Some days start out with a challenge, others with a blessing. In Psalm 118 the writer tells us an interesting story of oppression and deliverance. This is the Psalm that speaks of the stone the builders rejected becoming the Chief Cornerstone. It is the Psalm that inspired the song we frequently sing, “This is the Day which the Lord has Made.” It is a Psalm that encourages me that God is on my side and will deliver me from every downfall.

The Psalmist uses his faith in God and his voice in song for deliverance. He was attacked, but in the name of the Lord he fights back and destroys his enemies. His description of the enemy attack is graphic, describing them as a swarm of bees that try to force him onto his knees on the ground. Equally graphic is the deliverance where they become as thorns on fire, which will crackle and pop as they burn. In verse 15 it says that the voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. In verses 19 and 20 it speaks of the gates of the righteous being our praise of God, and that we go through them. In 21 he praises God because He heard him and already answered. It is also interesting that after he understands that God already heard him, he cries out to God to send prosperity in verse 25 and beyond, where he proclaims that God sends His blessing upon us. Our Father God loves us, more than we can imagine. Be of good cheer, for Jesus has overcome the world!

Prayer
Father, thank you for hearing our prayers in times of distress. I ask Father that all those that read this receive a blessing while it is called today, that you fulfill their needs, that you raise up their heavy hearts. You are a righteous God. You love to hear our praises. You are our Deliverer, and man can do nothing to us! Thank you God for watching over Your people. Thank you for healing the broken hearted and raising up the downtrodden. Thank you for not forgetting us. Thank you for being King!

Today, around the world, Christians everywhere are comforted by the knowledge that they are not alone. Their Father God sent His only begotten Son to the earth to live a perfect law abiding life, die, and rise from death into eternal life so that we could follow His example. We are comforted when we think that we can escape the struggles of this life to one day live in the physical presence of our Messiah. Not only this, but our God wants what is best for us while we live here as well. Praise God for the blood of the Lamb, and the resurrection, to cleanse away the sins of the world!

Prayer
Father, it feels so right to be in your presence. We love knowing you care for us. We long to be wrapped in Your arms of love forever more. Thank you for never walking away. Amen

Rest. What a great word, a great concept, and an even greater experience! So, if God created everything, and He is the all powerful King, why did He need to rest? Well, who said He NEEDED to rest? It just said He did rest. But why? Because He is a really good Dad! He wanted to set an example for us to keep forever. Why? Because we ARE NOT all powerful, get weary, are fragile… we need rest. So, for this, He gave us the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. That is today, and I am soooo loving it! And how do I know I should still do it (other than the ten commandments which are not suggestions)? Paul said in Hebrews 4:9 “There remains therefore a rest to the people of God (notice the word “to” and not “for”)”. In the Greek, this word rest is “certain sabbath”, which is used to depict the seventh day of the week sabbath, or Saturday. Whatever day you choose to rest, however, God used the word “to” because it is a commandment – He cares for us and wants us to rest! What a great Dad!

Prayer
Father, thank you so much for giving us rest. On this Sabbath day I ask that you touch the lives of Your people everywhere and let them experience you more fully. Let them catch their breath, recover from any infirmities, and experience a day of wholeness with You. In Jesus name, Amen!

Many people today look to the death of Jesus. Whether you believe He died on a Friday or on the Passover (Nissan 14) it is a truly solemn event in the history of the world. Much like the Passover in Egypt, it was an eternal game changer. For the children of Israel, they just wanted their freedom from their oppressor. They just wanted to worship their God by keeping a feast in the desert. Was it so much to ask?

Today, there remains a tyrant that thinks more highly of himself than he should. He oppresses the poor and the fatherless. He seeks to destroy anyone and anything good. His goal is world domination, and only those that follow the Messiah can usher in his defeat. How is that done, we ask, if he is such a powerful and horrible taskmaster? Who is he? He is the enemy of our souls, the devil. He thinks himself all powerful, but in reality, he is nothing when compared to the power of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Once again we are called to sprinkle the blood on our doorposts (hands) and lintels (minds) with our words and praise, that God might again judge the gods of Egypt (Ex 12:12).

It is interesting to think that the life of a nation, the balance of their future, lies in the death of a lamb…

Prayer
God, thank you for your deliverance from bondage, for the children of Israel and for us. You are a Delivering King. You are our pillar of smoke by day and pillar of fire by night, both guiding and protecting us. We ask that today, at this moment, You once again show Yourself powerful on our behalf, and deliver us from our enemies. Show the world that You alone are God, King of the Universe. In Jesus name, Amen

Today I received prayer requests for two people that were hospitalized with infirmities that appeared without warning. In the news I saw an entire country have resources locked down in their savings institutions. Every day we face challenges, and many without warning. When I consider all that life has to offer, I am overwhelmed by the knowledge that in every moment, good and not so good, I have a very solid source to lean upon, to count on for help, and to trust. Jesus.

As I look at my life, I cannot help but wonder at Him giving up his so young for mine. He had the ability to make people feel comforted, to heal, to feed the masses, and yet He chose to lay down that future that I might have one. I say thank you to the person in the check out lane for the correct change, to the person that opens the door for me as I walk into the restaurant, to a friend helping with a concern I have in a phone conversation – how do I thank God for giving up so rich a life that I might have a shot at living?

Prayer
The only words I have seem so frail – thank you Father God, for Your Son’s death and resurrection. I don’t fully get why You would do this, but I will spend my life saying thank you and trying to do something with the life you have given me. Amen.

The life we lead can take us into familiar territory, or into the unknown. The constant we have as believers is God – He is our Shield and Buckler. God is on our side. This is true in good times. It is also true as we walk through the tougher times. As we traverse the Valley of Baca, the Valley of Weeping (like the balsam trees weep as they suffer the wind), we make pools in a desolate place (Psalm 84). How do we do that? By standing with our God who does not with hold any good thing. In fact, we can battle the enemy of our souls. Our enemy is as real as it gets, and he is out to kill, steal and destroy us (John 10). But if we listen and respond to God, He will stand and fight our battles. He will give us the words we need to push away our spiritual enemies in our spiritual battles that change the real world we live in.

In Psalm 83:4-5 we read that the enemies of God try to destroy us in an attempt to blot out His name and His inheritance in the earth. And what are we to pray to battle the evil one? In verses 13-18 we read that we are to ask for them to be ground to dust, spread before the whirlwind, and brought to shame until the acknowledge that He is God. And why should we do such battle? In verse 18, we do it so that all may know that God is the Lord of all! Praise God!

Prayer
Father, look upon us and remember Your word and Your promise. Do not let our enemies blot out Your inheritance. Rise up, and crush the enemies of our souls, that all men might know, that You truly are God of all! Amen.

Each day that we walk with God, we have opportunity to have a better life. And how can it be better? What can we do to participate in our life getting better? Perhaps one of the best and most rewarding ways is the simplest of all – help someone else. Jesus said, “Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matt 11:28. When we draw near to the Messiah, we experience His rest. If we take someone to Him, we will also be near Him, and again, we experience His rest. Would you like today to be better? Reach out to someone in need, and help them see the Master.

Prayer
Jesus, today seems like it is tough. Please let me help someone that is looking at a rough day. Let me help them draw closer to You. Me too. Amen.

Have you ever noticed how often in the scriptures we are encouraged to be of good cheer, to be encouraged?

John 16:33
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Jesus told us that He wanted us to have peace. We would be accosted by the world in some way, but in the end we would emerge the winners. Interestingly enough, this also fits with the story we started yesterday about the first Passover and the Exodus from the bondage of Egypt.

It was daylight now, but the screaming began at midnight. There was death in every house except the houses of the children of Israel. They had obeyed God and put the blood markings on the doorposts and lentils, and Death had passed over them. Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and told them to take the children of Israel, their cattle, and leave to keep the feast to God. They were given jewels of gold and silver from the Egyptians that they had served. Then at night time, as it moved into Nissan 15, they departed as God lead them through the wilderness by the Red Sea. Yesterday they were poor, destitute slaves. Today they were free, wealthy, and headed for their promised land. God is a very great God!

A Prayer
God, thank you so much for doing the wonderful things you do to sustain us every day. Thank you for keeping your promise to Abraham. Thank you for sending your Son to die on the cross that we might be saved and made whole. Amen.

My fellow believers, welcome to the first day of our regular postings. It seemed fitting to begin today, as today is important in our heritage as believers. For many this is Palm Sunday – tradition says this is the day that Jesus rode a donkey into what became the future of our hope and His crucifixion. This year this date also happens to be the beginning of Nissan 14 at the evening. Why is this important?

It is Egypt, and the foreign people (the descendants of Abraham) have been slaves here for many years. Recently one of them, a man named Moses, has been creating a stir with the evil ruler, the Pharaoh. He has already done nine wonders in an attempt to get the Pharaoh to let the people go to the desert to keep a feast to their God. Today Moses has said for them to all kill a lamb on their door step, put the lamb’s blood on the door posts and the lintel, and to stay in the house until morning, eating the lamb. The Death Angel is to visit the land, and any house not so marked he will visit and kill the first born. If it had not been for everything that Moses had already done, and the stories told of their father Abraham, they would have never done what he asked. But Moses said this would be the last of the plagues, and that God would deliver them tomorrow as a result.

Could this be true? No one here remembered a day when they were not slaves. Could this be the deliverance that they had awaited for so long? What will tomorrow actually bring?

A Prayer:
Father, thank you for Your Son, Jesus (Yeshua to some), that you sent to show us the way, to die, and to rise from the dead that we might have forgiveness of our sins. Thank you for sending Moses to show Your wonders in the land of Egypt. And thank you for delivering the Jewish people from a wicked ruler of their time, and for delivering us from the wicked enemy of our souls and former ruler of us as well. We love You and praise you!