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Here the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3IlofVp
View here: https://bit.ly/3MirIFu https://bit.ly/3MirIFu 1 Up with God! Down with his enemies! Adversaries, run for the hills! 2 Gone like a puff of smoke, like a blob of wax in the fire - one look at God and the wicked vanish. 3 When the righteous see God in action they'll laugh, they'll sing, they'll laugh and sing for joy. 4 Sing hymns to God; all heaven, sing out; clear the way for the coming of Cloud-Rider. Enjoy God, cheer when you see him! 5 Father of orphans, champion of widows, is God in his holy house. 6 God makes homes for the homeless, leads prisoners to freedom, but leaves rebels to rot in hell. 7 God, when you took the lead with your people, when you marched out into the wild, 8 Earth shook, sky broke out in a sweat; God was on the march. Even Sinai trembled at the sight of God on the move, at the sight of Israel's God. 9 You pour out rain in buckets, O God; thorn and cactus become an oasis 10 For your people to camp in and enjoy. You set them up in business; they went from rags to riches. 32 Sing, O kings of the earth! Sing praises to the Lord! 33 There he is: Sky-Rider, striding the ancient skies. Listen - he's calling in thunder, rumbling, rolling thunder. 34 Call out "Bravo!" to God, the High God of Israel. His splendor and strength rise huge as thunderheads. 35 A terrible beauty, O God, streams from your sanctuary. It's Israel's strong God! He gives power and might to his people! O you, his people - bless God! (Psalm 68:1-10, 32-25 The Message Bible)
I remember thinking, during an innocent period of my childhood, that I had no enemies. I believe we had been learning Psalm 121 and wondering who were my enemies at that age? The teacher explained that some illnesses, etc. would count as enemies. Then, like you, realized that some enemies do become real and will go against you. And then I learned that yes, even God has enemies. And sadly, at times, God's biggest enemy can be me. Yes, I've made decisions or said things that a friend, nay a child of God, would not or should not, say.
The psalmist knew about enemies of God. In his day those of his nation were, for the most part, friends of God and those who were from other nations who worshiped other gods, were the enemies of God. So, in this modern version of the psalm, he writes, "Up with God! Down with His enemies! Adversaries, run for the hills!" He writes of the day when God will deal with those who have gone against God. God will bless those of the believers who are righteous, for they have seen God in action, and they know to praise and cheer Him. God is, the psalmist writes, the father of orphans, champion of widows. He says God makes homes for the homeless, leads to freedom those who are prisoners, but the enemies who rebelled against God, will "rot in hell." The rest of the psalm is a litany of praise for all that God does for the righteous.
If you count yourself as a child of God, rejoice and take advantage of all God offers to do your part in expanding the kingdom of God. If you are not a friend or consider yourself a family member of God, that does not have to stay the case; you are free to surrender to the Lord and become a family member of God's and join the siblings who also love God and want to serve Him.
PRAYER: Loving God, cleanse me and make me yours. Forgive me for having strayed and reign me in to the brother and sister-hood of God. I want to do my part; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Do and be something for God.
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
