SELAH

STOP Are you scared of storms? Do you ever get that anxious feeling when there is a storm? Why do you think that is?  Does the power of a storm surface up for you a comparison of God’s power?  In this psalm, the voice of the Lord is described as powerful, majestic, and thundering over the mighty waters.  It says that, “the voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.”  The Lord, our God, is indeed powerful, just his words can have such an effect.  Rest in this: the same power that is in a storm is the same power that is protecting you, loving you, giving strength, and blessing you with peace.   Try starting with this:     Lastly, all of what’s on your mind: your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists. Imagine all of them as whispers.  They are nothing compared to the voice of the Lord.  As you hear the difference, use this time to listen to His voice, His leading and not your own.  His can be louder than the whisperings in your own mind.  EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in and out. Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in Christ. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “Ascribe to the Lord”  As you exhale, pray, “Glory and strength”(vs.1b) LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully “Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.  THe voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.  The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic [....] The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.  The voice of the Lord shakes the desert [....]The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever.  The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace (Psalm 29 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. David starts our this psalm by using the word: ascribe. It’s not a common word and it means to attribute to or to regard a quality to someone.  It’s commonly translated as “to Give” This first section tells us to give to the Lord glory and strength, due to his name.  The Lord already has the strength and the Glory, but it is important for us to recognize his glory and his power. How do you personally recognize the glory and power that the Lord has?  David compares it to a lightning storm, that the voice of the Lord is as powerful as the flood, a true judgment of the righteous.  What storms blow through your life right now?  When the storms pass, what then?  Are you responding like the people by giving glory to God for riding over the storms?  Or are you like nature, in an uproar over the storms?  Would you find peace by recognizing the Lord of the storm?  Do you feel that you have the same strength as the Lord by calling on his name?   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  To finish up your quiet time, consider the four verbs that describe the Lord.  He sits enthroned; he is enthroned as King forever; He gives strength and he blesses his people.  Have you gone from seeing Him as enthroned as king to knowing He wants to give you strength.  Have you seen Him as not only powerful and deserving of glory, but also wanting to bless His people with peace?  Let His blessings lead you to peace. 

STOP Do you ever have this situation: You’re talking to someone.  You can see that they are hearing you, but they aren’t responding.  You ask a question and there is no response.  There are times that this is how we feel about prayer.  We talk to God and we just want that audible answer back.  But God usually answers with action instead of words.  David starts out his psalm asking for the Lord to hear him, not to “turn a deaf ear.”  The Lord hears you.  Take a few minutes to talk to God, he will not remain silent forever. Just talk to him and hear his words back to you.   Try starting with this:   First, notice the thoughts playing through your head. What’s on your mind? Put it aside for a few minutes, table them for another time.    Second, notice your body.  How does it feel?  Hot, cold, uncomfortable, sick, relaxed?   Third, notice your feelings.  How do you feel this morning?  Anxious, tired, excited, happy, overwhelmed?   Lastly, all of what’s on your mind: your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists. Imagine all of them as being able to live in silence, being able to not have a response and that be okay.  Just as David was waiting on the Lord’s response, those things can wait while you spend time with God.   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in and out. Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in Christ. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “Hear my cry for mercy”  As you exhale, pray, “As I call to you for help”(vs.2) LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. “To you I call, O Lord my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me.  For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.  Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place [....]Praise be to the Lord for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; and my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.  The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.  Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.” (Psalm 28 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. At the beginning of this psalm, David calls God his rock, but yet still is crying out to the Lord.  He cries out for mercy and help.  When have you felt that same way?  God is your rock, but yet, because of your sin, because of our failings, we cry out for mercy and help. But his response is that he will “lift up [his] hands toward the Most Holy Place (2).”  Is our response lifting up our hands in praise, even when the Lord is silent?  David’s response is the same at the end of the psalm.  He pleads to the Lord to see him differently than the wicked. Are we praying for that?  As the Lord answers his prayer, he once again turns to praise.  His heart trusts in him and his heart leaps for joy.  He gives thanks to the Lord in song.  When times are hard, when you feel that God is silent, when you cry out for help, for mercy, is your response to the Lord praise?   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  To finish up your quiet time, look at how David describes the Lord in this psalm. What is he to you? Rock, strength, shield, fortress of salvation, shepherd?  How do you respond in telling him what he is to you?

STOP Waiting is hard. We don’t like to wait. How we are when we are “in waiting” defines who we are.  Whether that is waiting for school to let out, whether that is for some weekend plans that you are excited for, or whether that is for answered prayers.  It may feel like it will never come.  One of my favorite scriptures is for us to “wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” As you stop and reflect on this devotion today, reflect on areas that you have to wait. How are you in the waiting?  Be strong and take heart while you wait.     Try starting with this:  Lastly, all of what’s on your mind: your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists. Imagine all of them with the buffering circle over it.  These things can all be waiting and loading while you spend time with the Lord. Just like waiting on the internet sometimes, pause and be with the Lord and let everything else buffer while you spend more quality time with Him.    EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in and out. Close your eyes to everything around you. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “The Lord is my light and my salvation” As you exhale, pray, “Whom shall I fear?”(vs.1) LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. “The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?  When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.  Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.  One things I ask of the lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.  For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacles and set me high upon a rock. [...]at his tabernacles will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.  Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says to you, “Seek his face! Your face, Lord, I will seek.  Do not hide your face from me [....]I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord”    ” (Psalm 27 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible.  Confidence.  David’s confidence in the Lord is amazing.  Not only does he see God as his light, his salvation, and his stronghold, but even “though war break out against [him] even then will [he] be confident.” I’d like to have that kind of confidence in the Lord.  He also says that he is confident that he will “see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”  What gives you confidence?  What are you confident in?  How do you increase your confidence if it is lacking? Sometimes confidence can be hard.  How do we know in order to feel sure? That’s where your faith comes in. Throughout your life, the more “waiting” on the Lord and seeing how the Lord works, the more confidence grows. It’s important we study how the Lord has been faithful so that we can be faithful. Wait and see how the Lord works.   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  To finish up your quiet time, look at all the ways David is “seeking” out the Lord, all the times he craves to be in the Lord’s house, in his dwelling.  In what ways are we seeking him in order to hear from him?

STOP Level ground. I wouldn’t label myself as a clumsy person, but I have certainly had some clumsy times.  I think that I could probably trip over my own feet whether I am on level ground or rocky soil.  David, in this psalm, proclaims that his “feet stand on level ground (vs.12).”  And it is on level ground that he will praise the Lord.  He will not trip, slip or fall away from the Lord.  There is such confidence in this.  I wish I could confidently say that there is nothing that would trip me up, but I cannot.  My rest, however, comes from knowing that when I get tripped up, Jesus is there, that there is forgiveness when I come to him.  He will help me get back up when I have found myself on uneven ground, fallen facedown again and again.   Try starting with this:    Lastly, all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists, imagine them all along a level, the tool that is used to help us see if pictures, shelves are equally on a horizontal plane. What’s tipping your level?  Where are you seeing unevenness when it compares to time with God? EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in and out. Close your eyes to everything around you. Find peace in Christ. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.  As you inhale pray, “I love the house where you live, O Lord”  As you exhale, pray, “the place where your glory dwell”(vs.8) LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. “Vindicate me, I Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.  I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.  I wash my hands in innocence and go about your altar, O Lord, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.  I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells.  Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are wicked schemes whose right hands are full of bribes.  But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me.  My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the Lord.  ” (Psalm 26 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. Throughout Psalm 26, David has complete confidence in his trust for the Lord, his integrity, and how he has walked in the the Lord’s truth.  Because of his blameless life, he asks that the Lord, “redeem [him] and be merciful to [him] (vs.11). Do you feel the same as David?  Do you feel that you can ask the Lord to test you and try you?  That you could ask him to examine your heart and mind?  Do you feel that you could go about His altar proclaiming aloud his praise?  What about proclaiming that you have trusted in the Lord without wavering?  However, despite our failure, we know that in Hebrews 4:16, it says that we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”     HEAR What is God saying to you? You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time, ask yourselves who you associate with.  David confessed that he walked continually in truth and that he didn’t sit with deceitful me, consort with hypocrites, or sit with the wicked.  How can who we are around help us in our daily walk, so that we won’t trip.

STOP Have you ever been lost? Your heart rate increases, panic ensues, you get nervous. It’s in these moments that you just find yourself wanting desperately to know the way.  Either the way that you need to go forward, the way back to where you took the wrong turn, or the way you’re supposed to be going. You may even feel similar about life. You want direction. David felt the same in this psalm: “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths.” Whenever you are feeling that you don’t know where to turn, take comfort in the path, in the way that he is leading you.   Lastly, all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists, imagine them as distractions along the path way. Will you stop and dwell on them as you make your way forward or will they take you off of the way that they Lord wants you to go? EXHALE Find peace in Christ. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul”  As you exhale, pray, “in you I trust, O my God”(vs.1-2) LOOK Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.  Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from old.  Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me for you are good, O Lord.  Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.  He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.  All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.  For the sake of your name, O lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.  Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord?  He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. [....]Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish[...] May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you” (Psalm 25:4-12, 16-17, 21  NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. As I read through and meditate on Psalm 25, I see repeated the word “Way” several times.  His way is challenging, it’s hard to follow.  We are going to veer off the path at some point.  However, as David says, “Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from old.  Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways.”  We all have rebellious ways where we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  David continues to say, “For the sake of your name, O Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.”  Is your sin great and heavy upon you?  Have you strayed from the path?  Do you need to hear and cry out for the Lord to remember his great mercy and love and not your rebellious ways? HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time, meditate on where you find your hope?  David says hope three times in this psalm.  He says that, “No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame (3),” he says that his, “hope is in you all day long (5),” and lastly, he requests that, “integrity and uprightness protect [him] because my hope is in you (21).” Do you find hope in the Lord all day long?  Because of your hope in the Lord and what he will do, are you asking protection through your integrity and uprightness?  Hoping in the Lord will never put you to shame.

STOP “The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” When was the last time that you stopped and looked around you at the beauty of the world? Whether it is nature, the landscape or the skies above, the earth and everything in it is the Lord’s. As you quiet your mind today and look around you, take comfort that the Lord is in control. The one who made the stars, the one who made you, is taking care of it all. He cares for you.   Try starting with this:   Lastly, all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists, and imagine the Lord at your door asking what he can do for you, and you allow him to provide.  You tell him your needs knowing that he already has taken care of them.   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in and out. Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in Christ. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “Who is this King of Glory?” As you exhale, pray, “The Lord, strong and mighty”(vs.8) LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.  Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?  Who may stand in his holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.  He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior.  Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob.  Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.  Who is this king of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.  Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty-he is the King of glory.”(Psalm 24 NIV)    ASK All around us, we are surrounded by God’s glory. Do you ever walk right by and miss it? One of the questions that I and many others during this time had was: How can I be made right with God?  We see David describe this as ascending the hill and being up in the Lord’s presence. In order to be right with God, one needs “clean hands and a pure heart.”  We would need to not “lift up [our] soul to an idol or swear by what is false.” But we have all at one point or another lifted our eyes to an idol. We are so grateful to Jesus for ascending the hill, sacrificing his life so that we can seek him out and be found righteous before the throne.  We don’t have to ask the question, we can receive freely the gift the King of Glory is offering to us.   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time, meditate on the question/response aspect of the psalm, the last section. As David would have been bringing in the Ark of the Covenant, whenever they came to a gate or a door, they would have cried out: Lift up the gates for the King of glory. Anyone guarding the gate would have responded, “Who is it? Who is this king of glory”  Our response: Who is this King of Glory?, He is the Lord strong and mighty” Who is he to you?  As you hear him knocking on your heart. You may even be questioning who this King of Glory is and the difference he can make for you.  Know that he is the Lord, strong and mighty, who made everything in the world, including you, and can ascend the hill and, being of clean hands and pure hearts, has taken our sins upon himself so that we too can ascend the hill confidently. 

STOP “He restores my soul” (vs.3).  Just the very idea of Jesus restoring my soul is refreshing.  Of course, in order for our lives to need rest and restoration, we will endure stress, hardship and trouble in our life.  But take comfort, we have a loving God who wants to lead us to “green pastures,” and “quiet waters” where we are not in want or need of anything. He will guide you in paths of righteousness.  Let him lead you this morning to a place of quiet, a place of rest, a place where you can be with God with no reservation. God is wanting to provide for you, let him.    Lastly, all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists, and imagine Jesus as the good shepherd leading you away from all of it to a quiet place where you can rest. Imagine sitting and enjoying nature without the “bugs.” The breeze in the air, the sun shining down, the quiet… This is what the Lord wants for you.   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in and out. Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in Christ. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing. As you inhale pray, “I will fear no evil”As you exhale, pray, “For you are with me”(vs.4) LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. ”(Psalm 23 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. Many of you probably know this psalm in some way or another, whether through its references in song or years of hearing it in church. But I love the way that this psalm is organized.  Jesus leads us to peace. When troubles come your way, he will be with you. And throughout everything, goodness and love will follow. When do you need him to lead you to peace? Do you follow him in times of trouble?  Do you allow him to lead you when you are in the valley? As he prepares a beautiful table with lots of food, do you allow him to sit at the table with you?  Even if someone you don’t like is nearby?  Does your cup overflow with the goodness that he provides you?  Do you see how God is providing what you need so that you won’t be in want? When you are led to green pastures and quiet waters, do you lie down and rest?    HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time, ponder what it would be like to “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  During quiet times, we are to find these little rests, little sabbaths, a reminder that we will one day be with Jesus and be able to rest fully in open fields and beside streams and babbling brooks.  We won’t feel as though we are carrying the weight of the world in our valleys uphill both ways. We won’t be surrounded by the evil of this world.  Take the little moments of rest as we prepare for heaven.

STOP At some point in your life, if you haven’t already felt this way, you will feel that your sin separates you from God. You might even feel that you have been forsaken, that God is far away from you.  This feeling is how David starts this psalm.  “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from saving me?”(1) You will notice this is also the psalm that Jesus quotes while he is on the cross. As he was on the cross, sin was upon him and he was separated for the first time from God the father.  Sin creates this gap between us and God. But with Jesus’ death on the cross, our belief in Him as the Son of God, Jesus’ atonement for our sin, God will look to Jesus’ sacrifice and not to our sin.  This, my friends, should give us peace, and give us rest.   Try starting with this:    Lastly, all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists, and imagine the difference each of them had if we were to imagine God beside them, God with them?  “O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me” (vs.19)  EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in and out. Close your eyes to everything around you. Find peace in Christ. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “You are enthroned” As you exhale, pray, “You are the praise of Israel”(vs.3) LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.  YET you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.  In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them [...]But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads [....] They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. BUT you, O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs, Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.  I will declare your name to my brothers. [....]From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows [....]They will proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn–for he has done it. ”(Psalm 22:1-4, 6-7, 18-22, 25, 31 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. Being that this psalm was quoted by Jesus on the cross, it makes us look at it closely. We see first separation between us and God because of our sin.  We know that God is trustworthy because he has been trustworthy in the past.  All around us are struggles.  BUT the Lord is not far off.  It says that “For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help” (vs.24) No matter how far away we feel from God, know that he has not hidden away from you.  He is listening to your cry for help.   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time, meditate on when David says: “From you comes the theme of my praise”(25) The theme of rescue, salvation and deliverance.  They come from Jesus. We should resound those praises and make them our anthem, our theme.

STOP Whenever I go through tough situations, I think of them in Before and After.  Before the situation and after.  In the psalms, Before the situation, we saw David ask the Lord to give him the desires of his heart.  After, he praises the Lord that he did indeed give him the desires of his heart. How do you respond to situations?  Do you pray before the problems come along?  Do we take a few minutes before it happens to give it over to God?  What about after?  Do we then praise God for what he has done?  Identify where you are today. Are you about to face a tough situation that you need to pray about or are you coming out of one that you need to give God the glory?  Take some time to do that today.       Lastly, all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists, and imagine them in this same Before/After structure. How are you praying before what's on your mind?  How are you responding when God moves in those things in your life?   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in and out. Find peace in Christ. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing. As you inhale pray, “Be Exalted, O Lord” As you exhale, pray, “in your strength”(13) LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. “O Lord, the king rejoices in your strength.  How great is his joy in the victories you give! You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips.  You welcomed him with rich blessings and places of crow of pure gold on his head. He asked you for life, and you gave it to him-length of day, for ever and ever.  Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.  Surely you have granted him eternal blessings; and made him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High, he will not be shaken[...]Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might. ”(Psalm 21: 1-7;13 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. Psalm 20 was written as a prayer before going out to war, whereas Psalm 21 is giving glory to God for the victory that the Lord brought in the war.  Before the situation, David prays to the Lord, acknowledges that the Lord will bring the victory.  Afterwards, David instantly brings the glory back to the Lord, who provided the victory.  What was your response the last time you overcame an obstacle?  Was it the same as David, here, giving glory to God?  Or did you consider your own merit to be what brought the success?  Did you praise the Lord when the situation was over?  Regardless of the outcome?  If you had prayed and not received the situation you wanted, not received the desires of your heart, how did it affect the way that you will pray the next time?  What difference does it make knowing ultimate victory belongs to God?   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time, ask yourself this: where does your joy flow from?  Is it flowing from receiving the requests that you put forth to the Lord, or is it in the trust to the Lord that God provides. David says that, “Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence(6).” David is glad not just because of the blessings, but with the joy of His presence.

STOP “May the Lord answer you when you are in distress(1)”  When are you in distress?  On most days, you probably wouldn’t say that you are in distress. You probably wouldn’t consider your current situation as being in distress. However, it doesn’t change the fact that you might, on some days, have that feeling. The stress of life, the obligatory feeling that you have to get everything right, seem to cloud your mind. Instead of being in distress, let’s de-stress by giving some time over to the Lord today.   Lastly, all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists can be given over to the Lord. “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed (4)” What is the desire of your heart that you are anxious for him to give you if you give him what’s on your mind?   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in and out. Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in Christ. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “O Lord”  As you exhale, pray, “Answer us when we call!”(9) LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. “May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.  May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.  We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.  May the Lord grant all your requests.  Now, I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.  Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.  They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.  O Lord, save the King!  Answer us when we call!”(Psalm 20 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? This psalm was originally written as a prayer before going out to war. For many of us, though, we can consider this prayer before we step out the door and fight through another day. Look at all of the times that the writer says the word: May.  Such a simple word, but a word that means you wish this upon the person. As you are facing “wars” in life, I hope that he does “answer you when you are in distress,” “protect you,” “send you help,” “grant you support,” “give you the desires of your heart,” and “make all of your plans succeed.”  As the rhythm of “mays” continue throughout the psalm, there is a part in the psalm where he returns the glory to God, to give him the rightful honor. Do you do that when the Lord answers your prayer? He makes a comment that “some trust in chariots and some in horses”  This would have been the “best technology” of the age. What are you putting your trust in?  I hope that you are able to say as a rebuttal to whatever anyone else trusts, “BUT we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time,  “rise up and stand firm.” Go to the Lord with confidence whenever you are in distress. Trust in him above all else. What are the desires of your heart that you are wishing God will grant. Speak those to him, firmly. “May the Lord grant all of your requests(5).”

STOP “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”  Day after day and night after night, the skies do proclaim a beauty that is sometimes hard to explain or describe.  As the skies are indescribable, at sunrise, at sunset, after a storm, it is not even close to how indescribable the beauty of God and following his law can be.  When you are in need of rest, we get to see a little bit of the beauty of God by going outside and looking around at the beauty he has set up for us. It’s important to simply stop and do that, to stop and admire what he has for you.   Lastly, imagine all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists all as fading clouds that are moving away so we can see the beauty in the night sky.  They are reflecting the beauty that God sees in you.  Put it all aside and stop to rest. EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in and out. Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in Christ. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “The heavens declare  As you exhale, pray, “the glory of God” LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the earth. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.  The statues of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.  The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.  The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.  The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.  The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.  Who can discern his errors?  Forgive my hidden faults.  Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.  Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.”(Psalm 19:1-4; 7-13 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. What in creation takes your breath away?  David in Psalm 19 describes the law of the Lord as perfect, trustworthy, right, radiant, pure, sure and altogether righteous.  Which word do you consider describes the God’s word to you?  It says it revives the soul?  Which part of the God’s word revives your soul? It says it makes wise the simple.  Where are there simple things that need to be made wise in your life? David asks “who can discern his errors [and] forgive my hidden faults?” Where are there hidden faults in your life?  How do you discern what has been done wrong in your life?  He also asks that he be kept away from “willful sins”  Sadly, we have those in our lives too.  How can we confess those over to the Lord?  David then asks “may they not rule over me.”  How often do you let your past sins that the Lord has forgiven rule over you?  When do you let them stay with you instead of releasing them?  I pray that as you read about how we are to “keep [the law and] there is great reward” Let that phrase bring your rest and comfort.   HEAR What is God saying to you? Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time, pray this verse: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

STOP The Lord is described in so many different ways within Psalm 18. He is known as the Rock, strength, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield, salvation, and stronghold. I love this image of a shield, though. When we call Him our shield, we are saying that he is in front of us. We are facing our enemy. He is before us. He not only takes on whatever is coming our way, but he is present in the war before us, and with us. He has not left us.   Lastly, imagine all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists all as rocks again, just as last week. However, this time, those rocks, as little as pebbles, or as large as a boulder, we have a God that is a shield in front of us. Whatever is coming our way, whatever we have, God is a shield protecting us.   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in…and out…in…and out.  When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “He is a shield” As you exhale, pray, “for all who take refuge in him”(30b) LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times. “To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless, you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked, you show yourself shrewd.  You save the humble, but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. You , O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.  With your help, I can advance against a troop; with my God, I can scale a wall. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. [....]He trains my hands for battle;my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great [...] You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet [...] The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!  He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, who saves me from my enemies.”(Psalm 18:25-30;34-35, 46-47 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. Psalm 18 is the 3rd longest psalm in the bible; it spans and summarizes David’s struggle with Saul.  No wonder he uses words like rock and shield.  One of the beautiful parts of this psalm is how David continually turns it all back to God as his constant Savior. Looking at the whole Psalm, we see David, at the beginning seeking God when he was in distress and God came down in a powerful way.  David continues to talk about how the Lord fought his battles for him.  The Lord fights for him and then fights his battles.  Who fights our battles?  Do we allow the Lord to fight our battles?  Do we turn our victories back to God?  There’s this verse in there that says, “You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light” Do you allow him to shine into your darkness?  Do you allow him to be the everlasting lamp burning for you in order to tackle any of the darkness that comes your way?   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time, do you consider God your shield, your rock, the one who is fighting for you, wanting to rescue you and fighting your battles for you?   For further study, you can read 2 Samuel 22 where this psalm is recorded.  You can also read 1 Samuel 31 through 2 Samuel 2 to see what has happening that would cause David to be so overjoyed, why he would call the Lord his rock, his deliverer. 

STOP Rocks. They can be thrown, they can be moved, they can be collected, they can be observed and admired, but most importantly, they can provide protection and shelter. It’s in this way that David addresses the Lord as his Rock.  He says that the Lord is his fortress and deliverer, where he takes refuge, his shield and stronghold. When you are firm on a rock, hidden away near a stable rock, one can find rest.  As you begin your quiet time, start it on solid ground.     Lastly, imagine all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists all as rocks.  Some of them as little pebbles, that can be discarded, thrown away, forgotten. Some of the rocks, though, able to be thrown far from you.  All of them can be set to the ground as we take refuge in God, the Rock, the refuge, shield, deliverer and stronghold.   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in…and out…in…and out.  Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in this thought.  When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “I love you, O Lord”  As you exhale, pray, “my strength, my rock” LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.  The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me [...]In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears [....] He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy[...]the Lord was my support.  He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.  The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not done evil by turning from my God.”(Psalm 18:1-4; 6,16-17,18b-21 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. David starts this poem out in utter praise; he tells us of the enemy and then how the Lord responded to his need.  Why did the Lord come to his rescue? “He rescued me because he delighted in me” (vs:19b).  When you are in distress, do you turn to the Lord? What do you turn to?  Who do you turn to?  Yourself?  The Lord not only rescued him because he delighted in him, but “according to [his] righteousness; according to the cleanness of [his] hands he has rewarded [him]” What about your hands?  Do you have clean hands in front of the Lord?  Righteousness? Do you have a “right relationship” with the Lord? But it is so important to note that he first rescued him because he simply took delight in him.  He takes delight in you.    HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time, ask yourself how you are doing with keeping the ways of the Lord, not turning away. For further study, you can read 2 Samuel 22 where this psalm is recorded.  You can also read 1 Samuel 31 through 2 Samuel 2 to see what has happening that would cause David to be so overjoyed, why he would call the Lord his rock, his deliverer. 

STOP The apple of your eye. What an idiom! Does this mean that there are apples in people's eyes?  Does this mean that if we are considered the apple of someone’s eye that we look delicious? Just kidding. The phrase simply means that one is favored, meaning they are in the pupil, the middle,of the beholder's eyes. I don’t know about you, but I want to just be in the eyes of the Lord, that he sees me. I assure you, the Lord is watching over you. What if we were to wish, like David does, to be kept in the apple of the Lord’s eyes, in the very middle of his eye? Knowing that He is watching us should give us comfort and rest.   Try starting with this:   Lastly, imagine all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists all as apples.  They can be good and delicious, or they can be rotten. Sometimes they can keep the doctor away and sometimes they require the great physician to fix.   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in…and out…in…and out.  Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in this thought.  When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “Show the wonder”   As you exhale, pray, “of your great love” LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. “Hear, O Lord, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer–It does not rise from deceitful lips. May my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right. Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.  As for the deeds of men–by the word of your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.  My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped. I call of you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.  Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow your wings from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me [...]You still the hunger of those you cherish; their sons have plenty, and they store up weath for their children. And I–in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness ”(Psalm 17:1-9;14-15 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. David starts this psalm as a prayer with a request, but not just any type of request, an actual plea.  Have you ever pleaded with the Lord? Did he answer your prayer?  Do you ever try to justify why God should hear your plea?  Like David does when he says, “may your eyes see what is right,” or when he says, “though you may test me, you will find nothing.”  But if we are honest, would He really find “nothing.” If you are anything like me, God will find a sinner in need of Jesus’ grace freely given on the cross.  However, even though we are sinners, I think we might be able to say, “I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.” Resolved means that you have come to the conclusion, in way that is firm, an end to something.  Have you resolved to not sin with your mouth?   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time,  meditate on the last line of this psalm.  It says that “I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.”  Are we satisfied in seeing his likeness in us?  Where do we resemble his likeness in our daily walk?  

STOP Have you ever wanted your body or brain to work on something while you are asleep? Like read a book or study for a test while you are resting your body? Have you ever thought about how well you are protected and being taught at night by the Holy Spirit? Today, how can you rest in the thought that in the psalms it says that “even at night, my heart instructs me”? Take comfort knowing that while at night, while we are at rest, our hearts are instructing us. That should give us rest. Try starting with this:    Lastly, imagine all of what’s on your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists all in a cup. But instead of the cup being filled up to stressful overflowing, imagine it being filled with only the correct portion for the cup, no more, no less. We can rest in Jesus, knowing He only assigns us the correct portion for our cup. We should be careful what we add to the cup.  EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in…and out…in…and out.  Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in this thought.  When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “Keep me safe, O God, ”   As you exhale, pray, “for in you I take refuge” LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. “Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods.  [...] Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.  The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.  I have set the Lord always before me.  Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”(Psalm 16 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. Have you ever inherited something?/wish that something will be inherited to you?  David says that “surely I have a delightful inheritance.”  What does that look like to you?  Looking over your calendar this week and how you spent your time, what would you say you took delight in?  Would you be able to echo “Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure”?  Or do you find yourself always wanting more than what has been provided to you?  What “gods” are you tempted to pursue and run after?  What sorrows then do they bring to you?  Do you allow him to instruct you at night, when the darkness is around you?  Do you follow His counsel?   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time, ask yourself if your heart is glad, your tongue rejoicing, and your body able to rest secure knowing that you will not be abandoned.

STOP To dwell in the sanctuary of the Lord. Wow! Can you imagine how awesome this would be? However, how often do we find ourselves dreaming of awesomeness here on Earth instead of the amazing dwelling that would happen with Jesus in our midst.  Today, how can you rest in the thought of wanting to dwell in His presence instead of our own individualized dreamy dwellings?  How can you get away from it all and Try starting with this:   Lastly, imagine all of it, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists as dirt and dust that is surrounding the foundation to your house, your dwelling place. Dirt can help impact the foundation, or it can be fleeting and blown away by the wind and rain. Some of the things on your mind are like that: they can be truly impactful for the kingdom, and some can be let go of.  We can rest in Jesus, knowing He can help us discern what is important and what he has already taken care of. EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in…and out…in…and out.  Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in this thought.  When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “O Lord, ”   As you exhale, pray, “may we dwell in your sanctuary”   As your inhale and exhale this prayer, make it a question, then make it a statement. LOOK Let’s look at the word of God today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times if necessary. Notice which words or phrases stick out to you. Read it twice. “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?  Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.  He who does these things will never be shaken.”(Psalm 15 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. Who may dwell in the house of the Lord?  Who may live on his holy hill?  Do you want to live in the presence of the Lord?  There is safety and comfort in it. As you reflect on the psalm, there were some requirements to being in his presence. Is your walk blameless?  Is what you do righteous? Do you speak truth from your heart? Do you allow slander from your speech? Do you wrong your friends in words or actions?  Do you allow any slur about your neighbor to come from your lips? Do you truly despise evil?  Do you find honor in those who fear the Lord, who keep their oath to the Lord?  Do you keep your oath to the Lord?  Even when it hurts? Do you lend money freely without desiring it back with interest?  Do you ever accept bribes against your friends, even in jest? Are you building this type of character in order to have a strong firm foundation that will not be shaken?   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit, still your heart and mind. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. To finish up your quiet time, go back through that list of characteristics that put you in position to dwell in his presence.  Ask yourself this: If doing these sorts of works creates a foundation that won’t be shaken and allows us to dwell in His presence, what is holding us back from wanting that? 

STOP What do you think of when you hear the word foolish? Do you think of a person?  Do you think of an activity? What do you consider to be foolish? What acts make someone a fool? Have you ever felt like a fool? Foolishness lies in turning away from God.  But you chose to be with the Lord today, in these still small moments.  So, just simply pause and let Him speak to you. Sit for five minutes with God, rest and pray to Him and put aside all of your foolish things that distract you.   Lastly, imagine all of it, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists as loaves of rising bread. In order to be good, you have to let the bread rise.  In order to enjoy the bread, you have to give it time, setting the bread aside until it is ready. These “things” end up devouring us, like the bread that is eaten too quickly. However, we can rest in Jesus, knowing He has got it all taken care of with His loving hands.   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in…and out…in…and out.  Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in this thought.  When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “God is present”   As you exhale, pray, “in the company of the righteous”   LOOK Let’s look at the word of God for you today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times if necessary. Notice which words or phrases stay with you. Read the whole Psalm for full context.    “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.  All have turned aside. [....] Will evildoers never learn-those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the Lord? There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.  Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!”(Psalm 14 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. When have you been foolish? What tempts you to think “There is no God?”  How does our distance from God affect our behavior?  How does our closeness to him affect us? In what ways do you notice your demeanor and happiness increases the longer you are in the presence of God in the company of the righteous? Can any of us truly understand God, even if we are seeking him? Where do you see evildoers frustrate your plans?  What part of your life runs without regard to God?  How can you run to the salvation that the Lord is offering and rejoice in it?   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray:  “Speak Lord.  Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit. Don’t rush this.  Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  What is he telling you about your relationship with Him? Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. Let him. To finish up your quiet time, reflect on times that you have been foolish in your relationship with God.  When have you been distant from God and been one who had turned aside?  When have you felt devoured by people and expectations? When have you felt overwhelmed with dread?  Take refuge in the Lord; take refuge in the company of the righteous.

STOP Have you ever felt forgotten? Ever felt forgotten by God? Have you ever wondered just how long it will take for your prayers to be answered? Have you ever felt that no one is listening to your prayers? This type of feeling is normal. However, it shouldn’t stop us from praying. We will never understand the timing of God, and he wants to hear from you. It’s in those moments that we need to pray more. So, when you go to be with God, there’s literally nothing better for you to do than to just simply pause and let Him speak to you. Sit for five minutes with the creator, rest and pray to Him and lay it all down. Try starting with this: Lastly, imagine all of it, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists as simply a list in a planner that can be done another day. We can rest in Him, knowing He has got it all taken care of with His loving hands. He’s already written out your plans; we just need to wait on the Lord. EXHALE Next, breathe. Breath in…and out…in…and out. Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs. Find peace in this thought. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing. As you inhale pray, “I will sing to the Lord” As you exhale, pray, “For he has been good to me” LOOK Let’s look at the word of God for you today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully. Read it a few times if necessary. Notice which words or phrases stay with you. Read the whole Psalm for full context. “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my fores will rejoice when I fall. BUT I will trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.”(Psalm 13 NIV) ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. What three parts do we see in this psalm? When have we at first questioned God? When have we, like David, wrestled with our thoughts and each day have sorrow in our heart? Do you feel like there is an enemy triumphing over you daily? After questioning God, do you ever put your requests to him? Do you ever cry out, “Look on me and answer?” No matter the amount of questions and requests, the response is:“But I will trust” We might have to wait, but our response needs to be that we will trust in His unfailing love. Our heart should still be rejoicing over our own salvation, our own freedom from chains. And as we wait on the Lord to answer us, why not sing of the times that he has been good to us. HEAR What is God saying to you? Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart. Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.” You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit. Don’t rush this. Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do? What is he telling you about your relationship with Him? Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. Let him. To finish up your quiet time, simply talk to the Lord. Start a line of questioning that begins with “how long…” Ask him questions and tell him what you need. End your time with the Lord like this: “BUT I will trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.” "Psalm 13" by Shane and Shane live from 2006. Amazing how they can take David's words and put them into song form, modern for today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eLMr6ZUDQo

STOP Words have weight. Have you ever thought about how heavy your words are?  The expectation of the right words, the hurt from the wrong words said, the regret from not saying words are all situations in which our words carry weight. When you go to be with God, there’s literally nothing better for you to do than to just simply pause, take away all of the words and still, letting Him speak to you, letting Him give you the right words. Sit for five minutes with the creator, rest and pray to Him and lay down your words. Try starting with this:   Third, notice your feelings.  How do you feel this morning?  Anxious, tired, excited, happy, overwhelmed?   Lastly, imagine all of it, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists, as listed in a heavy dictionary.  Set it on the shelf.  All of those words we give license to make us feel obligated to carry. Dictionaries aren’t meant to be carried around.  They are meant to be sitting on the shelf and referenced. Maybe instead of carrying them all, we should set it on the shelf and spend time with Jesus.  We can rest in Him, knowing He has got it all taken care of with His loving hands.   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in…and out…in…and out.  Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in this thought.  When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “O, Lord”  As you exhale, pray, “You will keep us safe”   LOOK Let’s look at the word of God for you today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times if necessary. Notice which words or phrases stay with you. Read the whole Psalm for full context.    “Help, Lord, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.  Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue that says, “We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips-who is our master?” Because of the oppression of the needy, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them.”  And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. O Lord you will keep us safe, and protect us from such people forever.  The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.”(Psalm 12 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. How important do you consider words to be?  Words can be used for good, but they can also be used for lies, for flattery, and for boasting.  When have you been hurt by a lie?  When have you been hurt by someone boasting about something they have or can do that you cannot?  When has another’s words of false accolades or flattery cause you to distrust them or lose respect?  When have we struggled and been boastful?  What about the little lies that we tell that hurt more than we know?  What does it mean that “the words of the Lord are flawless”? His words are truth, there is not a hint of anything false in them. Are you trusting his words so that you can trust him to guide your words? HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray:  “Speak Lord.  Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit. Don’t rush this.  Based on the scripture you read today, God’s words to you, is there anything God is asking you to do?  What is he telling you about your relationship with Him? Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. Let him. To finish up your quiet time, evaluate the weight of your words. How often do you feel the weight of someone else’s words? Consider the words of the Lord, the weight of his authority.

STOP There’s a certain weight to our everyday life. For some, it may be heavy, and for some it may be a light load. Whatever the weight, what if we set it down for a while and rest from the heavy load of life? Even a little bit of weight gets heavy with time. When you go to be with God, there’s literally nothing better for you to do than to just simply pause and be with Him, letting him speak to you, letting Him lift the weight from you. Sit for five minutes with the creator, rest and pray to Him and lay down your weights. Try starting with this:   Lastly, imagine all of it (your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists) as heavy weights, labeled accordingly. However you are carrying this weight, in a bag, strapped to your back, held to your chest, set it down. Feel the release of the weight leaving you, like at the end of the day when you put down your school bag that carried the weight of the day. Set it all aside and rest in Jesus. We can rest in Him, knowing He has got it all taken care of with His loving hands.   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in…and out…in…and out.  Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in this thought.  When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “In the Lord” As you exhale, pray, “I take refuge”   LOOK Let’s look at the word of God for you today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times if necessary. Notice which words or phrases stay with you. Read the whole Psalm for full context.    “In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.  When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” [...] He [The Lord] observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.  The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates.  On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur [...] For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.”(Psalm 11:1-3, 4b-6a, 7 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible.  What is a place of refuge for you?  Where do you go when your foundations are being destroyed?  We are told to “flee to our mountain” or to go to our own source of refuge, but how often are we still attacked there in the shadows? What places of refuge does the world urge upon us, telling us it will be okay if we rest there? And resting there doesn’t provide rest. What does it mean to then find refuge in the Lord?  When the Lord observes and examines you and your heart, does it find it righteous and upright? We know that God will reap down justice on the wicked, but the righteous will see his face. What does it mean to be upright?  When he examines you, will he find you upright?   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice.  Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray:  “Speak Lord.  Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit.  Don’t rush this.  Based on the scripture you read today, is there anything God is asking you to do?  What is he telling you about your relationship with Him? Read the scripture again if you need to.  God is speaking to you through it. Let him. To finish up your quiet time, examine your heart. What weight are you carrying with you each and every day?  When you laid them down and listened to the Holy Spirit, were you able to see your heart more clearly? Was it upright? What does that relationship with God look like? Is it righteous?  Ask him to show you more about how to release what you are carrying and form you more into a person that looks like Jesus

STOP How often do you feel overwhelmed? And then because of that, you don’t make time for the things that would cause you to not be overwhelmed because you are checking off boxes. What if on a regular basis, you took a few minutes each day to put all of it aside and spend time with God? Before you get overwhelmed. When you go to be with God, there’s literally nothing better for you to do than to just simply pause and be with Him, letting him speak to you. Sit for five minutes with the creator, rest and pray to Him.   First, notice the thoughts playing through your head. What’s on your mind? Put it aside for a few minutes, table it for another time.     Third, notice your feelings.  How do you feel this morning?  Anxious, tired, excited, happy, overwhelmed?   Lastly, imagine all of it (your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations, your agendas, your to-do lists) as unchecked boxes. These boxes don’t need to necessarily be filled.  What if you leave them alone and let God decide which are important?  What if the only box you checked off today was spending time with him. What if he checked off some of your boxes for you just because you spent some time with him? What if, throughout your day, you realized that you didn’t even need whatever was listed under that checkbox that you thought was important?  We can rest in Him, knowing He has got it all in His loving hands.   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in…and out…in…and out.  Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in this thought.  When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “The Lord is King”   As you exhale, pray, “for ever and ever”   LOOK Let’s look at the word of God for you today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times if necessary. Notice which words or phrases stay with you.  “Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? [...]Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.  [...] But You, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand [...]The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land.  You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.”(Psalm 10:1,12,14,16-18 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible.  Have you ever felt like David that the Lord is far off? Where do you hide yourself in times of trouble?  In those times of trouble, have you sought out the Lord? When God doesn’t necessarily answer your prayer right away, do you persevere in faith anyway? Do you stay faithful? Do you ever feel helpless among those who are unrighteous and conceited? In this psalm, we see how God fights for you. He will lift up his hand against it.  He sees your trouble and grief.  He hears your desires and listens to your cries.   HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice.  Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray:  “Speak Lord.  Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit.  Don’t rush this.  Based on the scripture you read today, is there anything God is asking you to do?  What is he telling you about your relationship with Him? Read the scripture again if you need to.  God is speaking to you through it. Let him. To finish up your quiet time, ask yourself how you see God. Are  you viewing him as standing far off while you stand in times of trouble?  Or do you see him as taking your case in hand, hearing your trouble and grief, listening to your cries.  Or is it somewhere in between?  Wherever you are, remember that “the Lord is King for ever and ever” and that he is here for you.

STOP Do you ever feel that we have to fill every moment with something? We live in a society where if we are bored then maybe there is something wrong. But what if stopping was considered okay? What if on a regular basis, you took a few minutes each day to simply give that time back to God? When you go to be with God, there’s literally nothing better for you to do than to just simply pause and be with Him, letting him speak to you. Stop trying to fill every minute. Sit with our creator and rest. Try starting with this: First, notice the thoughts playing through your head. What’s on your mind? Put it aside for a few minutes, table it for another time. Second, notice your body. How does it feel? Hot, cold, uncomfortable, sick, relaxed? Third, notice your feelings. How do you feel this morning? Anxious, tired, excited, happy, overwhelmed? Lastly, imagine all of it (your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations) as pictures. How often we scroll through pictures on social media and look at the world around us, positivity, negatively. Instead of letting the overwhelming amount of thoughts, feelings, emotions, and expectations get to you, turn off the device you are looking at to see them, put it away from you so you can see these different feelings as being taken care of by Jesus, and we can rest in Him, knowing He has got it all in His loving hands. EXHALE Next, breathe. Breath in…and out…in…and out. Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs. Find peace in this thought. When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing. As you inhale pray, “I will praise you, O Lord” As you exhale, pray, “with all of my heart” LOOK Let’s look at the word of God for you today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention. Read these words slowly and carefully. Read it a few times if necessary. Notice which words or phrases stay with you. Read the whole Psalm for full context. “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you. For you have upheld my right and my cause; you have sat on your throne, judging righteously. You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever [...] The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment [....] Sing Praises to the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.”(Psalm 9:1-5, 7, 11 NIV) ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. What are some of the “wonders” that David is referring to? What are some of the wonders in your life that you need to praise Him with all of your heart? Who are you telling about those wonders? When you proclaim His name and His power, do your enemies turn back? Which of God’s wonders have you felt like singing about this week? Or are you still distracted from enjoying God’s wonders? Or by the wonders of the Lord in His pursuit of your “enemies?” He is a righteous God who sits on the throne for judgment. Does your private worship affect your public witness? How has your public witness affected your desire to pray, plead, and sing? HEAR What is God saying to you? Listen to hear his still small voice. Quiet your mind and search your heart. Now pray: “Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.” You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit. Don’t rush this. Based on the scripture you read today, is there anything God is asking you to do? What is he telling you about your relationship with Him? Read the scripture again if you need to. God is speaking to you through it. Let him. To finish up your quiet time, how can you let your praises of Him be a witness for others to see this week?

STOP Running, Running, Running. Sometimes we feel that we have to fill every moment with something. From a text to a friend to homework to maybe entertainment, pausing doesn’t seem part of the routine. But what if it was? When you go to be with God, there’s literally nothing better for you to do than to just simply pause and be with Him letting him speak to you. Slow down. Stop running. Rest.  Stop filling every minute.  Rest.  Try starting with this:   First, notice the thoughts playing through your head. What’s on your mind that you just can’t seem to get them off of your mind?     Second, notice your body.  How does it feel?  Hot, cold, uncomfortable, sick, relaxed?   Third, notice your feelings.  How do you feel this morning?  Anxious, tired, excited, happy, overwhelmed?   Lastly, imagine all of it, your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, the expectations as the moon and the stars in the sky.  They are not on you anymore.  You can see them all spread out.  Some of them beautiful and God given.  Some of what you see in the sky, though, are airplanes that are passing and fleeting and not something to pour your attention into.  Sit and rest knowing that all of it is being taken care of by our loving heavenly father. Stop and admire what he has done for you.   EXHALE Next, breathe.  Breath in…and out…in…and out.  Close your eyes to everything around you. God is as close to you right now as the breath in your lungs.  Find peace in this thought.  When you are ready, pray this simple prayer a few times while still focusing on your breathing.   As you inhale pray, “O Lord, Our Lord”   As you exhale, pray, “How majestic is your name”   LOOK Let’s look at the word of God for you today. When God speaks, it’s important for us to pay attention.  Read these words slowly and carefully.  Read it a few times if necessary.  Notice which words or phrases stay with you. Read the whole Psalm for full context.    “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.  From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?  You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor [....] O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”(Psalm 8:1-5, 9 NIV)    ASK What stood out to you? Highlight/mark it in your bible. Who am I?  Who am I that God looks upon me?  I love this text from David where he says, “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”  I think about this a lot in my daily life. Who am I that God is mindful of me, that he cares for me?  I am nothing, no one, but God thinks about me and cares about me. God loves me.  It makes me want to cry out that He truly is majestic in all of the Earth. Maybe this crosses your mind too.  Consider the stars and moon and everything and realize that God cares for you too.     HEAR What is God saying to you?  Listen to hear his still small voice.  Quiet your mind and search your heart.  Now pray:  “Speak Lord.  Your servant is listening.”  You are waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit.  Don’t rush this.  Based on the scripture you read today, is there anything God is asking you to do?  What is he telling you about your relationship with Him? Read the scripture again if you need to.  God is speaking to you through it. Let him. To finish up your quiet time, consider the heavens, the work of the Father, the moon and the stars and everything that is being kept in place by God.  And he cares for you, your needs, and provides for you.