Trust God

Thou Maintainest My Lot

Ken

“The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot” (Psalm 16:5 KJV). To the OT Jew, each of the twelve tribes had been apportioned a “lot,” an area of Israel for their inheritance, except the Tribe of Levi, which was scattered throughout the cities of Israel. They were to maintain worship for Jehovah. To Levi, the LORD proclaimed, “I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel” (Numbers 18:20). Instead of land, Levi was to be supported with the tithes brought into the Tabernacle. “And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation” (18:21). The certainty of the LORD’s sustenance, a guaranteed income — “Thou maintainest my lot” — when compared to Levi, is what any child of God can expect from the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23). But, that income is by faith and only from God.

A Prayer of  David:

“LORD, You give me stability and prosperity; You make my future secure” (Psalm 16:5 NET). 

“It is as if I have been given fertile fields or received a beautiful tract of land” (Psalm 16:6 NET).

“I will praise the LORD who guides me; yes, during the night I reflect and learn” (Psalm 16:7 NET). 

“I constantly trust in the LORD; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 16:8 NET). 

“So my heart rejoices and I am happy; My life is safe” (Psalm 16:9 NET). 

“You will not abandon me to Sheol; You will not allow your faithful follower to see the Pit” (Psalm 16:10 NET). 

“You lead me in the path of life; I experience absolute joy in Your presence; You always give me sheer delight” (Psalm 16:11 NET). 

What to Do When No One Knows What to Do

Ken

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV). We need to be trusting God now, whether or not it ever becomes popular later! The difference between trusting God now and when everything is an emergency is the reason we are to always be ready for the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ and our being caught up to Him. You cannot counterfeit confidence to God. He knows when you are trusting Him. Either you trust Him or you don’t. Pretend you are going into battle, and you want to be right with God for whatever happens in the conflict. Trust is an instantaneous thing. Only the Spirit of God can give you that. “The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Trusting God means we do not hold back on confessing known sin to God. Even the thief on the cross acknowledged his worthiness of condemnation. “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss” (Luke 23:40-41). 

Readiness to meet God in eternity took place for that thief, when “he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43 ). Let us “commit the keeping of [our] souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (1Peter 4:19). When this is done, all is well done! Father, alert Your Professed Church to the need of fully trusting in You now, like eternity depended on it. Lord Jesus, return quickly, and may our departure have the desired effect to fulfill all righteousness. Cause our lives to be a testimony to those who will be immediately wrestling with the one who will be the Antichrist. “9 Even him [Antichrist], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2Thessalonians 2:9-10). LORD, prepare us, as we lift up our heads for our redemptions draws near. Amen and amen. 

Mysteries of the LORD

Ken

God is not trying to exclude anyone from His company, but we block ourselves from receiving privileges from Him depending on how much we fear Him. “The secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him; and He will shew [shō] them His covenant” (Psalm 25:14 KJV). “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29), but He can also be a fearful master, if we do not give Him the respect He deserves. God is not like an object we purchase to be discarded, when we tire of Him. We are His creation, and we do well to find how best to approach Him. His covenant is simple. “Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you” (Jeremiah 7:23). He gives us our own personal comforter (John 14:16), advocate (1John 2:1), teacher (John 14:26), guide (Isaiah 30:21), mentor (1John 2:27), coach (1Corinthians 12:1-11), body guard (Isaiah 52:12), reminder to walk humbly because the Spirit draws attention to Jesus not Himself (John 16:13), reminder of His love (2Corinthians 13:14), and insurance that we can obey His commands (Ezekiel 36:27), when we took our loyalty oath of water baptism to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Though we want to encourage all those around us to embrace the understanding He has given us, we are not to slow down or hold back in our seeking to understand more about our Master, even if our fellow disciples do not yet share all our appreciation of Him. Father, cause us to hunger and thirst for Your righteousness. Cause us to be drawn to a better understanding of who You are. Cause us to be drawn into greater love with You (16:02). Show us Jesus. In His precious name, we pray. Amen. 

When Everything Fails

Ken

“Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy” (Psalm 64:1 KJV). David speaks for all the godly but especially for Israel in the future time of Jacob’s Trouble in Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Daniel 9:24). It is then, when everything familiar seems out of place and our desperate attempt to resolve the situation is failure. Pray and trust God to do as He always has done — deliver His people. “But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded” (64:7). He is the Immutable and Unchanging God Worthy of Our Trust. “The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory” (64:10). Hallelujah! 

Cure for Fear

Ken

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee” (Psalm 56:3 KJV). Better than whistling a happy tune, because the One we trust is greater than anything that can harm us. David didn’t stop there, but went on. “In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me” (56:4). In God We Trust may only sound like an advertising slogan minted on coins, but true confidence in God is deceptively powerful. Faith is so effective an antidote for fear, the enemy mocks and trivializes it in hope the godly will be lulled into a false sense of “maybe this is too simple to work.” Exactly. Because it is not about us, but about whom we are trusting. Almighty God. “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14). 

Physician, Heal Thyself

Ken

“Before the people of God can overcome the gods, the idols, and the altars of their world, they must first overcome them in their lives.” The Josiah Manifesto: The Ancient Mystery & Guide for the End Times by Jonathan Cahn. If God is the God of the Possible, then Jesus would not tell us to do something impossible to cure our hypocrisy. We need to trust God to overcome what only looks impossible. “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5 KJV).

Happiness Is A Choice

Ken

Happiness is a personal choice, but only Yahweh can persuade and aid us at being so blessed. “Kiss the Son [Messiah, Christ], lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:12 KJV). In both Hebrew and Christian Scriptures “blessed” and “happy” are translation equivalents. Bless us, O LORD, and we shall be blessed. Amen and amen.