heavens and new earth will be filled with those who love, honor, and serve, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The beauty of God's Word is the consistent message that is taught from Genesis 1:1, to the last verse in Revelations. Even now, Christ rules over this earth while sitting at the right hand of God, Almighty. Satan plays havoc with the hearts and minds of men who are foolishly led astray, but his time is short.

By the grace of God, let us sing the songs of Zion and look forward to God's final victory upon this earth. What an amazing God we serve!

God Bless You,

Linda

A Living Heart

2011-12-26T11:10:00.002-06:00

²⁹But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

³⁰I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

³¹This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

³²The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.

³³For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

(Psalm 69:29-33, King James Version)

A Living Heart

Christmas is over, the presents are unwrapped, and the paper and ribbons are all stashed away for another year, so what is left? What is left that really matters? There is one gift with eternal consequences that never diminishes through the annals of time, but lives for all eternity. What is that gift? That gift is a living heart!

What is the secret of a living heart? How does a teen obtain such a thing? David tells us, in Psalm 69,

Let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high . . . and your heart shall live that seek God. For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

The New King James Version states,

And you who seek God, your hearts shall live. For the LORD hears the poor, and does not despise His prisoners.

In retrospect, nothing else really matters. No matter what we may gain or accumulate in this lifetime we have been given, all is lost if one has not obtained Christ.

Is is any wonder that God chose to send His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to a poor, but Godly man and his wife? Jesus was not raised in a palace among wealth and splendor, but lived with a poor carpenter, learning the family trade. We, who are so enamored with the rich and famous, would not be able to see beyond the wealth and majesty of His life had He been raised in a palace.

God, chose the weak and foolish ones of this earth to confound the wise, even to the point of sending His only Son to a poor Jewish family. The Lord Jesus Christ, through His earthly life, death, and resurrection, provided something for us that no amount of money could buy. Through His sacrificial death on our behalf, we are heirs to all the eternal riches and glory of God, Himself.

No story could have a richer theme or a better ending. However, this is not just a story. This is the truth! As teens, there is no greater gift God could grant to you than a living heart!

Let us then, like David, praise the name of God with a song, and magnify Him with thanksgiving!

God Bless You,

Linda

Blotted Out

2011-12-23T04:00:00.000-06:00

²²Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

²³Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

²⁴Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

²⁵Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.

²⁶For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

²⁷Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.

²⁸Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

(Psalm 69:22-28, King James Version)

Blotted Out

OK, I have to admit, as a Christian, I have great difficulty dealing with verses such as we have in today's devotional from Psalm 69. Because we are commanded to love and pray for our enemies, how can we reconcile David's words, especially from verse 28? Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

In dealing with questions such as this, we must look at the bigger picture presented in the Bible. Though we are commanded to love and pray for our enemies, we must also understand that the heart of man is only evil continually. Though God showed great patience with the nations of Israel and Judah, the time came when the only recourse left was one of punishment due to the greatness of their sin in rejecting God.

Perhaps these verses would be easier for us if we were undergoing the suffering experienced by David. Though we live in what we deem a civilized society, persecutions against Christians have not slacked off through the years. As a matter of fact, the 20th century was known as the greatest century of persecution against Christians known to man!

In our heart of hearts, we desire that all men should come to the saving knowledge of Christ, but realistically, we know that only a small number will truly embrace Christ. What of the great majority? We are assured by God's Word that all men will receive their just reward, whether it be eternity with Christ, or eternity separated from God. Those who do not come to Christ will, indeed, be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

Because we are not able to see into the depths of a person's heart or soul, it is prudent that we do pray that God would be gracious to them and save them. However, it is not evil to desire that God save us from the hand of the wicked and bring upon them the judgment they deserve.

What an amazing God we serve! No one deserves the righteousness of Christ, yet God has purposed to save a people for Himself. What a time of rejoicing that will be when we reach the gates of heaven and enter in to an eternity of love and perfection with Christ.

As Christian teens, pray, today, for those you know who are unbelievers that God would bring them to Him and that their name will not be blotted out of the book of the living!

God Bless You,

Linda

Suffering Saints

2011-12-22T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁹Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.

²⁰Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

²¹They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

(Psalm 69:19-21, King James Version)

Suffering Saints

Years ago there was a massive movement in some Christian circles, which I am sure still exists today, embracing the idea that if one lived faithfully for the Lord he would experience the abundant life. Nothing bad would happen to him or her, and their lives would be filled with untold blessings. Therefore if one's life was filled with difficulties, it must be related to their sin.

As Christian teens, we must be very careful about the expectations we place upon the Lord. On one hand the Bible does promise great blessings, sometimes even physical blessings, to those who remain faithful to God. Yet, the Bible is also filled with examples of suffering saints who, though they remained faithful to God, experienced all kinds of griefs and difficulties.

How do we reconcile these two seemingly opposing ideas? The best place to look is at the Lord Jesus Christ, who interestingly is referred to in verse 21 of Psalm 69. Jesus did not seek any sort of material wealth; His purpose for being here was always set before Him. Yet, before He began His ministry on this earth, He worked in the family's carpentry business.

Is it wrong for us to seek wealth and success while on this earth? Absolutely not! God gives many examples, as in the case of Abraham, where physical wealth and honor followed him all of the days of his life as he faithfully served God. The important thing to realize is that Abraham did not allow that wealth and prosperity to come between him and God.

However, as in the example of Christ, we must remember that we are not on this earth by chance. God has a specific purpose for each and every one of His children. We have all of the interests, abilities, and characteristics we have by design, and we are to use what God has given to us to faithfully fulfill the purpose for which He brought us to this earth!

We must also remember that that purpose may include times of reproach, dishonor, and even shame due to the adversaries God sends against us. As David expressed in Psalm 69, this reproach broke his heart; he looked for comforters and found none! In spite of all of his wealth, fame, and glory, David was truly a suffering saint. Yet, this suffering caused him to continually return to God.

In the end, true success in this life for the Christian involves our personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, no matter what comes our way, whether great success and honor, or discouragement, despair, and suffering, we are continually drawn closer to the Lord. In our heart of hearts, God, our first love, brings joy, peace, and contentment to the innermost part of our being.

As Christian teens, we are to be pleased, if God so chooses, to be suffering saints, living out our lives for the honor and glory of God, alone. Only in Him can we find complete peace, joy, and contentment. After all, we must remember, this world is not our home; we are just passing through to our true home in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ.

May God's peace be with you!

God Bless You,

Linda

Deliver Me!

2011-12-21T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹³But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

¹⁴Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

¹⁵Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

¹⁶Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

¹⁷And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.

¹⁸Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.

(Psalm 69:13-18, King James Version)

Deliver Me!

In reading today's Bible passage from Psalm 69, I noted that when David plead with God, "Deliver Me," he never said, "Deliver me because I deserve it." Rather, contained within these verses is the understanding that first, God had the power to deliver him, and second, that power was not based upon the worthiness of David.

David understood God; frequently he had tested the waters and found his deliverance in God. Many times he found himself surrounded by enemies, yet God always saw fit, in an acceptable time, to deliver him out of his difficulties. Historically, he understood that this same God had been faithfully delivering His people for years. From little on, David would have been familiar with the stories of God's delivering the people from the hands of the Egyptians and safely bringing them into the Promised Land.

He also understood that the timing of God's deliverance was also in God's hands. What a difficult lesson for us to learn! In our impatience, we want deliverance right now, and probably have also decided just exactly what it is that God should do! In time we begin to understand that God's ways are not our ways, and often His deliverance comes from the opposite direction. In fact, we may be the one who needs to change directions!

David knew, too, that God did not owe him. In other words, God would not deliver him because he deserved God's favor.

O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. . . turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

We, too, have every right to go to God and plead deliverance, not because we are worthy, but because God is merciful. He first demonstrated that mercy to us through the salvation offered to us through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. None of us deserves salvation!

As Christian teens, we do not deserve God's continued mercy to us, but God's mercy will be available to us all of our days on this earth, and of course, into eternity beyond this life. Why is it, that though we know this to be true, we tend to think of prayer last? After we have exhausted all possible means of help, we turn to the Lord and cry, "Deliver me!"

Go today in the confidence of the Lord; He is a merciful God, and He will deliver you!

God Bless You,

Linda

Strumbling Block!

2011-12-20T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁵O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.

⁶Let 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.

⁷Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.

⁸I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.

⁹For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

¹⁰When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

¹¹I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.

¹²They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.

(Psalm 69:5-12, King James Version)

Stumbling Block!

When we think of David, the king of Israel, we envision a mighty king, a great leader in battle, and a man humbled before God. These are things we gain from the pages of the Old Testament, but we did not have the privilege to walk and talk with David as we would a friend or even just an acquaintance. The concern David voices in these verses from Psalm 69 are concerns that each of us, as Christian teens, face every day. Knowing that his life was filled with sin, David was concerned that he would not be a stumbling block to the people.

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.

It is true that for many people, the closest they will ever come to the Word of God is through the testimony of God's people around them. That is a frightening thought, is it not? Which of us could ever truly undergo the criticism and scrutiny of the world 24/7?

The nature of teens is such that criticism is just a way of life. Rather than patiently accepting the differences we find in other people, it is easier to criticize. Even among believers there is rampant disagreement and criticism. No wonder people of the world have so little desire to follow the examples they see of Christians they have known.

Like David, let us pray that, in spite of us, people would desire to love and follow Christ. May they understand that there will always be inconsistencies in our lives, but in Christ there is no inconsistency neither shadow of turning. In Christ all hopes are met and satisfied!

There is another lesson in all of this as well. As Christian teens, we must not become overly discouraged by criticism from others. We must remember that the world hates God, and often vents that hatred through Christ's followers. Even Christ experienced the hatred of the world, and especially the religious world, which eventually led to His death. Yet, without that death there would be no salvation!

However, unlike Christ, we are not without sin. The sin which so easily besets us can easily be used by Satan to tarnish and destroy our testimonies. Sometimes we just need to fall before Christ, asking His forgiveness, and then go on. In our own power we will always fail, but with the power given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ, we can go on and live to and for His glory.

We do not want to be a stumbling block to others, but even then, God will use our experiences for His glory and eventually bring honor and glory to Himself through them. We are reminded in Matthew 6:33: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

What an amazing God we serve!

God Bless You,

Linda

Hopeless!

2011-12-19T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

²I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

³I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

⁴They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

(Psalm 69:1-4, King James Version)

Hopeless!

David, the King and the sweet psalmist of Israel, was a man of many passions. Though king for 40 years, his life was plunged into times of great danger and despair. While we, in our own personal lives, cannot appreciate the challenges he faced as a king, we have most likely had times of great discouragement, even to the point of being overwhelmed by the floods of diversity.

Most people, even by their teens, understand the feeling of life becoming completely hopeless. It is one thing to be in such a situation because of our own bad decisions, but what if we are facing untold troubles through no fault of our own?

That is exactly where we find David in Psalm 69. His enemies hated him without a cause and sought his very life. Though he had restored to them things he did not even take in the first place, they were not assuaged from their anger. His discouragement was such that he felt the floods of adversity coming in to the very depths of his soul.

God has given to us a precious treasure in the psalms of David. At best, this life is filled with difficulties, but in times of great despair it is easy to become completely overwhelmed. At times like this, we are greatly encouraged by reading the Psalms. In the depths of passion presented in them we learn that we are not alone in our grief. Others have suffered as well and have found great peace and joy by resting in God.

Our God is not like the gods of this age. He is not untouched by our grief, He is not selfish or vain, and does not require our unreasonable devotion. In His great love for His children, He has sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who not only saved us, but walks beside us through all of the difficulties of this life. He is never too busy to help, neither are we too unimportant for Him to notice.

Yes, we all will face times when life seems to be completely hopeless, but when we come into the presence of God, we remember that God is our help. He will never leave nor forsake us; what an amazing God we serve!

It is easy to feel left out and lonely, especially in a holiday season such as we are in now. Go to Christ; His love will never fail. He will never abandon His own!

God Bless You,

Linda

Blessed Be God!

2011-12-18T04:00:00.000-06:00

³⁰Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.

³¹Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

³²Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:

³³To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.

³⁴Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.

³⁵O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

(Psalm 68:30-35, King James Version)

Blessed Be God!

What a fitting end to a glorious psalm!

The God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

David, one of the greatest kings of Israel, a man after God's own heart, continually encouraged the people to return to their First Love, saying, "Blessed be God, for He, alone, gives Israel its strength and power."

What of today? One would think it strange if a leader of a country made such a proclamation today. Indeed, in the United States one is not even allowed to hardly speak the name of God, much less make such a bold assertion. The strong leaders of this world (strong in their own eyes), actually believe that they have the strength and power within themselves to be great.

The real question each one of us must answer, while still in our teens, is, what do we believe? Do we mouth the words of David, shown above, while living exactly the opposite? Are we driven to succeed, believing that in our own strength we can amass riches and honor in this life, thus obtaining great happiness? Is that not the American Dream?

I would say we must look at David's admonition in verse 30.

Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.

Why? We must rebuke those who follow the ways of this world because, in the end, all will sing praises unto the Lord. In the end, the reality of this life will be made known to all people, but for some it will be too late!

I cannot say it better than David did.

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah: To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice. Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds. O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

As Christian teens, go today in the strength, power, and glory of the Lord! Blessed be God!

God Bless You,

Linda

Bless God!

2011-12-17T04:00:00.000-06:00

²⁴They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.
²⁵The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.
²⁶Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.
²⁷There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
²⁸Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.
²⁹Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.

(Psalm 68:24-29, King James Version)

Bless God!

In the verses shown above from Psalm 68, David is describing a processional into the temple. From the least (little Benjamin) to the greatest (the princes of Judah and their council), and every tribe in between (the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali), he encourages the people to bless God, even the Lord.

If one studies the history of David's kingdom, especially later when it was divided into a northern (Judah) and southern (Israel) kingdom, one understands the necessity for David's admonition to the people. Even by the end of the reign of David's son, Solomon, the people, led by their king, began to dabble in the religions of the nations surrounding them. Oh, they never completely left God (at least in their minds), but rather, they added the religious practices of their neighbors to their own worship of God.

David reminds his readers, "Thy God hath commanded thy strength." What a wonderful reminder to us today to remember to bless God, our First Love, for He is the One who gives us the strength to go on each and every day. In His power we can accomplish much, but without Him we will surely fail.

However, there is more! The greatest temptation for us is to do the same thing that Judah and Israel did. As Christian teens, we must remember that all of our strength, hope, and power comes from God, alone. We must be so very careful that we do not add the gods of this world to the mixture, incorporating them into our everyday life and practice--and even into our worship.

The things of this world are tools God grants to us, and it is not wrong to use them and receive comfort from them. However, the day these things take the place of God, or even come alongside of God, we are in danger of doing the same thing that the children of Israel did.

Think of Jesus conversation with the young rich man. When asking Jesus what he needed to do to follow him, Jesus told him to sell all he had and give it to the poor. The young man went away sorrowfully, for he had great riches. Is it wrong to be rich? No! But those riches are not, even in a small way, necessary for life, joy, happiness, or peace. It is God, alone, who grants life, joy, happiness, and peace to His children.

Two of my favorite verses are found in Proverbs 30, verses 8 and 9.

Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me; lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

Go today and bless God, for He alone provides everything we need for life, joy, happiness, and peace!

God Bless You,

Linda

No Hiding Place

2011-12-16T04:00:00.000-06:00

²¹But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

²²The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:

²³That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.

(Psalm 68:21-23, King James Version)

No Hiding Place

As I read through these verses, thinking of God's judgment upon His enemies, it occurred to me that there is no hiding place for the wicked. Yet this principal goes even deeper than that. Not only is there no hiding place for the wicked when the hand of God is upon them, but there is no hiding place that the wicked can find when God's protective hand is upon His children. Neither is there any hiding place for God's children when they walk in disobedience to Him.

In a sense, one could say that, in the eyes of God, this world is transparent. Nothing done on this earth is hidden from God, and nothing is found on this earth if God has not allowed it to be found. Remember, we are not just speaking of actions, but also our inner consciences as well, for God knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts.

For the Christian teen, what a precious truth this is! We are securely held in the hand of God all of the days we spend on this earth. In addition, His hand is not just a hand of protection, but also a hand of guidance. Life seems to be filled with numerous chance occurrences, but in Christ, nothing happens by chance. Also of these seemingly haphazard events are directly ordered by the Lord.

Does that mean that God is at fault when bad things occur? No! The wickedness on this earth comes from the hand of man, not the hand of God. Yet God does not always prevent the wickedness from occurring by, for, or to His people. Instead, God uses these things to sharpen our faith and bring us into a closer relationship with Him. The obvious lesson for us is that there is nothing--nothing--in this world that is greater or more important to us than Christ. Christ is all!

That is the assurance that God has given to us in His Word; in Him everything consists, and without Him, nothing consists at all! All of the things we perceive are necessary to bring us peace, joy, and happiness come to nothing before Christ. They are filled with emptiness, and when received only leave us longing for more.

Happy is the Christian who learns these lessons while still in their teens! Sadly, each and every child of God must come to this realization themselves, which tends to take most, if not of all, of their lifetimes to actually understand these truths. I would encourage you to spend some time with the Lord pondering these truths, asking God to make them part of the inner fabric of your being.

There is no hiding place from God, nor is there any hiding place God uses that can be found by men. How amazing is that? Indeed, when the end of time comes, God will bring His people from the depths of the sea; Christ will not lose one of those given to Him by the Father.

Go today in the peace, joy, and comfort of the Lord. He is all you need!

God Bless You,

Linda

God of Salvation

2011-12-15T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁹Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

²⁰He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.

(Psalm 68:19-20, King James Version)

God of Salvation

What amazing verses David has tucked into the middle of Psalm 68. We would do well to make a huge banner so that these are the first verses we would see every day when we get out of bed. You may ask, "If He is the God of Salvation, why is my life filled with difficulties? Why do I seem to be overcome daily by the troubles of this life?"

We are so comfortable in this world in which we live that we cannot see the proverbial wood for the trees. The effects of the fall of man, not only on man himself, but on all of nature are so much a part of our everyday lives, that we cannot imagine a truly perfect world.

It is good for us, as Christian teens, to remember that God is not a part of this world. God is Holy, Righteous, and filled with goodness and truth. In Him is no darkness at all. As such, the salvation offered to us is not just a free ticket from all of the bad things of this life, but is rather a free ticket to the halls of eternity where there is no evil present!

We live in a world characterized by death, and as such constantly see the effects of that death displayed in man, animals, and all nature. Everything is dying! That is the significance of David's words, Unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death. God is the only One who can free us from the chains of death which grip us from the time of our conception!

Not only is this the world in which we find ourselves, we are also embroiled in a war between good and evil, between God and Satan. This is not just the stuff of fiction, but it is the reality of the world in which we live. While on this earth we will be constantly bombarded by this war of which we became a part on the day of our birth.

As Christian teens, the more we determine to faithfully serve God, the more we will feel the assaults of Satan. By the grace of God we must continually turn to the God of salvation and draw strength and hope from Him. God has graciously given to us His Word which reveals these things to us. In the strength of the Lord we can face the assaults of Satan and win, because we know, that in the eyes of God, the battle is already won!

What an amazing God we serve! He is the God of salvation, and unto Him belong the issues from death!

God Bless You,

Linda

God Lives among Us!

2011-12-14T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹⁵The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.

¹⁶Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.

¹⁷The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

¹⁸Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

(Psalm 68:15-18, King James Version)

God Lives among Us!

Psalms such as Psalm 68 can seem somewhat obscure to us because we do not have the understanding that the contemporaries of David's day had. For example, what is the significance of Mount Bashan? Commentators seem to have varying opinions, but it seems that in this case, God is comparing Mount Bashan to Mount Sanai.

For God's own purposes He chose to give the law on Mount Sinai and not Mount Bashan; in a sense, God has blessed Mount Sinai rather than any other mountain, using it to dwell among the children of Israel when Moses was leading the Israelites through the wilderness. The thing to note here is not what specific mountain God chose, but rather the fact that God made the choice of which mountain He would use to live among His people, and even to this day God lives among us!

We may not have the opportunity, as did the children of Israel, to see God's presence on Mount Sinai, but we can be assured that God lives among us today just as assuredly as He lived among the children of Israel. Our God is actively involved and aware of every facet of our lives. How amazing is that?

From the moment of Adam's sin (actually even before Adam's sin) God had a plan to redeem a people for Himself! The Old Testament tells of God choosing a people to serve and worship Him. Unfortunately, they often seemed to rebel against Him, continually trying to serve the gods of the nations, incorporating their worship into the worship of God Almighty. Still, this did not stay God's hand.

As promised, He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus to literally live among men and accomplish, in the only way possible, His plan of salvation for man, even opening the way of salvation for those not descended from Abraham. Do men respond by falling before this Almighty God in worship? Only a few! Why is that? Just as the children of Israel were tantalized by the world around them, so are we, too, tantalized today.

The way to God is so simple, yet so profound. Even to this very day God lives among us. What does He desire of His people? God desires that we worship Him, and Him alone! The world is filled with tantalizing compromises, but partially serving God is to not serve Him at all. God knows us even to the depths of our hearts; He knows whether He is truly our God or just one of many gods that rule our lives.

As teens, we must go to Him today, for He is the only answer to all of our needs!

God Bless You,

Linda

The Lord Gave

2011-12-13T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹¹The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

¹²Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.

¹³Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.

¹⁴When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.

(Psalm 68:11-14, King James Version)

The Lord Gave

David continues Psalm 68 with some general comments that are not surprising coming from a man of war. He understood that, no matter what the outcome may be, the Lord gave the victory or allowed the defeat. When armies fled, it was due to the power of God, and when kings were scattered, the victory was again the Lord's victory.

The question we should ponder is, how aware are we today of God's specific leading in our own lives? Do we realize that we have the blessings we have because the Lord gave us those blessings? Do we realize that we have the trials we have because they, too, were given to us by the Lord?

It is so easy for us to become so immersed in our daily lives and troubles that we forget the basics of our Christian lives. God rules in the lives and hearts of his people today just as He led in the lives of the Old Testament saints. Just as in the time of David, God has a specific plan for each and every one of His children, and He will do whatever is necessary to keep us on the road He has planned for us.

There is a great deal of comfort in that thought. In a time when there are so very few certainties in life, that is a certainty that we can hang onto! As life continues to rush by, God is deeply involved in the innermost thoughts and intents of our hearts. He, alone, deserves our worship and praise, for He, alone, guides us and leads us through life and then safely brings us to live with Him forever.

With Christmas almost upon us, what a good reminder that Christ came for this very purpose. Without a Savior, there would be no possibility of perfect communion with a holy and righteous God. Christ came for one purpose and He spent His earthly life fulfilling that purpose.

God has brought us to this earth for one single purpose as well, and even though we may just be teens, we would do well to ponder what the Lord gave to us. As we understand the specific gifts He has given to us, we will better understand the role He has chosen for us to play for these few short years we live upon this earth.

Imagine, God Almighty has a specific plan for each His children. How amazing is that?

God Bless You,

Linda

Goodness of God

2011-12-12T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁷O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:

⁸The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

⁹Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.

¹⁰Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.

(Psalm 68:7-10, King James Version)

Goodness of God

It must have been an incredible time! The children of Israel, as many in number as the stars in the sky, marched through the desert for 40 years! In all of that time God appeared to them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The earth shook with His presence, at His command manna fell from the heavens, and even Mt Sinai itself was moved by the God of Israel.

In such a time as this, how could they ever forget the goodness of God? When they were thirsty, He provided water; when they were hungry, He provided food; and He stood before them in great splendor as a visual reminder that He would always care for them, the rich and poor alike.

We know all of this; it is plainly written in the pages of the Old Testament. Why then are we so prone to forget the goodness of God? Why are we so quick to charge God foolishly when things do not go in a way that would seem right in our own eyes? How do we dare raise our fists before God and ask Him to give us a reason for the decisions He makes?

Do remember what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes? "There is nothing new under the sun." Though God walked right there beside the children of Israel, when it came time to go into the land, they shrunk back in doubt and fear, refusing to enter the land of the giants. In His anger against their lack of faith, they wandered for 40 years until that entire generation had passed away.

We have the whole Word of God before us, both the Old and New Testaments. We understand how God revealed Himself through His chosen people, Israel. Time and again He saved them from enemies, yet still they dabbled with the foreign gods, adding them to their own religious practices. In the New Testament we are shown our Savior, who came to this earth to save us from the sin which would cast us into eternal condemnation forever.

With God's plan laid out before us, we still dare to rebel against Him. We still have a tendency to dabble in the things of the world, adding its wicked pleasures into the mix of our service to God. Satan, the great deceiver, would have us believe that as teens, we live in an enlightened time; God does not work the same way today as He did in Bible times.

Just as God was not pleased with His people then, so He is not pleased with us today when we reject the goodness of God for the things of this world, no matter what our age may be.

God desires a holy people, set apart from the temptations of this world, who love Him from the depths of their hearts. To these He does, indeed, show His goodness. From a worldly standpoint, God's people often seem to have the most difficult lives, however, the joy, peace, and contentment they experience is worth more than all the treasures of this earth.

As we near the end of another calendar year, as Christian teens, let us reflect upon the goodness of God that has and continues to be poured upon us through Jesus, our Priceless Treasure. May we resolve to live this next year for the glory of God, alone!

What an amazing God we serve!

God Bless You,

Linda

Holy Habitation

2011-12-11T13:22:00.001-06:00

⁵A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

⁶God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

(Psalm 68:5-6, King James Version)

Holy Habitation

What an amazing God we serve! He sits in His holy habitation and brings justice to His children. To the fatherless He is a father, to the widows He is a just judge, He grants families to the solitary, and He sets free those who have been imprisoned unjustly. However, those who rebel against Him dwell in a dry land.

How can these things be true when we look all around us and see the opposite. We see orphans and widows treated cruelly, loneliness seems to abound, people are unlawfully imprisoned, and the rebellious seem to live in the best of circumstances. As teens, we face so many impossible situations that it is a wonder anyone makes it through these teen years unscathed.

In a world steeped in sin, it is often difficult for us to see God at work among His people. Yet we must remember that what often appears to us is really an illusion of reality. In faith, we know that God does, indeed, take care of His children. He may allow them to undergo severe circumstances for a time, but He only does so to purify them and make them more like Him. We are so consumed by the values of this wicked world, that God often has to work for years and years to bring us gently to Him.

Our God, who so loves us, His children, only gives us trials that we can bear, and when the difficulties come, so also comes His abundant grace to sustain us through the deep waters. He does not sit in His holy habitation unmoved by our present circumstances, but is actively at work in our hearts and lives bringing grace, comfort, and joy.

What of those who rebel against God? We must remember that if it seems as though the circumstances of the wicked are so much better than ours, we only need to come into the sanctuary of God and understand their end. The good things of this world are the best that they will ever have. For the Godly, however, nothing on this earth will begin to compare with the joys that await us in eternity.

So again I say, what an amazing God we serve. He sits in His holy habitation as a father to the fatherless and a judge to the widows, setting the solitary in families, and freeing those bound with chains. Why? He does this because we have been bought with a price--the blood of His own dear Son. We are a priceless treasure to Him!

How amazing is that?

God Bless You,

Linda

Presence of God

2011-12-08T09:07:00.001-06:00

¹Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

²As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

³But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

⁴Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

(Psalm 68:1-4, King James Version)

Presence of God

David begins Psalm 68 with an illustration that would be very familiar to him.

Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

I always marveled at the way my children would react when Daddy came home. They were so delighted to see him, and the improvement in their behavior was amazing! I sometimes wonder how differently we might act and think as Christians teens if we really lived as though the Lord Jesus walked right beside us. We know He is there, but how easily we forget His presence in the middle of the daily activities of life.

The Israelites were frightened by the presence of God; even Moses' shining face resulting from His contact with God made them uneasy. However, for the righteous, the presence of God is a wondrous thing. We rejoice in His awesome power and might, and are cloaked in peace when surrounded with His perfect righteousness.

That is not so for the ungodly. Being in the presence of God brings their every evil deed to the forefront. No matter how comfortable they may be in their sin, all comfort flies away when the light of God reveals every wayward thought. Except for the righteousness of Christ which He miraculously imputes to us, we would experience the same thing.

We are comfortable in this world of darkness, but when the new day appears and the effects of sin are removed, oh what a wondrous world that will be. It is truly beyond our imagination. No wonder David, as he pondered the righteousness of God, proclaimed:

Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

Imagine how different your teen years would be if everyone realized that all of their thoughts, words, and deeds were displayed in the presence of God Almighty. It is something to think about, is it not?

God Bless You,

Linda

Peace on Earth

2011-12-05T09:59:00.001-06:00

⁵Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

⁶Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.

⁷God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

(Psalm 67:5-7, King James Version)

Peace on Earth

These verses seem to come right out of a fairy tale, do they not? Is the psalmist really saying that a time will come on this earth when all of the earth shall fear Him? Yes, that is exactly what the psalmist is saying!

We hear a lot of talk about peace on earth, especially this time of the year, but it hardly seems possible that such a thing could ever happen. However, these verses are dealing with more than just peace on earth; these verses are speaking of a time when all of the people on the earth will fear God.

What an amazing time that will be! Not only will all people worship and fear God, but they will all agree, theologically. For a people who have known nothing but disagreements, dissensions, and church splits even among those who profess to believe the words of the Bible, this seems like an impossibility. What of all the other religions in the world? Is it really true that all people will fear God and worship Him in unity?

It is good for us, as Christian teens, to ponder these things, and to understand that this is the future that is coming. Nothing is too hard for God. We may have many opinions as to how we will get from where we are today to that time when peace on earth is the norm, but all who believe the Bible do understand that such a time is coming.

How, then, should that knowledge affect our everyday lives? We, who love and believe God's Word, can and must faithfully trust Him to not only bring to pass all that He has prophesied through His Word, but also to faithfully lead us even in the seemingly unimportant things of life.

Because Jesus lived on this earth, we have a Savior who was touched with the feelings of our infirmities. He understands the temptations we face daily, and is right there beside us encouraging us to faithfully trust in Him. We see the time of peace on earth as sometime in the distant future, but God sees all of time in one, completed package.

Let us then trust in this God we serve, for we are on the winning side. We know that, indeed, a time will come (may it be soon) when Christ will reign on this earth and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him!

God Bless You,

Linda

Judge Righteously

2011-12-02T10:15:00.001-06:00

³Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

⁴O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.

(Psalm 67:3-4, King James Version)

Judge Righteously

How would you describe a perfect government? Many things come to mind, but perhaps the most critical attribute of a perfect government would be a perfect judicial system. We have a lot of fun at lawyers' expense, but our jokes sadly express our low expectations for lawyers. We do not even expect an honest judiciary.

God judges the nations righteously. We do not often think about the consequences that nations will pay for their ungodly actions; even as Christians, we seem to forget that God does hold the nations in account for their actions. In response to their actions, He allows some nations to rise and others to fall.

In the Old Testament we have many examples of God allowing nations to successfully war against Israel and Judah, and then we see God's judgment brought upon those very nations for their atrocities against His people. God does not overlook one thing; all nations will be held in account for their actions.

In this self sufficient world, we often forget that God has a plan for this world--a plan which is being carried out perfectly. Nothing in this world happens apart from God's knowledge, and nothing that man can do will stay the hand of God.

From the beginning Satan has determined to upset God's plan, but his efforts have all been overridden by God. Satan tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, hoping to destroy the entire human race, but God already had a plan of redemption in place.

As Christians we can indeed say,

O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth

Though while on this earth we only see through a glass darkly, we can be assured that God's Word is true; everything He has ordained will come to pass. God does, indeed, judge the nations, and He will judge righteously. We are on the victorious side; God rules both now, and forever more!

So, how does this affect you, as a Christian teen? In your busy life, the things happening on the other side of the world really do not seem to have much of an effect on your day-to-day life. When we look at the bigger picture, such as we looked at in today's teen devotional, we are always reminded that, just as God has a plan for the nations, so, too, does He have a specific plan for each and every one of His children.

Even now, in your teen years, you can be busy training yourself for the life God has purposed for you. I know that it is hard to imagine, but the God who created this world and controls the entire universe, cares about you, and has a specific plan for your life. How awesome is that!

Go, today, and live your life for the glory of God, for in every single detail of your life, He will judge righteously!

God Bless You,

Linda

Thy Way

2011-12-01T07:23:00.001-06:00

¹God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.

²That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

(Psalm 67:1-2, King James Version)

Thy Way

Tucked in between two much longer Psalms, is this short Psalm, just seven verses long, but filled with great depth and encouragement. The psalmist begins by pleading for God's mercy, His blessing, and that His face would shine upon us.

What is the value of life apart from the Lord? In truth, there is no life apart from the Lord. Unless our life is filled with God's mercies and blessings, it becomes just a bleak subsistence! Unfortunately, most of us tend to struggle for years, sometimes even decades, before we come to that understanding. In fact, some people never do come to that knowledge. Why is that?

The allures of this life are so tantalizing that we are convinced that our true happiness is just around the corner. Surely more things, more prestige, more power, more honor, etc. are all we need to satisfy the longings of our hearts. If this life is all there is, that would be true, but there is so much more than just our years of existence on this earth. What a valuable lesson to learn while still in our teens!

We are created beings with souls that long for fellowship with God, our Creator. That longing fills our life with emptiness until it finds its completion in Christ. However, when God is merciful to us, blessing us with the knowledge of Him, that emptiness is filled with all the blessings of Christ. When God's face shines upon us, we come to the understanding that Christ is everything. All of the needs of our souls are met in Christ.

Oh that the whole world might be filled with the knowledge of Christ! We speak of world peace, ending poverty, and conquering diseases, but none of these things are possible apart from Christ. None of these things can be accomplished politically, because man's sin will always allow greed, envy, and pride to intervene!

As Christian teens, let us take up the banner introduced by the writer of Psalm 67. Let us pray for the healing of the nations as the Word of God is proclaimed to all mankind. We may not have the ability to preach the Gospel in foreign lands, but God has given a personal ministry to each of us right where we are. That ministry to our families, our friends, and our neighbors is the whole reason for our existence.

What an amazing God we serve! Oh, how He loves us with a love beyond our comprehension!

God Bless You,

Linda

Sin and Prayer

2011-11-30T12:16:00.001-06:00

¹³I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,

¹⁴Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.

¹⁵I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.

¹⁶Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

¹⁷I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.

¹⁸If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

¹⁹But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

²⁰Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

(Psalm 66:13-20, King James Version)

Sin and Prayer

What is the relationship between sin and prayer? The psalmist certainly alludes to it in Psalm 66 when he says,

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

Could it be that the same relationship between sin and prayer exists for us, as Christian teens today? During those times in which it seems as though our prayers just bounce off the ceiling, it would be good for us to have a time of self-examination.

It is not always easy for us to be honest with ourselves, as we are prone to excuse our thoughts and actions based upon our circumstances or compared to other teens. However, it is important that we remember that we are not comparing ourselves to other people, but are comparing ourselves with God. We must ask ourselves whether our thoughts and actions are acceptable to a righteous and holy God who cannot even look upon sin.

The Old Testament is ripe with illustrations of both God's blessing and curses upon His own people. In times when the people of Judah were faithful to God, even armies of 300,000 were no match for the people of God. Yet, when Judah fell into apostasy, their own huge army was no match for the small armies of their enemies.

We must always remember that we serve the same God today, and the same relationship between sin and prayer exists in our own personal lives, as well as in the lives of the nations.

When we see our countries, especially those which were once faithful to God, fall into great sin and disobedience against the Word of God, we are right to tremble. It is certainly not politically correct or even acceptable among religious circles to equate natural disasters with God's displeasure with a country, however it is a doctrine taught extensively in Scripture.

Psalm 66 ends with the wonderful assurance that God does bless His people and answer their prayers.

But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

We can go, then, understanding the relationship between sin and prayer. If we find ourselves straying from the Word of God, we must fall before Him in repentance, knowing that He will forgive. Then, we can go to God, being assured that He will answer our prayers.

What an amazing God we serve! He loves His people so much!

God Bless You,

Linda

Holds Our Soul!

2011-11-29T10:21:00.001-06:00

⁸O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:

⁹Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.

¹⁰For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

¹¹Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.

¹²Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

(Psalm 66:8-12, King James Version)

Holds Our Soul!

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28, KJV

What makes us different than the animals? God has given to man a soul; animals have life, but do not have a soul. What, then, is the significance of the psalmist's words in Psalm 66?

O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.

Because we have souls, we are eternal beings. It is true that our body suffers death, but our soul lives forever. Therefore, our consciousness does not end at death. The very part of you that thinks, and is aware of your surroundings is the part of you that will live on forever!

Understanding that helps us to realize the importance of Psalm 66:9. As Christians, God holds our soul. How is that manifest during our lifetime on this earth? The psalmist answers that question in Psalm 66:10-12.

It is God, who loves our very soul, who allows us to be tried as silver, and allows affliction to be laid upon us that we may be purified through the fire and water of life. That purification does not save us, as only Christ is able to do that. However, it causes us to continually go before God and find in Him all of our help and consolation.

It is important that we understand that it is God who safely brings us through the difficulties of life. Nothing in this life can help us or console us--that power is given only to God.

One of the things that has impressed me in my Old Testament Bible reading is that David is one of the few kings who served God all of his life. It is true that he sinned greatly regarding his adultery and murder in the lives of Bathsheba and Uriah, however when approached with his sin, he fell down in great humility before God and plead for God's forgiveness.

Most of the good kings of Judah who worshiped and served God seemed to leave Him during the latter years of their lives. What a sad commentary, and what a reminder to us that, by the grace of God, we need to diligently seek the Lord all of the days of our lives. As teens, we do not yet have the perspective of serving the Lord for many years, but right now is the time we can set lifelong patterns of service for the Lord!

No wonder the Psalms, especially those written by David, provide so much help and comfort to us in this life. David understood, as did this psalmist, that God holds our soul!

God Bless You,

Linda

Works of God

2011-11-28T11:38:00.001-06:00

⁵Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.

⁶He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.

⁷He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

(Psalm 66:5-7, King James Version)

Works of God

As we read the Old Testament stories displaying the wondrous works of God on behalf of His people, it is appropriate to ask ourselves, where is God today? Does He still work on behalf of His people today, causing some nations to rise while allowing others to fall? As a Christian teen, does God really care about all the little details of my life?

In Old Testament times, the nations believed that their country or city was protected by their gods. If their god was angry at them, he would allow other nations to overpower them. We, in our advanced age, see this as foolishness. Sadly, the nations then had a better understanding of the spirit world than we do today.

As Christians we understand that the works of God are manifested today just as much as they were during the Old Testament times. God rules this world! Even though men foolishly believe that they rule their nations by their own power and strength, it is God who allows one ruler to reign and another to be overcome.

God, who turned the sea into dry land that allowed the children of Israel to escape from Pharaoh's armies, has the same power today to work on behalf of His people. Sadly, Christians today have become apathetic in their devotion to God, not understanding that God still works on their behalf even in the seemingly insignificant aspects of life.

What the psalmist understood and expressed in Psalm 66 is still true in the 21st century!

He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves.

Let us, by the grace of God, as Christian teens, see the works of God as He lives and rules on behalf of us, His children today, even in the seemingly small details of our lives!

What an amazing God we serve!

God Bless You,

Linda

All the Earth!

2011-11-26T10:07:00.001-06:00

¹Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:

²Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.

³Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

⁴All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.

(Psalm 66:1-4, King James Version)

All the Earth!

All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name.

When we truly stop to think of this wondrous God we serve, we are certainly left speechless! Who, in all the annals of time has ever heard of a God, who rather than punish men for their sins, sent His own Son to die for the sins of man, and then offers to man eternal life and glory with Him forever! Of course, the only catch is that man has to make a choice as to whether he will continue to immerse himself in sin or choose the path of life and righteousness with Christ forever.

It seems to be a "no brainer," and yet we know that, in reality, very few choose life with Christ. Yet for those, chosen of God, who make that step of life and light, the glories are never-ending! Unfortunately, while still on this earth, our own struggle with our natural, sin nature causes us unending grief. We truly do love our sin, and find it impossible to give up.

In my current Bible reading, I am in the books of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. What a sad commentary for the nation of Israel. First, split apart by dissension, the kingdoms are led by one king after another. None of the kings of the norther tribes, Israel, served God, and many of the kings of the southern tribes, Judah, did not serve God. In spite of momentous times in their history, seeing God miraculously come to their aid again and again, most of the people chose the gods of the nations surrounding them.

Rare was the king who served God all of his days. Even Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest man alive, left the God He loved in his latter days and served the gods of his many wives and concubines. Of course, we have only to look into our heart of hearts to understand the difficulties they faced. Left to ourselves, we would make the same choices.

Though our works do not save us, as Christian teens, it is so important that every we work out our own salvation in fear and trembling. In other words, we must actively pursue Christ by spending time in His Word and in prayer and fellowship with Him. Though we do not have the power in ourselves to remain faithful to Him, God grants us the help of His Holy Spirit to guide us and keep us faithful to Him.

The psalmist in Psalm 66 reminds us that man will not always be so ignorant. Though most may reject Christ all of their lives, the time will come at the end of the age, when all the earth will bow down and worship the Lord.

How much better to seek the Lord now while He may be found than to live all eternity without Him.

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.

God Bless You,

Linda

Come Ye Thankful

2011-11-24T04:00:00.000-06:00

The devotional for today is not necessarily directed at teens, but I thought you might enjoy it if I left it as it is. Though it continues with our series in Psalm 65, it is also a good Thanksgiving devotional, which those of you who are in the United States will appreciate.

⁹Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

¹⁰Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

¹¹Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.

¹²They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.

¹³The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

(Psalm 65:9-13, King James Version)

Come Ye Thankful

How fitting that this is our Bible passage for today, as this is the day that we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States. I considered writing a special devotion for Thanksgiving and then continuing on with Psalm 65 the next day. However, as I read this passage from Psalm 65, I realized that it is a very fitting text to use for a Thanksgiving devotional.

Having the internet at our disposal offers us the unique ability to "see" practically anyplace in the world we want to see. I love to look at pictures from countries far removed from my home state of Iowa. Although the buildings may be constructed differently, there are really very few differences. Oh, it is true, some places are desert lands, some inundated with rivers and streams, some mountainous, etc., but nature is still nature.

The sun shines in the desert just as it shines in the mountains, and though the desert receives very little water, there are desert rain storms just as there are rain and snow storms in the mountains. Each land has its own unique creatures, as well as creatures that are found practically every place on our globe. Birds fly over the sand as well as over the water, and creatures burrow under the sand as well as in the crags of the rocks.

We have a great tendency to take our world for granted, and thereby take God for granted as well. What an amazing land He has created and given to man, with the charge to dress it and keep it. Man can do many things, but can we really make things grow? The psalmist was right to proclaim:

Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

This, indeed, is God's earth. He has provided us with a beautiful earth, sends the rains to water it, and gives it the ability to grow a diversity of plants to feed us. However, it is not just a utilitarian land; rather, it is a land filled with awesome and wondrous beauty as well.

Take some time today, in the busyness of the holiday, to walk outside and enjoy the lovely earth God has provided for us. Just imagine what it would be like without the sound of the birds or without the trees and flowers that dress the land. Even in the winter, the whiteness of the snow provides a stunning display of God's beautiful handiwork.

Yes, come ye thankful people and enjoy the world God has created for you!

God Bless You,

Linda

God Our Confidence!

2011-11-23T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁵By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:

⁶Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:

⁷Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

⁸They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.

(Psalm 65:5-8, King James Version)

God Our Confidence!

Why does the Christian have such confidence in God? David stated of God,

Who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea.

To answer that question truthfully, let us think a minute of ourselves. When approached with a situation, how do we make our decisions? Most of us draw upon our own experiences, and maybe the experiences of others, but, in the end, we make our decisions based upon what is best for us. We may consider the morality of a circumstance, but will still lean toward our own self interests.

God bases His decisions upon righteousness. There is not even a shadow of turning in God! No matter how such decisions may appear or affect each individual, they are still the right decisions to make. That should be the determining factor for all of our decision-making as well, but the difficulty lies in our own lack of ability to always discern what is the righteous decision to make.

Imagine a world where no such dichotomy existed; imagine a world in which every single person bases every single decision on righteousness. We cannot even imagine such a thing, can we?

Yet, this is the God we serve! He is a God of perfect righteousness and holiness, and He is awesome in His strength and understanding. He just spoke, and this entire world came into being, and what a world it is! This is not a world of chaos and confusion, but it is a world established in perfect order. The balance of nature did not just happen by chance, but rather, it happened by design--the design of our holy and righteous Father.

Men, worldwide, are afraid of the tokens of God. If we do not think that is true, just imagine for a moment standing in the center of a tornado, or being outside when a Category 5 hurricane washes ashore. These signs of nature are just a mere token of the power of the God we serve. You see, in God's power, he could, if he chose, take an individual and place them in the middle of a storm of fury without them experiencing even a scrape, for even the winds obey His voice!

Yes, God is our confidence, for in Him will no unrighteousness be found! As Christian teens, we know that His decisions are always perfect and righteous in every single instance. He, alone, deserves our honor and our praise.

To Him be the glory forever!

God Bless You,
Linda

Choices!

2011-11-22T04:00:00.000-06:00

4 Blessedis the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he maydwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, evenof thy holy temple.

(Psalm65:4, King James Version)

Choices!

God makes choices! Just as God chosea people for Himself, beginning with the call of Abraham, so He continued tomake choices throughout the life of Christ, and will continue even unto the endof time. David, being a king, understood the sovereignty of God. As king, hemade many choices; choices which had a profound effect upon his subjects.

Being mere people, and teens at that, we cannot beginto understand the interactions of God with the humanity He has created, but wedo know that David was correct. Those chosen by God are truly blessed.

Why, then, do we, as Christian teens,have such a tendency to take God's choices for granted, and why do we fight againstGod's choices for us? Do we live as those who are truly blessed? Do we evenfeel blessed, or are we among those who must complain about everything?

As Christian teens, it is true that ittakes a lifetime to learn to be satisfied with the goodness of God, and toworship, gladly, in His holy temple. As we look back over the years of ourlives that we have already lived, how many things would have been so much easier if we had simplytrusted in the choices of God, rather than to kick and squirm and seek to dothings our own way?

As Christian teens, our lives are areflection of the good and bad choices we have made. Sometimes we seem to takethe safer, less traveled route, trusting in God's help, and God's blessingsseem to follow us wherever we go. At other times we seek to chisel our ownpath, circumventing the instructions of God, and we consequently face struggleafter struggle before we come, humbly to God and seek Him out.

Life is definitely about choices! Nomatter what life may bring, those who make the choice of serving and loving Godwill never be disappointed. Though life may bring many trials and frustrations,God has already won the final victory. When the years of this life are ended,we will be blessed to live out all of eternity with God our Father, and Christ ourRedeemer.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

God Bless You,

Linda

Praise unto Thee!

2011-11-21T11:24:00.001-06:00

1 Praise waiteth for thee, O God, inSion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.

2 O thou that hearest prayer, untothee shall all flesh come.

3 Iniquities prevail against me: asfor our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.

(Psalm 65:103,King James Version)

Praise unto Thee!

For thebeliever, God is the source, the depth, the height, and the breadth of all ofour strength and hope. Truly, to God alone, we say, “I offer all of my praiseunto Thee!”

In Psalm65, verses 1-3, we sense the tension that David felt, and which we, as teens, also feel,when considering the realities of trying to live a life to the glory and honorof God, our Father. Though our heart is willing and desirous of faithfullyserving God, we are left with a meager service, at best, for our sins seem toever so diligently creep in, seeking to destroy our hope and faith.

However,Christ, our Hope and our Light, has purged our iniquities away! His death onthe cross has conquered the sin and death that seeks to slay us. Indeed, untoChrist has all flesh gone; only in Him have all men found the one, true sourceof all hope, peace, and joy by having their sins removed, as far as the east isfrom the west!

Even David,though living long before Christ walked this earth, looked forward to thatgreat event when Christ would put an end to the victory of sin in his life.Though he did not know the details, he did know and understand that God was theonly One who could purge his sins away!

For theChristian teen, these are the glorious truths that give us hope in the middle of thefrustrations of life. Apart from Christ, where is the joy, the hope, and theassurance that God has conquered, forever, the effects of sin and misery uponour lives? God is the only One to whom all who pray the sinner’s prayer willfind eternal rest and peace.

Yes, let usjoin with David in saying, “May all glory and praise unto Thee, O God, be given,for You hear our prayer and wash all of our iniquities away!”

What anamazing God we serve!

God BlessYou,

Linda

Teen Answers

2011-11-19T04:00:00.000-06:00

²¹ This I recall to my mind,

Therefore I have hope.

²² Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

²³ They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

²⁴ “ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

“ Therefore I hope in Him!”

²⁵ The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,

To the soul who seeks Him.

²⁶ It is good that one should hope and wait quietly

For the salvation of the LORD.

²⁷ It is good for a man to bear

The yoke in his youth.

²⁸ Let him sit alone and keep silent,

Because God has laid it on him;

²⁹ Let him put his mouth in the dust—

There may yet be hope.

³⁰ Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,

And be full of reproach.

³¹ For the Lord will not cast off forever.

³² Though He causes grief,

Yet He will show compassion

According to the multitude of His mercies.

(Lamentations 3:21-32, New King James Version)

Teen Answers

I received this email from a reader just a few days ago. Though her circumstances are unique, she poses some very important concerns that are common to all teens. At a time in our lives when friends are often more important to us than family, how do we deal with life when we find ourselves without any really good, Christian friends?

I am a christian and my family has been traveling as evangelist for most of my life! Because of that I am home schooled. My dad has taken a temporary job as an interim pastor at this church. The church has recently gotten rid of all the youth programs in the church because we only had 3 youth in the church and we dont have a youth pastor (my older brother was fillign in as the the youth pastor but now he is off on a semi-long term mission trip and when he comes back he is planning on moving away. I am a 14 year old girl and these other 2 youth are guys which normally wouldn't be a problem because I have always fit in more with guys but these guys arent really my kind of 'friends'... 1 of them is this big guy that is very nice but isn't the kind of guy that I would just hang out with or even have a real conversation with, and the other one is a guy only comes sometimes and when he comes I don't really feel like he would really be the best influence for me. all of my friends are over 1000 miles away from me and they don't really put much effort into staying in touch with me. Because I am home schooled I don't have friends from school, and there arent any youth even coming to visit the church... not to mention I live at the church in a bus so I don't know any "neighborhood teens". I feel like there aren't any friends to be made around here! Part of me just wants a boyfriend just so there is someone that I know I will have to talk to, but I don't think that is a good reason to have a boyfriend. I feel stuck with no friends and I just really need someone to talk to because my life hasn't been the easiest lately. My brother was who I usually talked to because my parents are always so busy and I don't really feel comfortable talking to them anyways. What should I do?

Thank you for sharing your circumstances with us. I am very proud of your mature attitude toward the potential friends at the church you are now at. You are correct in being very, very careful about developing close relationships with those who do not share your passion for Christ, and your desire to live faithfully for the Lord.

I have a few thoughts that might be helpful for you.

I shared the Bible passage from Lamentations as, I think it really addresses your situation right now. As Christians, we understand that God is in control of all things, and if that is true, then your circumstances right now are those that God has intended for you. You may ask, "Why would God not want me to have friends?"

If we understand that God's compassion does not fail, and that His faithfulness on our behalf if great, then we know that, for whatever reason, we need to be in the circumstances we are in right now. God is schooling you as well--teaching you to find in Him the Friend that sticks closer than a brother.

I would encourage you to use your free time to talk with the Lord. Talk with Him just as you would your closest Friend. He cares so much more for you than you can possibly think, and you will find a great peace and joy during those precious times with Him.

Secondly, your circumstances today are not necessarily your circumstances tomorrow! Many times God puts us in desperate circumstances so that we will cry out to Him for help. He wants us to understand that He is the provider of all we need. Pray to Him, expecting Him to provide that friend you so desperately need, and then look and see how He will answer that prayer.

Thirdly, do not be afraid to befriend the boys in the church, but be careful! Try to keep your relationship with them a little aloof, or distant. Perhaps God has sent you to them to encourage them to live more faithfully for the Lord. You may be the first truly Christian teen they have ever met. In a sense, you are a walking Bible to them.

I hope these things have been helpful to you. Please be assured that I am praying for you, and let me know how God answers your prayers.

Praise God for His love and faithfulness to us. Know that He will never leave you or forsake you!

Though He causes grief,

Yet He will show compassion

According to the multitude of His mercies.

God Bless You,
Linda

All Men Shall Fear

2011-11-18T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁷But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.
⁸So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.
⁹And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.
¹⁰The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

(Psalm 64:7-10, King James Version)

All Men Shall Fear

As we looked at yesterday's devotion, we pondered the true heart of man noting that those without Christ were desperately wicked. What of the wicked? What happens to them? As Psalm 64 continues, we understand that, in the end, all men shall fear, and all men shall declare the work of God.

In essence, we already know how the story ends. Just as in a good fiction, all seems totally hopeless until the hero stuns his readers with a seemingly impossible victory, so, too, in the end, the wicked will also perish. Then, when all men stand before the great judgment seat of God, they will fear God, and they will declare His marvelous works.

The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

As Christian teens we have every reason, right now to praise and glorify the Lord. Even if we are right in the middle of a most difficult time, we know that our God is God. He rules the earth with a mighty hand, and in the end, He will bring the righteous to Him and cast away the wicked forever!

As I think of these things, I am amazed, again, at how much David, the psalmist, understood these things. Even though Christ had not come, David had great confidence in His Father, God, knowing that, in the end, God would make all things right.

As Christian teens today, we have so much more knowledge of God through His Word. Christ has come, and has fulfilled all of the prophecies concerning Him in the Old Testament. Through Him our salvation is complete, for He has paved a path for us directly to God, our Father.

No matter who we are; no matter how great or small we may be in the eyes of men, we are loved by God, Almighty, King of the universe! He takes great joy in having a personal relationship with each and every one of us.

Yes, the day will come when all men shall fear, but for the children of God, that fear is a fear of honor and respect for God and for the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him is all the fullness of love, joy, and peace. In Him we can rest both now and forever more!

God Bless You,

Linda

Heart of Man

2011-11-17T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁵They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?

⁶They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

(Psalm 64:5-6, King James Version)

Heart of Man

What is the true heart of man? As teens, we all want to believe that all men are basically good, and that, in their heart of hearts, they want what is the best for all people. The Bible, however, never points to the heart of man as being basically good. The heart of man, left to itself, is only evil continually.

I really do not like thinking that way, do you? However, the psalmist made no pretense in his comments regarding the wickedness of man. The real problem is that the wicked do not see themselves as wicked; they are just people like you and I, trying to do the best in this life that they are able to do. What, then, makes them wicked?

Those who live their lives apart from God are entirely wicked! The only difference for believers is the changes made in their hearts by God. Even Jesus said, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. (Matthew 19:17, Mark 10:18, and Luke 18:19, KJV)

Perhaps this is easier to understand when we realize that nowhere, in all of the universe, does goodness exist apart from God. God, alone, is good! We may view ourselves as just as good as the next person, maybe even better, but when we compare ourselves to a perfect, righteous, and holy God, we must all admit that we cannot possibly measure up. In comparison to God, we are all wicked!

That is why we all need Christ. Only Christ, the perfect man, and perfect God, was able to bridge the gap between God and man. When we accept Christ as the only One who can save us from death brought on by our wickedness, we receive the righteousness of Christ. When God looks upon believers, He does not see their sin, but rather sees the righteous blood of Christ.

How does all of that work? I do not know! But this I know, once I was lost with no hope for rescue, but now I have been found and with it has come all of the blessings of Christ: love, joy, peace, gentleness, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Against such, there is no law!

So, as Christian teens, let us not despair. Though the heart of man is desperately wicked, the heart of Christ is filled with joy and peace, forever! Let us reach out then, not for the heart of man, but for the heart of Christ!

God Bless You,

Linda

Fear

2011-11-16T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

²Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

³Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

⁴That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

(Psalm 64:1-4, King James Version)

Fear

Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

David, the writer of this psalm was certainly acquainted with enemies, but he also saw, again and again, the hand of God actively delivering him from the schemes of the wicked. That did not necessarily mean, however, that he was unaffected by the threats of his enemies. David understood the very real threat to his own effectiveness if he allowed his fears to rule his thoughts and life.

Sadly, it does not seem to take Satan much effort at all to fill our hearts and lives with fear and thereby to keep us from living and serving the God we love. As Christian teens, we think far too much of what the world considers right and proper, and are far too willing to keep from doing things that might cause others to laugh at us or to ridicule us. How much more are we stopped from serving the Lord if we perceive that we might actually be in physical danger?

If we think this is not true, we can just look at the state of the world today for verification. Who would have dreamed that God would be so far removed from every day life. God is not allowed in schools, in courts, in public places, and is quickly being removed from the airwaves. Just recently, one of the major satellite providers has removed all Christian programming from their available networks. How could this have happened in such a short amount of time? When Christians allow their fears to keep them from being the salt of the earth, the salt loses its savor, and the worldwide results are devastating!

As is evident in this psalm, the wicked are not afraid.

Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

Solomon said that there is nothing new under the sun, and he was certainly right. How many times have we read words right out of the Psalms of David that might just have well come from the pages of our daily newspapers?

What is the answer? David knew the answer--the answer was found in God. Just as he prayed, so must we: Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. David's God is our God; just as He continually preserved the life of David, so will He preserve our lives until we have completed the work He has assigned for us to do.

By the grace of God, let us find ourselves willing and determined to spend our lives in the service of the Lord. Nothing we do in this life can have the same lasting effect as the things we do for the Lord. That is why we are here, and that is where we will find the ultimate joy and fulfillment in life.

Solomon summed it up this way: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13b, KJV.

God Bless You,

Linda

Rejoic in God!

2011-11-15T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁹But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

¹⁰They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.

¹¹But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

(Psalm 63:9-11, King James Version)

Rejoice in God

This is certainly not a new theme for David, but it is a theme well worth repeating. As teens, not many of us have experienced the extended grief that David experienced, first at the hands of King Saul, and then later, at the hands of his own sons. David understood the necessity of leaving the comforts of home and literally running for his life.

Yet there is no better advice that David could give than to rejoice in God. Why is that? By the end of his life, David had seen, time after time, God's amazing intercession on his behalf. How many times was he right in the palm of his enemies' hands, and yet God delivered him, sometimes by miraculous means, and sometimes through the stealth of his own army?

One of my favorite stories is found in 2 Samuel 18.

⁶So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
⁷Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
⁸For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. (2 Samuel 18:6-8, King James Version)

Absalom, David's son, was trying to usurp the throne, and had raised a large army to defeat David. The people of Israel (the army of Absalom) were slain before the servants of David. Look at the last phrase of verse 8, "And the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured." How can the woods devour men? What an amazing demonstration of God miraculously working on behalf of David.

David was the God-ordained king, and no man could overthrow him. Does God work on our behalf in the same way? Yes!

God has a specific purpose for every single one of His children. No man can destroy what God has purposed. As Christian teens, we are safely nestled in His hands until the day He has ordained, before time began, that our life on this earth shall end.

When we ponder these things, how can we not rejoice in God? This is His world and yet He has planned that the foolish ones of this world (that is us), should confound the wise of this world. No man can thwart the will of God, for what He has planned from before the creation of the world will come to pass.

Join me today as we rejoice in God!

God Bless You,

Linda

History with God

2011-11-14T09:46:00.001-06:00

⁶When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

⁷Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

⁸My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

(Psalm 63:6-8, King James Version)

History with God

David had a history with God; when he had one of those nights that he just could not sleep, he would meditate upon God, remembering God's faithfulness to him. Most of us, even as teens, can identify with David, can we not? How many nights do we either have trouble falling asleep, or when waking in the middle of the night have trouble going back to sleep?

We snuggle into our cozy covers and then begin to think about the troubles of life. Have you ever noticed that we automatically bring to mind the things that are bothering us instead of thinking of the blessings that God has given to us? I am sure there are many things David could have pondered in the middle of the night, and probably did, but he soon learned the benefit of taking that precious time and using it to meditate upon the Lord.

If you are like me, it is not always so easy. However, I have found that if I can convince myself to leave my warm, cozy bed and spend some time reading my Bible, and then spend some time in meditation and prayer, sleep returns much more easily. And, if I never do go back to sleep, I certainly can face the coming day with a much more positive attitude.

As Christian teens, we have a tendency to take such things for granted. We have such a rich heritage in the Lord. Those who do not know the Lord have no true source of comfort and strength. They have no eternal abiding place on which to rest all of their hopes and dreams. Life to them is a continual shifting of sands, with no place to rest their weary soul. There is no time in life when that is more evident than in our teen years!

By the grace of God may we be busy building our own, personal, history with God. As we read and meditate upon the Word of God, we should sift through our memories and meditate upon God's working and moving in our own lives. We remember both the answers to prayer we were seeking as well as those times that God did not answer in the way we had hoped. However, as time as has passed, we can see how much better God's answers have been.

What an amazing God we serve! He desires to spend time with each and every one of His children. He is never too busy or too tired to fellowship with us, encouraging us and filling our very hearts and souls with peace and joy.

Go today and work on your own history with God!

God Bless You,

Linda

Better Than Life!

2011-11-12T04:00:00.000-06:00

³Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

⁴Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

⁵My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

(Psalm 63:3-5, King James Version)

Better Than Life!

As I read the words from Psalm 63 shown above, I thought about my own walk with the Lord. Is the lovingkindness of God better than life to me? Sometimes the best way to consider our blessings is to think of what life would be without them.

What would life be without God? I shudder to even think such a thing. Even so, how often do we, as Christian teens, live our lives as though God does not exist. We get up in the morning without a thought of the Lord, and then rush about through the duties of the day, frazzled and frustrated. Finally, at night we collapse into our beds and try to get some rest so we can get up and go through another merry-go-round day.

What was missing in that scenario? God! We live as though we walk through this valley all by ourselves, totally ignoring the One who is walking right there beside us. What comfort and joy do we miss because we do not acknowledge God, who is our strength and redeemer? Somehow we have gotten the idea that David's God was different than our God. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 13:8, that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.

Before we take another step, let us stop and take some time to meditate upon the goodness of God in our own lives. Let us think of specific ways in which God has worked and moved in our hearts and lives so that seemingly impossible tasks were removed or lightened by God's intervening grace. Last of all, let us think of the glorious eternity that awaits us; an eternity filled with the holiness and goodness of God.

Yes, God's loving kindness is better than life! Let us bless God while we live, until our souls are satisfied with the goodness of God.

One last thought--the things we do today, and the decisions we make now will have a profound affect on future generations. David said, "Thus will I bless thee while I live." In truth, David is still blessing God through the words he wrote that are a part of our Bible, long after his life has ceased on this earth.

Will future generations look back and bless and praise the name of God because we lived on this earth? It is something to think about, is it not?

God Bless You,

Linda

Dry and Thirsty Land

2011-11-11T04:00:00.000-06:00

¹O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

²To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

(Psalm 63:1-2, King James Version)

Dry and Thirsty Land

Sometimes God has so gifted the psalmist that the words he wrote seem better than life itself. As David wrote these words so many years ago, we must marvel at how applicable they are to us, as teens, today. In all of his life, no matter what difficulties he faced, David always turned to his first love, God Almighty. From his words we gain a sense of the depth of his love for God. In the very depths of his soul he thirsted and longed for God.

We live in a dry and thirsty land today; no matter where we may physically live on this earth, apart from God it is dry and parched, for only in Christ does the water of life flow freely.

My husband and I enjoy watching old episodes of TV shows no longer being shown; it is our way to relax and enjoy some time together. Lately, I have been struck with the emptiness of the world's solutions to problems. The main characters, themselves a combination of good and evil, wrestle with the true meaning of life. However, apart from God, life has no meaning.

You see, that is one of the dangers of even the old black and white TV episodes; life's problems were faced and resolved by the wisdom of the main characters, but nowhere did God have a part. So, the life presented lacked reality, because God does exist, and as Christians, we always have an Advocate in Christ.

The world today knows nothing about the joy and peace found in Christ. The words to psalms such as Psalm 63 have no meaning to those who have never known and had a personal relationship with God. But, as Christian teens, that is not true for us. We have been in the sanctuary of God; we have seen His power and glory, and have felt His love and peace wash over us even to the very depths of our souls.

That, dear friend, is the true meaning of life! Man, by his sin is separated from God, but Christ through His death and resurrection has re-opened the gateway so that man can again personally fellowship with God the Father. How amazing is that, that the God of all Gods, King of all Kings, and Lord of all Lords walks and talks with His children? He never leaves them nor forsakes them, but, through Christ, shepherds them all the days of their lives and then ushers them into heaven to live with Him forever!

Though we may live in a dry and thirsty land, Christ, the Water of Life, fills our hearts, our minds, and our souls with His love and grace. That is the reason we are here, and that is the news we must share with those who have no hope.

God Bless You,

Linda

Unto Thee!

2011-11-10T04:00:00.000-06:00

⁹Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

¹⁰Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

¹¹God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

¹²Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

(Psalm 62:9-12, King James Version)

Unto Thee!

As we look upon our lives and gaze into the future, what keeps us going? What gives us the hope and strength to continue on? It would seem that David, the psalmist, was pondering such things when he wrote the words to Psalm 62.

He certainly could not trust in men, whether they were of a low or a high degree. He could not gauge his future upon the relationships he had with them. Whether of low or high degree, what are men before God? They are altogether lighter than vanity!

As teens, neither can we trust in our friends; our lives are far too precious to rest upon anything related to this world. Only God deserves our complete faith and trust!

Neither could David trust in oppression or riches. That may seem like a rather obvious statement to us, but think about it for a minute. As you observe the world in which we live, what are the two things men seem to trust above all others? Men trust in oppression and riches? Through oppression kings and peoples are conquered, and through riches, men of a low degree are brought to a high degree in the eyes of others.

As Christian teens, we know that, no matter what may appear to be true, power belongs only to God. As we read the Word of God we see nations and peoples were upheld or conquered by the power of God, yet we have difficulty transferring that knowledge to our lives in the 21st century. Has God's arm been shortened so that He no longer controls the hearts of men? No!

Just as in the time of David, we must raise our eyes to heaven today and say,

"Unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work."

Unless, by God's grace, we the people of God understand that the God of the Old Testament is the same God who lives and rules in our hearts today, we are no different than the people of this world who reject God.

As Christian teens, let us pray that we would not foolishly rest upon the vanities of this world, for we know that in God's time oppression will cease and riches will fade away. Instead, may all of our hope rest in God, to Whom belongs all power and glory.

Unto Thee, O Lord, belongs all praise, and honor, and power, and glory!

God Bless You,

Linda

God is Our Refuge

2011-11-09T04:00:00.000-06:00

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

⁶He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

⁷In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

⁸Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

(Psalm 62:5-8, King James Version)

God is Our Refuge

It is interesting to note that, in the verses shown above from Psalm 62, David is speaking to his soul. This is not a message he is proclaiming from the rooftops to thousands of people, but rather a message he is addressing to his own heart of hearts, and what a powerful message it is! All of his expectations are from God.

Surely life cannot be so simple, can it? In the complex world of the 21st century can we, as teens, truly say with David, all of our expectations are from God? In thinking of the answer to this question, I would ask another question. In examining every detail of this complex life we live, what aspect of our lives does God not control? What aspect of our lives is so far removed from God that He cannot help and assist us?

When put that way, we have to agree with David that, even in the 21st century, all of our expectations are from God. Where else can we turn? Who, apart from God, is with us 24/7, ready to come to our aid at any moment? Who else understands us, even to the very depths of our souls? What necessary part of our lives does God not provide?

That is really the whole point, is it not? As Christian teens, we must say that, in God is our salvation, and in God is our glory. He is the rock of our strength, and yes, He is our refuge. We can, like David, trust God at all times. We can pour out our heart of hearts to Him because we know that, as His children, God is our Refuge.

As the pressing duties of this day present themselves in a seemingly overwhelming rush of water, let us pause and take a moment to refresh ourselves in the Water of Life. Christ, who lived on this earth so many years ago, understands the pressures of life. Yet He, without sin, lived and then died, just for us! We will never be able to comprehend how the God of All Glory could love us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to live on this earth and then die an ignominious death, just to purchase a people for himself.

Yet, He did not stay in that tomb, but, rather, rose again, and sits, right now, at the right hand of God the Father. Is He done with us now? No! While sitting at the right hand of the Father, He is making intercession for us. Because He lived, died, and rose again, we have an Advocate (Jesus Christ) who gives us access to the eternal throne room of God.

God, the Ruler of all the Universe, holds out His scepter to us, because of Christ. And, because of Christ, God is our Refuge.

What an amazing God we serve!

God Bless You,

Linda