Psalm 23:6

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 23:6   

“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” – Psalm 23:6

This is the last verse in Psalm 23, where he wraps up these thoughts on God’s goodness to Him.  David declares all the good things God provides for him.  He says that whatever His needs are, God provide them for him.   He take him to green pastures to rest in, and to quiet waters to quench his thirst.  When he was weary or sinned against the Lord, God will forgive him and strengthen him.  No matter where Gid leads him, he does not fear, for the Lord is with him all the time.  The Lord blesses him in the presence of his enemies because God’s rod and staff comforts him because He is protected. 

Now, in verse six we read, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life” Psalm 26:6a.  God has promised those who live their lives for God, just as David did, goodness and lovingkindness.  And this will be his life all the days of his life.  Another verse says something very similar.  “One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.”  Psalm 27:4.  What he is asking for is that he can spend time in God’s house in worship and devotion to Him.  This was very important to him, for worship and praise was an essential part of his life.  He loved being in the temple, meditating on God. 

David trusted that for the rest of his life goodness and lovingkindness would be a part of his experience.  We read in Lamentations the following, “ Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers And is bowed down within me. The LORD’S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:19-23.  His lovingkindness and His compassion never fails.  In fact, they are new every morning.  The beauty of this is that His love is always with us, and we can trust this with no questioning.

Now, the last past of our focus verse says, “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6b.  In my research, many have stated that this does not mean eternal, but the rest of life.  However, I tend to disagree with this.  Here is the focus verse again.  “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6.  There are two time periods mentioned.  “all the days of my life” and ‘I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”.  All the days of my life, and forever.  These must be two different periods of time because of the distinction.  So, in this last part of the verse, it is saying that forever, I will spend in His house.  If this was a temporal idea, then we would be living forever here.  We know that is not the case.  Also, look at what is said in the book of Revelation.  “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,” Revelation 21:3.  You may be asking, how would David know of this?.  There are many verses where God reveals the future to David, so this is not necessarily out of the norm. 

And what David was promised in this verse, is ours, as Christians, as well.  Think about this verse in relation to you.  “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6.  And I must say I look forward to these days.   

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Psalm 23:5

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 23:5   

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.”- Psalm 23:5

This verse is a picture of God’s provision for His people in difficult times.  A good man has enemies.  There is no question of that, just like Jesus had enemies.  Yet here, what we see is David declaring peace in the midst of his enemies.  This is something that is totally different than how we see things.  Let us look at this a moment.  Normally, when a soldier is in the presence of his enemies, if he eats at all he snatches a hasty meal, and away he hastens to the fight.  He quickly swallows it so that it will get him through the battle until he can have a more complete meal. 

However, notice the wording here.  “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”. Psalm 23:5a.  David is saying that just as a servant lays out the table with a fancy cloth and then puts the feast on this table as in a time of peace, so does He present a table for David where his enemies see it.  Nothing is hurried or rushed, and there is no confusion.  There is nothing to disturb the meal, even though the enemy is at the gate and sees everything.  God prepares a table for us and we as God’s children can sit and eat as if everything were in perfect peace.  And what a peace He gives us, that even in the midst of the most trying times and circumstances.  Isaiah puts it this way, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4.  When we trust God completely, and our minds are focused on Him and not our trials, then He will keep us in perfect peace.  It does not matter what is going on or if we are troubled by our enemies, for He will take care of us.  God will provide our needs in ways we could never imagine.  We have no reason to fear, for God is always with us and will protect us.   And He will bless us in situations that seem impossible for any good to come from it.

The last part of this psalm is, “You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.” Psalm 23:5b.  There are several meanings to the anointing of the head with oil, however, the one that makes the most sense to me is the idea of the oil of gladness as shown in Isaiah. “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3.  Because of the goodness of our God, even in difficult times, He will anoint us with the oil of gladness.  Because of this, we will not mourn during this time, but trust God that He has this.  And the peace of God and His incredible provisions will not just fill our cup but will overflow due to the overabundance of His goodness.  And again, our enemies will see this and be amazed at what they see. 

This chapter shows the amazing provisions He provides us, especially during difficult times when our enemies are within view and are watching us.  We have nothing to fear when we put our trust in the Lord our God, for even at times when things look the worst, He will bring us through.  Always remember this, God is greater than our problems and will work on our behalf to take care of us.  Trust Him in all things, for remember what Moses said, “The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Psalm 23:4

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 23:4   

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” – Psalm 23:4 

This verse is one of comfort.  In the previous verses David speaks of the Lord as shepherd and guide, how He brings him to places of good food and clean and easily accessible water. How He provides every need he may have, and how when he is lost, the Lord brings him back to the fold and restores him completely.  And He guides him on paths that lead to righteousness.

Our focus verse today speaks of protection from danger and the comfort this provides. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4.  In studying for this devotion, something I had not seen  or thought of before came to light. It seems clear that the idea of walking through the valley of the shadow of death is a consequence, or reality of living in this life here in a depraved world.  Therefore, this is probably speaking of a ‘right path’ which if we take this into account, as theologian Derek Kidner puts it, “takes much of the sting out of any ordeal.  Not every place back then where the sheep went was wonderful.  There were paths they had to take to go from one place to another, and some of these paths probably had dangers associated with them, such as wild animals or thieves.  However, when a good shepherd that was trusted by the flock would lead them in a particular direction, they followed him for they trusted him completely.

I am sure we can all look back in time and remember difficulties we have endured.  I can remember various times where things were just not going well at all, but in the end, it turned out good.  And I attribute this to trusting God and knowing He was there with me all the time.  And just as it said, ‘I fear no evil, for you are with me’.  Just as with the shepherds who in order to bring the sheep where they needed to be, would need to travel through places of danger, there are times where we wonder why do I need to go through this?  In all these times, we need to always remember we are never alone.  Our great shepherd is us. 

Also, there is a very interesting distinction between verses one through three and four.  Note the wordings:  Verse one “The Lord is my Shepherd”. Verse two “He makes me”.  Verse three “He restores my soul, and He guides me”.  And now look at four.  “I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. “.  In verse four, he changes it from the more distant “He” to a more personal “you”.  This is done for the shepherd here is no longer ahead of the flock, to lead them but is alongside them to escort them.  During times of need and danger, it is good to have a companion with us.    

And He will protect us as our shepherd.  They had two different instruments to make this happen.  The ‘rod’ was known as a cudgel which was worn at the belt and was used as a weapon,  while the ‘staff’ was used to walk with and could be used as a weapon as well.  However, the main purpose of the staff was to round up the flock, bringing them closer to him, and in so doing they would feel more secure.  And as He gathers His people close to Him, there is a feeling of safety that comes upon us.

The main idea of verse four is that no matter where we are or what we experience, if we are truly following Jesus He will keep us safe and secure.  Even if it is in troubling times.  As Paul said to the church in Rome, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.  No matter our circumstances, God will bring about a good and safe ending if we stay close to Him, for He will always stay with us.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Psalm 23:3

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 23:3   

“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” – Psalm 23:3

Let me start by referring to verses one and two, for there is context here I would like to bring up.  “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.” Psalm 23:1-2.  The main job of the shepherd is to take care of the flock, providing all their needs.  David, in referring to God as the great shepherd was saying that God provides everything we need.  Every day He leads us to green pastures and to quiet waters where we have access to good food and fresh water we need regularly.  These verses refer to our physical needs.

Moving on to verse three, our focus verse, we see another aspect of His shepherdship.  “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3.  In the Hebrew, He restoreth my soul has the idea of bringing it back.  No creature is more ready to go astray, or more likely not to know the way back, then a sheep.  Isaiah says it this way, “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” Isaiah 53:6. 

When we are saved, we become a part of Christ’s flock.  He feeds us and supplies our every need.  However, there may be times we find ourselves wandering.  Unfortunately, we are not perfect, even after we give our lives to Him.  However, if we wonder away, He will come after us because we may not know exactly the way back.  We see this in the parable of the lost sheep.  “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.” Matthew 18:12-14.  Putting this back into the vernacular of Psalm twenty-three, He restores our soul means to bring us back to the flock.   We also read in an earlier Psalm about restoring the soul.  “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” Psalm 19:7. His word is used to reprove us when necessary, as well as train us in God’s ways.  “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16. 

He also guides us in the paths of righteousness.  “He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3b.  In this sense, it is not referring to paths that lead us to salvation, although He also does this.  However, what he is referring to are straight and even paths that do not lead us astray but directly to our destination.  And our destination is righteousness, salvation and holiness.  He will always avoid those paths that take us where we should not go but will only take us on roads that bring us directly to where we need to be.

It is important that we stay close to our shepherd, Jesus Christ, for He will keep us free from danger and lead us to the land flowing with milk and honey.  If we focus on Him and His word, we will be less likely to wonder away and get lost.  And if we do, He will go after us and bring us back to where we need to be.  This is the picture of our great shepherd Jesus the Christ, and how He will always guide us to where we should go, and if we wonder will bring us back.   

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Psalm 23:2

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 23:2   

“He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.” – Psalm 23:2

This verse is basically a continuation of the last part of verse one where it says, “I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1b.  The idea is that the shepherd will provide good green grass to eat and good water from quiet calm streams.  He will not provide fields of grass that is brown and wilting, or to land where little grass is found that is edible because of rocky or hardened soil.  He will also lead us to good water that flows quietly instead of swift waters because swift torrents are inconvenient for watering the sheep, and they are also harmful.

In Ezekiel, we see a very interesting set of verses regarding God’s caring for His people.  “For thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land. I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest, declares the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 34:11-15.  This is essentially saying the same thing as our focus verse, but with more information.   God is saying He will seek out His sheep.  He will search for all His people wherever they are found.  For He is a shepherd who cares for His flock who is currently scattered throughout the land.  And He will gather them to Himself and feed them in a good pasture with streams of water. And secondly, He will lead them to rest.  He will bring them to a place of peace and rest, just as our focus verse shows.   

David is speaking of the goodness of God to His sheep, His people.  He will ensure that we are fully taken care of, that we will lay down in perfect peace, are fed and without thirst.  We, as His sheep are satisfied and without any unmet need, being a flock, whose desires are met and are resting in complete abundance.  This is how God takes care of His people.  No matter what we may go through, He is always with us, and we must always focus on all His provisions to us, which is beyond understanding.  This is the way it is today, but more importantly; this will be our future for all eternity.  What a beautiful picture of what lies ahead for us.  We will want for nothing, for everything we need and desire will be available to us as His children.  We will rest in peace with Him always near us, and nothing will ever happen to us that will cause us grief.  “And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”  Revelation 21:4.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Psalm 23:1

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 23:1   

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” – Psalm 23:1

-Over the next week I will be looking at Psalm 23, probably the most familiar of all the psalms.  It is a psalm of David.  There is no indication as to what prompted him writing this for there is nothing in the Psalm that gives any historical information.  However, what we do know is that David is exhibiting extreme confidence in the Lord, believing that He will take complete care of him.  We will start this with Psalm 23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”  Psalm 23:1 

In verse one, he is declaring how God is our shepherd.   The main role of a shepherd was to take care of sheep.  It was their responsibility to keep the flock intact, protect them from predators or thieves, and to guide them to where they needed to go.  You can see how this is a clear picture of how God takes care of His people.  He will keep His people (in our time, the church) together, will protect us from the schemes of the enemy, both temporal and spiritual, and how He guides us to where He wants us to go.  We read in Genesis where Jehovah is called the shepherd of His people.  “But his bow remained firm, And his arms were agile, From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel)” Genesis 49:24.  He is also referred to as a shepherd by Isaiah when he said, “Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him And His recompense before Him. Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.” Isaiah 40:11. 

However, the best picture of Him as shepherd is from Jesus Himself.  “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me. even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” John 10:11-15.  Let us look at this in detail.

First, He says He “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” John 10:11.  This is a statement made by Jesus regarding His purpose in coming to earth.  The reason He came here was to lay down His life for his people.  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 3:8.  He willingly died for our sins, for we could not make things right on our own.  And He did this willingly.  We are His sheep, and He willingly laid down His life for us.  He knows His sheep and did what was needed to save them.  “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” John 10:14-15. 

What David was saying in Psalm 23:1 is that God is our shepherd.  He protects us, guides us, and willingly died for us through His son Jesus Christ.  And the end of this verse says, “I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1b.  As the shepherd, He provides everything we need, up to and including the way of salvation.  I like the way the theologian Albert Barnes puts it.  “The meaning is, that, as a shepherd, he would make all needful provision for his flock, and evince all proper care for it. The words shall not want, as applied to the psalmist, would embrace everything that could be a proper object of desire, whether temporal or spiritual, whether pertaining to the body or the soul, whether having reference to time or to eternity. There is no reason for supposing that David limited this to his temporal necessities, or to the present life, but the idea manifestly is that God would provide all that was needful for him always.”   And this, Jesus has done.  He is our good shepherd and has met every need we have, even if we are not aware they have been met.  So, let us, as Christians, trust that our every need has been met, for through so doing peace will be a part of our life here on earth.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Psalm 20:1

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 20:1 

“May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!” – Psalm 20:1 

Today is New Years Eve, and I want to wish everyone a wonderful 2021.  And because we are moving into a new year, ending one of the more difficult years we have seen in a long time, I pray that everything goes well with you in every way.  This  psalm is a prayer for David who is preparing to go to war.  However, the requests in this prayer can be offered for our sake also, for we are no doubt going into difficult times as we move into the new year, and closer to the day of Christ’s return.  Therefore, this prayer I offer up to God on our behalf.

“May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! May He send you help from the sanctuary And support you from Zion!!” Psalm 20:1.  May God defend us during any trials and hard times which may come our way in the coming year, and may we understand You are always with us, and will never leave us or forsake.  May we always have confidence that nothing can happen that You cannot address for our good.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.  

“May He remember all your meal offerings And find your burnt offering acceptable! Selah.” Psalm 20:3. May You, God, be pleased with all the offerings we present to You; all the labor we do within the church and the light we shine on a world that so needs to hear the truth, all the worship we humbly offer to You, and the life we live in obedience to your will and in assistance to all in need. “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.” Deuteronomy 16:17. 

“May He grant you your heart’s desire And fulfill all your counsel!” Psalm 20:4.  May our heart’s desires be met in a way that helps us do the work You have called us to do.  May our desires be those things that please You and helps us to be strong during difficult times and also helps others work their way through trials as well.  “Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4.

“We will sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.” Psalm 20:5.  May our hearts be filled with joy over all you do for us, and may we declare to all what you Oh Lord have done for us.  May we rejoice and be glad for all of your loving help in all things.  “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:4-5

“Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.” Psalm 20:6.  Lord, we thank you for saving us and answering us from your heavenly abode.  That your mighty right hand is always there to protect us from all the enemy’s attacks and ways, and we thank you for the peace this gives us.  “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me, declares the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17,

“Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God. They have bowed down and fallen, But we have risen and stood upright.” Psalm 20:7-8.  Lord, may we put our trust in you and not in anything else.  Help us to stand strong and upright because of the trust we have in you that there is nothing that can defeat us with you on our side.  Let us not boast in ourselves but boast in you because you work all things through us for good.  “Thus says the LORD, Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:23-24.

“Save, O LORD; May the King answer us in the day we call.” Psalm 20:9.  Lord, we ask that we hear your answer when we pray and come before you, for you are our king and you provide all the help we need.  We thank you for all the answers you have and will provide us in the coming year.  “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” 1 John 5:14-15.

May this coming year be one where we continue to grow in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  May we always continue to grow closer to Him in all ways, and consistently trust Him that He can bring us through anything that can come our way.  God Bless you all.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Psalm 121:2

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 121:2  

“My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:2

Psalm 121 begins by declaring where help for them who trusts in God actually comes from.  “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?” Psalm 121:1 We are not sure of the author; however, it appears it is someone who is encountering troubles.  He is looking up into the hills and asking where his help is to come from.  Looking up into the hills has the idea of looking for assistance and many times it would come down from the mountains during times of attacks or the coming of thieves.  This turns out to be a rhetorical question, for he immediately answers the question, “My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2.   

How will He help us?  In every situation, He will enable us to stand firm.  “He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.” Psalm 121:3  To stand firm means that He will hold us up and help us to stand strong against whatever is happening.  “For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13.  And He will not go away or slumber but will be with us through it all.  Remember He said, “The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8. 

He is our defender and keeper, the one who preserves us through all trials and strife.  “The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand.” He watches over every aspect of our lives.  He does not necessarily prevent all pain and suffering, however He does guarantee protection to us, His people, as He watches over us.  We are to trust that we are safe and secure because He is with us.  “I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” Psalm 16:10

He then goes on to say that He will protect us from the heat of the day and the cold of night.  “The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night.” Psalm 121:6.  And He will protect us from all forms of evil, be it spiritual or corporeal, natural or moral.  “The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever.” Psalm 121:7-8. In other words, He will preserve us wherever we go, at all time be it day or night.

In this time, we are moving into some difficult times.  There are so many unknowns such as where is our country heading, will we ever overcome this pandemic, and what will our lives be like in the future.  However, I want to encourage everyone to look to Jesus and keep focused on Him in all matters.  “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.”  Isaiah 26:3-4.  We must not let our minds be absorbed with all this stuff going on in politics and every area other than God.  He has promised to be with us and to bring us safely through.  “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.  Trust God in everything.  Give it to Him, knowing that He will be with us and take care of us. 

God knows the good He has for us, the assurance of a great future and hope.  “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11.  Have complete faith in Him no matter what things look like.  The writer of Hebrews told us “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.  All things God has promised us will happen as He said.  It may not look like it, but there is no other possible outcome.  “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;” Hebrews 10:23.

God has promised He would take care of us now, and for all eternity.  “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4.  We must keep our minds focused on God and the things above, for there is our true home.  Focusing  entirely on Him, we will be amazed at the peace that fills our hearts, mind and spirit.    

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Psalm 73:25-26

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 73:25-26

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalm 73:25-26

Psalm 73 was written by Asaph.  Asaph was a Levite and as a Levite he ministered in the Tabernacle of Meeting – in the Sanctuary of God.  From what we know he was only one of three Levites specifically asked by King David (I Chronicles 6: 31, 39) to be in charge of the singing in the house of God.  He was keenly aware through his experience in this ministry of the hypocrisy that took place within the house of God at times as well as, the vanity of vanities of a man seeking refuge, peace, and fulfillment through the riches of the world.  Not unlike a true believer in our Lord and Savior today, at times we cannot

comprehend why the wicked and ungodly in this world prosper materially and have an abundance of earthly wealth and pleasures seemingly without any consequences.  It was not just the outsiders of the camp that Asaph is writing. It was the unfaithful within the encampment of Israel that he is referencing as well.  “Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches” (VS 12).  In contrast, Asaph saw that there are true, faithful, and righteous-living believers who are oppressed and do not have much in the way of material/earthly blessings.  This caused a conflict within his heart and within his ministry.  But Asaph writes: “When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me – until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end” (VSS 16,17).  

If you are a true believer in the finished work of Jesus Christ upon the Cross; His burial and His resurrection, you very well might be experiencing at times what Asaph did.  Maybe concerning earthly wealth and prosperity and/or the ease that appears to come with riches has never been at your doorstep.  Maybe you have said to yourself: “I’m doing everything I can to live rightly but why do those who don’t live rightly have more than me?  And like Asaph within the house of God, should I listen and believe the many prosperity and faith teachers of today’s church that I have a ‘right’ to expect material and earthly blessings and wealth as a believer in Christ?”  No.  Do not!   As new creations in Christ through faith, you have been placed into the Body of Christ.  Your blessings so abundant come to you by being ‘in Him’, not by being ‘in the world’ nor receiving from the world’s abundance.   “And blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,…” (Eph 1:3).   Does our Lord care about what we have materially to meet our needs?  Absolutely.   But to demand or expect God to be indebted to give us riches and wealth and obey our prayers or commands (prayers) for what we seek materially is wicked to the uttermost.  Those that solely grind after this world’s wealth to satisfy their needs are on a slippery slope (Ps 73:18) that will lead to destruction and desolation – like living in a dream and then suddenly awakened to reality (vss 18-20).   Therefore, what can we learn from Asaph’s experience?  In VSS 25-26, there is an encouraging summary of Asaph’s heart-felt prayer. 

#1.  “Whom have I in heaven but You?”  Technically, the phrase ‘but You’ is italicized which means it is inferred but not in the original text.  The question can read: “Whom have I in heaven?”   You do know that there are other created beings of God ‘in heaven’.  Angelic beings of all different roles and ranks are there.  There are beings that are evil in the ‘heavenly places’ and there are beings that adhere to the Word of God.  As believers our fight is not first and foremost against flesh and blood (the human realm), “…but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12).  So’ to answer Asaph’s question “Whom have I in heaven?”, the answer hopefully is clear to you as it was to Asaph.  It should ONLY be God. 

#2.    Not only is God our answer when looking toward the heavenly realm, He is our answer in our earthly realm as well.  “And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You” (VS 23b).  Oh, that you and I can have this kind of perspective, longing, and reality in our hearts.  Ironically, our Christmas season is here.  I desire that my heart would be like Asaph’s during this season; that I ultimately only desire Him – not the presents I might get or anything else offered from this world to try and fulfill only what He Himself can fill.  Be reminded that every TV commercial you will see this Christmas season will offer you the peace, prosperity, ease, comfort, and abundance that the world can give.  But while on this earth, there is none besides Him.  See, Asaph was a real man with real life before him.  Just like you today.  He expresses what many of us might feel at this very moment.

#3.  “My flesh and my heart fail;…” (VSS 26).   Asaph does not say ‘My flesh and heart MIGHT fail at times’.  No.  As a human being and even as an assigned singer in the house of God serving the One Living God, Asaph humbly admits to his readers of this Psalm that in his own strength (his flesh) and through his own efforts deep within his heart to do it right, he fails.  All ‘your’ efforts will fail you.  All ‘your’ self-determination within your own heart will come short of what you really, really need.   There are hundreds if not thousands of methodologies and self-help philosophies available in the world or within religious systems that promise to meet your most inner needs.   Listen here to the Word of God.  What you deeply need will not come from your own strength and your own heart-felt determination.   The answer once again is God Himself.  The Person. The Person is Jesus Christ.  “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?” (John 14:10).  It is worthy of repeating.  What you deeply need will not come from your own strength and your own heart-felt determination.   The answer once again is God Himself. 

#4.    “But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (VS 26b).   Do you need a measure of strength to get through whatever phase in life or challenges or questions you are experiencing now?   When you see the world around you, even within the church on some occasions, seemingly prosperous people who are at ease and at comfort within their riches, and you ask that question: “How am I supposed to live as I view these things around me?”    Let your answer be the same as Asaph.   ‘BUT GOD…..’.  But God is the strength of MY heart – not the material world around me, not some angelic spiritual beings. No way.  God is MY strength and MY portion forever!!    Call out to Him.  Cling to Him.  He is right here.  As believers in the Lord Jesus, thank God that we can instantly turn to Him for real comfort, strength, peace, and hope that will deeply satisfy our most challenging times.   Thank you, Lord!

Jaca Kier, Board Member, True Devotion Ministries, Inc. 

Psalm 94:19

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 94:19

“When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your consolations delight my soul.” – Psalm 94:19

As the world moves forward, it is easy to see how people are getting nervous about where we are being taken.  And we see this especially true in the United States.  There is much we can talk about, however I want to focus on only a couple and hopefully bring some solace, for we have every reason to be at peace. 

The first is the pandemic.  We see all forms of fear being spread among people, such as if  we get near someone infected by Covid-19 we will become infected as well and may die.  It is important to remember that with God, all things are possible.  “And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26.  There is not one disease or illness that is beyond His ability to heal.  David said it like this.  “Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;” Psalm 103:1-4.  God is fully capable of pardoning all our iniquities and to heal every one of our illnesses.  And this includes COVID-19. 

The other issue is the 2020 Presidential Election.  The fear that is being perpetuated upon us is unbelievable.  Yes, it does appear that the results of our election were manipulated to the benefit of the left.  However, this should not be a reason for fear, for God is in control.  Even though man believes he is, this is simply a delusion.  Things may not go the way we want it to, but all will go well.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.  I know I use this verse a lot, but to me it is one of the most comforting and uplifting in all of scripture.  Not that some but ALL things work toward our good for those who love Him. 

There is no reason for us to be anxious about these things, or anything else as well.  As our focus verse says, “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.” Psalm 94:19. We must reach out to God regarding these issues, and all others, and He will bring consolation to our souls.  Let us look at some other verses that are comforting when understood and taken to heart.  “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10.  During these difficult times, look to God and He will be there to strengthen and comfort you.  And God has plans for all of us.  “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11.  Man’s plans may be self-centered and for the benefit of a few, however God says His plans for us are for our good, and to give us a glorious hope and future.  What is happening now is nothing compared to the glory we shall see in our future.  God has nothing but good planned for us.  “The LORD of hosts has sworn saying, “Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand,” Isaiah 14:24.  And nothing can thwart this.  “For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?” Isaiah 14:27. 

One thing I have learned in my many years as a true and devoted Christian is that though things may not look all that good and positive, God can bring us through anything that the enemy has planned.  He knows the end from the beginning and He is completely in charge.  As David said of Him, “Blessed are You, O LORD God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.” 1 Chronicles 29:10-11.  Let us always remember this and focus our thoughts on His greatness and not man’s foolishness.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.