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. 

Isaiah 35:3

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Isaiah 35:3 

“Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble” – Isaiah 35:3

When I listen to people talk about what they see in our country going forward, I hear a lot of opinions and thoughts, however, when I listen carefully to what they are saying overall, I hear one thing clearly.  They are afraid.  They are afraid of what is happening now with the COVID-19 virus, and with what is coming in new proposed government policies that could change our country radically with restrictions and oversight we have not seen before.  Many people are becoming tired of all this stuff and simply want to live their lives in a way that is enjoyable and where their needs are met.

The prophet Isaiah speaks to this issue.  He is telling us who are followers of God to encourage those who are fearful, especially believers.  This is essentially what our focus verse is saying.  The idea is to encourage and help sustain the weak and despondent by laying out the promises God has promised us.  He has assured us that we have a glorious future that has nothing to do what is happening now. 

In the first two verses we read, “The wilderness and the desert will be glad, And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom: Like the crocus.  It will blossom profusely And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, The majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, The majesty of our God.” Isaiah 35:1-2.  This speaks of a time after the Lord returns and what it will be like when all the enemies of the people of God are gone.  This will be an incredible time of joy and rejoicing.  It will be infinitely better than what we are enduring today.  This is a place for the redeemed of the Lord.  “And the ransomed of the LORD will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, With everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Isaiah 35:10. 

This should be the message we bring to weak and downcast Christians.  “Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.” Isaiah 35:4.  We have nothing to fear when He returns.  On the contrary, we have everything to rejoice about.  When He returns, it will be a good day for us, but not for our enemies.  He will revenge us and will deal with justice to those who cause us to be afraid, but for us, He will save us, keeping us in safety.  Notice all the good stuff to come.  “Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah. The scorched land will become a pool And the thirsty ground springs of water; In the haunt of jackals, its resting place, Grass becomes reeds and rushes. A highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for him who walks that way, And fools will not wander on it. No lion will be there, Nor will any vicious beast go up on it; These will not be found there. But the redeemed will walk there,” Isaiah 35:6-9.  This is what we have to look forward to.  And this is what our minds should be thinking on, the glorious day of Christ’s return.  Those who were lame or injured will be lame and injured no more.  There will be no vicious beasts in this place.  This reminds me of a section in Chapter eleven in Isaiah.  “And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:6-9.

This here is our future, a place with absolutely nothing to be afraid of and where everything is good and beautiful.  Therefore, it does not matter what happens here now, for this will all pass away.  Plus, He is always with us in difficult times.  As God said to Joshua He also says to us.  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.  Trust God in all things and do not be afraid or dismayed.  Our future will be wonderful, and it is the promise of God to bring it forth.  I am not saying things are not difficult.  However our focus should not be on our difficulties but on our God and His promises.  As David wrote in the psalms, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?” Psalm 56:3-4.

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

Proverbs 14:14

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Proverbs 14:14 

“The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied with his.” – Proverbs 14:14

One of the saddest things I have seen are people who confess their loyalty to God and Christ, but do not live in a manner that shows evidence of it.  Sometimes people do not actually accept the ways of Christ and obey them, but simply declare an acceptance of Christ without ever actually becoming His followers.  However, many actually become believers but then are led astray by their own desires and ways.  It is this second idea I want to discuss today.

The first part of our focus verse speaks of this.  “The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways” Proverbs 14:14a.  One who is a ‘backslider in heart’ is someone whose heart has departed from the Lord.  It is leading them away from what God desires, and actually commands, them to do.  I remember having a discussion with a Christian who daily watched some inappropriate television programs, essentially soap operas,  that showed people in sinful behavior and foul speech  through the entire program.  I asked them why they felt a compulsion to watch these shows even though the activities shown went against the ways of God.  Her answer shocked me.  She said, well, it is my little ‘sin’.  She was OK with it because it was just a small sin, it would not affect her.  However, she was deceived because we are called to stop all sin.  “No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little children make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:6-8. 

Now, we will at times slip up and sin.  “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:8-9.  The idea of our focus verse is not that we may at times sin, but that we make sin a part of life.  We do not backslide if we recognize what we did as sin, ask for forgiveness from God, and then focus on not sinning again.  The backslider is one who recognizes their action is sinful but continues in it, because his heart desires to do so.  In the second part of this verse, “But a good man will be satisfied with his.” Proverbs 14:14b, speaks of one who is satisfied with the life God has called them to, and will not be swayed by their heart to sin.  This is the main difference between the two types mentioned in Proverbs 14:14.  One finds it acceptable to sin, the other does not and strives to keep his heart pure in order not to be led astray.

I want to encourage everyone reading this, including myself here, to examine ourselves and see if there is anything that may be working to lead us astray.  It is important that we keep our desires in check. And we are not alone but God who is with us will help us.   “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:12-13.  And this High Priest is gracious toward us.  “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16. 

God loves us enough that He gave His life for us.  Let us show our amazing love by desiring to live the life He has called us to.  Remember what Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15.   

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. 

Mark 12:24

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Mark 12:24 

“Jesus said to them, is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?” – Mark 12:24

This verse was spoken by Jesus to the Sadducees because of their wrong understanding of the scriptures.  They asked Jesus a question regarding the resurrection.  The Sadducees denied there were angels and spirits, as well as the immortality of the soul.  They also believed when the body died the soul did as well.  They did not believe there was any future state of mankind or a resurrection.  Therefore, this was essentially a trick question to get Jesus to stumble in giving an answer, thus exposing a weakness in the doctrine. 

The Sadducees were an aristocratic class connected with everything going on in the temple in Jerusalem.  They tended to be wealthy and held powerful positions, including that of chief priests and high priest.  They also held the majority of the seats in the Sanhedrin.  Some of their wrong beliefs were  1. They were self-sufficient and therefore denied God’s involvement in everyday life. 2. Denied the resurrection and the afterlife as stated above, 3. They denied the existence of a spiritual world; angels, demons, etc.  They were essentially a political sect rather than a religious sect; however, they took this role as well and when  Jesus came, they feared He would create issues the among the Jewish people.

The question they asked was,  “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, down to the seventh. After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.” Mark 12:19-23.  Jesus responded in the words of our focus verse, essentially insinuating they did not know the scriptures.  He then goes on to say, “For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.” Mark 12:25-27.

They, as well as the Pharisees taught the people about God and what it meant to serve Him and do His will.  Unfortunately, they did not understand what the truth was, and because they were in a top position within Judaism, they taught what they believed and not necessarily what was reality.  They expected the people to just accept what they said with no questions.  And unfortunately, we see the same thing today, and I see it becoming more prevalent as time goes by.  Many preachers teach what they want to believe and ultimately what they want us to believe. 

Therefore, there are two things we need to do in order to ensure we understand what God is saying in His word.  First, we must study the word ourselves so that we can learn as much as we can about Him and what He expects.  Paul wrote this to Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”. As we pray and study, we will be prepared to help others who are working to understand what His word says.  And secondly, check what others teach and ensure it is truth.  Paul said it was a good thing to do this.  “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”  Acts 17:11.  If something seems odd or not quite right, check it out.  And if it is wrong, go to them who taught this and discuss it with them.  It is important that everything taught from the Word of God is accurate and helps us all grow in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

The Bible is far too important a document not to understood it as meant by the authors.  It helps us  to truly understand God and His great love for us and how we can show our love for Him.  Jesus told us “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.“ John 14:15.  And the best way for us to keep His commandments is to know what they are and how best to keep them.  That is why we need to spend concerted time in the study of His word, and also check out anything taught that seems off base.  And by doing this, we will be able to answer questions that may come up or defend the truth when it is questioned.  “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.” 1 Peter 3:15-16.

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.