Daily Wisdom

Psa 44:4  “Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.”

The Psalmist prayer is seeking the Father’s deliverance, Jacob is an ancestral term for generations. The strength of the prayer is that there is no foe to your growth in grace, no enemy in your faith walk, which was not included in your Savior’s conquest’s. Only be strong and courageous, fear not, nor be dismayed (Isa 41:10). Your faith is called to claim victory, not to coward to their attacks. The victory is yours, gather your spoil through the Savior’s victory; you are a child of the King. In which way do you then most honor your Savior, by failing to claim your promised inheritance and the victory it affords you, both in the flesh as well as the spirit!

The Christian mentality is a victorious mentality… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Mat 14:18  “And he said, “Bring them here to me.””

We all have great needs or soon will, or find ourselves overwhelmed with difficulties, trials, burdens. These are all divinely provided vessels for the Holy Spirit to fill and opportunities for receiving blessings and deliverances (Eph 3:20) which you can get in no other way. Bring these vessels to God and hold them steadily before Him in prayer and faith, and keep still, and stop your own relentless work and allow the Father hands to hold them. Every trial, burden that threatens to overcome you with discouragement and disaster, will become testimonies of revelation of His grace and glory in our life, as never seen before. Bring them before the Father, and leave… but don’t leave with them! Don’t expect God to work with what you won’t let go of.  

Put everything in God’s hands, and you’ll see God’s hands in everything… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Heb 1:13 “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?”

Jesus has his enemies (scriptures make clear), enemies even among men - enemies to his sovereignty, to his cause, to his people; such as will not have Him to reign over them. Let us not think it strange then if we have our enemies. Christ never did anything to make men his enemies; he has done a great deal to make them all his friends and his Father's friends, and yet he has his enemies. Yet eventually there will be no enemies, all will be subjective to His throne either by humility and acceptance (life) or by humility and judgement (destruction). Don’t fret over your foes, stay faithful in the One who will grant you co-heir to His throne, and when all enemies become a footstool, yours will be included.

To ensure your enemies stay at bay, remain anchored in Christ… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Zech 9:1 “… when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.”

The remaining Ch.’s of Zechariah points to the return of Jesus with His promised deliverance. And those whose eyes are stayed on Him find their hope, strength in such promise. Isaiah 17:7 ‘ At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.’ The darker this world gets the greater our focus must be on the light, knowing our only help comes from the Lord (Psa 121:1). Isaiah goes on to encourage us not to look to the work of our hands or our groves/worldly resources (Isa 17:8).

What you see (focus on) is what you get, be it the strength of the Lord or more of the world… HSAY  

Daily Wisdom

Zec 8:23  ‘Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass… men shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.‘

Those days concern the Father’s deliverance and restoration of Jerusalem. A name that was once mocked by the heathen was now a place man was drawn to because she bears fruit, gives increase and has become a blessing; causing other men to take hold of her knowing the Lord’s goodness was upon Jerusalem. As a believer are we living in a way that shows evidence of the Lord’s deliverance and restoration and encourages others to grab hold and walk the same direction as well, knowing the Lord is with us?

You may be the only bible an unbeliever reads; are they encourage enough to keep reading… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 "Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again." Gen 46:3-4

You’ll seldom find what the Father has for you until you find yourself where He wants you. Jacob must have shuddered at the thought of leaving the land of his father’s and dwelling among heathen strangers. This is nothing new for believers today – called into foreign circumstances or seasons that are untried and fearful. But through Jacob’s testimony we can see by way of his prayers, we’ll find the companion for our walk-in faith, that leads us into His promises.

We cannot hesitate to go where the Father promises His presence; even in the valley of death we can fear no evil, knowing the Lord is with us (Psa 23). Remember the promises of the Lord often dwell in presence of our enemy, not in the comfort of our own dwelling. We must exercise Jacob’s confidence, “Fear not,” in placing ourselves in the Lord’s will, knowing His promise of deliverance awaits us. David passed through his valley of death, Moses through his sea, Daniel through his lion’s den, and Paul his prisons; and each encountered the Lord’s presence and preservation. 

When God calls, it’s always collect… you must be willing to accept the charges… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 ‘And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.’ Exo 17:12

So mighty was the prayer of Moses, that all depended upon it. The prayers of Moses made inept the enemy more than the fighting of Joshua. Yet both were needed. The prayers of Moses already showed its power when pleading with the Father over the need of water, and the Lord directing him to strike the rock (vs 6). Now Moses holds up the rod, a token of the covenant of the Lord's  promise to Israel, as a war cry for deliverance and victory. 

Yet, Moses grew weary, Aaron and Hur had to assist him. When at any time your prayer weakens, let faith support one hand, and let hope lift the other, and prayer seating itself upon the rock of our salvation, will persevere and prevail. Don’t worry, war but not alone, it only leads to faintness; our greatest strength comes in worship/prayer, it’s the more spiritual exercise leading to victory.

Hands raised until the setting of the sun and the evening of life is or’, with the rising of a better sun, then the glory of the Father’s promise shone… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 ‘For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it… who shall turn it back?’ Isa 14:27

The people to whom Isaiah prophesied might ask, “What is this to us, or what assurance shall we have of it?” To both questions Isaiah answers by prophesying the ruin both of the Assyrians and of the Philistines, the present enemies that infested Israel, and that Israel should shortly be eye-witnesses of the Father’s promise. This should be a comfort to us today, and a promise of future deliverance, and posterity. God is to His children the same today that he was yesterday and will be hereafter.

This is what David experienced as well when the Father gave him the ability to defeat the lion, bear, and giants (1 Sam 17) and tread upon the adder (Psa 91). David had cast his love on trusting the Father for his deliverance, as the Father asks, (‘draw near to God… he rewards those who seek him.’ - Heb 11:6). It was David’s trust that empowered him and allowed for the Father to be faithful to His Word, as He was and always is!

No matter how mysterious or unreasonable it seems, the Father always keep His Word – Do we keep our hope? … HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Isa 48:10

These words offer us comfort and hope in the faithfulness of our Lord. Like a soft shower diminishing the fury of the flame, let affliction come - God has chosen me. Poverty may stride at my door, but God is in the house already, and He has chosen me. Sickness may intrude, but I have a great Healer ready - God has chosen me. Whatever befalls me, I know that He has "chosen" me.

As the three Hebrew children stood in the fiery furnace (Dan 3), the Lord stood amongst them as a cloak shielding them from the flames. We too must draw from the same hope and promise that we are His chosen/adopted children as well. Our Lord dwelt in the lives and dwellings of the impoverished both physically and spiritually. Be cautious in desiring to improve your conditions out of a desire for comfort, you may end up thinking you don’t have a need for the True and only Comforter (Lam 1:16).

Through flood and flames, where Jesus’ lead, I will follow… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Isa 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” 

Isaiah speaks to God’s covenant of peace for His children. Man’s attack with weapons and words will not prosper long. The righteousness of God will deliver the just man from both the physical and spiritual attacks. Man’s greatest form of attack is judgement from the tongue, as if they possess a dominion or spiritual authority over another and falsely accuse or misrepresent (Ezr 4:12). Do well and God will do well by you (1 Pt 2:15 “For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”)

No danger can come so near that God is not nearer still… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

1 Cor 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There may be a battle ragging within you but know there was a greater battle that was fought and won in the grave for you. While Christ was laid in death and darkness and the weight of ever sin upon Him, there the war on eternal death was waged; so great of a battle that Heaven looked away (Mt 27:46). And the power that death possessed was forever defeated. Showing us that His perfect love could not be overcome. Every battle we face has already been defeated eternally and the power has been given us to face it in the flesh. Our sin and pain may run deep, but God’s grace runs deeper. Not lacking sympathy for one’s pain and thoughts of loneliness, but we must understand no one, except Christ, has ever been truly abandoned (Isa 53:10). But to Christ’s glory He told us in (Jn 19:30) “teleo” meaning: “it is finished.”  He won the battle/s for us!

“And forever He is glorified, forever He is lifted high and forever He is risen” … HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Psa 34:17 “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”

The stature of the trial may be larger in appearance, but you have the Holy Spirit - Gods promise within you- the advantage is yours. Never fear to trust an unknown future to a knowing God. Though there may be a storm on the horizon or in your midst, rise above it and you’ll see the Son (1 Pt 5:10). It’s easy to praise Him in the sunshine, but your breakthrough comes when you praise Him in the storm. (t. evans)

Learn to praise Him in the storm and you’ll find you can dance in the rain… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

“I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.” Psa 116:1

While the Psalmist is unknown here their soul is beyond distressed and seeking deliverance from troubles that felt as death.

Yet, the Psalmist records lively expressions of devotion, love and gratitude in his afflictions.

He speaks of his: love (vs 1), rest (vs 7), walk (vs 9), and thanksgiving (vs 17) in the Lord.

For the Psalmist to have such an attitude amongst his afflictions is secured in our verse (vs 1).

He obviously had experienced the Lord’s answered prayers and deliverance before…  (vs 2) ‘he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore I will call upon him as long as I live.”

The writer was willing to stick with a good thing, and even though the sorrows of death compassed him he acknowledges the Lords graciousness, righteousness and mercy (vs 5).

The Lord is never blind to our tears, deaf to our prayers or silent to our pain… He sees, He hears, and He delivers… the sovereignty of the Lord is to be strength to our souls.

Paul and Silas didn’t wait until they were delivered from prison before they began to praise Him.

Those who dive in a sea of affliction can bring up rare pearls if they hold to an attitude of gratitude.

HSAY… Todd  

Daily Wisdom

Psa 57 “Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.”

We can find multiple Psalms that David peened while running from Saul (1 Sam 22-24). Psalm 57 is simply another instance where David continues to record his songs to God while running from death.

Yet, notice if you will, that while David was hiding in the cave, he doesn’t say the cave has brought him refuge.  He said refuge was found under the strength of God’s wing. David’s strength wasn’t established in the resources around him, but in God above him who offered His favor and protection: (Psa 17:8 “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings.”). 

There are two truths we can glean from David’s song:

1.) God provides mercy and truth, (vs 3) … David finds answer to prayer in receiving God’s intervention, allowing David peace despite his circumstances (vs 4 “my soul is among lions, and I lie even among them…”). Only God’s peace allows you to lie amongst lions!

 2.) God delivers us from our enemies, (vs 6) … David found his deliverance in the hand of God, not man (or even earthly resources). Like Joseph, what man intended for evil, God meant for good (Gen 50:20).

Such hope in God’s mercy and deliverance for our lives ought to stir our hearts to praise in Him. (vss 7-9).

God will send storms… to show us He is the only shelter.

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.” Exo 14:3

The weakness to our faith is our failure to see as God sees. Notice God encamped the Israelite's against the sea.  In a military sense, it would be foolish to put yourself in such a position that entraps you against your enemy. God intentionally used the Israelite's to show Pharaoh and Egypt that He was the God of Israel (vs 4). But, God was asking for a little faith on Israel’s part that He would deliver them. Perspective is an either-or situation. Your perspective will be situated in faith that God will deliver or faithlessness that you’ve become entrapped. The proper perspective requires a faith that allows you to see as God sees. Faith goes beyond the surface of your situation, it may look hopeless or fearful but when we look again with your perspective in the promises of God things change. Moses told the Israelite's in (vs 13) “stand still and SEE the salvation of the Lord,” Get your eyes off the perspective of the enemy and see (look in faith) what God is doing. Your faith will always be a struggle if we focus on the problem rather than the promises of God.  Some of the greatest things (miracles) in your life will happen because you chose to look again with the right perspective and not give up in your hope. Whatever you’re about to walk away from because your current perspective is blinding your ability to see as God sees, can end up being your greatest victory when you allow God to part your Red Sea allowing you to walk through on dry ground. The Israelite's were looking at two things the enemy and the ocean, but their deliverance and promise was beyond the surface.  Their dry ground was below the surface… but their perspective could not see it!

Peace is not the absence of problems, but the presence and promises of God!

HSAY … Todd  

Daily Wisdom

"I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest." Psa 55:8

Some of the most fierce storms rage with the greatest intensity right up to the brink and clearing to a wonderful new morning. In the same light, you'll never be the same after a storm. As with childbirth or anything new that is birthed, in the last moments of pain and effort comes forth a newness in life that changes everything around you. There is often lingering discomforts to remind you of the great work that God has manifested through you. So often we avoid the labors in life that bring birth and in doing so we miss the gift God had in it. Remember there is never a storm you endured or will that God does not provide the shelter to weather it (Psa 61:3). Also know the storms of life no more indicate the absence of God, than the clouds indicate the absence of the sun. It was the greatest of death that God used to bring forth the greatest promise of life. Don't focus on the storm you went through, rather glory in the anew that burst forth out of it.

Without rain nothing grows.

HSAY... Todd

Daily Wisdom

“The Lord hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he commanded in the days of old…” Lam 2:17

Not only by the mouth of Jeremiah, but in the days of Isaiah and Samuel and even Moses; were they all commanded to prophesy that if God’s children would not keep His words vexation and rebuke would come in all they apply their hand to (Deut 28:20). God says what He means and means what He says.  But this is a GREAT promise for us to hold, not in fear but in hope; knowing He which can bring forth wrath can and will bring forth His deliverance for those same who choose to follow His word and call upon His name (Joel 2:32).  God’s promises may be delayed in our desired timing, but He will never deny them to those who diligently seek His will and walk accordingly. “God’s will is what we would choose if we knew what God knows.”  Psalm 62:5 “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.”

He who puts everything in God’s hand will come to see God’s hand in everything.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.” Exo 14:21

Like the children of Israel, we too have found ourselves stuck between what appears to be a dead end; caught between boundaries that seem to prevent us from moving forward while being pursued by a fast approaching enemy from behind.  This is where we find Nahshon; he was counted in the census following the Exodus to represent the tribe of Judah.  Though he obviously survived the Pharaoh’s assault, he was now challenged in his faith to move forward in the will of the Father.  God had led them to what appeared to be an ultimate death. But, God was about to birth a nation using the parting of the Red Sea as His tool of choice.  This is where the faith of Nahshon and the Israelites would be challenged.  Jewish tradition claims Nahshon was the first Israelite to step into the Red Sea. However, as he waded in his faith the waters continued to rise over his body, starting from his ankles and slowly rising as it proceeded towards his head. Then the miracle was delivered and the waters parted for their deliverance.

Nahshon teaches us a powerful lesson.  For many Christians we fail to walk a new path God has set before us, instead choosing to stick with something old and familiar.  Many times the only way through a trial is to walk forward in our faith no matter what the obstacle before us appears to be, even if an ocean lay’s ahead.  Don’t challenge God by demanding the miracle first, that’s a poor definition of faith.  Instead, be a Nahshon, walk boldly in your faith and leave the timing of the miracle up to God!

Faith requires an action on our part before we get a re-action on God’s part.

HSAY…Todd 

Daily Wisdom

Daily Wisdom

“I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psa 34:4

Goliath was not always a giant, as with most struggles we face in our lives your fear and lack of faith feeds your giant and stimulates its growth; they become giants and hinder your faith and ability to respond righteously.  You have to see them as vessels of faith and fill them with the all-sufficiency of Christ. Great things are possible for the person who has hope, even greater things for the person with faith.  And still more is possible for the person who understands Christ love for them.  But, for the person who utilizes and practices all three, nothing is impossible.  It was David’s great faith, hope and love in God that allowed him to face his giant; not the deliverance from it that offers us promise of deliverance in facing our giants with the faith, hope and love in Christ.

Don’t pray for safety from danger in a storm, pray for deliverance from fear to face the storm.

HSAY…Todd