Scripture:

Psalm 121:1-4

1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills

From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

"Know Where To Look"

David says, "I look to the Hills." This is our first tendency, isn't it to look around us, to look to things of this world, to look to ourselves, to seek our own strength to overcome our circumstances. Notice he doesn't find it there; he says, "Where does my help come from?"   Where can I find help on this earth, in this life?  And then, this lightbulb moment, "Oh yeah, I know where my help comes from! My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth." 

We were always taught when things got tough to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, suck it up, buttercup.   But this is self-reliance, and David is reminding us that we should be God-Reliant, that He has everything we need:

• Strength to overcome
• Power to get us through
• Wisdom
• Peace
• Everything...

He is the creator of heaven and earth and there is no need that He cannot meet, so the application here today is to "Look to where real help comes from, the maker of heaven and earth, the Lord of Lords." 

Lord, thank you that you are dependable, that you never let us down, that you always see us through, both in good and difficult times. You are the solid ground on which we stand; we can fix our eyes on you, trust in your strength, and trust that you are sufficient for every need, every promise is good, we thank you, we praise you in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Psalm 18:30

As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

"Trust the Lord" 

David reminds us that God's ways are perfect and that we can trust every word that He speaks.  No matter where the day finds you, the good news is you know the day maker, the one who spoke everything into existence, and you can "TRUST" Him.  Even if your world seems to be falling apart, you can find refuge in Him, in His promises for your life, in His word, so don't lose heart. His plan is good, and it is for you.    We all lose heart when life becomes uncertain, but what David is saying is that God is the Rock we can stand on; He is the sure footing that keeps us from crashing out. You can depend on Him; His word is good, and your "TRUST" in Him will be a shield and a protection to your life.

Trust in the Lord, allow His word to direct your life, and lean into His promises.

He promises:

• To be with you (DeuteronomyProverbs 3:5-6 31:8, Hebrews 13:5)
• To guide you (Proverbs 3:5-6)
• To give you wisdom (James 1:5)
• To always love you (Romans 8:38-39)
• To give you eternal life (John 3:16)
• To meet your needs (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:33)

Lord, it is so easy to lose sight of you in the midst of trial and struggle; our eyes get fixed on the storm rather than the one who calms the storms. You are the day maker, and I will put my trust in you, for I know that your plans are good, your way is better, you are my shield and my buckler in you I find refuge. Don't let the plans of the enemy or those who plot against us prevail, but bring us into your great plan, we trust in you, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:
Psalm 63:1
You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.

When you know who has what you need, you will run to Him. David understood that the LORD has everything he needs. Notice here in Psalm 63, he declares: "earnestly I seek you, I thirst for you." In your presence, LORD, everything changes: my life changes, my heart changes, the things I desire change. In your presence, there is freedom. Everything else seems dry, and you, O' Lord, are my refreshment, the one who brings joy to my life, peace, and strength.

Seek Him! Learn to give Him the best of your day, the best of your time, and the best of your life. He has everything you need. So, the application here is to give less of yourself to things that don't matter and seek the Kingdom of God and your life will be more satisfying.

Father, I pray that we would seek you with all that is within us, that you would be the center of our world, that our hearts would be given over to you, that you would be what we boast about, live for, and out of that devotion those around us would be blessed, in Jesus name, Amen!

Scripture:

Psalm 27:13

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

When you and I are amidst a difficult time or circumstance, it takes all of our focus, all of our time, all of our energy; in fact, it attempts to distract us from the truth of today's portion.   This is David speaking to his soul, to his very self, declaring that God is still good amidst his circumstances.   I believe the enemy, the world, would try to convince you that God is doing this to you; in fact, many times I have heard people say, "I don't know why God is doing this?"   But David is saying that, amidst his circumstances, he is looking for the goodness of God, which means that God is still good even when things are bad.   God is not the author of your bad day or your circumstances. He is, however, the one who is with you. He is the one who will provide strength in your weakness.  He is righteous, and merciful, and gracious, and He is GOOD. 

This one is personal for me as "I too have seen the goodness of God in the land of the living."

The application here is to keep your focus, to not lose sight of the goodness of God, even when everything else is bad; God is still good.   If you are struggling right now, look for His goodness, look for His strength, look for His grace and mercy to get you through.   You too will find it!

Lord, I thank you that in all things you are good, that your mercy endures forever, that you are our shield, our shelter, you are the place that we run in and are saved, you have everything we need to make it through the good, the bad and the uglies of life, and we know that we will see your goodness in our lives, in Jesus' name, Amen!