July 12

PROVERBS 28

²⁰ A faithful man will abound with blessings,
    but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
²¹ To show partiality is not good, but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
²² A stingy manhastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
²³ Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with his tongue.
²⁴ Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, “That is no transgression,”
    is a companion to a man who destroys. ²⁵ A greedy man stirs up strife,
    but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.²⁶ Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, 

but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.²⁷ Whoever gives to the poor will not want,

 but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.²⁸ When the wicked rise, people hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase. – Proverbs 28:20-28

PROVERBS 28 REWARDS FOR TRUSTING GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Stay faithful to your God and you will reap blessings

But if you trust your own mind, you’re fooling yourself

If you trust the Lord, you will show mercy to others

Generosity will overflow and manifest to your neighbors

When you trust in God, you will reap rewards of bounty

You’ll have enough for yourself and increase in your knowledge

The righteous discern evil and are bold to expose them in the light

Those who are wicked and unfaithful to God will cower and be defeated.

In this account, Solomon spells out some of the rewards that a righteous person benefits from putting their trust in the Lord. It is interesting how he tells us the symptoms of people who don’t trust God as greedy and unjust or partial. The book of James talks also about the sin of partiality in his book on chapter two. He speaks ill of those who show injustice or preferences to the rich and rebukes those who do these things when they are part of the church. He speaks of the sin in chapter two as this: “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.  But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” James calls it the sin of partiality. But in this book of Proverbs, Solomon points out the cause of such sin which is greed. Those who do not trust in the Lord will definitely rely on their own strength and understanding and strive to get what they think they deserve. Solomon also reminds us of the rewards for trusting God. One of the fruits that we reap from such faithfulness and fidelity to the Lord is that we will abound in grace and mercy. It doesn’t necessarily mean that we will become materially rich, but most likely it is more in the spiritual realm that he blesses us.

REFLECTION

• How does greed and injustice manifest mistrust in God?

July 11

PSALM 32

⁶ Therefore let everyone who is godly
    offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
 surely in the rush of great waters,   they shall not reach him.
⁷ You are a hiding place for me;  you preserve me from trouble;
     you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
⁹ Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
    which must be curbed with bit and bridle,  or it will not stay near you.

¹⁰ Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
    but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
¹¹ Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
    and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!   – Psalm 32:6-11

PSALM 32 IF YOU TRUST IN THE LORD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If you trust in the Lord, your prayers will be heard

God is your refuge and he protects you from trouble

If you trust in him, you will be delivered from enemies

You will discern what is right and what’s true from evil and lies

If you trust in the Lord, you will be guided where to go

He leads all those who love him in the path of the righteous.

In this account, the psalmist enumerates to us the benefits of trusting in the Lord. In verse 6, we are shown that those who are ungodly will not be able to reach the Lord. In other words, they do not have access to God because they weren’t chosen. God didn’t make a promise to them because they do not belong to him. It is interesting to hear how ungodly people say that they pray too. I’m wondering if their prayers are more about speaking out their wishes or dreams to come true. It is probably like praying to Santa Claus to give them what they want if they are good enough. So many unbelievers think this way because they were given lies from a young age that God is transactional and they need to earn the Lord’s approval so they can get what they want from him. Many religions operate this way in which they follow steps and ways to reach their so-called god in order to be approved.

The psalmist also says that God becomes our shield and deliverer when in trouble if we believe and depend on him. In verse 8, we are told that we hear his voice when he directs us where to go and what to do. Only those who love him hear his voice. This verse also mentions that his eyes are on those who trust him. We are the apple of his eyes as spoken in Zechariah 2:8. It means we are very special to him and that he is in the detail of everything that we are going through.

REFLECTION

·       Which among these benefits mentioned here have you noticed present in your life?

July 9

PSALM 55

   He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me.
¹⁹ God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah
    because they do not change and do not fear God.

²⁰ My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant.
²¹ His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart;
    his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

²² Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you;
    he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

²³ But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction;
    men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.

                                                                                        – Psalm 55:18-23

PSALM 55 CAST YOUR BURDEN ON THE LORD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you are feeling down and stressed, do not feel hopeless

For the Lord your God will never abandon all the righteous

No matter how bad your predicament is, cast your cares on him

He will listen to all the pleas of those who love him and hate sin

Believe in his promises for protection and shield for all his people

You will realize that your burden will become light and bearable

Trust in him alone for he knows every detail of your lifecycle

He only allows things to happen to you that you can handle.

Humans tend to solve their problems on their own and don’t usually get help until they are so desperate. It is in the sinful nature of man to be proud and be independent, but God made us all for his own purpose. The reason for our existence is for us to be in relation to him, our Creator. He made us in his own image so that we can eventually reflect him in our lives. The fall of Adam and Eve changed all that original plan that God had for mankind. God gave us dominion to rule over the earth and subdue it. Adam and Eve were provided all they needed and enjoyed God’s presence regularly until the serpent came into the picture and changed the plan of God for mankind. The disobedience they committed changed the design that they were made for. They were made to walk with God and depend on him for everything, but the original sin totally changed their God-dependence to independence and self-indulgence.

In this psalm, the author reminds us to cast our burdens to God. When we run to God and trust him in all things, we are going against our sinful nature of isolation and independence. Like little children who are helpless and can’t do without the parent, God expects us to have that same dependency on him. It is his original purpose for humans, to be connected and dependent on him and not on ourselves.

REFLECTION

• Why do you think we stopped depending on God when we became adults?

July 8

PSALM 62

For God alone my soul waits in silence;   from him comes my salvation.
² He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

³ How long will all of you attack a man   to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
⁴ They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths   but inwardly they curse. Selah

⁵ For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
⁶ He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
⁷ On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

⁸ Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him;
    God is a refuge for us. Selah – Psalm 62:1-8

PSALM 62 TRUST IN YOUR ROCK & YOUR SALVATION

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If you rely and trust in the Lord, you will be fortified

No victory awaits your enemy for they will be shaken

God alone will be your strength and your fortification

Trust in your God who is your rock and your salvation

If you trust in yourself and in other men, you’ll be doomed

But if you rely and depend on God, you will be assured.

In these following verses, David explicitly described his overwhelm from the attacks of his enemies. We can’t particularly identify who or what was historically going on at the time he wrote this psalm. Some scholars say that it was written when Saul was pursuing him and some sources say that it was Absalom, his own son who was plotting to overthrow him. This psalm starts with focus on the character of God which David described as his rock, his salvation and his fortress. This psalm sounds like a Shakespearean soliloquy where he speaks out his thoughts and beliefs. David is one of my favorite characters in the bible because he is so honest about his own feelings and fear. He doesn’t run away from what he perceives or sense, but faces all the things that are confronting him with much courage and faith in his Lord. There are varied emotions presented here such as fear, anxiety, depression but at the same time he also looks upon the Lord’s promises. When he focuses on God, the fear is replaced by assurance and knowledge that his God is bigger and mightier than any of his enemies.

As he laments over his predicament, he also rejoices knowing that God is on his side. In verse 8 David exhorts all those who are hearing this psalm about trusting God alone. His faith shines in this psalm which Paul reiterates in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 when he said that when he is weak, then he is strong. The only way we can be strong is if we run to our rock and our salvation in Jesus. On our own, we can never defeat our enemies or overcome our anxieties and fears. Trusting God who is bigger than us and who knows all things brings that strength in us.

REFLECTION

·       How is admitting your own weaknesses a form of praising and trusting the Lord?

July 7

PSALM 112

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!
² His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
³ Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
⁴ Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
⁵ It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.
⁶ For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.
⁷ He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
⁸ His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.

                                                                                        – Psalm 112:1-8

PSALM 112 A FIRM HEART FROM TRUSTING GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you have the fear of the Lord, you will delight in his laws

You love God and don’t look at his commandments as rules to follow

Because you love him, you have a desire to always please him

You allow the Spirit to transform your heart and begin to hate sin

As you trust in the Lord your God, you receive a heart that is firm

It doesn’t compromise and follow cultures; it sees sin for what it is

The righteous will not be moved; they triumph over the wicked

They don’t take part in evil, instead, they expose them.

A firm heart is not something a human being can manufacture.  It is the result of believing, loving and trusting the Lord. Those who do not know the Lord are easily tempted to sin because they have no loyalty and allegiance to God. They are unstable and changeable which is exactly the opposite of God’s character. They lack the discipline to follow through with what is hard and easily gives up when things are not comfortable and convenient. On the other hand, a true believer is stirred by the Holy Spirit to choose what is right and what is pleasing to God.

In this psalm, the anonymous author alludes to the benefit of trusting God. Those who rely and anchor their lives on God live in uprightness and constant fear of the Lord. This psalm is almost a reiteration of David’s Psalm 1 where he describes the differences between the blessed and the wicked. As Psalm 1 describes the righteous as delighted in the word of God, this psalm also says the same thing. But the author enumerates more benefits in this Psalm. He points out that the offsprings of the righteous and those who trust in God are poured out riches and prosperity. They see the light and do not stay in the old life which is covered in darkness. Most striking of these benefits is having a firm heart when we trust the Lord our God. Trusting God is one of the ways we can truly show our allegiance and love for our Maker. Without trust, our relationship with God won’t grow deep.

REFLECTION

• Give examples how a firm heart is manifested in a believer’s life.

July 6

ISAIAH 26

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you,

because he trusts in you.4 Trust in the LORD forever,

for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

5 For he has humbled the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city.

He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust.

6 The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.”

7 The path of the righteous is level; you make level the way of the righteous.

8 In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you;

your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul.  – Isaiah 26:3-8

ISAIAH 26 TRUSTING GOD BRINGS PERFECT PEACE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As you stay faithful and continue to trust in the Lord

You will observe that your heart and mind turn calm

Since you no longer rely on yourself, anxiety leaves you

You begin to be humble and know that God is in control

Trusting God brings you perfect peace and endurance

It grows your faith and starves your bent on impatience.

Anxiety plagues our world today. There are many distractions and a lack of the knowledge of God in our world that leads to constant chaos and turmoil. In this information age, we begin to have an overload of things that are not truly important for us. We forget our purpose in life and it becomes meaningless. We pursue things that are all fleeting as the book of Ecclesiastes presents to us. Without the knowledge of God and the absence of purpose in our lives, we will always generate anxiety and worry. Where does all these unrest stem from? It usually comes from our sinful nature. By nature, we want to know things, understand it and have control over them. We rely on our own understanding which are so limited that we often fail to see many aspects of what is truly going on around us.

In these following verses in Isaiah, he emphasizes the benefit of trusting the Lord. Perfect peace is the aftermath of dependence on God. It is the opposite when we trust in ourselves or other humans. He shows us that God is an everlasting rock, a sure foundation. When we rely on the Lord, we begin to recognize his sovereignty which humbles us and keeps us focused on his majesty and greatness. Not only do we gain perfect peace, but we reap the knowledge that only comes from those who fear God. We get to deepen our faith and our hearts become softened and long for those that pleases God. It gives us a way of strengthening our weakness and discerning the evil plots that are constantly at work while we are in this world. If we don’t trust the Lord, we will have a hard time navigating this cruel and corrupt world. But if we come to God and trust our heavenly Father, he will provide for all that we need.

REFLECTION

• Why do you think we get more anxious and unstable when we rely on our own strength?

July 4

PSALM 56

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
⁴ In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; 

I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

⁵ All day long they injure my cause;
    all their thoughts are against me for evil.
⁶ They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps,
    as they have waited for my life.⁷ For their crime will they escape?
    In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

⁸ You have kept count of my tossings;
    put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?
⁹ Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call.
    This I know, that God is for me. – Psalm 56:3-9

PSALM 56 TRUST GOD WHEN YOU’RE AFRAID

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

In the midst of danger, God’s people know where to turn

They don’t rely on their understanding but run to God instead

They are aware of the power of the One who made all things

They keep their eyes on Jesus, the source of all strength

Trust the Lord even if you are overwhelmed; He’ll always be there

He will never leave or forsake you; he is always after your welfare.

David had many enemies wanting his head. We hear in this psalm that he is overwhelmed with fear. What do you do when you get into this kind of dilemma? Most of us, if I am being honest, would probably be so distressed and frozen to do anything. Maybe, depression would set in when we focus on the reasons why we are being hunted. Interestingly, David was a faithful king, but Saul’s jealousy paved the way for his life of running and living in caves. What did David do in these distressing and fearful times? Instead of wallowing in fear and pity for himself, he stood on the promises of God. I love how honest David was to cry out to God and tell the Lord all the things he is going through. Instead of complaining and grumbling, he recalls that God is aware of every detail that is happening in his life. He focuses on how much God loves him and recalled how God would keep count of all his enemies and store all his tears in a bottle. What intimate knowledge of his God! Do we have that kind of relationship with our Lord? Do we honestly declare our difficulties and humbly lay it down to God?

In this psalm, David prays for all the fear that he is going through. Instead, he runs to God and continues to faithfully trust in Him. Like a child to his father, he goes to the person who would know how to deal with his enemies and who is capable of protecting him. He declares his dependence on God in the most fearful and adverse times of his life.

REFLECTION

·       Share a time when you were overwhelmed with fear and remembered to run to the Lord.