Lord, I need Your salvation and deliverance every day. - P147
Guide me in my relation-ships with others, even those who seek to harm me, so that I may point themto the hope found in You. - P147
I look to You today for protection and provision. InJesus‘ name, amen. - P147
David calls upon the Lord not to let his enemies gloat over him. They devisefalse accusations and sneer at him. - P149
He asks the Lord to rise to his defenseand vindicate him in His righteousness. He desires that all who gloat over hisdistress be put to shame and confusion. - P149
He wants those who support him toexalt the Lord, who delights in the well-being of His servant. - P149
David cries out to God for protection and rescue. False accusations areleveled against him by his enemies; they even claim to see his guilt withtheir own eyes. But the Lord sees the truth, so David calls on Him tovindicate and acquit him of all false charges. - P150
Throughout this psalm,
we see a man in turmoil; he is weary and afraid. But we also see a manwhose confidence is not in himself or in his own strength and abilities.
- P150
David‘s faith rests in God alone. - P150
Our attitudes and actions in times ofdistress will expose where we really place our trust. - P150
Let us not rely onourselves but entrust our future to God, our Protector and Deliverer. - P150
When we receive unfair treatment from those who gloat over our dis-tress, we must keep in mind that vengeance belongs to God and Godalone. - P150
We are unworthy, unqualified, and for the most part, powerlessto render judgment on others for their wrongdoing and sin. - P150
But whenwe entrust our vindication to God, we can rejoice in His judgment,
justice, and deliverance on behalf of His servants. - P150
We can praise theLord even amid our suffering because we know that He delights in ourwell-being and has promised
to work all things for our good
-even persecution. - P150
He will sustain us through our trials, and in His time, He willbring about perfect and complete justice in our lives and in the world. - P150
Lord, when I feel surrounded by enemies and there seems to be no hope,
help me to look to You. - P151
Thank you for delighting in my well-being. I trust YourWord and I know that You will sustain and deliver me. In Jesus‘ name, amen. - P151
Our conversation reminded me of the apostle Paul‘s second letterto the church in Corinth. He describes some of the troubles that heand his partners in ministry faced. So painful were these experiencesthat they felt as if they had received a death sentence. - P151
But then thisbig-hearted servant of Christ goes on to say that one of the greatestblessings that came out of their suffering was the ability to pass onto others the comfort they received from God‘s Spirit during thosehard times.
- P151
I do not enjoy the pain, persecution, and heartbreak that followingJesus often brings into my life. But I have learned that not only havethose times made me a more faithful servant of my Lord, but theyhave also empowered me to encourage others during their trials. Andfor that, I thank God. - P151
Fake joy is the most egregious forgery of true joy. Fake joy is the joy people takein sin, the bait on the hook of temptation. - P171
It was the joy of sexual conquestthat led David to commit adultery with Bathsheba and the joy of getting awaywith it that led him to have her husband killed (2 Sam. 11). This fake joy andits hollow allure make sin possible and repeatable. - P171
Fake joy is no real joy. It isonly sinful, lustful desire parading as joy, causing momentary delight even as itpoisons your soul. So, our first rule for spotting counterfeit joy is this: True joycan only be found within the bounds of God‘s law. - P171
The second kind of joy is fickle joy. Fickle joy is delight contingent on circum-stances. - P172
When life is going well, happiness abounds, and God‘s nearness is as-sumed. When life is doldrums, depression, and darkness, fickle joy is nowhere tobe found, and God must be far, far away. - P172
While true joy resides in both pleasantand terrible circumstances, circumstances can also mask true joy, especially insuffering. So, fickle joy is just that, fickle and fair-weather. And this is our secondrule: Circumstances can neither produce nor detract from true joy. - P172
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