My expectations effect my reactions to situations. It is my expectation not my circumstances that effect my attitudes.
“If God is not enough, then nothing ever will be.”

I don’t know when this Psalm was written by David, but he was either going through or was remembering difficult trials. He speaks of being pursued by people that wanted to hurt him. He intimates that he was separated from worshipping God in the tabernacle. He was not able to be with family or was even possibly estranged from family. Whether as a current situation or a time of remembering, David has his focus on the Lord. This Psalm describes his personal testimony of how he kept a right testimony when going through difficult times.

Your circumstances will never be perfect. You will always go through difficult times. David presents two key factors for handling life: God is bigger and God is enough. David presents why you should wait on the Lord and be of good courage, how you can wait on the Lord and be of good courage, and when you should wait on the Lord and be of good courage.

God can be protector (v. 1-3) Whether one or a host of enemies, David would not fear because God was bigger than one or many.

God’s glory and presence should be life purpose (v. 4-5) The Psalmist next states that he has one overall purpose in life: To see the Lord and to seek Him (to be with the Lord, to enjoy the Lord and to know what He wants) (v. 4). You have God’s Word and the Work of the Holy Spirit in your life. You can spend time with God each day and all day. One additional thought that bears consideration: As a believer you are looking forward to the time when you will be with Him in heaven and enjoying him forever. This is the “One Thing” of the believer. It is easy to focus on the now rather than the future. The Lord is beautiful to behold, yet for David it took a choice to stop and notice.

God should be the pavillion (v. 5) The Psalmist says that he knows there will be times of trouble that come. He expected that, but that during those times God would keep him safe. David is looking for the “one thing” yet, in the troubles that come, God will be sufficient. God hides and shields. That is enough.

God should be the focus of praise (v. 6) God is good! The Psalmist says that he will praise God purposefully. He remembers what God has done and who God is and therefore he praises. Praise is the natural out flow of remembering. (v.6.)

God is the one to whom we should go to in prayer (v. 7-10) The Psalmist says that he only has one prayer to survive all he is going through – My Lord. He needs to hear the Lord and experience His mercy. He does not need to hear or see anyone else for security and happiness (v. 7-9). He commits to obeying whenever he is spoken to. Even more secure and trustworthy than those with whom he has grown up, David says that he can trust the Lord.

God’s plan should be what we desire(v. 11-13). David has only one plea, that he would know and do God’s plan for him that day. He had to plainly know God’s will because others were trying to trip him up, trying to hurt him. He was being threatened and accused and it would have been too much had it not been for the character of God. He could trust God to be true and faithful to His Word and to his character.

God should be the focus of our proclamation (v. 14) When it came to advice for others who were going through the same difficulties and when it came to knowing how to help others who were experiencing the same troubles David had this advice: Wait on the Lord! Wait for God’s timing. God will take care of you, so wait for Him.

How do you respond in times of difficulty? What do you say? It is easy to loose focus and think that you are sinking the in trials that you are experiencing. Do you turn to God for illumination and protection. Are you confident that God is in control and His will for you and you family will be accomplished? Have your desires changed or shifted from what they should be? The “one thing principle” radically effects the way you view your day.

Over in Burma, Judson was lying in a foul jail with 32 lbs. of chains on his ankles, his feet bound to a bamboo pole. A fellow prisoner with a sneer on his face said, “Dr. Judson, what about the prospect of the conversion of the heathen?” His instant reply was, “The prospects are just as bright as the promises of God.” 

Being in jail did not effect Judson’s expectation. Judson Taylor’s expectation was not freedom from difficulty or hardship, but that God would be glorified through the salvation of souls and served to that end.

“Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace.” [Oswald Chambers in Run Today’s Race.]

God is available, ready and all-powerful. He never leaves or forsakes, so why am you acting the way that you are? Have you begun to desire something more than God? Have you begun to trust someone more than God?

Be not dismayed what-e’er betide – God will take care of you.
Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you.
God will take care of you, Through every day, O’er all the way.
He will take care of you. God will take care of you! [Author: Civilla D. Martin]

Thought: If God is not enough, then nothing ever will be.

One of the greatest areas of battle every day is in the area of temptation. Temptation is the battlefield where the pressure intensifies and the “heat” increases. The Psalmist described how we can win the battle against temptation and in fact thrive rather than shriveling and drying up.

What are the key pieces for victory in temptation: who we listen to, who we spend time with, and who we imitate in our attitudes and actions. The Psalmist warned that those whom you pattern your life after will effect the strength and stamina in your personal life.

Every person will listen to someone. You can either take your “cues” from ungodly (v. 1) or you can take your “cues” the law of the Lord (v.2). Every person has a “library of conscience” that he seeks to fill with “books” of how to live and handle life. Which “books” you place in your “library” will determine how you will perceive or understand your situations. Poor “books” or no “books” will result in your not knowing how to properly avoid danger or capitalize on an opportunity. “The counsel of the ungodly” means the “way of life” or the “lifestyle of” ungodly.

Every person will spent time with someone. We become like those with whom we spend our leisure, or those we deem our peers. When we “stand in the way of sinners” we set ourselves up for weakness when we go through trouble.

Whom do you want to imitate?

Favor and good understanding with God and man. There is a way to develop relationships so that God and man treat you with loving kindness and understanding (of what you really meant).

Ever really make a mistake and wish you could do it over with the information you now know? Ever wish that you could “re-do” and start over? In these two verses Solomon begins to give his children the specifics of how to have productivity, protection and peace in their lives (v. 1-2). He begins with how to have productivity, length, and peace in your relationships. The secret to good relationships is found in two words: Mercy and truth.

Mercy can simply be described as “not giving what someone deserves.” The person deserves punishment, and should receive the earned reprisal for a foolish or malicious action. Instead, the person is given a second chance – another opportunity to get it right. Mercy does not make you the “door mat” in a relationship, but it gives the the opportunity to restore damaged relationships. Interestingly, mercy is not enough for good relationships, it takes mercy and something else.

Truth is realistically looking at the facts. Truth honestly looks at the situation and describes where the person was wrong. Truth is sometimes harder than mercy. Mercy means you absorb the hurt, but truth means honesty in communication. Unless the truth is told a person never learns and is doomed to repeat the same wrong or hurt. Truth is the liberating fact that allows the other person to learn from their mistake (or disobedience) and move forward and grow as a person.

God tells us that good relationships must have a genuine blend of mercy and truth. People do not care what you know until they know that you care, but just caring is not enough. It takes truth and mercy to be able to really keep relationships.

Mercy is expensive. Mercy demands that you take the loss rather than making the other person “pay.” Mercy allows you to tell the truth without making the other person feel threatened. Truth allows the other person to grow.

In choosing these two words Solomon has revealed a secret. Good relationships are selfless. Mercy and truth focus on the other person, not yourself. Mercy means you have to pay the bill rather than extract it from them. Truth means you have to become vulnerable and open up to their questions and even criticism.

Build your relationships on Mercy and Truth!

If you really need to remember something, what do you do? It used to be that people would “tie a string around their finger.” In our high tech age we may set a “reminder” to go off when we near a destination.

Forget not! Can it really be that easy? God just tells me “not to forget” and my problems are solved? When Solomon said “forget not” he chose a word that can mean to “to mislay, or to be oblivious of. It has the idea of out of sight and out of mind.” When I mislay something, I do not have use of it at that moment. If I am referring to a tool, I still own the tool, but am not able to benefit from it until I “re-discover” it again. Sometimes I “forget” that I own something, and have never used it.

Over the years I have slowly acquired many different tools. Some are specialty tools, and some have been “made” or altered for a specific task. One special gift was my grandfather’s tool chest. Inside the tool box he had many different tools, some he had made specifically or altered for a job he had to do on that day.

God is telling us that it is very important that we do not overlook, ignore or become oblivious to His Word. We can easily become distracted and lose sight of God’s guidance for each circumstance. He goes beyond telling us not to forget and says “keep my commandments.” Keep has a military feel to it. Our heavenly Father tells us to intentionally guard or put a sentry around His Words so that they are never misplaced or stolen away.

His word has the power to completely change our day. When we pay close attention to God’s Word it can make us more productive each day, give us extra days and add serenity to our days. Consider what a gift that is! Productivity, Protection, and Peace!

How often do we “think that we do not have time” to read God’s Word? How often do we think we are just too busy? The truth is that we have doomed our day when we “forget” God’s Word.
God loves you so much that He has written about everything you need to know to be productive, protected and at peace. Why is it that we ignore it? Re-discover God’s Words to you today. Purpose to make it precious and set a guard around it. It will have wonderful results.

Protect your time with God!

The phrase “I’m all ears” usually means that someone has your complete attention. Intentionally listening and just hearing are completely different. Those who grow up hearing God’s Word on a regular, if not daily basis, run the risk of treating it like background noise. We hear God’s Word, but be don’t really listen to it. In the last four verses of Proverbs 8 Wisdom says “listen to me . . . on purpose and your life will be blessed.”

In Proverbs 8 we have a brief autobiography of Wisdom. Wisdom begins by telling us a little about herself: she describes her goals (her services are available to all who want it v. 1-11), her character (her likes and friendships v. 12-21), and her age and “interests” (v. 22-31).
The main point of Wisdom’s brief “bio” is found in the last four verses. If you will listen to Wisdom on purpose, life will become vibrant (alive in vivid color) and God will grant you delight and pleasure. Just hearing God’s Word does not bring blessing any more than sleeping on a text book prepares you for a quiz. “Hearing, watching, and waiting” describe “being all ears” when God speaks. Life and favor of the Lord are the promised results of intentionally listening to Wisdom.

Don’t just hear God’s Word – Listen on purpose!

Some things get better with time. The flavors of chili always taste better the second or third day after marinading together. Lasagna and spaghetti sauce always taste better with some time between when you make and eat it. Some things just should not be rushed.
Often I hear that time heals all things, but there is one thing with which time is very destructive: bad decisions. Time only intensifies bad decisions. In Proverbs 6 Solomon tells his son that good intentions for guaranteeing another person’s debts is a very dangerous and bad thing. You can give money away, but to be the guarantor of other’s debts is a bad decision. He gives the mental picture of an animal trap.
The fowler’s snare was something that was hidden. With a deer stand, a hunter tries to remove all human smell that could give away his presence. Solomon says that if you out of pity or kindness become a guarantor for your neighbor or friend, you are caught by your own words.
Solomon spends one verse describing the problem and four verses instructing how to remedy the mistake. Although time does not fix bad decisions, humility and action can.
Recognize your mistake ( you are in a trap). Your kind genture may take years to repay and may endanger your family.
Admit your mistake to your friend and plead to be released (for them to pay immediately or refinance). Allow yourself to be “trampled on” so that you can avoid the much greater trampling.
Don’t let time go by – do it right away.
It is a common mistake to try to avoid embarrassment and to let bad decisions “ride.” Honesty, humility, and immediacy are important steps to delivering yourself from compounding a bad decision with disaster.