Longing for Your Salvation

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by Nikolay Draganov on Pexels.com

Reading the Word

Psalm 119:121–128 (ESV)

¹²¹ I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors. ¹²² Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me. ¹²³ My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise. ¹²⁴ Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes. ¹²⁵ I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies! ¹²⁶ It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken. ¹²⁷ Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. ¹²⁸ Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way.

Understanding and Applying the Word

The psalmist declares that his “eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.” He desires that God will come and judge the world with righteousness and justice. The psalmist is facing oppression from those who do not know the Lord or follow the Lord’s word. So, it is time for God to act and save his people.

In every age, the people of God have faced rejection and persecution on some level. Some face mocking and loss of family and friend relationships. Others may face public shaming or ostracism from the community. And some face harsh consequences including imprisonment or death. It is not easy to live out the word of God in our lives. For some, it is extremely difficult.

However, for the believer, we place our hope in the salvation that God has promised to those who trust in him. The Bible tells us that if we trust in the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ for our sins against God we will be saved. Through Christ, our sins are paid for. And for those who trust in the Lord, we receive the promise of an eternity with God in a new heaven and new earth where sin has received its final judgment and is no more. So, we too long for the salvation that God has promised and wait for him to act.

**Shaped by the Word is a daily Bible reading devotional. Please use the links at the bottom to subscribe to this page. You can also share this post with your friends through social media using the buttons below. Thanks for reading!

My Hiding Place

Posted on November 14, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 119:113–120 (ESV) ¹¹³ I hate the double-minded, but I love your law. ¹¹⁴ You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word. ¹¹⁵ Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God. ¹¹⁶ Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope! ¹¹⁷ Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for your statutes continually! ¹¹⁸ You spurn all who go astray from your statutes, for their cunning is in vain. ¹¹⁹ All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross, therefore I love your testimonies. ¹²⁰ My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments.

Understanding and Applying the Word

The double-minded, evildoers, and wicked disregard the commands of God. However, those who fear God and his judgments seek to live according to God’s word. In so doing, they find hope and a place of refuge.There are ultimately two ways to live our lives. We can live according to the way we decide or we can live according to what God has said in his word. These options are the same as they have been since the garden of Eden in Genesis 3. There, the first man and woman decided to live their own way and disobey God. Mankind has been in rebellion against God ever since.The world will tell you that it is best and most fulfilling to follow your own path. God’s word tells us that this way is actually the path to destruction, not fulfillment. It is only through God’s word, his instruction to us, that we find hope. It is those who trust in God’s salvation through Jesus Christ that look forward to eternal life. What are you looking for to fulfill you? Turn to God’s word. It is the only place you will find what you seek.**Shaped by the Word is a daily Bible reading devotional. Please use the links at the bottom to subscribe to this page. You can also share this post with your friends through social media using the buttons below. Thanks for reading!

I Hope in Your Word

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 119:81–88 (ESV)

⁸¹ My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word. ⁸² My eyes long for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?” ⁸³ For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes. ⁸⁴ How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me? ⁸⁵ The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. ⁸⁶ All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me! ⁸⁷ They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. ⁸⁸ In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Sometimes life is hard. It may even feel like you cannot go any further. This is how the psalmist felt. Listen as he says, “My soul longs for your salvation…My eyes long for your promise.” Here we read of one who is desperate for God to intervene.

As we read the feelings of the psalmist, let us not miss what sustains him through his trouble. It is because his hope is in God’s word and in the promises that God has made that he is able to persevere. Though the world is seemingly against him, he remains steadfast in living according to God’s word and waiting for the promises to be fulfilled.

This is what faith is all about. It is trusting in the word of God no matter what. It is believing the promises of God and living according to his word. It is believing that God is saving his people through his Son, Jesus Christ, and that one day he will gather his people to be with him forever. And faith is what gives us the strength to persevere in this word until we reach the next one where sin and suffering are no more. Do you trust the word of God?

The Lord Is Better

Posted on October 28, 2018 by Tim Farley

Psalm 1188 [widescreen]

Thank you for reading Shaped by the Word. I do not publish devotional content on Sundays, but do include a suggested Scripture reading. Please take the time to subscribe to this page if you have not already. We are working our way through the Book of Psalms in 2018.

Reading the Word

Psalm 118:1–9 (ESV)

¹ Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! ² Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” ³ Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” ⁴ Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” ⁵ Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. ⁶ The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? ⁷ The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. ⁸ It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. ⁹ It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

He Is Their Help and Shield

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Reading the Word

Psalm 115:9–18 (ESV)

⁹ O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. ¹⁰ O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. ¹¹ You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. ¹² The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; ¹³ he will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great. ¹⁴ May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! ¹⁵ May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth! ¹⁶ The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. ¹⁷ The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. ¹⁸ But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!

Understanding and Applying the Word

What do you trust in? The psalmist calls on us to trust in the Lord. He is the one who is trustworthy. He is the one who can protect and save. And he is the one who blesses.

Who is better able to bless than the Creator? The heavens and the earth are his. So, who do we trust in? Let us trust in the Lord and praise his name!

He Is Not Afraid of Bad News

Posted on October 20, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 112:1–10 (ESV)

¹ Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! ² His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. ³ Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. ⁴ Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. ⁵ It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice. ⁶ For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. ⁷ He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. ⁸ His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries. ⁹ He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor. ¹⁰ The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!

Understanding and Applying the Word

The one who fears the Lord is blessed. This is in contrast to the wicked, who gnashes his teeth and perishes. The one who fears the Lord will have influential offspring, wealth and riches, and will be remembered.

But what about when things do not go so well? What about when the circumstances do not seem to be a blessing at all? The one who fears the Lord even finds hope in the midst of trouble. As verse 7 states, “He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.” Those who belong to Christ, who trust in him, know that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28). Even what may be considered “bad news” is used by God for the good of his people. We have no reason to be afraid because God is in control and we trust him with every detail.

What are you facing today that causes you to fear? Know that God is in control of your situation and he is using it for your good. Let your heart be firm and trust in the Lord!

He Stands at the Right Hand of the Needy

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Reading the Word

Psalm 109:30–31 (ESV)

³⁰ With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord; I will praise him in the midst of the throng. ³¹ For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.

Understanding and Applying the Word

This psalm ends with words of confidence from David as he joins in praise to the Lord. David believes that God will be with him even though David’s enemy has falsely accused him. Peter quotes from verse 8 of this psalm when there is a need to replace Judas as one of the Twelve in Acts 1:20. In the betrayal of David in this psalm we see similarities to the betrayal of Jesus at the hands of Judas. And as David calls for punishment on his accuser, we see judgement fall on Judas (cf. Acts 1:18).

As we reflect on this psalm and David’s life, as well as the life of Jesus, we see the Father standing with his own. This does not mean that God always removes the trial or difficulties, but he stands at the right hand to guide, comfort, and strengthen. We can have confidence that we are never left alone to face our circumstances. The Lord is with us and he is for us.

Hope for the Poor And Needy

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 109:21–29 (ESV)

²¹ But you, O God my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me! ²² For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me. ²³ I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust. ²⁴ My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt, with no fat. ²⁵ I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads. ²⁶ Help me, O Lord my God! Save me according to your steadfast love! ²⁷ Let them know that this is your hand; you, O Lord, have done it! ²⁸ Let them curse, but you will bless! They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad! ²⁹ May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!

Understanding and Applying the Word

In these verses we see David’s hope. His trust is in God, who he calls “God my Lord” in verse 21. The titles that he uses reflect on God’s sovereign rule over all. While David is “poor and needy” (a description of his weakness), God is in control and full of steadfast love towards David.

What are you going through? What is it that you are facing that makes you feel weak and powerless to overcome? David sought the Lord in prayer and trusted that the sovereign One would be faithful to him. You and I can rest in the truth that our God is in control and that he loves his people. Let us call out to him and trust him. We may be weak, but he is all-powerful.

God Has Promised

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 108:5–13 (ESV)

⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! ⁶ That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me! ⁷ God has promised in his holiness: “With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Valley of Succoth. ⁸ Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter. ⁹ Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph.” ¹⁰ Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? ¹¹ Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go out, O God, with our armies. ¹² Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! ¹³ With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.

Understanding and Applying the Word

This psalm is attributed to David in the header. In these verses we see that David is ready and willing to go to battle and stand his ground because he trusts in the promises of God. His confidence is not in his armies, but in the One who goes out to battle with him.

Here we see what it means to live by faith. God has given us his word and living by faith is trusting that God will keep that word. That’s what David did. That’s what we are called to do also. We have been promised that those who trust in Christ are saved and belong to God. We have an eternal future with him awaiting. If we believe and trust that word, the things we face in this world (e.g. ridicule, rejection, loss of wealth, etc.) become less important to us. They are fleeting in relation to eternity. Since we know that God keeps his word, we are emboldened to live for him now, even in the face of opposition and sacrifice because what awaits us in the future is far greater and more important.

They Had No Faith

Posted on October 3, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 106:24–31 (ESV)

²⁴ Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise. ²⁵ They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the Lord. ²⁶ Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them that he would make them fall in the wilderness, ²⁷ and would make their offspring fall among the nations, scattering them among the lands. ²⁸ Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; ²⁹ they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them. ³⁰ Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed. ³¹ And that was counted to him as righteousness from generation to generation forever.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Even after all God did to bring the people out of Egypt, the people had no faith in his promises to them. They saw the plagues and miraculous events that made it possible for them to leave, but they quickly forgot and murmured against God. The events in view in these verses are those of the spy expedition in Numbers 13-14 and Balaam’s actions in Numbers 25.

As a result of their unbelief, God did not allow the entire generation that came out of Egypt to enter the Promised Land. They wandered the desert for forty years until they had all died and all that was left were their descendants. The Bible uses many words to speak of our belief (e.g. trust and faith) in him and his word. We are told that when we believe that Jesus is the Savior that we need to save us from our sin and trust in his sacrifice, that we find forgiveness and eternal life through him. If we do not believe, our sin condemns us and we will not enter the promised new heaven and new earth. Believe God’s word and trust in Jesus Christ today!

Shaped by the Word

A Bible Reading Devotional

Tag Archives: trust

Longing for Your Salvation

My Hiding Place

Reading the Word

Understanding and Applying the Word

I Hope in Your Word

The Lord Is Better

He Is Their Help and Shield

He Is Not Afraid of Bad News

He Stands at the Right Hand of the Needy

Hope for the Poor And Needy

God Has Promised

They Had No Faith

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