Devotion for 7 June 2011 Anno Domini

Devotion for 7 June 2011 Anno Domini
“1 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. 3In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. 5Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
6Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.” (Psalms 138:1-8)
“I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.” When we worship God in Spirit and in Truth, it will always be so with our whole hearts. It matters not if we worship before angels, dignitaries, or large assemblies, we shall worship Him above all gods, and to their shame will we worship Him. If we have given our whole hearts over to God, there will be no secret chambers of it which give place to idols of any kind.
“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” There exists a standard of reverence for worship and practice. God deserves, and demands, such from His Chosen people. We worship TOWARDS the PRESENCE of God, whether a stone Temple, or a Temple of tender flesh. Our worship must needs include praise for His Holy Name which is the manifestation of Loving-kindness and Truth. A Name means nothing without a face and personality. God’s Word expands upon and fully describes His character and Person behind His Great Name.
“In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.” In our day of trouble, we have a Power beyond ourselves upon which to call, and that Power is God. He will answer our cries of hurt and need. He does not always remedy every challenge before us with His mighty Hand, but He will certainly strengthen us in soul and body to meet the challenges we face. Through the power of Christ, we can do all things necessary for our living.
“All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.” Christ is, indeed, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Though He rule may be rejected in the minds of many rulers of the earth today, the day shall soon arrive when every King, Potentate, Politician, and Commoner shall confess the Lord Jesus Christ as the Sovereign though too late for the Judgment.
“Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.” The Lord is from the uttermost height of power and honor, yet, such a Mighty God has respect for the lowly shepherd, the fisherman, and the spinster. Even in our earthly lives, the truly great men and women will always demonstrate respect for all beneath their station. God knows the proud from afar off. He knows them ere they draw near and, then, they are unable to draw near without shedding that pride which separates them from God. Pride is one of those sinful inclinations which the Lord literally hates: “A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. “ (Prov 6:17-19)
“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.” Our walks of faith are full of troubles and forebodings, but throughout those walks, Christ is with us. He knows us. He understands our troubles and our weaknesses. He saves according to Grace and not according to our works. He will strike down our enemies with one hand, and save us with the other. One Hand of God is always watchful to save, but the other Hand is ready to address and rout the wicked designs of men and enemies. What a wonderful security do we enjoy in the arms of Christ!
“The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.” ALL that concerns us, the LORD will make perfect. Even our old names which are tarnished with ill-gotten reputations shall be replaced with a new name having no stain or bad report attached. The mercy of the Lord is unending and endless too. Mercy is the great cure when merit avails nothing because it lacks all. As new creations in Christ, we are the work of His Hands. He will never forsake the work of His own Hands. When He looks upon that which He has made, He declares it to be “very good.” Though our righteousness is only filthy rags, He imputes His matchless righteousness unto us and declares us righteous, and then are we righteous indeed – not according to our own, but His own righteousness. Allow Christ to make a perfect work in you today!