The rest of the story! The Psalmist predicts Christ here and says His covenant shall stand firm. The conflict in the Middle East is not just about the survival of Israel. It is also about securing the place where Christ changed the world.

Psalm 89:24-29
“But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him,
And in My name his horn shall be exalted.
Also I will set his hand over the sea,
And his right hand over the rivers.
He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father,
My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
Also I will make him My firstborn,
The highest of the kings of the earth.
My mercy I will keep for him forever,
And My covenant shall stand firm with him.
His seed also I will make to endure forever,
And his throne as the days of heaven.

Bible Gateway Link: Psalm 89:24-29 (NKJV)

If you are frustrated trying to understand the Israeli-Hamas conflict, go to the source. There's a reason the Israeli flag is the Star of David. Is it clear now?

Psalm 89:19-23
Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one,
And said: “I have given help to one who is mighty;
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
I have found My servant David;
With My holy oil I have anointed him, 

With whom My hand shall be established;
Also My arm shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not outwit him,
Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
I will beat down his foes before his face,
And plague those who hate him.

Bible Gateway Link: Psalm 89:19-23

Let us find the strongest, most faithful force in the universe. When we are raging and out of control, He will still us.

Psalm 89:8-9

O Lord God of hosts,
Who is mighty like You, O Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
You rule the raging of the sea;
When its waves rise, You still them.

Psalm 89:8-9

This lesson I learn over and over again from reading the Bible. God is faithful. Gravity always has the same pull, the sun rises every morning. Life is hard AND joyful. We die. We have everlasting life. God loves us whether we believe it or not. He is faithful, ALWAYS.

Psalm 89:1-2
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever;

With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.”

Bible Gateway Link: Psalm 89:1-2 (NKJV)

Are you too ashamed to lift your face to God? There is hope. Ever faithful, God sent his son to give us a way. Thank you God for your sacrifice.

Ezra 9:5-6

At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God.
And I said: “O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.

Bible Gateway Link: Ezra 9:5-6

Here is the key to a successful spiritual life: prepare your heart to seek the Lord, then do it. Just do it!

Ezra 7:9-10
On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Bible Gateway Link:Ezra 7:9-10

Wouldn't you be fearless if you knew He was at your side and telling you exactly what to do next? We need to get to know Him well enough to open our ears. Listen: "Be of good cheer."

Acts 23:10-11
Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.
But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”

Bible Gateway Link: Acts 23:10-11 (NKJV)

Don't you want these things? All it takes is trust.

Psalm 84:11-12
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Bible Gateway Link Psalm 84:11-12

There is absolutely no doubt here. We call He answers. He is ever faithful.

Psalm 86:6-7
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
And attend to the voice of my supplications.
In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For You will answer me.

Bible Gateway Link: Psalm 86:6-7 (NKJV)

A great leader can do great things for his people. Hezekiah returned his people to God.

2 Chronicles 30:20
And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.

Bible Gateway Link: 2 Chronicles 30:20

I always wished God would just tell me what he wanted me to do. Then I realized He was speaking directly to me in my daily Bible reading. The Spirit always highlights just the right part.

Acts 18:9-10
Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent;
for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”

Bible Gateway Link: Acts 18:9-10

This Psalm wasn't written last week.

Psalm 83:1-4

Israeli firefighters extinguish a fire that broke out after a rocket hit a petrol station in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod July 11, 2014. REUTERS/Avi Roccah

Do not keep silent, O God!
Do not hold Your peace,
And do not be still, O God!
For behold, Your enemies make a tumult;
And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

Bible Gateway Link: Psalm 83:1-4 (NKJV)

Before I realized I was not in control of anything, my life was so painful I wanted to die. But,"I fell down trembling..." and asked "...what must I do to be saved?" Amazingly I got the same answer as this jailer.

Acts 16:26-31
Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.
But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”
Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Bible Gateway Link Acts 16:26-31 (NKJV)

We do our part. He does his. It isn't much more complicated than that.

2 Chronicles 15:7
But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”

Bible Gateway Link 2 Chronicles 15:7 (NKJV)

Sometimes the Bible can be very personal. MY first name is Rhoda too. Thank you God. (And Mom and Dad!)

Acts 12:13
And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.

Bible Gateway link Acts 12:13

Being a believer is not for the faint of heart, but it is about freedom. Let us not give up our freedoms without a fight, "gird yourself."

Acts 12:7-8
Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.
Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.”

Bible Gateway link Acts 12:7-8 (NKJV)