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Read Psalm 111:1-10 We live in a world with a great deal of knowledge but not a great deal of wisdom. So-called smart people do stupid things. David tells us the secret of wisdom and understanding in Psalm 111. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever" (v. 10). Here we have three secrets of wisdom, and a person doesn't have to go through a university to learn them. Fear God. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." This is not the fear of a slave before an angry master. This is the reverence and respect of a loving child for a loving Father--showing respect for God, His Word, His presence and His will for our lives. Obey Him. "A good understanding have all those that do His commandments." The Word of God is given to us not just to read and study but to obey. We are to be doers of the Word, not just auditors who sit in class and take notes. When we obey God, we begin to understand what He is doing. Obedience is the organ of spiritual understanding. Praise Him. "His praise endures forever." Praise takes the selfishness out of our lives. It takes us away from idolatry, from living on substitutes. The more we fear Him, the more we obey Him. The more we obey Him, the more we praise Him. These are the ingredients of a happy and successful life. The world's wisdom is based on faulty foundations. Genuine wisdom begins by fearing God. You increase your wisdom as you obey His Word and praise Him. As you walk with the Lord today, do so with the wisdom that comes from fearing Him. Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group (bakerpublishinggroup.com). Used by permission. All rights to this material are reserved. Material is not to be reproduced, scanned, copied, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from Baker Publishing Group.

Read Psalm 139:17,18 Yesterday, we learned that God's thoughts are personal and precious. They are full of His purpose and care. Let's consider three additional characteristics of God's thoughts. God's thoughts are practical. Paul said, "none of these things [tribulations] move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God" ( Acts 20:24 ). Paul was living to do one thing--finish his course. As we run the race of life, following God's thoughts leads to fulfillment, courage and the strength to continue. God's thoughts are vast and inexhaustible (v. 17). How great is the "sum of them." The Hebrew word for sum is plural. Thus, His thoughts just keep growing. People who don't want to do the will of God live their lives in a little bucket of water. But when we accept His will for our lives, we launch out on an ocean of possibility. God said to Abraham, "You walk before Me and do My will, and I am going to give you horizons like you've never seen before" (see Gen. 15:5 ). If you want to be a stagnant Christian, reject the will of God. You will not grow, and you will miss what He has for you. He wants to do great things in your life. God's thoughts are unfailing (v. 18). He works out His plans even while we sleep. Adam went to sleep, and God gave him a wife. Abraham went to sleep, and God worked out His covenant to him. God already has revealed things about our daily living to us by His Spirit in the Scriptures. Are you discouraged by events in your life or weary of the day's routine? Think God's thoughts by reading His Word and obey His thoughts by doing His will. He will work in your life. He will open horizons of blessing and help you along your pilgrimage. Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group (bakerpublishinggroup.com). Used by permission. All rights to this material are reserved. Material is not to be reproduced, scanned, copied, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from Baker Publishing Group.

Read Psalm 139:17,18 A. W. Tozer used to say, "The only real world is the Bible world." Nothing is more unsure than the world, for it is passing away. But the will and Word of God will abide forever (see Mark 13:31 ). As we consider the character of God's thoughts, we will want to do His will. God's thoughts are personal (v. 17). They concern you and me. He makes the individual and then plans for him. He knows all about us. Paradoxically, the sovereignty of God is the basis for our freedom. If He were not on the throne, this world would be run by chance. But the psalmist tells us that life is not a gamble. God put your substance together and ordained your genetic structure (vv. 13,14). We must use what He has given us for His glory. And our obedience to His will reaches beyond this life, for our future is wrapped up in God's plan for us ( Jer. 29:11 ). God's thoughts are precious (v. 17). Precious means "weighty, valuable." His thoughts toward us are unique, tailor-made, and that makes them valuable. When we accept God's plan for us and exercise believing faith, then He can work out His perfect will in our lives. Remember, His thoughts are deep ( Ps. 92:5 ); they are higher than ours ( Isa. 55:8 ). God's thoughts about you are more than mere "thoughts." They include His purposes and His care. As you meditate on His thoughts, renew your commitment to know and do His will for your life. Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group (bakerpublishinggroup.com). Used by permission. All rights to this material are reserved. Material is not to be reproduced, scanned, copied, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from Baker Publishing Group.

2 Samuel 24:24 Then the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. An Oxymoron An oxymoron is two words put together that seem to contradict each other. Our language is sprinkled with such paradoxical phrases, although we often are not consciously aware of them. For example, we talk about eating "jumbo shrimp," driving by a "sanitary landfill" or seeing something we describe as "pretty ugly." But there is another oxymoron that often exists in our thoughts if not in our language--it's called a "free sacrifice." When David sinned by taking a census of the people, a plague ravished the land for three days. As the angel of the Lord stretched out his hand to strike Jerusalem, however, God stopped him and spared the city ( 2 Sam. 24:16 ). This took place at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. In response to this act of mercy, David was instructed to erect an altar to the Lord on that site (v. 18). When David went to build the altar and make the sacrifice, he was presented with what seemed like a great deal. Araunah offered to freely give him both the land for the altar and the oxen for the sacrifice. But David rejected his offer. How could he make a sacrifice that cost him nothing? The two were incompatible. Too often when it comes to sacrifice, Christians are looking for a bargain. We want the most sacrifice for the least expense. We want lots of gain but little pain. Yet such a combination simply isn't possible. A sacrifice is only worth what you pay for it. Don't go looking for sacrifices at a discount. God will have no cheap sacrifices. Be willing to pay the full price if you want the full benefit. If it isn't a sacrifice to you, it isn't a sacrifice for you.

"Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened." -- Isaiah 48:8 It is painful to remember that, in a certain degree, this accusation may be laid at the door of believers, who too often are in a measure spiritually insensible. We may well bewail ourselves that we do not hear the voice of God as we ought, "Yea, thou heardest not." There are gentle motions of the Holy Spirit in the soul which are unheeded by us: there are whisperings of divine command and of heavenly love which are alike unobserved by our leaden intellects. Alas! we have been carelessly ignorant--"Yea, thou knewest not." There are matters within which we ought to have seen, corruptions which have made headway unnoticed; sweet affections which are being blighted like flowers in the frost, untended by us; glimpses of the divine face which might be perceived if we did not wall up the windows of our soul. But we "have not known." As we think of it we are humbled in the deepest self-abasement. How must we adore the grace of God as we learn from the context that all this folly and ignorance, on our part, was foreknown by God, and, notwithstanding that foreknowledge, He yet has been pleased to deal with us in a way of mercy! Admire the marvellous sovereign grace which could have chosen us in the sight of all this! Wonder at the price that was paid for us when Christ knew what we should be! He who hung upon the cross foresaw us as unbelieving, backsliding, cold of heart, indifferent, careless, lax in prayer, and yet He said, "I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour . . . Since thou wast precious in My sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life"! O redemption, how wondrously resplendent dost thou shine when we think how black we are! O Holy Spirit, give us henceforth the hearing ear, the understanding heart!

Read Psalm 137:1-9 One test of your spiritual condition is whether or not you really have a song. Psalm 137 tells us about people who lost their song. They lost it because they lost their sanctity--they repeatedly sinned against the Lord. Here's the record: "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive required of us a song, and those who plundered us required of us mirth, saying, 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"' (vv. 1-3). Can't you just picture the Babylonians taunting the Jews? The Jews responded, "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?" (v. 4). It can be done. They were there because of their disobedience, and they had lost their song. But even in a foreign land, we can have a song to the Lord. Jesus came down to earth from heaven, and He had a song. In fact, the night on which He was betrayed, He sang a song of Zion in the upper room ( Matt. 26:30 ). When you are not walking with the Lord, you lose your song and start living on memories. "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her skill! If I do not remember you... if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy" (vv. 5,6). Are you living on memories, or are you daily receiving blessings from the Lord? In verses 7-9 we find the Jews looking for revenge. This is understandable from a human perspective, for they had seen their babies dashed against the stones. So they pray, "Lord, render to them what they deserve. You are the Judge. You remember them." But as Christians, we must think first of forgiveness. If you are without your song, living on memories and looking for revenge, you are not walking closely with the Lord. Your first task is to get that song back by confessing your sins to the Lord. God will restore the joy of your salvation. Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group (bakerpublishinggroup.com). Used by permission. All rights to this material are reserved. Material is not to be reproduced, scanned, copied, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from Baker Publishing Group.

Read Psalm 5:1-12 It's imperative for us to meet God in the morning if we want to have a good day. Jesus got up early in the morning to pray, according to Mark 1:35 . Here we find the psalmist saying, "My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up" (v. 3). When I used to work the night shift, I would sleep in the morning. So when I got up in the afternoon, I would meet with the Lord. Meeting with God is not an appointment on a clock but an appointment in your heart. Does God hear your voice in the morning? When He looks on you at the beginning of your day, does He look on you as a priest who has come to offer Him sacrifices of praise? That's what direct means (v. 3)--"to order my prayer." It means to arrange the sacrifice on the altar. When you wake up in the morning, remind yourself that you are one of God's priests. How did you become a priest? Through faith in Jesus Christ. "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father" ( Rev. 1:5 , 6 ). You're one of God's priests. That means wherever you are is God's temple, because your body is His temple. The first thing we do in the morning is the first thing the high priest used to do every morning. He laid the burnt offering on the altar. The burnt offering is a picture of total dedication to God. If you want to have a good day, start by giving yourself to the Lord as a burnt offering, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God ( Rom. 12:1 ). A good day begins in the morning, and it begins at the altar. Does your day begin with God? If not, decide to start each morning by dedicating yourself to Him as a living sacrifice and ask His guidance for the day's decisions and actions. He wants to direct your life. So view each day as a gift from God and determine to be a good steward of the day's resources. Make your time with Him a daily appointment. Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group (bakerpublishinggroup.com). Used by permission. All rights to this material are reserved. Material is not to be reproduced, scanned, copied, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from Baker Publishing Group.

Read Psalm 100:1-5 The next time you sing the doxology in a worship service, remember that you are singing Scripture, a version of Psalm 100. This psalm is a digest of instructions on how to worship the Lord. Who should worship the Lord? "Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!" (v. 1). God wants the whole world to worship and give thanks to Him. Why are we to go into all the world and preach the Gospel? So that all the world will one day be able to make a joyful shout to the Lord. How should we worship the Lord? First, by serving. "Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing" (v. 2). We are to serve the Lord with gladness because there's joy in our hearts and because the joy of the Lord gives strength. Second, we worship Him by singing. "Come before His presence with singing." I fear that too often in our services, singing becomes routine. We hold the hymnal and sing the songs that we know so well, but our minds and hearts are a million miles away. Think about and rejoice in the words you sing. We also worship the Lord by submitting to Him. "Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture" (v. 3). Submit to Him. Follow Him. Obey Him. Finally, we worship the Lord by sacrificing. "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise" (v. 4). You don't need to sacrifice animals on an altar, but you can give your time, money and skills. Why should we worship the Lord? "For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations" (v. 5). The highest occupation of the Christian life is worshiping the Lord. Never allow your worship to become routine or artificial. Worship Him with a joyful and thankful heart by serving, singing, submitting and sacrificing. Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group (bakerpublishinggroup.com). Used by permission. All rights to this material are reserved. Material is not to be reproduced, scanned, copied, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from Baker Publishing Group.

Read Psalm 3:1-8 How well we sleep sometimes indicates how much we really trust the Lord. David said, "I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me" (v. 5). We may think we can do that anytime. But what if we had been where David was? He was fleeing from his son Absalom, who had turned against him and had driven him from Jerusalem. Now David was in the wilderness with his army. It would be difficult to lie down and sleep knowing that you are in a dangerous wilderness and that your own son is against you. Oh, it wasn't the physical danger that kept David awake. He knew God would protect him. It was the inner spiritual and emotional agony of having his own flesh and blood trying to seize the kingdom from him. But David said, in effect, "Lord, You are able to give me peace in my heart, the protection I need, the perspective I need. You are able to help me in the midst of this difficult situation." The heart of every problem is really the problem in the heart. David knew that it was not the army on the outside that would keep him awake but the agony on the inside. This psalm starts with David's cry, "Many are they who rise up against me" (v. 1). He's pleading for help. The psalm ends with David's singing a song of praise (v. 8). Your day might begin by your pleading for help. But if you are trusting the Lord, it could end by your praising Him for the help He has given you. Difficult circumstances often rob us of our peace and our perspective. When you find yourself in adverse circumstances or in the face of frightening consequences, admit your trouble and affirm your trust in Him. Then be encouraged that God protects you and gives you peace in the midst of the storm. Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group (bakerpublishinggroup.com). Used by permission. All rights to this material are reserved. Material is not to be reproduced, scanned, copied, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from Baker Publishing Group.

Read Psalm 103:1-12 This psalm has no petitions, only praise. Verses 3 through 5 are Hebrew poetry with parallel construction. Each verse has two statements. The idea that is presented in the first statement is repeated, illustrated or amplified in the second statement of the verse. The second statements in verses 3 through 5 are illustrations of three blessings: forgiveness, redemption and satisfaction. The first blessing is forgiveness (v. 3). The psalmist illustrates forgiveness with the concept of spiritual healing. God doesn't have to heal us, but He does, and every blessing He gives is an atonement. What healing is to the body, salvation (forgiveness) is to the soul. Jesus is our Great Physician ( Eph. 1:7 ). The second blessing is redemption (v. 4). Redeem refers to a "kinsman redeemer." The Book of Ruth illustrates redemption, with Boaz as a kinsman redeemer. God protects and provides, and He keeps us safe and saved. He has lifted us from slavery to sovereignty. The third blessing is satisfaction (v. 5). One translation reads, "[He] satisfies thy old age with good things." This verse applies to every stage in life. God restores and renews us. He keeps us young spiritually, for we find satisfaction in His Word. Do you have God's blessings of forgiveness and redemption? If so, do you enjoy the satisfaction that comes from knowing Him and obeying His Word? God restores, renews and blesses you that you might bless others. Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group (bakerpublishinggroup.com). Used by permission. All rights to this material are reserved. Material is not to be reproduced, scanned, copied, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from Baker Publishing Group