For the week of March 23, 2026
MONDAY
Day One: Those Who Trust in the LORD are like Mt. Zion
Sermon Focus: Our strength is not in our hold on God, but in God’s hold on us.
Truth: Psalm 125 says, “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong. Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts! But those who turn aside to their crooked ways the LORD will lead away with evildoers! Peace be upon Israel!”
Sermon Point: The psalmist begins by declaring that those who place their trust in the Lord find a security as unshakable as Mount Zion, the biblical symbol of God’s dwelling, reign, and enduring covenant presence. From David’s conquest to its New Testament fulfillment in Christ, Mt. Zion embodies God’s permanence and faithfulness. Just as the Israelites saw the mountain standing firm through every storm, the psalmist declares that those who trust in the Lord share in that same unmovable stability. By contrast, everything else we tend to trust – comfort, finances, relationships, health – is temporary, fragile, and ultimately unable to bear the weight of our hope. Even when our internal world feels unstable or our emotions fluctuate, God remains steadfast, reminding us that our security rests not in our strength but in His unchanging character.
Sermon Reflection: Eugene Peterson writes “My security comes from who God is, not from how I feel. Discipleship is a decision to live by what I know about God, not by what I feel about Him or myself.” How does this statement challenge or encourage you in your desire and effort to live as a fully devoted disciple who makes disciples?
Application: Choose one area of discipleship (think pillars – service, prayer, generosity, reaching the lost, making godly decisions, fellowship, encouragement, managing well, gratitude, etc.) and commit to a concrete act of obedience today, regardless of how you feel.
Kingdom Prayer Focus:
- Praise God that He is the Rock of our salvation– enduring from everlasting to everlasting. Thank Him that He never changes and that we can rest securely in Him when all else in this world gives way.
- Pray for FM – that we would be people who stand firm like Mount Zion – steady, rooted, and faithful; ask God to form in us the kind of discipleship that chooses obedience based on the truth of Scripture, not on fluctuating feelings, convenience, or what’s on the latest posts in your social media feed.
TUESDAY
Day Two: The LORD Surrounds His People
Sermon Focus: Our strength is not in our hold on God, but in God’s hold on us.
Truth: Psalm 125 says, “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong. Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts! But those who turn aside to their crooked ways the LORD will lead away with evildoers! Peace be upon Israel!”
Sermon Point: The City of God, Jerusalem, is located on Mount Zion, yet it was surrounded by even higher mountains that formed a natural fortress, a sight pilgrims would see as they approached the city. This geography visually embodied the psalm’s message: just as mountains encircle Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people with His protective presence. Together, these verses reveal the deep comfort and eternal security reserved for those who place their trust in Him, now and forevermore.
Sermon Reflection: Where in your life do you feel “surrounded” by pressures or uncertainties, and how might the image of God encircling His people reshape the way you interpret those circumstances?
Application: If you are someone who doesn’t mind giving hugs, wrap your arms around someone today and share this psalm with them, reminding them that God surrounds His people with love and faithfulness. (Fist bumps are an acceptable substitution!)
Kingdom Prayer Focus:
- Thank God for the gift of His Holy Spirit today who strengthens us tocling to God as our secure foundation; thank Him for surrounding us with His presence just as the mountains surround Jerusalem.
- Ask that God would form in us a compassion and love for those who are lost; if not for the grace of God, we would still be, as well. Pray that we would be earnest in reaching out in gracious love and truth to share with others the Hope of our salvation.
WEDNESDAY
Day Three: Evil Will Not Get the Last Word
Sermon Focus: Our strength is not in our hold on God, but in God’s hold on us.
Truth: Psalm 125 says, “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong. Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts! But those who turn aside to their crooked ways the LORD will lead away with evildoers! Peace be upon Israel!”
Sermon Point: The psalmist acknowledges that God’s people may live under the “scepter of wickedness” – seasons of unjust or oppressive rule – yet this authority is temporary and will not rest permanently on the land allotted to the righteous. Though injustice can tempt even the faithful to lose heart or compromise on Truth, God promises that evil will not ultimately prevail or destroy His people. The psalmist’s confidence rests in God’s unchanging faithfulness, who provides endurance in temptation and sustains His people even when wickedness seems dominant. One day God will break the scepter of wickedness forever. Until then, His people trust Him as their secure foundation, surrounded by His presence like the mountains around Jerusalem.
Sermon Reflection: How does remembering God’s unchanging faithfulness and ultimate victory over evil encourage you to remain steadfast rather than compromise when obedience feels costly?
Application: Identify one place where the “scepter of wickedness” feels real in your life – an environment, relationship, workplace dynamic, or cultural pressure that tempts you toward discouragement or moral compromise. Choose an act of obedience you will practice this week (tell the truth, don’t gossip, maintain integrity, extend compassion, etc.) – do the next right thing, no matter what!
Kingdom Prayer Focus:
- Pray that God would strengthen our trust in His faithfulness when the “scepter of wickedness” feels heavy; pray for endurance and courage to remain steadfast rather than give in to discouragement or compromise.
- Thank God today that evil will not get the last word – that everything wrong will be made right, everything crooked will be made straight, everything broken will be restored– and it will all be for God’s Glory Alone!
THURSDAY
Day Four: Do Good, LORD!
Sermon Focus: Our strength is not in our hold on God, but in God’s hold on us.
Truth: Psalm 125 says, “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong. Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts! But those who turn aside to their crooked ways the LORD will lead away with evildoers! Peace be upon Israel!”
Sermon Point: Encouraged by God’s protective presence, the psalmist then turns to prayer and asks the Lord to do good to those who trust Him. Scripture teaches that no one is inherently good, yet those who belong to the Lord through faith are counted righteous because of Christ and given hearts that desire His ways. In contrast, those who turn aside to crookedness – persisting in unrepentant evil – will ultimately be led away in judgment, separated from God and His people. God’s judgment may feel uncomfortable, but it is an expression of His justice and love, for a good Father protects His children by ultimately removing evil rather than allowing sin to go unpunished.
Sermon Reflection: How does remembering that your righteousness comes from Christ – not your own goodness – shape the way you pray for God to “do good” to His people, including yourself?
Application: Put on the full armor of God today (which includes the breastplate of Christ’s righteousness) and be filled with His Spirit (give thanks, praise God, and submit to others out of reverence for Christ), and then GO and make disciples in your everyday, ordinary life, for God’s Glory Alone!
Kingdom Prayer Focus:
- Repent for all the ways we give into the temptation to go the way of “crookedness” every day – we gossip, we lie, we envy, we grumble, we slander, we squander the good gifts He’s given us…pray that we would truly mourn our sin and long to be transformed into Christ’s righteousness more and more.
- Bring before God the reality of evil and injustice in the world, asking Him to hasten the day when His perfect rule brings lasting peace and to help us live faithfully until that day.
FRIDAY
Day Five: Peace Be Upon Israel!
Sermon Focus: Our strength is not in our hold on God, but in God’s hold on us.
Truth: Psalm 125 says, “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong. Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts! But those who turn aside to their crooked ways the LORD will lead away with evildoers! Peace be upon Israel!”
Sermon Point: The psalmist’s last words are a prayer: “Peace be upon Israel.” Peace is a blessing reserved for those who trust in the Lord rather than those who persist in wickedness. Ultimately, true and lasting peace will only come when God removes evil and establishes His perfect rule. Psalm 125 presents a clear contrast between the path of those who trust in the Lord – secure under His eternal protection – and those who turn aside to crookedness and face judgment. Our trust must not rest in ever-changing earthly things but in Jesus Christ, the immovable cornerstone, through whom those who believe receive unshakable security and eternal life!
Sermon Reflection: How does the contrast between those who trust in the Lord and those who turn toward crookedness compel you to examine where your trust is truly anchored, especially in areas where you long for lasting peace?
Application: Worship with this song today and throughout the next couple of weeks as we look forward to our celebration on Resurrection Sunday: https://open.spotify.com/track/6Pk6adU9IZyrhXyKDY8iDR?si=75af8b8af9fa4898
Kingdom Prayer Focus:
- Pray that God would form in us a deeper trust in Him as our true source of peace, turning our hearts away from the unstable and temporal things we often rely on.
- Praise God that He promises to finish the work He has started in all His beloved children – we have been saved (justified), we are being saved (sanctified), and one day we will be saved (glorified) in His presence forever! Praise Him that these are promises we can believe and rest in – true peace, indeed!