1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:06,730 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,790 --> 00:00:13,399 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,460 --> 00:00:18,099 Speaker 1: to Daily Devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stonge, and 4 00:00:18,140 --> 00:00:23,610 Speaker 1: today's devotion is inspired by Psalm 119, verse 143, which says, 5 00:00:24,970 --> 00:00:28,850 Speaker 1: Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments 6 00:00:29,090 --> 00:00:33,990 Speaker 1: are my delight. It's better to be honest with yourself 7 00:00:34,030 --> 00:00:36,660 Speaker 1: than it is to lie or try to create a facade. 8 00:00:37,380 --> 00:00:39,699 Speaker 1: The truth is that our lives on this earth aren't 9 00:00:39,900 --> 00:00:43,139 Speaker 1: always going to be easy. It doesn't do us any 10 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:45,340 Speaker 1: good to try to pretend that we're never going to 11 00:00:45,380 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: have any problems. Hiding from our difficulties doesn't make them 12 00:00:49,420 --> 00:00:53,659 Speaker 1: go away. Denying their existence doesn't rob them of their pain. 13 00:00:54,730 --> 00:00:58,230 Speaker 1: But the joy we have in Christ isn't dependent on 14 00:00:58,310 --> 00:01:02,070 Speaker 1: our circumstances. We can have the most difficult day but 15 00:01:02,150 --> 00:01:05,130 Speaker 1: still rejoice in Him. No matter what this world throws 16 00:01:05,190 --> 00:01:07,660 Speaker 1: at us, we can still be grateful that the Word 17 00:01:07,690 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: of God is true and He will never fail us. 18 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: The psalmist delighted in the commands of the Lord. We 19 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: are invited to cultivate that same perspective as well. The 20 00:01:19,500 --> 00:01:23,500 Speaker 1: same Lord who spoke creation into existence speaks into our 21 00:01:23,540 --> 00:01:27,370 Speaker 1: lives through the scriptures He inspired. He reminds us of 22 00:01:27,410 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: the hope we have in Him. even in the midst 23 00:01:29,660 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: of our lowest seasons. He reveals to us the kind 24 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,260 Speaker 1: of future He holds in store for all who trust 25 00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:39,900 Speaker 1: in Him. If this season feels like a season of 26 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,620 Speaker 1: trouble or anguish for you, please remember the words of 27 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,670 Speaker 1: this psalm. Your hope isn't in your circumstances. Your hope 28 00:01:49,340 --> 00:01:52,890 Speaker 1: is in Christ. The commands and the teaching of His 29 00:01:52,970 --> 00:01:56,310 Speaker 1: word will help keep that truth fresh in your mind. 30 00:01:58,230 --> 00:02:03,450 Speaker 1: Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, and 31 00:02:03,470 --> 00:02:05,090 Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege that it is to 32 00:02:05,110 --> 00:02:07,650 Speaker 1: be able to read this portion of scripture together today 33 00:02:07,730 --> 00:02:10,489 Speaker 1: from the book of Psalms. And Lord, we know that 34 00:02:10,530 --> 00:02:13,389 Speaker 1: throughout the course of our lives, there are seasons when 35 00:02:13,430 --> 00:02:16,810 Speaker 1: we deal with all kinds of trouble. Our lives on 36 00:02:16,850 --> 00:02:20,220 Speaker 1: this earth aren't always easy, and sometimes we try to 37 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: pretend that our lives are supposed to be easy this 38 00:02:23,060 --> 00:02:25,859 Speaker 1: side of heaven, but that's never something you've promised us. 39 00:02:25,940 --> 00:02:28,450 Speaker 1: In fact, You've assured us time and time again that 40 00:02:28,470 --> 00:02:31,030 Speaker 1: there are all sorts of challenges we're going to face 41 00:02:31,250 --> 00:02:34,010 Speaker 1: on this earth, and some of those challenges will even 42 00:02:34,070 --> 00:02:37,950 Speaker 1: be exacerbated by the fact that we bear your name. 43 00:02:38,470 --> 00:02:41,010 Speaker 1: There are some challenges that will come to us directly 44 00:02:41,410 --> 00:02:45,850 Speaker 1: because we call ourselves your followers. But Father, we're grateful 45 00:02:45,889 --> 00:02:48,780 Speaker 1: for the fact that the joy we have in your Son, 46 00:02:48,850 --> 00:02:52,139 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, is a joy that is not dependent on 47 00:02:52,630 --> 00:02:55,530 Speaker 1: on our circumstances. We could have the most difficult day 48 00:02:55,590 --> 00:02:58,590 Speaker 1: or the most difficult season, but we could still rejoice 49 00:02:58,770 --> 00:03:02,090 Speaker 1: in your son, no matter what this world throws at us. 50 00:03:02,660 --> 00:03:04,460 Speaker 1: And so, Lord, we're grateful for the fact that you 51 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,399 Speaker 1: use your word to remind us of that truth. We're 52 00:03:08,419 --> 00:03:10,460 Speaker 1: grateful as well that when we look at this portion 53 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:14,170 Speaker 1: of Psalm 119, that we could see the psalmist delighting 54 00:03:14,330 --> 00:03:17,639 Speaker 1: in your commands and that he was assured and reminded 55 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: of these truths when he dwelled on the things that 56 00:03:20,820 --> 00:03:24,130 Speaker 1: you brought forth in your word. And so we pray 57 00:03:24,169 --> 00:03:27,650 Speaker 1: that we would cultivate that same perspective. We pray that 58 00:03:27,669 --> 00:03:30,770 Speaker 1: we would welcome you, you who are the one who 59 00:03:30,850 --> 00:03:34,549 Speaker 1: spoke creation into existence, to speak into our lives. You 60 00:03:34,610 --> 00:03:37,370 Speaker 1: speak to us by your spirit. You speak to us 61 00:03:37,530 --> 00:03:39,770 Speaker 1: through your word. And we pray that we would be 62 00:03:39,890 --> 00:03:42,990 Speaker 1: open to your leading and your teaching and your guidance. 63 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 1: So Lord, if we're in the midst of a season 64 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,940 Speaker 1: right now that feels extra difficult, if we're dealing with 65 00:03:49,020 --> 00:03:52,940 Speaker 1: trouble or anguish or pain, we pray that you'd bring 66 00:03:52,980 --> 00:03:56,490 Speaker 1: these truths to our mind yet again, and that you 67 00:03:56,530 --> 00:04:00,070 Speaker 1: would assure us that in all circumstances we can continue 68 00:04:00,210 --> 00:04:03,630 Speaker 1: to delight in you. We thank you for all of 69 00:04:03,690 --> 00:04:08,310 Speaker 1: these things, and we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.