Walking Through the Psalms“We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master.” – Psalm 123:2 (NLT)“Freedom in Slavery” Several years ago, I preached a message called “Freedom in Slavery.” I used the text from Romans 6 about how Paul says that we only find true freedom when we become slaves of God. I know that sounds funny, but it’s true. When God b...

Walking Through the Psalms“Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.” – Psalm 121:4 (NLT)"God's Awake So You Can Sleep" Several years ago, I spent a few days with my grandkids when they were living in Baltimore. The second night, as usual, I was still up long after everyone else had gone to bed. About 20 minutes after they had all turned in, my grandson Maddox came downstairs. H...

Walking Through the Psalms“I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!” – Psalm 121:1-2 (NLT)“Where Does YOUR Help Come From?” Forty years ago, I had major ear surgery on both ears. My surgeon, Dr. Hough, was one of the world’s leading ear specialists. He was also a deeply devoted Christian. One time when I came to his office, I ...

Walking Through the Psalms“Rescue me, O LORD, from liars and from all deceitful people.” – Psalm 120:2 (NLT)“Worry About Your Character, Not Your Reputation” Have you ever had someone lie about you? I have. It’s really hurtful. Maybe it’s something they thought was true, but it wasn’t. Maybe it was something they heard (or misheard) and decided to pass on. Or maybe it was simply something they mad...

Walking Through the Psalms“I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.” – Psalm 120:1 (NLT)“Where Are You Taking Your Troubles?” Where do you take YOUR troubles? Some of us take our troubles to our homes. We snap at our spouse, yell at our kids, and kick the dog. Some of us take our troubles to our jobs. We roll our eyes at our boss, get snippy with our co-worker...

Walking Through the Psalms“I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commands.” – Psalm 119:176 (NLT)“They Are Only a Prayer Away” Read this verse again. Can you hear it? It’s the voice of your son. It’s the sob of your granddaughter. It’s the cry of the heart of someone dear to you. Someone who grew up in the church. Someone who has heard the sermons,...

Walking Through the Psalms“I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure.” – Psalm 119:162 (NLT)“A Crater of Diamonds!” In Murfreesboro, Arkansas, is the Crater of Diamonds State Park. It’s one of the few places on Earth where the public can search for diamonds at their original volcanic source. It’s an eroded volcanic crater that is now a 37-acre plowed field. What’s cool is you ...

Walking Through the Psalms“Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much.” – Psalm 119:140 (NLT)“Read the Reviews” Having traveled a good bit, I learned a valuable lesson about hotels. Read the reviews. I used to just look at the pictures that the hotel posted about itself. The pictures are almost always fantastic. Beautiful rooms. Wonderful breakfast buffets. Elegant ...

Walking Through the Psalms“It is time for you to act, LORD; your law is being broken.” – Psalm 119:126 (NIV)“Let God Be God” “It is time for you to act, LORD!” Have you ever prayed that prayer? Maybe, like the psalmist, you’re tired of seeing all the evil in the world, and you want Jesus to come back NOW and stop it all. Of course, that means that your own friends and family who are without Jesus ...

Walking Through the Psalms“Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws.” – Psalm 119:125 (NLT)“Learning to Discern” I’m a big believer in listening to intuition. It’s a tough concept to teach, but it is an important concept to learn. I can’t tell you how many times along the way I’m about to make a decision, and something starts stirring inside me that this is not a good...

Walking Through the Psalms“Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind upon your promises.” – Psalm 119:95 (TLB)“Let It Go!” Some people are not worthy of the amount of thought we give them.  That’s what hit me when I read our verse for today.  Think about it.  Somebody says something ugly to you or does something malicious.  And they’re KNOWN for doing such things...

Walking Through the Psalms“My eyes are straining to see your promises come true. When will you comfort me?” – Psalm 119:82 (NLT)“A Prayer for Those Who Are Straining” Straining. That word jumped out at me. It’s the perfect description for so many people I know right now. Maybe it’s a perfect description for you. Some of us are straining to hold it together. Others of us are straining to get it tog...

Walking Through the Psalms“My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.” – Psalm 119:71 (NLT)“The Gift of Letting Them Suffer” You learn more through failures than you do through successes. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but it’s true. Think about things that you messed up. Think about decisions you made that were really dumb. Think about things that you d...

Walking Through the Psalms“Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.” – Psalm 119:50 (NLT)“Standing On The Promises” A few years ago, I was praying with a woman who was not long for this world. As I prayed, I found myself quoting God’s promises. It’s not that I needed to tell God what He said in the Bible. After all, He wrote it. I was quoting the promises because they were a com...

Walking Through the Psalms“Give me understanding, and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart.” – Psalm 119:34 (NLT)"Put Your Heart Into It!" “HOW you do what you do is just as important as what you do.” Read that sentence again, and let the truth of it sink in. This is one of those principles that I wish I had learned long before I got married. When I was fi...

Walking Through the Psalms“Keep me from lying to myself…” – Psalm 119:29 (NLT)“Defining Reality” One of my favorite books on leadership is Max DePree’s book called “Leadership Is an Art.” He makes a statement that I think every single person needs to learn. He says, “The number one responsibility of leadership is to define reality.” In other words, you can’t really lead an organization forward unt...

Walking Through the Psalms“Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word.” – Psalm 119:18 (TLB) Do you believe God speaks to you? I do. In fact, I believe God speaks to each one of us every single day of our lives. There are a few different ways that God does that. Sometimes He speaks to us through His Spirit. Those are the quiet whispers in our souls. They are the “nudges” we feel to call or ...

Walking Through the Psalms“This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24 (NLT)“Your Attitude Is Your Choice” One of the most powerful life lessons I ever learned was at a John Maxwell conference almost 40 years ago. That was the first time I ever heard the phrase, “Your attitude is your choice.” That understanding was life-altering for me. I used to blame my...

Walking Through the Psalms“The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” – Psalm 118:22 (NLT)“Turning Rejected Stones into Cornerstones” This is a beautiful verse depicting the wonderful, redeeming work of God. God can take that life which others discard and build something amazing and incredible out of it. God took Gideon, who was from the “least tribe” and the “least clan...

Walking Through the Psalms“The LORD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.” – Psalm 118:14 (NLT)“God Has Given YOU The Victory!” This is a great verse for you to read out loud before you leave the house today. It’s actually a great verse for some of us to write down and put up on our bathroom mirrors or refrigerators, where we’ll see it all week long. It’s a verse of triumph. It’s a ...