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“Lord Is Faithful Today, Everyday Daily (L.I.F.T.E.D)!”

Ramesh C. Reddy
Publisher

Editors Note: This devotional was originally sent through email on Tuesday, November 10, 1998 at 11:13:56 p.m. to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) students and others who wanted to receive daily devotionals at the University of Pittsburgh while I was serving at IVCF! It is being republished on Pittsburgh Standard today. The background songs can be from any area including the present!

SCRIPTURE:
"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols.  O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them." (Psalm 40:1-5)

Observations:

What David PROCLAIMS: 

1. I waited patiently for the Lord.

What the Lord PERFORMS:

1. The Lord turned to him.

2. The Lord heard David's cry.

3. The Lord lifted him out of the slimy pit.

4. The Lord lifted him out of the mud and mire.

5. The Lord set his feet on a rock.

6. The Lord gave him a firm place to stand.

7. The Lord put a new song in his mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

What David claims as PROMISES.

1. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust.

2. Blessed is the man who does not look to the proud.

3. Blessed is the man who does not turn aside to false gods.

What David PRAYS:

1. Many, O Lord my God are the wonders you have done!

2. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you!

3. Were I to speak and tell of them they would be too many to declare!

Interpretations:

David waited for the Lord patiently and the Lord turned to him, hearing his cry.

When you think about waiting for someone, you expect them to come or show up. Sometimes we can be in a rush and impatiently leave missing what could have been. David did not just wait but 'patiently' is emphasized.

Application: 

What are you expecting the Lord to do in your life?

Each one of you can be waiting upon the Lord for something. Things may not be going well in your life right now so you can be stressed out, down in the dumps, and just frustrated with everything that is going around! When that happens who would want to wait, especially have patience, can be the attitude! It is much easier to give up and accept failure but that's the time you should still wait upon the Lord patiently.

Waiting can just be a second but 'patiently waiting' can mean a long time sometimes. But it is worth it! Jesus loves you so much and will turn to you as he hears your cry. He knows every pain you are going through. Every hurt you have faced, He feels your agony. He reaches out to you. You have to 'wait patiently' though even when things are going completely haywire. The Lord wants to perform seven things in your life too as he did in David's life.

Interpretation:

When you think about a slimy pit, it is not a pleasant experience. It can be a horrifying experience. Being in the mud and mire is not any pleasant either. It is there that David feels he was in. Things must have been going really wrong in David's life. It could have been revolts to overthrow him, problems with his sons, etc! We cannot be sure but what we know is whatever he was facing, he is able to confidently say that the Lord lifted him out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire.

Application:

You could be facing hardships in a relationship? You may not be in a relationship and wish that the Lord would bring that right person your way soon? Your classes could be frustrating you? You maybe facing turmoil with your family or friends? Your job maybe troublesome?

Whatever you are facing, that could seem like your slimy pit but the Lord can deliver you and He will as you wait upon Him patiently. Even when deliverance does not seem to you that it is at hand, His strength will get you through as you wait upon the Lord.

Interpretation: 

David realizes that the Lord has set his feet on a rock and gave him a firm place to stand. This is very important when you realize that he could not figuratively stand before. If any of you tried to walk on slime, you would realize it is easy to slip without being able to firmly stand. David confidently can say that he is able to stand firmly now because the Lord set his feet on a rock.

Application: 

Jesus can do the same thing for you as you wait upon him. Let us remember that the Lord is our Rock and fortress. When we are standing on the Rock, we are figuratively holding on to Jesus and that is why we can be firm without slipping or falling. We have to allow Jesus to work in us though, even when things seem hopeless. It is important to realize that things will not go our way always but the Lord loves us the same and can take care of us.

Interpretation:

David knows how he was delivered from whatever he was facing. Now he is able to say that the Lord has put a new song in his mouth, a hymn of praise to our God and many will not only see, but fear, and put their trust in God. Because he was delivered, he knows others can see the deliverance and can also put their trust in the Lord. We do not know what the old song was but he has a new song now. It is important to know the importance of community as David says, 'praise to our God'. He is not just David's God but ours also.

Application:

The Lord can put a song of praise on your lips too. You are not any less important to the Lord. You are so precious and special in the Lord's sight no matter what you maybe feeling about yourself or what others make you feel negatively. Jesus wants to take care of you. Claim the promises of God and look unto Him who can give you the strength to endure until his deliverance comes! You are loved and never forget that. The Lord is our God too and let us live in community.

Intepretation:

David emphasizes blessings to those who make the Lord their trust, who do not look to the proud or turn aside to false gods. This is very important because when we are down it is so easy to fall prey to doubting God's love and provision in our lives and turn to false gods whether they be drugs, drunkenness, sex, etc. Anything that we give more allegiance to than God becomes a false god in our life.        

Sex according to God's plan is a blessing but when we abuse the gift of sex given to us by the Lord and make it an addiction and engage in it before marriage, etc we are giving it more allegiance and making it a false god.

 On that note, the important thing to know is even if we have messed up in any area, our Lord's forgiveness and blood can cover over our past sins and give us a new beginning if we ask Him. We need not dwell in the past anymore.

 "As far as the east is from the west, he has removed our transgressions from us"

God does not remember our past sins anymore when He forgives us. Whatever you had given allegiance to in the past, it is the past. You are a new creation in Christ Jesus and should not dwell in the sins of your past. Jesus does not remember them anymore and you should forget them too.

Application: 

Never lose hope even when you feel like doubting God. There is nothing wrong with doubt when we take it to the Lord. Our Lord is so loving and kind that he does not abandon us when we doubt him. We find that true as we look to the life of Thomas. Thomas did not believe Jesus came back to life until He saw Jesus face to face.

Jesus could have abandoned Thomas saying, “I cannot believe the way Thomas is acting. I spent three years with him and he saw my miracles and I even told him that I will rise again after 3 days but now he has the nerve to doubt that I am alive. He is a hopeless case. I will concentrate on the other 10."

Jesus did not do any of that but lovingly showed himself to Thomas as Thomas desired. You know that made such an impact in Thomas' life. Jesus also told him, "Blessed are those who do not see and yet believe" This applies to all of us. Doubt itself is not bad but when we allow doubt to forsake our trust in the Lord and go to false gods we end up in danger. If you ever feel your life is a mess, all you have to do is look to Job and see how faithful he was. God eventually delivered Job.

Interpretation:

David praises and prays to the Lord telling Him the wonders the Lord has done, the things the Lord has planned that no one can recount, and if he were to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. No one can recount means there are so many plans for him that he does not even have time to declare.

Application: 

This should give each of us so much comfort. This is because the Lord that David serves is the same Lord we serve. The Lord has wonderful plans for us that we cannot even comprehend. Many times we may not understand how something can be in the Lord's plans when it makes no sense to us and just brings sadness. But who are we to understand the mind of God? He is the One who created us. We are the created and let us rely upon our Creator! Amen!

"Lord Is Faithful Today, Everyday, Daily! (L.I.F.T.E.D)/"Where do you need to be L.I.F.T.E.D up in life?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus thank you so much for your Word. Thank you Lord how much your Word speaks to us and gives us your promises to hold. We are never far from you and even when we feel far away, you never leave us nor abandon us. You are so faithful today, everyday, daily and just reach out to us. Thank you Jesus so much. We want to bring our pain to you Lord and ask you for help. You alone Oh Lord are our only hope. Help us to patiently wait upon you Lord knowing that you love us and care for us. Knowing that you are for us we thank you that we can rest in you and that you will lift us out of our slimy pit and help us to stand firm. We give our lives to thee and ask thee to take care of us and to use us for your honor and glory. Thank you how much you love us even when we have doubts. Thanks you give your answers in your perfect timing. Please Lord forgive us when we do things our own way. We are sorry and ask you to be in control of our lives. Thank you we can come to you as we are and you will accept us. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. Thank you for this time. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

May the Lord Jesus guide you in His love leading you! Amen!

No matter what you feel in your heart, know that Jesus has come in and resides with you when you give Him your heart! You are not alone! To make your walk strong with the Lord, spend time in prayer talking to Him as you would to a friend. You don’t need special words to talk to the Lord. Spend time in His Word reading Psalms and turning them into prayer. Next allow God to heal you and speak to you through the Gospel of John or Gospel of Mark before moving on to other Books of the Bible! Slowly, let the Lord show you to which Scriptures He wants you to go to next. It is also important to be part of a body of believers to help you grow in the faith. Find a Bible believing church that preaches the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation proclaiming Jesus Christ our crucified and risen Lord who brings us hope, healing, and help by His grace alone!

Feel free to email me at reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com if you want to meet to study the Bible, pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My number is 412-641-9426

"This is my work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)

Express Your View

2013 DEVOTIONALS:

Mark 9:28-29: "What can P.R.A.Y.E.R to Jesus do in your friends lives?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 11, 07:53 a.m.)

Mark 2:2-5: "What kind of F.R.I.E.N.D will you be thought of as?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 10, 07:03 a.m.)

Mark 3:14-15: "Why S.P.E.N.D time with Jesus daily?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 08, 11:07 a.m.)

Psalm 34:4: "What can you do with your F.E.A.R.S in life?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 07, 2013, 8:43 a.m.)

Psalm 33:4: "What will you do with F.A.I.T.H in your classes?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 05, 2013, 9:31 a.m.)

Mark 1:43-44: "What does your disobedience C.A.U.S.E for others in life?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 03, 2013, 2:57 a.m.)

Mark 1:41-42: "What past do you need to be C.L.E.A.N from?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 31, 2013, 10:54 a.m)

Proverbs 29:25: "Where will you take a S.T.A.N.D without wavering?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 30, 2013, 07:43 a.m)

Matthew 18:21-22:"Why F.O.R.G.I.V.E when it will happen again?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 29 2013, 09:35 a.m)

Psalm 27:14:"How do you C.O.P.E with your hurt?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 27, 2013, 11:13 a.m)

John 12:24:"Who do you remember physically and spiritually on this M.E.M.O.R.I.A.L day?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 27, 2013, 11:13 a.m)

"What has the law P.E.R.M.I.T.T.E.D you to do but it goes against the Lord?"  By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 09, 2013, 6:57 a.m)

"Who do you become an A.T.T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N to and why?"  By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 08, 2013, 6:58 a.m)

"What has A.N.G.E.R done to your relationships?"  By Ramesh C. Reddy (April 29, 13, 1:28 p.m.)

"How can the L.I.G.H.T impact your life?"  By Ramesh C. Reddy (April 06, 13, 11:48 a.m.)