Tag Archives: Devotional

He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, and they inherited the labor of the nations – Psalm 105:44

God gave the land of the Gentiles to Israel because of their sin (Deuteronomy 9:5). Is someone else inheriting the fruit of your labor? If you are working hard but see no profit; if you are sowing, but others are reaping; if you are working late hours at work but others are getting promoted, then the answer is NOT found in redoubling your efforts. Rather, there is probably a key area in which you have missed the mark. It might be that you haven’t built the right relationships, your work is not visible enough, or you are in the wrong place. If it seems everyone is gaining from your labor except you, pause and take a step back. Speak to God and take wise counsel. See where you may be missing the mark, change your mind about the actions you have been taking, and then start taking God-inspired action.

My success does not solely depend on hard work but wise work

He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes – Psalm 105:37

Are you overworked and under-appreciated at your workplace? This is certainly how the tribe of Israel felt. They were asked to construct cities and till the land, with no compensation except that which was required to strengthen them to continue their work. When they cried out to God, He sent Moses as an instrument of deliverance. And when they left that place, they left handsomely compensated with silver and gold from the people they had served. If you are stuck in a hard place and have little prospect to leave, cry out to God for deliverance. He is more than able to change the situation (e.g., change the heart of your boss) such that you not only escape the situation (perhaps in the form of things getting better) but cause you to be compensated for all your hard work. Alternatively, He is able to create an opportunity that completely changes your future for the better.  Have you cried out to God or are you just crying out to your friends and family?

God is working on my behalf even when I do not see anything changing

Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him – Psalm 105:19

This passage, written about Joseph, speaks to the testing of our faith. Joseph knew that he was meant to be in authority because the Lord had shown it to him in a dream in his youth. Yet, he found himself in prison through no fault of his own and was living a life that was the opposite of being in authority. Though God’s promise may have seemed a million miles away, Joseph did not forget what the Lord told him. It was his faith in God’s promise that led him to continue to behave as a leader despite the fact that he was first a servant in Potipher’s house and then subsequently thrown into prison. As it turned, his trials ended up forging a path for him to become second-in-command to the Pharoah of Egypt. Joseph’s story encourages us not to push aside the promises of God nor get weary of doing good. It shows us that the hardships we go through while waiting are simply character-building blocks that are meant to ensure our success when the word of God is fulfilled. Remember, just because things are going against you now does not mean God has forgotten about His promise to you. Carry a faith-filled attitude and you will see God’s promise come to pass just as Joseph did.

Faith changes my hardships from stumbling blocks into steppingstones.

Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.” – Psalm 105:15

There are some church leaders who take the above bible verse out of context. There are those who use it to quiet those who try to point out wrongs that should be righted. But when we look at the entire chapter, we see that the anointed ones and prophets refer to the family of Abraham in the wilderness. In the context of the new covenant, we are sons and daughters of Abraham in that we have been grafted into a family of faith (whose father is Abraham) through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And because of Christ, we have been anointed (with the Holy Spirit) and can hear directly from God just as the old prophets did. In essence, this verse does not refer only to church leaders but to every Christian. Therefore, we need not stay mute about things that are obviously wrong under the paralysis of the misplaced teaching of this passage of scripture. We should not tolerate what is wrong but point it out in the spirit of love and with the right heart intention so that things can improve and be put right.

I am doing nothing wrong when trying to right a wrong and protect other people

He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth – Psalm 104:14

When was the last time you thought of what God created and why? In our busyness, we can forget how small we are compared to all of creation; we forget to consider the beauty and intricacies of the earth in which we live. But when we slow down and really consider the wonders of nature, then we remember how fragile we are; we develop a deeper sense of appreciation for God and His creation; we contemplate our lives and remember the things that are truly important. We remember we have a duty to make the best use of the earth and preserve it for future generations (i.e. He causes vegetation to grow for the service of man). When you have the opportunity, choose to take some time off and take time out from the world to contemplate God’s creation. It will help you reboot, recharge, and prioritize those things that are truly important. Take time to smell the roses!

Slowing down is essential to my overall well-being

The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all – Psalm 103:19

Many people are confused about the nature of God’s kingdom. They ask: If His kingdom rules over everything, then why is it that things on earth seem so bad? They forget that His kingdom is a spiritual one and that spiritual choices lead to worldly consequences. For the kingdom of heaven to come on earth and reign in our lives, it requires that we seek the kingdom of God, accept the kingdom, and choose to operate in kingdom principles. When we do, then the kingdom rules over us, and we get to rule and reign over things here on earth. Still, we do not get to rule or reign over people, and they have their free will to choose the kingdom of God or deny the kingdom of God. Those who deny the kingdom deny themselves the opportunity for the kingdom to reign in all aspects of their life. So, why is the world the way it is though the kingdom rules? The world is the way it is because people have freely chosen not to accept the King and His Kingdom principles. What is your choice?

Life gets better as I take myself off the throne and let Him rule

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us – Psalm 103:12

Transgression is like a cancerous cell. If we do nothing about it, it spreads and begins to affect all areas of our lives. When it comes to sin just as with health, prevention is better than cure. So, while we should take steps to limit the possibility of transgressing – such as setting boundaries, cultivating healthy relationships, choosing our friends and social environment wisely – doing these things does not guarantee success. We still need to go to the Master Physician (Jesus) for our spiritual health screening. We need to allow Jesus to examine every area of our life to ensure that we have not been attacked by some iniquity (sins of the heart) that leads to transgressions (wayward behavior), which then grow into agents of destruction in our lives. When we surrender our lives to His inspection, He is faithful to intervene to remove our transgressions so that we may continue to live our best life. Want your transgressions to be removed? You need to pay a visit to Doctor Jesus? Want your sins forgiven? You need to pay see Doctor Jesus? Without Him, we are sick, so don’t delay going to Him.

Frequent spiritual checkups are vital if I am to live my best life

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him – Psalm 103:11

There is a difference between mercy and great mercy. While the bible tells us that the LORD will have mercy on whom He chooses to be merciful (Romans 9:15), great mercy is reserved for those who fear Him, which means to respect Him and have an awe of Him. Therefore, not only are those who respect and have an awe of Him blessed, they have a greater shielding from the consequences of their missteps. Here is an example of the difference between mercy and great mercy: while mercy shields us, great mercy shields us and shields members of our household. Remember that aunt or uncle who seems overly religious and spends all her time in prayer? Thank him or her the next time you see them, because their fear of God has made great mercy available to you. Did you just get lucky in your youth when you did silly things while your friends paid a hefty price? No, it is because great mercy has been accrued for your benefit. Oh, that we too would respect the Lord so that it may be well with us and our household!

My relationship with God anchors my family in mercy

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities – Psalm 103:10

What would happen if God dealt with us according to our sins? Before answering, consider that the wages of any sin is death. Therefore, if your answer is not death no matter how miniscule your sin, then you are being partial to yourself. As humans, we tend to use scales to weigh sin. Furthermore, we tend to weigh sin based on the sin’s consequence to ourselves or our loved ones. Yet this is not how God weights sin; God weights sin against only one standard – spotlessness. Oh, that we would never forget that we are recipients of God’s great mercy who overlooks our filth because of the His Son’s sacrifice. Oh, that we too would be merciful to others just as God has been merciful to us. Only when we realize how much we have been forgiven will we be quick to forgive others. When was the last time you thanked God for your ongoing escape from the punishment that you deserve. His forgiveness towards you is not a one-time occurrence but ongoing and ever-present.

I will show mercy just as I have been shown great mercy

He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel – Psalm 103:7

Just about every miraculous act that the children of Israel experienced in the wilderness occurred because Moses had a great relationship with God. God spoke to Moses and told him what had to be done so they could cross the sea; to get water to flow from a rock; to get people healed from fiery serpent bites. Without Moses, it is likely the tribe would have turned back to Egypt, or they would have all perished in the wilderness. The reality is that leadership is important. When there is a good leader in power, the people benefit. But when there is a bad leader, the people suffer. Who makes a good leader? Like Moses, a good leader at a minimum is someone who has a strong relationship with God, listens to Him, and then acts according to His instructions boldly and courageously. Because God made his way known to Moses, the children of Israel were able to experience His acts. Because God makes his way known to you, you can be a leader for your family, your team, or your community.

How strong a leader I become hinges on the strength of my relationship with Christ