Devotional Fuel to Reboot Your Mind

Psalm 9:10, “Those who know your name, will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

We all are coming out of a trial or about to enter one. You know those times when you feel like you are in a desert. God never promised us a life free of trials and suffering. As you recall, times of extreme difficulty you have gone through was it a time of building your faith, wisdom, and character as you sought God’s deliverance. Did you maintain your trust in His care above anyone else? Some of my trials in life have been short in length, and others have lasted for several years. Yet God always came through in the end in His chosen time, as I learned to focus on God’s ability to provide His answer over anyone else. Was that the core reason He intended for me to know? He is still teaching me that fact.

Our promise is in Psalm 91:10, which states, “Because he loves me” says the LORD, “I will rescue him. I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.”  Then Psalm 52:9 declares, “I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.” When we think of using God’s name, we think of His authority, character, majesty, power, and attributes.

God has the final authority in all things.

• God caused an earthquake to confuse the Philistines in battle, who went into a great panic, which gave the victory to Jonathan and his armor-bearer in 1 Samuel 14.
• God used hail to help Joshua and the Israelites win a battle in Joshua 10. “There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.” Verse 11.
• God has the final say, and His ultimate purpose will come to pass as we are promised in Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

In times of trouble, often feelings of despair set in. Anxiety is real. Try defeating those emotions by praising the Lord in your worship of Him. David wrote Psalm 9, a song celebrating God’s help and goodness for defending him against his enemies. David praised God not only for His mercy, but for His righteous rule and righteous judgment. Paul quoted David in Acts 17:31: “He shall judge the world in righteousness.”

It is common to feel abandoned and all alone when facing uncomfortable issues, significant perplexing troubles, or overcommitted time requirements and deadlines for which you are responsible. But the LORD knows your name (Isaiah 43:1) and goes before you (Deuteronomy 31:8). Ask Him what He wants you to accomplish and experience during those predicaments. He is going to see you through. Be quiet and do what  Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

There is power in God’s name, who is all-sufficient, controls all things, and is the great I AM. David said in Psalm 8:9, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Thank Him for what He has done for you in the past and what He will do for you in the future. Trust Him. That is where your hope is found. There is power in His name. May we echo Mary’s song of praise recorded in Luke 1:49, which states, “For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”

Listen to Nikki Hopkins – I Don’t Know How.

Job 1:1, “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.”

When you go through a challenging and painful time, does your integrity, steadfast faith, and trust in God hold firm and are you able to trust Him no matter what, and not focus on the why? Do you question if anyone cares or understands what you are going through? For me, some of those times have been due to my mistakes and wrong choices, and other times, through no fault of my own. Job is an example of a man of godly character. He had the highest integrity and feared God for His sovereignty, holiness, and power. He recognized God’s authority over all creation. He was reverent to God and avoided evil in all of his affairs. Job was a good man who had children who did not always follow and obey God. He was like a priest to his family whose children needed constant praying of intercession on their behalf. Satan pointed out to God how successful Job was due to God’s blessing. Then verse 11 starts the story of when bad things sometimes happen to good people: “But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” God allowed this testing, but God is compassionate and faithful. Satan is a mere creature. Satan looks upon us to do us harm, as he did to Job. But God is Sovereign and promises to work out all things for our good and His glory (Romans, 8:28-29), as He did in the end for Job. God has the last word, and He still does so today.

The book of Job is like reading a journal of all that Job went through and the responses of his non-understanding wife and friends. We get to read how Job lived through this testing time, and what God does not reveal, we cannot know. God never told Job why. It is important to note that Job did not give in to his unsympathetic friend’s unjust and false judgments of him. However, as we all do, he had human weaknesses and committed general sins after the catastrophes came. In the end, he repented of his desire to die, his despair, his complaints against and challenges to God, and his inability of not knowing the why. Job was understandably provoked.

We live in a sin-fallen world. Yet God is omnipotent- He has unlimited power to do anything He wills without anyone’s help. So, the question to all of us is, can you trust in God no matter what when you cannot see beyond today? The promise in Psalms 46:1 is truth as it states, “God is our refuge and strength. An ever-present help in trouble.” This is especially the case when we do not know why. God is always just and fair and loves us unconditionally. At the end of Job’s suffering, he declares to God, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. . . I have uttered what I did not understand . . . I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:2-6. I think this is the key to understanding the book of Job and shows us the need of having a sensitive heart. God cannot overlook sin, yet understood Job’s weaknesses, as He does with us.

Leave your unanswered questions with God. Trust in Him when you cannot see the ending. Trust in God’s sovereignty and justice, as Job did in the end. Trust and obey. Have the fear of God rather than man. Do you fully understand God? That is the lesson we learn when we go through suffering. See God with your eyes of faith. Grasp God’s majesty and faithfulness. God decides when it is enough. The reason for Job’s crisis was a contention between Satan and God, as is recorded in Job 1 and 2. “Simply put, “Without anger toward him, God allowed Job to suffer in order to humiliate the Accuser and provided support to countless sufferers who would follow in Job’s footsteps. This was now accomplished.” Blue Letter Bible David Guzik Commentary. Elmer Bernard Smick.

Various philosophies of Job’s friends were not his solution to his trials. Job broke the captivity of their false accusatory words by praying for them. He forgave them that had misjudged and hurt him. This point really impacted me this week. “After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his prosperity and doubled his previous possessions.” Job 42:10. May the captivity of my emotions not be my downfall when facing problems, and people that bug me, and have disappointed me. May I persevere with endurance in living out Psalms 119:92-96, “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.” I don’t have all the answers, but I know the planner-majestic God. Being in His presence will provide a clearer vision of myself and of God, therefore He is all that I need. He is all that you need, even what you don’t have all the answers.

Listen to Phil Wickham, Psalm 23 (Official Lyric Video) ft. Tiffany Hudson.

1 Samuel 14:6-7, “Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish. Behold I am with you heart and soul.”

How do you react when you feel like everything is against you? When you feel surrounded, perhaps by an enemy, or feel a lack of support in a situation, and feel outnumbered. You know those times when you are in over your head? Do you believe and trust in God’s intervention despite the odds or restrictions? Or is that just something for Sundays at church? The odds were humanly and heavily against Jonathan, the son of King Saul, in attacking the Philistine army that had dominated the countryside. However, he believed the Lord could bring victory, regardless of what seemed impossible. Everyone else feared the massive Philistine army except Jonathan and this young armor-bearer, who trusted God, despite the size of the enemy army. The armor-bearer’s name is not given. It only mentions the interaction between these two men. However, the young man who carried Jonathan’s armor encouraged Jonathan to follow his faith and trust in the Lord and assured him of his support. We all need someone to be used by the Holy Spirit in our lives, as Jonathan had in this young man’s support of Jonathan’s trust and faith in God to do the impossible.

This portion of Scripture in 1 Samuel 14 is a teaching tool for us in that the Lord gave Jonathan wisdom and protection as Jonathan saw a strategic position through a narrow path with large and sharp rocks on either side of the Philistines camp. It was the perfect spot where a large army of men was not needed to fight against the large army of the Philistines, but just a few men could easily fight and win at this strategic place. “God guided Jonathan as he boldly trusted God and acted on that bold trust.” Blue Letter Bible Commentary, David Guzik.

Are you willing to let God use you despite feeling you are outnumbered? “Jonathan knew God wanted to work with someone. Jonathan could have just prayed that God would rain down fire from heaven on the Philistines. But Jonathan knew that God uses the bold action and fighting spirit of His people. It was not Jonathan that was to work with some help from God; it was the Lord that was to work by Jonathan.” W.G. Blaikie

When you see a great need, ask God to use you to be of benefit, as he did Jonathan. Matthew 19:26 states, “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Jonathan had stated to his armor-bearer that “nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few” in verse six. The LSB version uses the words not restrained. “For Yahweh is not restrained to save by many or by few.” I find that an interesting concept of God’s mathematics. Jonathan waited for the Lord to open the door of opportunity to attack the Philistines in an offensive position with his armor-bearer. They ended up wiping out about twenty of the Philistines army men, in their first attack, who became confused, panicked, and disorientated, and then the Lord caused an earthquake. This is a full picture of divine intervention by God, aiding Jonathan and his armor-bearer.

Jonathan didn’t have a lot of faith in himself. No, but he had great faith in God. He believed God could grant a great victory even through him. God may use others to support and help you in person or through prayer support. They are just as crucial in getting God’s will and work done as the person God uses. “Every believer ought to be involved in something so big that, unless God is in it, it’s doomed to fail. Go in over your head. Do something that is so much bigger than you are, that unless God is in it, it can’t work. Jonathan models this mindset . . . He stood on the edge. He was at the door. He wasn’t going to force it, but he was in place to storm through it.” Jon Courson’s Application Commentary. Old Testament, page 854, 855. Trust in God. Focus on the deliverer, Jesus Christ. When you can’t, He can and is not hindered.

Listen to Aware Worship – Trust In God (Featuring Mark Gutierrez).

1 Samuel 13:11-13, “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash, I thought, Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor. So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering. “You acted foolishly” Samuel said. You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; If you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.”

When you are in a troublesome spot, and you have prayed, and God hasn’t answered yet, do you sometimes try to solve the situation yourself without His consent out of anxiety that you are carrying? Those are the times when your problem is overwhelming, and you feel trapped and like time is running out. Your endurance and patience give out due to the troublesome circumstances. This is when standing firm in one’s faith needs to be done a little longer. I have been learning this lesson recently. The only way to gain endurance is to follow and obey James 1:3, which declares, “For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” The question I have to ask myself is, when I can’t see the ending, will I hang on and trust God no matter what, cling to His promises, rather than what I see or experience? That is something we all face.

How often don’t we try and look for the answer instead of waiting on direction from the Holy Spirit by making Excel spreadsheets to analyze data, seeking out other experts’ opinions, accessing our feelings and emotions, looking for different open doors, or relying on our intelligence or strategic reasoning instead of seeking God’s guidance first and searching the scriptures for wisdom and answers? This was the sin and mistake that Saul made, giving into being pressured and led by crisis in the approaching “Philistines 3000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers (horsemen), and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore” 1 Samuel 13:5. The enemy was coming. He felt outnumbered and panicked due to his fear of not knowing what to do. But Samuel had given Saul in 1 Samuel 10:8, explicit instruction to wait for him as he instructed Saul, “But you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what to do.” Samuel would have instruction from God, and the Israelites would then have been spiritually fit for battle. “Saul was a king, not a priest, and only priests were to offer sacrifices. Saul had no business doing what only a priest should do.” Blue Letter Bible Commentary, David Guzik. Seven days had not completely passed. If Saul had waited just one more hour, he wouldn’t have been in this predicament of his wrong choice of disobeying God. Aren’t the last moments of waiting the hardest and tempt us to take things into our own hands just as Saul did?

When pressure strikes, what about your character comes to light? When you feel time is running out, what is your first reaction? I admit impatience, frustration, worry, fears, doubts, and unclear thinking are the temptations that strike me, and I feel I must do something. How about you? God used a delay to test Saul. Think about that the next time you are tempted to take things into your own hands out of a lack of faith, money, ingenuity, and trust in God’s on-the-surface delay in answering and providing for your needs. This has given me a different perspective this week. Here are a few verses to remember when this happens:

• 2 Peter 2:9, “Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.”
• Jeremiah 16:19a, “O LORD, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble.”
• Matthew 13:22, “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” LSB
• 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
• Psalm 119:98, “Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me.”

So when that next perplexing and upsetting situation arises that you may be in a position of leadership or just a situation in life for a decision to be made, wait patiently for the LORD to turn to you, knowing He has heard your cry (might be literally), for He will lift you up, out of the quicksand you are sinking in, and set your feet on solid ground that is firm and not slippery. This is my paraphrase of Psalm 40:1-2. Trust in God when your resources are slipping away. Then, wait for His answer. God can see beyond today. He knows the safest and optimal route. You will then have gained Christ-like character and wisdom by waiting the full course on Him. May you truly feel God’s peace over you guiding in the direction He wants you to go.

Listen to Katy Nichole – “My God Can” (feat. Naomi Raine) [Official Lyric Video]

Exodus 16:2-3, “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them,” If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

I must admit that when there are shortages and inconveniences, and I feel threatened, I complain and grumble. Negativism moves in. My natural response is not to think back over the blessings God has given me and provided. Instead, I want life to be easier, much like the Israelites did in their complaint to Moses one month after leaving Egypt, and they seemed to be following a pattern in doing so. Yet all the Israelites had just composed and sang a song praising God, which can be found in Exodus 15:1-18. Verses 11 and 12 declared, “Who among the gods is like you? O LORD? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? You stretched out your hand and the earth swallowed them.” It was a lengthy hymn of praise to God over this Red Sea miracle where they had experienced the power and presence of God’s intervention and working in their lives.

Then, in two separate instances, they complained and grumbled. One was having no water, three days after walking on dry land through the Red Sea. Once again, God provided for them with good-tasting water. Then, two months after leaving Egypt, they came upon another desert, and the congregation grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. They wanted life to be more effortless, free from dangers and inconveniences. They continued their journey and complained about the lack of food as the supplies they carried from Egypt began to run out. They anticipated starvation as they started to feel hungry. Do you think they overreacted? Their emotions went from singing praises to God to complaining oh so quickly. “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.” Think about this. What comes to mind in your own life when difficulties occur? Difficult circumstances often lead to stress, especially if they remain for any length of time. That is when the condition of our heart is revealed oh so quickly with our short-term memory loss. We are all sinners saved by grace in the presence of a holy God.

When pressure comes, don’t we all want a quick escape? But what if we focused instead on God’s power and John 13:12, “Do you understand what I have done for you?” I have something in mind right now in my own life. I have grumbled. I have complained. I have prayed for it to be changed, but it hasn’t. I am no different than the unthankful, grumbling Israelites whom God provided manna and quail for them to eat, which was a gift. God provided just the right amount for their need for each day. Hosea 13:4-6 referenced God’s power in the Red Sea miracle, “But I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Savior except me. I cared for you in the desert, in the land of burning heat. When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.”

Remember, God’s strength will never let us down. He will do what you cannot do, just as He did for the Israelites. He did that for me this very week and I praise Him for that blessing. In Moses and the children of Israel’s song, they sang, “The LORD is my strength,” not the LORD gives me strength. Dwell on that. Lack of trust in God will always lead to stress. Our God is our defender, protector, and provider, and lives within you, and you are clothed in the Lord’s righteousness – having the Spirit filled life.

Here is the conclusion as found in Ecclesiastes 12:13, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” We are to fear God and be obedient to Him in all things. “If you want to know whether or not you fear God, note your reaction when good things are taken from you. How do you react to financial loss, the death of a family member, the loss of love? How many of us, after experiencing such intense suffering, would be persuaded that God is bigger than our suffering?” Edward T. Welch, “When People Are Big and God Is Small.” Page 115. This is a lifelong lesson in what is called progressive sanctification. This separates us from worldly thinking, makes us more and more like Jesus Christ, yielding to the Holy Spirit’s promptings, and takes a lifetime to complete, despite our temporary short-term memory loss of past blessings, as we take refuge and receive freedom in Him.

Listen to Casting Crowns – Desert Road (Official Music Video).

Exodus 14:10-11, “As Pharoah approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified, and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?”

Look over your life. What have you had fears about? Was it work, a boss, a spouse, your reputation, health issues, financial issues? Or maybe some gossip about you that hurt. How did God pour His compassion into your situation? What verses gave you strength you hadn’t had before? Dig back into those situations, but don’t dwell on them. Dwell on how great God is in your life. Dwell on how He has rescued you in the past and be assured He will do so again. Trusting in God first, is needed.

The Israelite’s memory was short-sided. They saw their enemies marching after them. Of course, they naturally felt overpowered. I would, too, wouldn’t you? But God had told Moses God would gain the glory (Exodus 14:4) despite Pharoah and his six hundred choice chariots. Pharaoh had the best military resources. The Israelites had nothing except a rebellious boldness against Pharoh and all he stood for. That was of more value and benefit to them than they realized. They mistakenly lost their confidence in God in this situation and turned against Moses. Here was Moses’s response: “And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today for the Egyptians whom you see today, you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you. You only have to be silent.” Exodus 14:13-14.

We all face this common dilemma when stuck in a seemingly impossible situation that has turned into a crisis. However, we must fear God more than man because God always has a plan. The people were trapped between the Red Sea and their enemies. Moses’s faith never weakened or faltered. Who is the creator of the Red Sea? God! He was in control of His creation and provided a way of escape by causing the strong east wind to blow a path wide open for them to walk on dry land, through the Red Sea, and then closed it. They escaped, and their enemies died. God’s miracle spoke to the Israelite’s political enemy, Egypt, as it did to His own people. After experiencing and seeing the strength of our Santa Anna winds, I can picture this miracle of deliverance that God provided. I think of the stories these Israelite’s had to tell their grandchildren of this event they walked through. God not only parted the waters, He made the land they walked on be completely dry and the waters became a wall! Once they had gone through, God took care of their enemies who became confused, and the Red Sea went back to its normal state by God’s command, and they all died in the Red Sea – “they sank like lead” Exodus 15:10 states. But God’s people were kept safe.

“This is an aspect of the spiritual life rarely reflected upon, yet Ephesians 3:10-11 tell us that God uses His people to teach angelic beings. When God delivers us from a temptation or crisis, it is as much a testimony to our invisible adversaries as it is to us. God uses each victory in our life to tell our unseen enemies of His power and ability to work in and through frail humanity.” David Guzik, Blue Letter Commentary. I need to remember that.

Dear friend, God will gain the glory in your problem, but you must trust Him to do it. Stand firm, have courage, and put into practice Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God!” Ask God to reveal His greatness, compassion, and supremacy, even during a frightful circumstance. Have a new appreciation of Proverbs 17:28, “Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.” Did you ever think your silence and discretion can give the impression of composure and maturity in a challenging situation? Think about that. Let that sink in. You may feel trapped. But do not despair. Stand firm, have righteous stubbornness, keep your thoughts centered on the truth found in God’s Word, and see the deliverance God will provide for you as He did for the Israelites who crossed dry ground through the Red Sea. Now how do you perceive God’s presence with you today?

Listen to “I Will Carry You” Ellie Holcomb, Official Lyric Video.

Exodus 2:9, “Pharoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him.”

What has been the hardest thing in your life that you have had to trust God for? You might say, which one? There have been so many! How would you rate your courage in the circumstance? Did it waver as the length of the situation seemed to drag on longer than you felt you could endure? My answer would be yes, sometimes.

It doesn’t say in the Bible if Miriam was afraid or not to approach Pharaoh’s daughter, the Egyptian princess, or if the princess was suspicious of Miriam suddenly being there, who was a young Hebrew girl, when she discovered baby Moses in the Nile River and had compassion on him. “Josephus tells us Pharoh’s daughter was his only child.” Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Old Testament. God used Moses’s mother’s courageous plan to save and hide this baby boy and his sister Miriam’s initiative action in her plan. I am sure Miriam’s heart, was beating loudly inside her to come before Pharaoh’s daughter and carry out this bold plan in trusting God for the deliverance of Moses and eventually for the people of Israel. God providentially used this princess, Pharoh’s own daughter, to override Pharaoh’s death decree and protect God’s chosen leader of His people, the Israelites. This was no coincidence.

It describes in Hebrews 11:23 the faith of Moses’s parents: “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child’ and they were not afraid of the king’s command.” That took courage and faith in trusting God would make a way out of their problem. Jochebed did exactly what Pharaoh commanded to be done. Exodus 1:22 states: “Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.” However, she made a waterproof basket to put her baby son in and trusted God to take care of him regarding her baby son’s life, which Miriam was a part of this courageous plan.

God overruled the sinful law, which was a royal death sentence that Pharoah had put in place in government to curtail the population of God’s people. The fantastic miracle was baby Moses was reunited with his mother, who named him Moses. Exodus 2:10 states, “When the child grew older, she took him to Pharoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying “I drew him out of the water.” God intentionally planned Moses’s future to rescue His people from Egypt. “He skillfully guided the parents of Moses, the currents of the Nile, and the heart of Pharaoh’s daughter to further His plan and purpose.” David Guzik, Blue Letter Bible Commentary.

God uses humble and willing people to accomplish His purposes. You may feel you are not very smart, don’t have a captivating personality, or are not very gifted. God uses ordinary people, just like he used Moses’s mother, Jochebed, and his sister, Miriam, who had the courage and faith in God to protect this baby boy from being killed, along with this princess in His ultimate plan. This was a humanly impossible situation. Moses’s mother could not change Pharoh’s new law. But her solution God used miraculously to save her baby son’s life because of the future God had in store for Moses; despite Egypt’s king Pharoh, who did not know about Joseph and saw how the Israelites had become great in numbers and was afraid they would organize themselves to threaten his kingdom. God prevailed and used this princess to save Moses’s life, as He will do for you. Have courage. God will guide you as you seek Him for wisdom and counsel. Trust in God’s plan for your problem.

Have an impossible problem, and you see no possible way out of it? Trust God’s overruling hand. Stay faithful. What does God want from you today? Continue in faith, love, holiness, and self-control. May Psalm 62:6 be your strength, which declares, “He alone is my rock, and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” Trust God for the way out of your problem. Pray out loud Psalm 28:7-8, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.” The Lord will provide words, strength, abilities, deliverance, and courage when needed. Trust Him even when you don’t understand His plan. You are in His presence and that is in a special spot.

Listen to Isaac Tarter’s Song of Moses (Official Lyric Video).

Genesis 50:24, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Joseph is a tremendous example of having strong faith in God’s protection and that God would keep His promise of bringing the Israelites back to their homeland one day. Joseph spent a lifetime trusting in God’s promises. In verses 19-20 he said to his brothers, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” We see how God overruled human sin for His glory. That was and is a “but God” principle to place our hope, faith, and trust in. Joseph believed it wasn’t his responsibility or job to bring punishment or a payback against his brothers’ wrong treatment of him. He knew God was God, and any retribution was God’s responsibility. What a lesson that is in itself that no matter what wrong or evil someone does against us, God can use it for good. Trust in the overruling hand of God and pray for Him to intercede and exalt you in due time.

When do you find yourself having weak faith or filled with anxiety in dark times? It all plays over in your head again, and you are insecure once again. You may battle with feelings of paranoia as Joseph’s brothers did, after their father’s death. But remember, the roaring lion looks to pounce, set you back with fears, and tell you his lies of error. Don’t go there again. Check if you have experienced a lack of sleep. That could be part of the problem. Then, reach for the Psalms, as David often said, “I am in distress.”

• Psalm 31:9, “Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.” Then, in verse 14, David declared: “But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”
• Psalm 18:6, “In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.”

In your moment of weakness, praise the LORD. Strong faith comes from intense trials, as Joseph had many of them, as did David. Perhaps Psalm 40:13-14 fits your situation:

• Psalm 40:13-14, “Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me! Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt!”

Your worth is defined by what God says you are, for you are redeemed. Remember how faithful God has been for you in the past. Remember past battles that God provided and brought you through. Praise Him for those past provisions and His plans that you cannot see or know about in the future. God is with you in this challenge, temptation, and disappointment, as He was with Joseph; whenever people tried to hurt him, God turned it around and meant it for good. God raised Joseph in the status of a slave to a ruler of Egypt. Joseph was a man of integrity and was a target of others as he had a big future. Yet he could have had his big day of paybacks, yet he didn’t act on any of them. “God prevented Joseph from letting his arrows fly. And that is the key. You see, I can’t control the tendency to want to defend myself, to retaliate, to get revenge . . . Thus the only way to refrain from this tendency is to say, “Father, I want to stand up for my reputation, my right, my point of view. Restrain me, Lord.” Because those who find fault with you, those who come against you, those who shoot at you from a distance are ultimately instruments of God for your growth and for your good.” Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament.

 What is in your boat today? Ask God to rule and reign over your emotions as He is the prince of peace. Acknowledge that God is right beside you with His presence, protection, and provision. Whatever happens today, trust that God is at work. Trust in God’s promises when having a setback for God has the power to help or to overthrow (2 Chron. 25:8b).

Listen to Because Of Jesus (Lyric Video), Charity Gayle.

Exodus 2:9, “Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. When the child grew older she took him to Pharoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying “I drew him out of the water.”

Do you have a problem that you need God to intervene and bring about a desired result? When things look impossible, and you need Him to deliver you with a good result? A time when bad things have gone on too long Perhaps changes made without your consent have gone against you in a situation, and you just want to give up, and you think, what is the use? I have worked so hard, and for what? Then, there is the complete chaos of worldly events in our culture that are evil and far from God’s way. This was the situation in Exodus when a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph, was oppressing the Israelites. He made their life bitter and made them work as slaves. Then, out of desperation, since they were too many and too mighty for the Egyptians (Ex. 1:9) he made a law that all male babies would be killed to try and curtail their population. But Moses’s mother, Jochebed, and sister, Miriam, had complete trust in God and knew how wrong it would be to kill her baby son. But there was little she could do to change a law that evil Pharoh had put in place to kill every boy baby but let any girl baby live. So, Moses’s mother courageously made a papyrus basket coated with tar and pitch and knew what she was doing because this small basket would be insulated from the weather and hard to see. She put her baby son in it. This was her only alternative, and God blessed her courageous plan to save her son. Pharoh’s extermination program was overruled by God’s law of protection and intervention in the birth and national growth of the Israelites. What do you need God’s protection and intervention about right now?

Moses was God’s choice to place a Hebrew in the house of Pharoah, and He did that through this Hebrew woman’s great trust and courage in God to protect her baby son’s life. This was an evil and unjust situation. Yet God had a plan, and His plan never fails despite evilness taking place. What a picture of complete trust in God that these two women, one older, one younger, a mother and daughter, had in God to protect this baby boy despite the political climate’s rule.

Do you feel all alone in the group of people you work with in your Biblical beliefs and values? Or maybe within your group of relatives? Or the state in which you live? Perhaps you feel frustrated by how little you can do to change other’s opinions that are just wrong and ungodly. Look for courageous ways around the evil around you and act against it. Then trust God to use your testimony of integrity, hard work ethic, and trustworthiness. Ask Him to bless those efforts and exalt you in His time, as 1 Peter 5:6 declares, “Humble yourselves, therefore under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

It takes time to earn the trust of others. Take every opportunity to prove your reliability and your integrity. Remember Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.” Stand firm in Christ. Trust God to bless your efforts, both big and small. Trust in God for a way out of your difficulties and to remove roadblocks. God had a chosen purpose for Moses, and He also has a purpose for you. Trust Him to bring out His outcome of your problem. The LORD can use you. He often used common people just like he used Moses’s mother and sister that saved the life of baby Moses due to their courage and trust in God’s almighty protection and plan. Jochebed was a woman of vision that trusted and believed in the Word of God. She likely knew the story of Noah, a godly man that God saved in an ark, made with pitch, just like He would save baby Moses in an ark type basket, made with pitch she constructed. Trust God. Stay in the Word that will give you strength, wisdom, and ask God for Him to give you a vision for your child, as He did for Jochebed who also lived in an evil time against the Israelites. Any other problematic situation? Same thing. Trust God. It isn’t about who you are. It is about whose you are and who is with you. the answer is the great I AM — be still and know that I AM GOD.

Listen to Jeremy Camp – Be Still (Lyric Video).