May 13th

Today's reading from the One Year Bible Chronological Reading Plan is Psalm 68-70, 86 and 101

John Piper's sermons
Psalm 69 - Pour out Your Indignation Upon Them discusses whether or not David cursing his enemies is something that God approved of, and I Will Magnify God with Thanksgiving discusses how we magnify God when we give thanks to Him.
Psalm 86 - The Lord is Great and Does Wondrous Things gives testimony to the greatness of our God and lists some of the many ways we would be changed if we would keep the greatness of God in the forefront of our minds.

Scripture
My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me. Psalm 101:6

Observation
David decided that he would intentionally choose godly people to be his mentors and friends.

Application
One of the things we are intentional about in our parenting is teaching our children to choose friends wisely. This will become even more important when they enter the teen years and their friends opinions become so vital to them. But choosing friends wisely isn't only important for our young children or teenagers. It is vitally important for us adults too.

This does not mean that we cannot be friends with non-Christians. On the contrary, we need to befriend the lost and God has told us to love our enemies.

However, we need to make an intentional effort to have as our most trusted and most influential friends those who are godly, truthful, faithful people whose desire is to grow in their relationships with God and to challenge us to do the same.

We need to make sure that if we do have close friends who have different values from our own, that we are mindful of that fact when discussing moral or cultural issues.

An example to make my point....
If you are standing at the side of the pool and want to help a friend up out of the water, is it easier for you to pull her up, or for her to pull you down?

Prayer
Lord, I thank you for your greatness. Help us to focus on your incomparable, unparalleled, unrivaled, unequal greatness. You are greater than all angels or demons, all evil spirits, all principalities, powers and rulers of this present darkness and all spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly realms. You ARE greatness. Help us to live in light of your greatness.

Lord I thank you that you have blessed us with other people for companionship, friends who can support us and encourage us. Help us to choose our friends wisely, and to draw closest to us those who are faithful to You and your Word, those who will not only encourage our walk with You, but challenge it! And I ask that You help us to be that kind of friend to those around us.

Amen!

Tomorrow's passage: Psalm 103, 108-110, 122 and 124