Covenant Grove Daily Devotionals

Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods. He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains. The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too. Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today! The Lord says, Dont harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness. For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did. For forty years I was angry with them, and I said, They are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them. So in my anger I took an oath: They will never enter my place of rest.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭95‬:‭1‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If we can learn the lessons from the Bible, our lives will be stronger. This psalm tells the story of one of the worst days in the history of Israel: the day they rebelled against God in the desert. The Lord had set them free from slavery in Egypt and led them to the edge of the Promised Land. But they refused to trust in His powereven after all He had done. Their rebellion led to the punishment of an entire generation dying in the wilderness, passing on the painful faith lessons to their children. The next generation learned, trusted in the Lord, risked their lives, and captured the Promised Land with Gods help. This story is told in Numbers 14, Psalm 95, and Hebrews 4. God wants His people to learn the lesson!

The psalm makes the heartfelt plea: don't rebel against God, no matter how hard life is, no matter how big the challenge ahead of you is. God can defeat giants! God can overcome the crisis you are in. God is with you; dont run away from Him. The psalm is a call to worship and prayer; it is a call to bow our lives down before God. That means not going our own way, but truly worshipping Jesus every day of the week through our choices and conversations. Dont rebel but follow Jesus; conquer your fear with His presence and power.

What fears in your life hold you back from being fully devoted to Jesus? Why is going Jesus way often harder? Is it worth it?

O Lord, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth! Arise, O Judge of the earth. Give the proud what they deserve. How long, O Lord? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat? How long will they speak with arrogance? How long will these evil people boast? They crush your people, Lord, hurting those you claim as your own. They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans. The Lord isnt looking, they say, and besides, the God of Israel doesnt care. Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on? Is he deafthe one who made your ears? Is he blindthe one who formed your eyes? He punishes the nationswont he also punish you? He knows everythingdoesnt he also know what you are doing? The Lord knows peoples thoughts; he knows they are worthless! Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions. You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug to capture the wicked. The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession. Judgment will again be founded on justice, and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it. Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers? Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, I am slipping! but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side leaders whose decrees permit injustice? They gang up against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide. God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The Lord our God will destroy them.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭94‬:‭1‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Our God is just. Often we forget about Gods justice and holiness. Life is not fair, but the Lord is, and He ceaselessly works for justice, calling for His people to join Him in this work. The Lord disciplines His people (v.12) and protects them in times of trouble (vv.13-19). There is no true justice without God; humans too easily mix in our own selfish ambition or mixed motives (vv.20-23). Those who follow the Lord join His work in making the world a more just place for every human being.

God is loving, and His love and judgment go together. Some believe that judgment is the opposite of love, but those suffering injustices cry out for righteous judgment (vv.1-7). Only those who love hear and respond to this cry. Even for those who do not like the word judgment, they would agree that we want judges who judge well, drivers who have good judgment, and law enforcement that makes good judgment calls. We raise our kids to have good judgment, and we discipline our kids using judgment. Love is stronger than acceptance! Acceptance can be cold, passive, and distant. Love is warm, embracing, and active. True love works for the best in others, and it includes good judgment.

Why is it important to understand that love and good judgment go together? How can you work for justice this week?

The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past. The floods have risen up, O Lord. The floods have roared like thunder; the floods have lifted their pounding waves. But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore the Lord above is mightier than these! Your royal laws cannot be changed. Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭93‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Nature can be terrifyingly powerful, but God is more powerful still. The Lord is everlasting; He has no beginning. This is a hard concept for us (as finite beings) to understand. Everything we experience had a beginning, but the Lord is the uncreated Creator. It makes sense that Someone had to be before all (even before time and space). God is stronger than any force of nature, and He loves us! It may be hard for our minds to comprehend His greatness, but we should try; we should stretch. The more we understand His greatness, the more comfort we have when the hard times come. He is by our side, He will never leave us, and nothing is stronger than our God!

Gods power is unconquerable, and His goodness is just as strong as His power. Humans are moral beings, and we can comprehend a universal moral law that is discovered not invented. The Lord is the center of all that is good; there is no evil in Him whatsoever. This means we can trust Him completely. It also means, as we draw closer to Him, that we are transformedthe selfishness in our lives is cut away as we lovingly surrender to His way.

How can Gods awesome power bring you comfort today? Why is it more important to be close to God than trying to be good?

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, a harp, and the melody of a lyre. You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done. O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts. Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this: Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever. Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish; all evildoers will be scattered. But you have made me as strong as a wild ox. You have anointed me with the finest oil. My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents. But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lords own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!‭‭Psalms‬ ‭92‬:‭1‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Life with God is a better life. This psalm was to be sung on the Sabbath day, the day of rest that is committed to remembering that all days are for the Lord. Life with God is a better life; this is the life we were made to live. The Lord is inviting us into a life that is flourishing and strong, praising His name for all the days of our lives (and beyond). Those who are against God have not prospered (or if they have, it will not endure). This psalm speaks of the importance of a life of worshiplifelong worshipand a longing for the house of the Lord.

It is easy to forget that worship is about the Lord. We get upset about the song selection or musical style and forget that the Lord is looking at our hearts. We prioritize other life events above gathered worship with Gods people, pulling us away from the refuel that is only found in corporate worship. We ignore the Kings command to rest, acting like our lives are busier than the One who keeps the universe moving. Make a commitment to live out Sabbatha day every week to worship, gather, rest, and center your life on what is most important.

What difference does worship make? What difference does Sabbath make? What has happened in your life when you have ignored Gods command to rest?

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you wont even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! The Lord says, I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭1‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is no substitute for the help and support that come from the Lord. The Bible knows reality. It knows that life is hard and unfair; it knows that following the Lord will bring additional hardships. But it also knows that walking with God brings integrity and security. The Lord Himself protects us, and walking His way has proven results. This doesnt mean life wont be unfair; it means nothing can take away the greatest treasure of life.

The psalm makes the heartfelt plea: don't rebel against God, no matter how hard life is, no matter how big the challenge ahead of you is. God can defeat giants! The psalm is a call to worship and prayer; it is a call to bow our lives down before God. That means not going our own way, but truly worshipping Jesus every day of the week through our choices and conversations. Dont rebel but follow Jesus; conquer your fear with His presence and power.

What fears in your life hold you back from being fully devoted to Jesus? Why is going Jesus way often harder? Is it worth it?

Lord, through all the generations you have been our home! Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God. You turn people back to dust, saying, Return to dust, you mortals! For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours. You sweep people away like dreams that disappear. They are like grass that springs up in the morning. In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered. We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury. You spread out our sins before you our secret sinsand you see them all. We live our lives beneath your wrath, ending our years with a groan. Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. O Lord, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants! Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory. And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!‭‭Psalms‬ ‭90‬:‭1‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is the oldest psalm in the Bible, composed by Moses over 3300 years ago. God is described as sovereign over all generations, and humans are only passing dust. This psalm begins Book Four of Psalms, covering psalms 90-106. These psalms are mostly anonymous, and they focus on the greatness of God in the midst of a world that is hard. People will oppose and oppress the Lords people, yet God remains faithful, and those who trust in Him will endure (90:17). Moses saw the Lord face to face, and he was aware of his own frailty compared to God. He was aware of his sins and accepted that God could be angry with him (vv.7-9). Our hope is found in the very character of God: He is loving and faithful. It is His love that satisfies us every morning and fills us with joy (v.14).

The same God who led Moses into the Promised Land is leading you today. The world has changed, but God has not; He is always faithful, loving, and righteous. Our lives are so short, yet we often think that we are the center of the universe. Go back through this psalm and note the humility that comes from walking with the Lord. We are dearly loved as frail children; our strength is in Him alone.

How can your soul be satisfied each morning with Gods unfailing love? Why is it important to remember that our lives are frail and temporary?

I will sing of the Lords unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens. The Lord said, I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant. I have sworn this oath to him: I will establish your descendants as kings forever; they will sit on your throne from now until eternity. Interlude All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness. For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord? What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord? The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God. He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne. O Lord God of Heavens Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful. You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves. You crushed the great sea monster. You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yoursyou created it all. You created north and south. Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name. Powerful is your arm! Strong is your hand! Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants. Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord. They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation. They exult in your righteousness. You are their glorious strength. It pleases you to make us strong. Yes, our protection comes from the Lord, and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king. Long ago you spoke in a vision to your faithful people. You said, I have raised up a warrior. I have selected him from the common people to be king. I have found my servant David. I have anointed him with my holy oil. I will steady him with my hand; with my powerful arm I will make him strong. His enemies will not defeat him, nor will the wicked overpower him. I will beat down his adversaries before him and destroy those who hate him. My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him, and by my authority he will grow in power. I will extend his rule over the sea, his dominion over the rivers. And he will call out to me, You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation. I will make him my firstborn son, the mightiest king on earth. I will love him and be kind to him forever; my covenant with him will never end. I will preserve an heir for him; his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven. But if his descendants forsake my instructions and fail to obey my regulations, if they do not obey my decrees and fail to keep my commands, then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their disobedience with beating. But I will never stop loving him nor fail to keep my promise to him. No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said. I have sworn an oath to David, and in my holiness I cannot lie: His dynasty will go on forever; his kingdom will endure as the sun. It will be as eternal as the moon, my faithful witness in the sky! Interlude But now you have rejected him and cast him off. You are angry with your anointed king. You have renounced your covenant with him; you have thrown his crown in the dust. You have broken down the walls protecting him and ruined every fort defending him. Everyone who comes along has robbed him, and he has become a joke to his neighbors. You have strengthened his enemies and made them all rejoice. You have made his sword useless and refused to help him in battle. You have ended his splendor and overturned his throne. You have made him old before his time and publicly disgraced him. Interlude O Lord, how long will this go on? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your anger burn like fire? Remember how short my life is, how empty and futile this human existence! No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave. Interlude Lord, where is your unfailing love? You promised it to David with a faithful pledge. Consider, Lord, how your servants are disgraced! I carry in my heart the insults of so many people. Your enemies have mocked me, O Lord; they mock your anointed king wherever he goes. Praise the Lord forever! Amen and amen!‭‭Psalms‬ ‭89‬:‭1‬-‭52‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Faith can include the highest and lowest moments of life. This psalm begins with praising the character of our God: He is faithful, powerful, mighty, righteous, and just. The author (Ethan the Ezrahite) begins in awe of who the Lord is and what He has done. The Eternal King chose the house of David to rule the throne; the author celebrates this (vv.19-37) but sees the punishment against Davids descendants (vv.38-45) and asks how long until it is over (vv.46-48). Even though the psalmist knows the joy that comes from the unfailing love of God (v.15), he is asking if he will see it again in his lifetime (vv.47-51). Even though he is questioning God, his psalm begins and ends with praise!

God is our Father, and He disciplines us when we do wrong, but He will never stop loving us (vv.30-33). He is a loving Father who is growing us. Most hard times are not punishment from God; they are just the facts of life and the results of human choices. We can hold on to hope in our hard times; God is not against us but completely for us, more than we could ever understand. Whether being disciplined, experiencing the consequences for our actions, suffering for Jesus, or just going through the mess of life, His love never fails.

How does your faith help you through the hard times of life? How can you know if your hard times are discipline from God or just part of life?

O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night. Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry. For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near. I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left. They have left me among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave. I am forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrown me into the lowest pit, into the darkest depths. Your anger weighs me down; with wave after wave you have engulfed me. Interlude You have driven my friends away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with no way of escape. My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord; I lift my hands to you for mercy. Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Interlude Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love? Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness? O Lord, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day. O Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn your face from me? I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors. Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me. They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely. You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭88‬:‭1‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God sometimes feels like our enemy. The Bible understands this feeling, and this psalm expresses both struggle and faith in relationship with God. The author (Heman) feels that the Lord has thrown him out (v.6), is angry with him (vv.7, 16), driven his friends away (vv.8, 18), and ignored his prayers (v.14). Yet the psalmist does not stop praying; he continues to cry out to the Lord who alone can give mercy.

Gods word gives voice to all our emotions, even the feeling that the Lord is against us. But the Bibles solution is not to run away from the Father, but deeper into His love. The Lord will never forsake us, and He is close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). We are given permission to experience the wide range of human emotion, including anger at God, yet we are invited into a deeper transformation as we understand who God really is, how life works, and our own nature. When the low moments of life and faith come, dont run away from them but go deeper into the Fathers arms.

Have you ever felt that God was against you? How did you deal with it? How would you help someone who felt that the Lord was against them?

On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord. He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel. O city of God, what glorious things are said of you! Interlude I will count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia. They have all become citizens of Jerusalem! Regarding Jerusalem it will be said, Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship there. And the Most High will personally bless this city. When the Lord registers the nations, he will say, They have all become citizens of Jerusalem. Interlude The people will play flutes and sing, The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!‭‭Psalms‬ ‭87‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is an incredible vision of an incredible future when all the nations gather and worship our one true God. This psalm speaks of the surrounding nations being counted as citizens of Jerusalem; they are Gods people. These nations had historically been enemies of the Lords people; yet the wrongs have been forgiven and the people have been reconciled. Jesus has destroyed the walls that divide human beings (Eph 2:14), so that all who love Him are one and united (Gal 3:28).

It is not enough to end division; you must create unity. People will always find reasons to divideover race, class, age, finances, and more. The solution only comes when there is unity around something; the sacrificial love of Christ changes how humans can understand and use power. He is both our example and our center of unity. Christians have not been perfect, but Christianity has (at times) created peace through serving, sacrifice, and unity in Christ. For most humans, the only path to peace is through dominant powercrushing all who oppose your cause. This is not the way of Christ. Christians are invited to fulfill the vision of this psalm by following the way of Christ.

When you are in a situation of conflict, how could you follow the example of Christ? What are practical ways you can work for unity in the world? What does it really take to create unitybetween races, sexes, ages, etc.?

Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help. Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God. Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am calling on you constantly. Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you. O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord; hear my urgent cry. I will call to you whenever Im in trouble, and you will answer me. No pagan god is like you, O Lord. None can do what you do! All the nations you made will come and bow before you, Lord; they will praise your holy name. For you are great and perform wonderful deeds. You alone are God. Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death. O God, insolent people rise up against me; a violent gang is trying to kill me. You mean nothing to them. But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. Look down and have mercy on me. Give your strength to your servant; save me, the son of your servant. Send me a sign of your favor. Then those who hate me will be put to shame, for you, O Lord, help and comfort me.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭86‬:‭1‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Davids prayer is so personal and so honest. He asks God to hear him (twice), protect him, be merciful to him, bring him joy, teach His ways, and give a pure heart. He praises the Lord because there is no god like Him: The Lord answers prayers, is great and marvelous, is compassionate and gracious, helps and comforts, and saves those who trust in Him. David is being attacked by violent and godless people, yet his prayer is for the Lord to give him an undivided heart that praises the name of the Lord.

Sometimes our prayers are so routine; they look more like formulas than the cries of our heart. We dont have to hide behind pious words or verbal formulas; God knows every single action and thought of our lives. He is the One with whom we can be completely transparent. When we are going through hard times, we can cry out to our Father. Davids prayer challenges our selfish and simple prayers; David prayed for a heart undivided in worship. That makes a huge difference in how we deal with our problems!

How can you grow more personal and honest in your prayers? When you are being attacked or going through hard times, how would it change things to pray for a heart undivided in worship to the Lord?