Psalm 16:1-2
My Shepherd found me grazing in 2 Chronicles. I read about Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz (2 Chronicles 26-28). Thursday (July 3, 2025), I read about Hezekiah. Among the many things I noticed, the Spirit drew my attention to the lifespans of these kings. Uziah reigned for 52 years, Jotham and Ahaz each reigned for 16 years, and Hezekiah reigned for 14 years, but was given a 15-year extension. Uzziah died at the age of 68, Jotham at 41, and Ahaz at 36. Hezekiah would have died at 39, but God extended his life by 15 years, so he died at 54. Most of us today outlive the kings. Moses, the man of God, lived to be 120, but in his Psalm he testified, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:0, 10). The Spirit spoke to my heart what He said to Moses: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). So I thought about the prayer of Moses, the man of God:
Psalms 90:13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
Psalms 90:14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Psalms 90:15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
Psalms 90:16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
Psalms 90:17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
Along the still waters, the Spirit drew me into Psalm 91, the warrior’s Psalm. I saw that the Spirit was pointing to Christ in this Psalm (Compare Psalm 91:9-12 with Matthew 4:5-7) and heard the Spirit say, This promise is yours in Christ, but do not presume upon it foolishly. I marveled when the Spirit spoke and said all that the Father passed to the Son He has passed to me—“If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:17). “If … we suffer with him.”
The world that hated Him will hate me (John 15:18; 1 John 3:13). It will hate me for the same reason it hates Him: “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil” (John 7:7). The Spirit reminded me that He is the Spirit of Christ, Who testified through the prophets “the sufferings of Christ” (1 Peter 1:11a), Who dwells in you (Romans 8:9), and Who is sent into the world through you (John 7:38-39) to “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:7-11), to testify against this world that “the works thereof are evil.” So, He said, remember, the Spirit of Christ Who testified of His sufferings, also testified of “the glory that should follow” (1 Peter 1:11b; Philippians 3:20-21—read Philippians 3:9-14—Selah!).
In the valley, in the shadow of His Cross, I knelt to deny myself, and take up my cross, and follow Him. I will be filled with His Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-21), and reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffeirng and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2). If I suffer, I will suffer with Christ. If I rejoice, I will rejoice with Christ. Whether I suffer or rejoice, I will stand with Christ. I followed Him to His table.
At the table, Jesus, having pity, said, “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also” (John 15:20). Selah!
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live as soon as I can set up the livestream.
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