Today's Devotions

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Showcase: Recent Posts

  • Fruit of the Spirit: Love +

    Love nurtures each of these fruits—for me it is the root of the tree of my life Read More
  • Melchizedek: A Royal Priest-Precursor of Jesus +

    Who was Melichizedek, and why does this barely mentioned priest, from an unknown country, play such a prominent role with Read More
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SylviaGod often speaks to me early in the mornings in a word, a phrase, or at most one sentence.

One morning my impression was simply "Psalm 30." These promptings are always jewels to pursue.

The first time I read the psalm, what jumped out at me is who God is in the verbs telling what he does:
v 1 lifter and deliverer
v 2 answerer of prayer and healer
v 3 preserver and life-giver
v 4 holy name
v 5 favor, comforter, and joy
v 6 provider, prosperity, and security
v 7 protector and strength
v 10 One who hears, has mercy, and helps
v 11 One who turns mourning into dancing and sackcloth to joy

But in the midst of these wonderful attributes, David referred to enemies, sickness, near-death experiences. He had real emotions of depression, weeping, desperation, dismay at unanswered prayer, mourning, and the sackcloth of fasting.

Notice that David began the psalm with praise, praised God and gave thanks in the middle, and ended with praise and thanksgiving. In all his trials and adversity he kept his eyes on God. None of the "bad" was bigger than God. 

And that's the point. When God delivers us, He brings us through life circumstances, not necessarily around them. And that's worth a shout of joy.

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Witnesses for Jesus by Tim Keller (Mark 15) +

    Tim Keller discusses the significance of the women and men who saw Jesus die, buried, and resurrected.  Read More
  • Prayer-bringing light into darkness by NT Wright +

    NT Wright discusses the importance of prayer in maintaining a relationship with Jesus. Read More
  • After darkness, light-the reformation by Michael Reeves +

    Michael Reeves discusses the transformative power of bringing Jesus to the world at the heart of the Reformation. Read More
  • The Esther Option-Living in a fallen world by Mike Cosper +

    The following is an excerpt from an article on The Gospel Coalition website. Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Falling in Love With God +

    “falling in love with God,” as Boa’s subtitle for the facet explains. In this approach we attempt to enter into Read More
  • One Holy Fire, Nicky Cruz +

    The introduction to One Holy Fire, Let the Spirit Ignite Your Soul establishes Cruz’s desire to awaken the passion and Read More
  • Transformed +

    Webster defines devotion as “love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity or cause.” How do we fall in love Read More
  • A Christ-Life Through Spiritual Alignment +

    A Christ-Life Through Spiritual Alignment Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. Read More
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