Victory In This Life?

 

With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes. Psalm 108:13 (ESV) This is a simple statement and applicable to all. Those who are with God shall do valiantly. No enemy can stand toe-to-toe with God. Nothing or no one can challenge God's authority and win. Victory in this life comes to those who walk with God, love God, and obey Him. Those who feel defeated today have their eyes fixed on the wrong solution, for God can't be defeated, and those who submit to Him cannot be defeated. Therefore, defeat is an idea whose time will never come to the submissive child. " I like even the talk of the old Gascon who said, when they asked him, "Can you and your troops get into that fortress? It is impregnable." "Can the sun enter in?" said he. "Yes." "Well, where the sun can go we will enter." Whatever is possible, or whatever is impossible, Christians can do at God's command, for God is with us." (C. H. Spurgeon)

Who Is Wise?

 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord. Psalm 107:43 (ESV)

We are told here to observe. We can do that. However, observation takes effort. Observation is not something that usually happens by accident.

Keeping oneself too busy and too scheduled does not allow one to spend time observing or meditating. Meditation is not the emptying of the mind, but the filling of the mind with thoughts of God, His love, His mercy, His power, His grace, and more.

The wise spend time observing God, meditating on God, and enjoying God. The foolish are consumed with their agendas, plans, purposes, and timelines.

If we feel distant from God, we have not considered or observed Him. If we think we know God and have followed Him, yet feel abandoned, perhaps we have not known Him, and have been observing someone or something else who is not God.

The word "fool" only applies to man, is well-deserved, and is easily changed by those considering God. For now, the choice is yours.

They forgot God!

 They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a metal image. They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. Therefore he said he would destroy them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them. Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise.

Psalm 106:19-24 (ESV)

Exchanging the glory of God for anything is not a good idea. The picture painted here is rather humorous. Not only are we told that man exchanged the glory of God for an ox, but that the ox eats grass. Man could do no better than to make a statue of a grass-eating animal to worship.
The key statement is this: "They forgot God, their Savior…." When we forget God, we create new gods or purposes, life loses its meaning, and we look foolish.
 

Consider God

 Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power. He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert. So he saved them from the hand of the foe and redeemed them from the power of the enemy. And the waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left. Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.

Psalm 106:7-13 (ESV)

Those who do not take time to consider God's masterful work lose the joy of life and live in discord.

Considering God or thinking of Him and His work, faithfulness, love, mercy, grace, and more allows me to have hope in my frailty. What I think about is my choice.

The standard is set!

 Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise? Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!

Psalm 106:1-3 (ESV)

"Those who do righteousness at all times!" That is a very exclusive group. Can anybody really do that?

The standard is set relatively high, and since it is set high, we need to aim high. We often make excuses about being unable to be perfect, so we cease trying. People are not perfect, and those who love and walk with God continually work on who they could be, rather than who they are.
We need to make the conscious choice to aim at being righteous all the time to be on the right side of history. God understands us and works with us. He knows our hearts, and my heart needs to desire Him and His ways. The rest of life's details will work out as I do that.

God is always at work.

 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

Psalm 105:1-6 (ESV)

Healthy people thank God and make His name known to those with whom they come in contact. When was the last time you were awed by the works of God? If you need to think about it, you have not been paying attention.

God is always at work. Whether you see it or not, it does not and will not affect Him. When you do not see the works of God, you miss out on one of the greatest privileges afforded to mankind.
God does not need us, but He wants us to be included.

God is the creator and sustainer of all!

 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight. The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart.

Psalm 104:5-15 (ESV)

God is the creator and sustainer of all. It is a gift to those he created and loves. We would be wise to acknowledge this often.