Scripture: Psalm 55:22

Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Scripture Commentary: No burden is too heavy for God.

The Lord God almighty wants us to hand over all of our burdens to Him. Sin often isolates us. It causes us to lose the sense of community that God intended, where others share in both our joys and burdens. Sin wants us to feel and think that we are the only ones going through what we are experiencing. As a result, we are not quick to share our good or bad days with others.

My dad was born in North Carolina and had a group of sisters who lived in different cities on the East Coast. They would call each other and talk about their marriages, children, sicknesses and successes. They were a spiritual force to reckon with. I believe they were the glue that held us together through the storms.

God is present in every circumstance.

Just as my family leaned on one another through prayer, scripture reminds us that God is present even in our greatest trials. John 9:3 reminds us that things beyond our control serve as a platform to display the glory of God. We may not like or understand God’s plan in our moment of suffering, but God is sovereign. God will accomplish His will.

Be like David. Take all your burdens and successes to the Lord in prayer. Share everything with God. He cares. The Holy Spirit will always be with you in the valley or on the mountain. So remember, don’t carry what God has invited you to surrender. Bring every burden, and every blessing, to God in prayer. Trust that God is faithful to sustain you.

Amen.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Psalm 55

John 9

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Psalms

Wealth Can’t Buy Your Place in Heaven

The Shepherd Protects His Sheep

Commentary from Minister Elton Richardson.

Scripture: Joshua 1:7-9

⁷ “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Scripture Commentary:

It takes a lot to admit when we are wrong. Pride makes us defensive. We blame others like Adam blamed Eve in the Garden of Eden for his eating the forbidden fruit. God tells us to be strong and courageous.

Meditate on God’s Word continuously.

God told Joshua to meditate on his word day and night so he would make the right decisions. In other words, we are to read and think about God’s word several times during our day. This way we can conduct ourselves according to God’s word.

We often know when we are wrong about something, but we don’t want to admit it to ourselves, to others and ultimately to God. The Holy Spirit will bring this to our attention and encourage us to say to ourselves, to God and others, “I am wrong.”

God told Joshua, if you meditate on my word and are careful to obey it, you will be successful wherever you go.

So, look yourself in the mirror and practice saying, “I was wrong, God forgive me.” God tells us to be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord our God will be with us wherever we go.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Joshua 1

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Joshua:

Serve Only the Lord Your God

And the Walls of Jericho Came Down

Scripture Commentary by Minister Elton Richardson.

Scripture: Psalm 100: 3

Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his^[a]; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Scripture Commentary: The Lord is master of our destiny.

We need a daily reminder that the Lord is God and not we ourselves. How quick we are to pat ourselves on the back, as if we arrived at this very point in our little lives all on our own. Social media promotes self-help and looking out for one’s self, when in reality God created all of humanity and has a plan for each of us.

We think we are the masters of our destiny; our success is based on our sweat equity when in reality the Lord God is the creator and sustainer of all living things. God created the air that we breathe, the synchronized beating of our heart and movement of our lungs when we are awake and asleep.  

The Lord is faithful and dependable.

This psalm is an invitation to enter into the presence of God with a joyful heart and spirit. God is faithful to all of humanity and to all generations with His love, compassion and empathy. The Lord seeks to be in relationship with all of us through His son Jesus Christ. In return He simply asks that we serve Him with gladness.

God is dependable, His word is true for yesterday, today and tomorrow. Go to God in prayer. Ask Him to teach you His ways, to reveal to you His glory in your life. As you walk with God, you will find yourself with an unexplainable joy inside and a smile on your face because you know that the Lord God loves you and that His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Amen.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Psalm 100

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Psalms:

Make A Joyful Noise to the Lord

Nothing Can Stand Against God

(Commentary from Minister Elton Richardson)

Scripture: Ezekiel 8: 6, 9, 18

⁶ “Son of man,” he said, “do you see what they are doing? Do you see the detestable sins the people of Israel are committing to drive me from my Temple? But come, and you will see even more detestable sins than these!” ⁹ “Go in,” he said, “and see the wicked and detestable sins they are committing in there!” ¹⁸ Therefore, I will respond in fury. I will neither pity nor spare them. And though they cry for mercy, I will not listen.”

Scripture Commentary: Disrespecting God is a detestable sin.

God tells Ezekiel of the detestable sins being committed by the Israelites. Their disrespect for God is a great abomination. God takes Ezekiel in a vision from Babylon to the temple in Jerusalem to see the wickedness of man. The religious leaders and the people were thoroughly corrupt.

Where will you stand in the judgment?

God passed judgment on them for their wickedness and this judgment continues to this day. We are so self absorbed that God is no longer a part of our lives. God shows Ezekiel in scene after scene the extent to which the people worshipped idols and pagan gods. Today we are so caught up in world values that we no longer feel we need God. We worship what we can buy; we prize what we need today. This is a stench to God.

His judgement is coming. Where do you stand?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Ezekiel 8

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Ezekiel:

God Has Committed to Forgiving Your Sin

Is the Punishment Fair?

Scripture: Joshua 2: 12 – 14

¹² “Now swear to me by the Lord that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that ¹³ when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families.” ¹⁴ “We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety,” the men agreed. “If you don’t betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the Lord gives us the land.”

Scripture Commentary:

Rahab was one of Jericho’s well-known prostitutes. She not only lived in Jericho, she also practiced her trade there. This was the perfect place for the spies to hide. The townspeople were accustomed to men coming from and going to her home.

The king got word that spies were in Jericho. Gossipers told of strangers who had come to Rahab’s house so he sent his men to check it out. Rahab hid the men from the king’s spies. She told the spies that she had heard of their God and believed.

Through her faith, Rahab was spared.

Rahab, who the people of Jericho looked down on, had placed her faith and belief in the one God, Yahweh. She kept her word and told the spies where to hide and then to make their escape. In turn, the spies told her to tie a scarlet cord on her window to signify which house not to destroy. The color scarlet has been a symbol of Jesus’s blood shed on the cross.

Only God can turn our sin into a scarlet cord of forgiveness. Only Jesus’s blood has the power to remove sin.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Joshua 2

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Joshua:

Serve Only the Lord Your God

Scripture: Ezekiel 44: 6-7

 ⁶ You shall say to the rebellious ones, to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Enough of all your repulsive acts, O house of Israel! ⁷ In that you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to pollute and profane it—My house—when you offered My bread, the fat, and the blood; and ^[b]they made My covenant void —this in addition to all your other repulsive acts.

Scripture Commentary: Enter God’s house with thanksgiving.

Go into God’s house with a pure heart. Worship and serve God to the best of your ability. Don’t go in with your own agenda or with intentions to have your own way. Unfortunately, we take our individual agendas to church, making God’s house a place of constant bickering.

The above verses tell us to see and hear God’s ordinances concerning His house. When we have a problem or just need to talk to God, we need to go to Him humbly, seeking Him with a sincere heart. Don’t approach Him for your personal gain. Ezekiel’s vision was for believers to prepare themselves both physically and spiritually to worship God.

We need to prepare ourselves to worship God reverently and properly. Don’t just go through the motions of ritual performance. Approaching our Holy God must not be taken lightly. Disobedience will lead to God leaving His house, ensuring destruction of the sanctuary. God is holy, perfect and blameless.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Ezekiel 44

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Ezekiel:

Is Your Heart Set on Idols or on God?

The Wicked Find No Favor With God

Scripture: Isaiah 40: 29-31

He gives strength to the weary, And to him who has no might He increases power. ³⁰ Even youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, ³¹ But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired.

Scripture Commentary: God does not grow tired.

When I was young I felt like I could run and play all day and not grow tired. I was on the cross country team where we ran 2.5 miles. I played tennis, racketball and golf. As I grew older I would get tired and had to stop and rest. No matter our physical condition, our body has limitations. Both our physical and mental gifts can take us only so far before we have to rest and restore ourselves.

God’s power and strength never falters or diminishes.

God, our Creator, needs no rest. He is almighty. God’s power and strength never falters or diminishes. Through adversity, God is our source of comfort and encouragement. We are not immune to suffering but with God’s help and direction we will come through stronger.

God is without limit.

God is the good shepherd who protects His flock. We, His children, are limited in knowledge. We cannot fully understand God but He is not limited in His understanding of us.

His love is for all of us. That is why He is called the Great Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd, the Bread of Life, and The Light. He is the past, the present, and the future. He is everything – almighty!

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Isaiah 40

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Isaiah:

The Lord’s Glory Is Revealed

Call Upon the Lord and He Will Deliver You

Scripture: Jeremiah 1: 4-6

⁴ The Lord gave me this message: ⁵ “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” ⁶ “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”

Scripture Commentary: God set you apart and has a purpose for your life.

God knew us before we were born. When we were conceived in our mother’s womb, God knew each and every one of us. He set each of us apart and gave us a purpose.

Some of us don’t know our mission in life because we are caught up in worldly glitter and gold. We’ve blocked out God in exchange for what the world offers. But for some, this is not the case.

Accept God and learn your purpose.

Jeremiah felt inadequate but God told Jeremiah that he was valuable and had a purpose. Likewise, God has a purpose for you. To find out what it is, you must first accept God and His Son Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Only then can the door be opened.

Seek God and know His voice.

God is always present but you have to accept Him into your life. Like Jeremiah, you have a purpose. In Jeremiah’s case, he was to go to the nations and prophesy. Your path likely won’t be easy but God never will give you more than you can bear.

You are appointed. Do you know what your assignment is?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Jeremiah 1

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Jeremiah:

Trust God Who Can Do All Things

What Message Does God Have For You?

Scripture: Jeremiah 16: 1-5

The Lord gave me another message. He said, ² “Do not get married or have children in this place. ³ For this is what the Lord says about the children born here in this city and about their mothers and fathers: ⁴ They will die from terrible diseases. No one will mourn for them or bury them, and they will lie scattered on the ground like manure. They will die from war and famine, and their bodies will be food for the vultures and wild animals.” ⁵ This is what the Lord says: “Do not go to funerals to mourn and show sympathy for these people, for I have removed my protection and peace from them. I have taken away my unfailing love and my mercy.

Scripture Commentary:

Jeremiah is now a social outcast because he delivered God’s message and the people rejected it. What the Lord says remains unchanged to this day and the rejection continues.

God’s Word has given us messages for how to live and serve Him. However, we don’t want to hear it because we say that we know how to live.

When the people rejected God’s message the first wave of destruction was almost immediate, and the second wave – the complete destruction of Judah – came in 586 B.C. But God told Jeremiah to show no remorese and not to mourn the loss of life.

The time was devastating. People were dying and they couldn’t be buried or mourned because they had disobeyed God to the point of punishment.

Will God punish us for how we are living today? He has many ways and a variety of methods to get His message across. Do not think that what you say and do in the dark goes unseen by God. You may close your eyes and ears to sin but God sees and hears all.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Jeremiah 16

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Jeremiah:

Trust God Instead of Yourself

What Message Does God Have For You?

Scripture: Daniel 12: 2-3

² Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. ³ Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.

Scripture Commentary: Don’t gamble with your everlasting life with God.

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. These words are spoken at the end of funerals. For some it’s the beginning of an everlasting life with God and His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. For others, it’s the beginning of everlasting damnation and punishment in hell with Satan.

This scripture references the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked. One points the way to joy; the other to damnation. There is no middle ground; it’s only one way or the other. Some want to gamble, playing both sides of life. We think our job, money, house and talent are what God judges us on. But this is not so. God gives us material things but He will judge us on what we do with them. When we share what God gives us, we show that we are a servant of God. Otherwise, we only serve ourselves.

What are you doing with the life God has given you? Will you enjoy everlasting joy or damnation?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Daniel 12

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Daniel:

Jesus, Son of God; Son of Man