<p><span class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold">For Reading and Meditation:</span><br><span class="italic">     <span class="scriptRef" ref="ps+31:19-24">Psalm 31:19-24</span></span></p><p>Once the psalmist reached the place of utter abandonment before God there came into his heart an instant reassurance: "Yet I am always with you"  (<span class="scriptRef" ref="ps+73:23">Psalm 73:23</span>). Some translations put it like this: "Nevertheless I am continually with you". Personally I prefer the word "nevertheless" as it conjures up to my mind a movement in the soul of the psalmist that was vital to his spiritual recovery. He did not stop at the point of self-examination and turn in upon himself - he looked into the face of his heavenly Father and realised that he was accepted and loved. If we end at the point of self-examination and don't remember the next words, "Nevertheless I am continually with you," then we will stay locked into the negative feelings of guilt and self-condemnation. This is why I said earlier that self-examination must not be undertaken except in the presence of God. Many have spent time examining themselves, and because they have judged themselves to be worthless and useless, they have gone out and committed suicide. Am I talking to someone like that today? If so, put your foot on this next rung of the ladder and realise that although you may be feeling useless and worthless nevertheless you are still in the presence of God. He still permits you to come into His presence, even though you have forgotten His promises and misunderstood His ways. God does not cast you away. Let the wonder of this break afresh upon you today. Whatever has gone wrong in your life, confess it to Him and look into His face and say: "Nevertheless I am continually with you." </p><p class="center-it italic bold mlr40 mtb20">Father, how can I sufficiently thank You for giving me the right word at the right time? You knew how much I needed this today. It is a lifeline to my spirit. As I hold on to it let it bind me closer to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.</p><div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="ge+28:15">Genesis 28:15</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="isa+43:1-7">Isaiah 43:1-7</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="ex+33:14">Exodus 33:14</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="heb+13:5">Hebrews 13:5</span></li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What was God's promise to Israel?</li><li>What is the assurance we have?</li></ul></div></div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

"In my alarm I said, 'I am cut off from your sight!' Yet you heard my cry for mercy " (v. 22)

<p>Before you are conscious of any strength in your heart, while you feel yourself exceedingly weak and utterly incompetent, even then you are to be of good courage. It requires very little true courage to be bold when there is the consciousness of strength. The courage that is well-pleasing in the sight of God, is the courage of faith; the courage of David, whose sling and stone were nothing, but who trusted simply in God. </p><p>Nothing is more essential to the Christian than good courage. He needs in the first place courage to go into the presence of his sovereign, nothing daunted, however much humbled, by the thought of his unworthiness, assured that all the virtue of Christ is available for him. He needs courage to cancel the various articles of the compact of sin between him and the world; to come out from it and be separate; to be peculiar; to confess that he has transferred his allegiance to the crucified and risen one. He needs courage to break with the god of this world, and adopt the badge of the revolutionists who are seeking his overthrow. He needs courage to speak to those whom he loves, of their great need. He needs courage to manifest the new and better nature that has been given him. He needs it to advance in a path of duty where there is no pioneer, with only a chart for the day, and no intimation of the morrow's perils. </p>

A daily devotional written by a Baptist Missionary to India, Reverend George Bowen (1816-1888) over 150 years ago.

Bowen's Daily Meditations

"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart." - Psalms 31:24. 

<p><span class="bible-text "> <sup class="verse-num poetry-line">24 </sup><poetry>Be strong and take heart,  <br/><indent>all you who hope in the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>.</indent></poetry> </span></p>

Be strong and take heart,<cr>1</cr> <br/><indent>all you who hope in the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>.</indent>

Psalm 31:24

 24 Be strong and take heart,   all you who hope in the Lord.

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

<p><span class="bible-text "><poetry>Be strong and take heart,  <br/><indent>all you who hope in the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>.</indent></poetry> </span></p>

 Be strong and take heart,   all you who hope in the Lord.

Bible Verse of the Day

April 21, 1887

Psalm 31:24 NIV

Verse by Verse Bible Study

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