Category: Weekly Word of Encouragement

“The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me…He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. (Psalms 18:4-5, 19, NIV). In this Psalm King David had been attacked by powerful enemies and his reign was in jeopardy but God powerfully intervened and strengthened the king and he was rescued from tribulation. How does this apply to Christians? Under the new covenant believers have no geographic kingdom in this world (John 18:36) and “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world” (Eph. 6:12, NIV). We also have the enemies of general corruption around us that damage us, the enemy of our old self which tries to take us from Christ and the Continue Reading →

“With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.” (Ps. 18:29, NIV) In this Psalm, King David is rejoicing over the victories that God gave him over his political and military enemies. Under the new covenant, believers have no geographic kingdom in this world and “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world” (Eph. 6:12, NIV). This sounds like a daunting task, for mere humans to defeat unseen rulers and authorities! And yet, “we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37, NIV). We can have victory over challenges. So, how can we “advance against a troop” and “scale a wall” in the spiritual sense? How can we have victory over challenges? With the full armor and weapons of God. “Therefore put on the full Continue Reading →

“You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” (Psalms 18:28, NIV). When Adam and Eve disobeyed God they lost the light of life and thus their knowledge of truth and meaning, and the road of wisdom. They were enveloped in a cloud of darkness that all the poets and philosophers and religious leaders could never break through. No one could find the light of life on their own. Yet for those who humble themselves and turn to God he gives them a spiritual lamp that burns forever. We break through the darkness of the world and begin to live in the light of the knowledge of God. He gives us the light of life. Jesus is the lamp and light of God who reveals true life to us. “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in Continue Reading →

“To the pure you show yourself pure” (Psalms 18:26, NIV). For those who pursue holiness and purge corruption from their lives God will reward the pure by revealing himself as a holy God. It is the pure who enjoy a relationship with the purity of God. Those who embrace the immorality and destructiveness of the world do not get to enjoy the pure goodness of God. He is hidden to them and instead of his purity they may experience the conviction and correction of God. But to the pure God “shows himself.” God will reward the pure, for when we are pure our faces are then unveiled and we “behold the glory of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). This Psalm also reminds us of Matthew 5:8 where Jesus promises “blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”. Our highest happiness consists of beholding the love, power, beauty Continue Reading →

“With the merciful you show yourself merciful,” Psalms 18:25, ESV). God will show us mercy if we will be merciful to others. This reminds us of Matthew 5:7: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (ESV) and Luke 6:36: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (ESV). We know we are full of faults and weaknesses and so we depend on God’s mercy to forgive them all and bless us anyway. If we make a habit of letting others have their faults and weaknesses and still blessing them, then God promises to do the same for us. We also remember the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:23-35. A king forgave his servant a gigantic debt but wouldn’t forgive a small debt owed to him by a fellow servant. So the king imprisoned the first servant until he paid his debt. Then Jesus says our Father Continue Reading →