Psalm 20

Getting back to it. Getting my eating and working out under control. The goal is to lose 20lbs, and bring my LDL down to below 100.

Maximum of 2 meals a day. Minimum of 4 hours in between meal 1 and meal 2. Minimum of 16 hours between meal 2 and meal 1 the next day. No snacking in between. Water, coffee and tea only.

20-30 minutes of Cardio, and then 20-30 minutes of Calisthenics. Count on Nate Bower or Rick Bhullar for Cardio, and then Iron Wolf Workouts for Calisthenics.

…And, we’re getting back to writing as well. Minimum of 1000 words a day, to hit a minimum of 365000 words by the end of 2026.

This is all tracked, and God-willing, I intend to keep holding myself accountable.

Thank You, Father, for the reading of Your Word.

The Assurance of God’s Saving Work

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;

2 May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion;

3 May He remember all your offerings, And accept your burnt sacrifice.

Selah

We give God all thanks and glory. We are able to speak well of people, for people – We’re able to reflect and share on words regarding the Lord being able to answer us, being able to defend us in our days of trouble.

Indeed, even right now, I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one feeling at rock-bottom with regards to my fitness and my finances… but what’s nice about going through the Word of God is that through all the troubles and the trials, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness.

I mean, here, we are able to speak (to ourselves, our families and everyone else): The Lord not only hears us, but recognizes our offerings and sacrifices of praise; And He does not only observe, but He responds to us, according to His eternal wisdom and infinite power: He sends help from the sanctuary, He strengthens us out of Zion, and He HIMSELF answers us, He HIMSELF defends us.

Indeed, may we stop (Selah) and reflect on this. The world may burn, us along with it, but no matter what, the Lord is our Answer, our Help, our Strength. God is our Father who hears us.

And may we also keep it in our meditations, that all these claims are not in confidence out of our own performance or standing; No, we say all these things in the name of Jesus, and for His name’s sake.

We are helped, we are strengthened; He hears us, and He responds, all because of what Jesus has done, and all for the glory of His name.

Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for these reminders.

4 May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, And fulfill all your purpose.

5 We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.

For me, here and now, considering my situation, I take heart and give thanks to the Lord for these words, these promises. Indeed, though there may be a good number of us in the body of Christ who are at ‘rock bottom’, it doesn’t take away from the fact and truth that our God is our Father who not only hears us, but is true to His Word.

Indeed, there is some tangible relief to be found in knowing that He grants us according to our heart’s desire (of course, knowing that through Christ we have been given new hearts with a new Spirit and new desires aligned to Him); There’s some comfort in knowing that He fulfills all our (new) purposes.

But on top of all of that is to come is what has already been established for all time: That is, our salvation – Our right-standing with God, reconciled so we now call God our Father, who is present as peace for our past, confidence for our future, and stability in the present. For what Christ has established at the cross, we rejoice and give Him praise!

Oh, my soul, mingle your petitions with praise unto the Most High, and remember that He hears us, and He is true to His word; Praise the Lord, oh my soul! Forget not all His benefits, and give thanks to His glorious name!

7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

8 They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright.

9 Save, LORD! May the King answer us when we call.

Let us remind ourselves, in times of turmoil, that there is only one Name to trust – that is, the matchless, glorious name of our Lord and our God.

The world is on fire, and we are quick to find shelter and refuge in creation… but our trust is in the Creator, who is our Father, our King, our Lord and our God.

Thank You, Lord! You are the King who answers us, You are the Father who hears us.

Father, thank You for this time, and thank You for this new week ahead of us. We commit all of our works to You, we lift all our plans to You. We acknowledge Your Son’s finished work, Your presence as our Father, and the manifest power of the Holy Spirit in all we set off to do, and in all that happens to us.

We thank You, Father. As we place our trust in You, You establish our thoughts, You direct our steps, and You shall not put us to shame; Yes, Father, we shall not be put to shame, and Your name shall forever be glorified! Thank You, Lord!

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