Psalm 6: 1-10 (GNB)
“LORD, don't be angry and rebuke me! Don't punish me in your anger!
“I am worn out, O LORD; have pity on me! Give me strength; I am completely exhausted
“And my whole being is deeply troubled. How long, O LORD, will you wait to help me?
“Come and save me, LORD; in your mercy rescue me from death.
“In the world of the dead you are not remembered; no one can praise you there.
“I am worn out with grief; every night my bed is damp from my weeping; my pillow is soaked with tears.
“I can hardly see; my eyes are so swollen from the weeping caused by my enemies.
“Keep away from me, you evil people! The LORD hears my weeping;
“He listens to my cry for help and will answer my prayer.
“My enemies will know the bitter shame of defeat; in sudden confusion they will be driven away.”
“I am worn out” and “Give me strength Lord” are frequent prayers for me. Reading them here simply reminded me I’m not the only one who struggles with the effects of evil in life. Everyone is impacted by decisions people make, by the physical and emotional attacks that Satan unleashes on us, and even by the repetitiveness routine of life. What I also notice in this passage is that David takes the same path I tend to take when troubled… I start out with a “complaint” mentality, followed with a feeling of resolve, and finally ending in a feeling of satisfaction in my Savior and the knowledge that I am His and He will take care of me. Have you ever wondered about that? Have you ever wondered why you will start off a prayer with “God this isn’t fair!” and end up with “I love You and know You have my life under control.”? I have, the best answer I can give you is the one I tell myself. God is comforting you while you pray. You may start off distressed, but in the end, His love and comfort engulf you and encourage you. Isn’t it wonderful?
Hugs & Love
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Bible Blog: Psalm 5 – June 3, 2008
Psalm 5: 1-12 (NIV)
“Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing.
“Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
“In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
“You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.
“The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.
“You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.
“But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.
“Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight your way before me.
“Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.
“Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.
“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
“For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”
Most of the time a passage like this will bring us to think we should pray first thing every day, or remind us we need to repent from our sinful ways so we can be in God’s presence. Today, for me, verse 9 is the most important, “Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.” Now, I know we can easily look at this and say, “Yeah, I know when that girl calls me fat that she’s just trying to hurt me,” or “well duh, the taunting on the field is just to throw off my game.” What about the taunts and insults that are thrown at us from the spiritual world though? Do we actually cast them off as easily or do we internalize them and somehow believe them to be true? As I’m typing this, I am unemployed and have an ankle injury that is preventing me from being hired at any local firms. Satan has used this as an opportunity to fill my mind with thoughts of uselessness, unimportance, and a lack of value. But here I read, “…with their tongue they speak deceit.” Who speaks deceit more frequently than Satan? Why do I find myself even listening to these words when all I need to do it tell him that God made me, forgives me, and loves me, I’m an heiress to the Throne of Grace… I really can’t have more value than that now can I? For whatever reason though, these thoughts and words are trusted even more than the ones we hear from the people we see each day. We need to cast these aside also and rejoice and sing for our Lord and Savior and not let these negative and deceitful ways permeate our minds and hearts.
Hugs & Love
“Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing.
“Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
“In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
“You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.
“The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.
“You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.
“But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.
“Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight your way before me.
“Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.
“Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.
“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
“For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”
Most of the time a passage like this will bring us to think we should pray first thing every day, or remind us we need to repent from our sinful ways so we can be in God’s presence. Today, for me, verse 9 is the most important, “Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.” Now, I know we can easily look at this and say, “Yeah, I know when that girl calls me fat that she’s just trying to hurt me,” or “well duh, the taunting on the field is just to throw off my game.” What about the taunts and insults that are thrown at us from the spiritual world though? Do we actually cast them off as easily or do we internalize them and somehow believe them to be true? As I’m typing this, I am unemployed and have an ankle injury that is preventing me from being hired at any local firms. Satan has used this as an opportunity to fill my mind with thoughts of uselessness, unimportance, and a lack of value. But here I read, “…with their tongue they speak deceit.” Who speaks deceit more frequently than Satan? Why do I find myself even listening to these words when all I need to do it tell him that God made me, forgives me, and loves me, I’m an heiress to the Throne of Grace… I really can’t have more value than that now can I? For whatever reason though, these thoughts and words are trusted even more than the ones we hear from the people we see each day. We need to cast these aside also and rejoice and sing for our Lord and Savior and not let these negative and deceitful ways permeate our minds and hearts.
Hugs & Love
Monday, June 2, 2008
Bible Blog: Psalm 4 – June 2, 2008
Psalm 4: 1-8 (BBE)
“Give answer to my cry, O God of my righteousness; make me free from my troubles; have mercy on me, and give ear to my prayer.
“O you sons of men, how long will you go on turning my glory into shame? how long will you give your love to foolish things, going after what is false? Selah.
“See how the Lord has made great his mercy for me; the Lord will give ear to my cry.
“Let there be fear in your hearts, and do no sin; have bitter feelings on your bed, but make no sound. Selah.
“Give the offerings of righteousness, and put your faith in the Lord.
“There are numbers who say, Who will do us any good? the light of his face has gone from us.
“Lord, you have put joy in my heart, more than they have when their grain and their wine are increased.
“I will take my rest on my bed in peace, because you only, Lord, keep me safe.”
I like this version because it really is “basic English” with the possible exception of the word “Selah”. Do you know what that word means? Not many people do. It means we are to stop, meditate on what has just been spoken or read, really pull it apart and digest what is being said and then personalize it and take it to heart. David is challenging us and then telling us to take a break and think about the challenge he has just made… let’s do that…
Challenge #1: How long are we going to take the good things God gives us and turn them into something cheap and meaningless?
Challenge #2: How long are we going to reject the good things God offers and pursue things that don’t matter?
Challenge #3: Search your heart for the cause of your anger and deal with it within yourself and with God before it is mentioned to another.
David doesn’t ask you to meditate on the protection and joy God gives us that is mentioned after the challenges are made, but I think it’s reasonable to reflect on those as well and remember that through it all He keeps us safe. I hope you don’t mind that I am not giving my answers here… this needs to be a personal exercise and time for you to really communicate with God about what He wants you to learn. I pray you will be open to what he reveals to you!
Hugs & Love
“Give answer to my cry, O God of my righteousness; make me free from my troubles; have mercy on me, and give ear to my prayer.
“O you sons of men, how long will you go on turning my glory into shame? how long will you give your love to foolish things, going after what is false? Selah.
“See how the Lord has made great his mercy for me; the Lord will give ear to my cry.
“Let there be fear in your hearts, and do no sin; have bitter feelings on your bed, but make no sound. Selah.
“Give the offerings of righteousness, and put your faith in the Lord.
“There are numbers who say, Who will do us any good? the light of his face has gone from us.
“Lord, you have put joy in my heart, more than they have when their grain and their wine are increased.
“I will take my rest on my bed in peace, because you only, Lord, keep me safe.”
I like this version because it really is “basic English” with the possible exception of the word “Selah”. Do you know what that word means? Not many people do. It means we are to stop, meditate on what has just been spoken or read, really pull it apart and digest what is being said and then personalize it and take it to heart. David is challenging us and then telling us to take a break and think about the challenge he has just made… let’s do that…
Challenge #1: How long are we going to take the good things God gives us and turn them into something cheap and meaningless?
Challenge #2: How long are we going to reject the good things God offers and pursue things that don’t matter?
Challenge #3: Search your heart for the cause of your anger and deal with it within yourself and with God before it is mentioned to another.
David doesn’t ask you to meditate on the protection and joy God gives us that is mentioned after the challenges are made, but I think it’s reasonable to reflect on those as well and remember that through it all He keeps us safe. I hope you don’t mind that I am not giving my answers here… this needs to be a personal exercise and time for you to really communicate with God about what He wants you to learn. I pray you will be open to what he reveals to you!
Hugs & Love
Bible Blog: Psalm 3 - May 31, 2008
Psalm 3: 1-8 (GNB)
“I have so many enemies, LORD, so many who turn against me!
“They talk about me and say, "God will not help him."
“But you, O LORD, are always my shield from danger; you give me victory and restore my courage.
“I call to the LORD for help, and from his sacred hill he answers me.
“I lie down and sleep, and all night long the LORD protects me.
“I am not afraid of the thousands of enemies who surround me on every side.
“Come, LORD! Save me, my God! You punish all my enemies and leave them powerless to harm me.
“Victory comes from the LORD --- may he bless his people.”
There is so much comfort in this passage! Who among us hasn’t at some time drooped our shoulders and muttered words like “why me?” or “what now?” So many things in life seem to conspire against us, day after day, but through it all, the Lord is good! To see David going through the same type of sentiment, the “what now?” attitude and still turning to God for comfort and trusting that all he needs will be provided is the most encouraging thing I think I could read. Just read over the words for each verse, and remember all the ways God has helped you in these ways… He has protected you from danger, given you a victory, restored your courage, and answered your call for help… I could give countless examples from my own life, but they are not what is important, what’s important is that you know how God does this in your life… I hope you’ll think about it and thank Him for it today.
Hugs & Love
“I have so many enemies, LORD, so many who turn against me!
“They talk about me and say, "God will not help him."
“But you, O LORD, are always my shield from danger; you give me victory and restore my courage.
“I call to the LORD for help, and from his sacred hill he answers me.
“I lie down and sleep, and all night long the LORD protects me.
“I am not afraid of the thousands of enemies who surround me on every side.
“Come, LORD! Save me, my God! You punish all my enemies and leave them powerless to harm me.
“Victory comes from the LORD --- may he bless his people.”
There is so much comfort in this passage! Who among us hasn’t at some time drooped our shoulders and muttered words like “why me?” or “what now?” So many things in life seem to conspire against us, day after day, but through it all, the Lord is good! To see David going through the same type of sentiment, the “what now?” attitude and still turning to God for comfort and trusting that all he needs will be provided is the most encouraging thing I think I could read. Just read over the words for each verse, and remember all the ways God has helped you in these ways… He has protected you from danger, given you a victory, restored your courage, and answered your call for help… I could give countless examples from my own life, but they are not what is important, what’s important is that you know how God does this in your life… I hope you’ll think about it and thank Him for it today.
Hugs & Love
Bible Blog: Psalm 2 – May 30, 2008
Psalm 2: 1-12 (GNB)
“Why do the nations plan rebellion? Why do people make their useless plots?
“Their kings revolt, their rulers plot together against the LORD and against the king he chose.
"Let us free ourselves from their rule," they say; "let us throw off their control."
“From his throne in heaven the Lord laughs and mocks their feeble plans.
“Then he warns them in anger and terrifies them with his fury.
"On Zion, my sacred hill," he says, "I have installed my king."
"I will announce," says the king, "what the LORD has declared. He said to me: 'You are my son; today I have become your father.
“Ask, and I will give you all the nations; the whole earth will be yours.”
“You will break them with an iron rod; you will shatter them in pieces like a clay pot.' "
“Now listen to this warning, you kings; learn this lesson, you rulers of the world:
“Serve the LORD with fear; tremble
“and bow down to him; or else his anger will be quickly aroused, and you will suddenly die. Happy are all who go to him for protection."
What is rebellion? The best dictionary definition I’ve seen is, “organized opposition to authority; a conflict in which one faction tries to wrest control from another.” Okay, so in the very literal sense, David is referring to his earthly enemies in this Psalm, the people who were trying to overthrow the kingship God established. The message for us today is no different. Every time we try to do things our way, go against what we know God wants us to do in our lives, we are trying to take control away from God. “Why do people make their useless plots?” Our typical answer, “we just can’t help ourselves, it’s our human nature.” Well ladies and gentlemen, when you ask Christ for forgiveness from your sins and ask Him to be the ruler of your life, you are asking HIS nature to take over your life. Instead of answering, “its human nature,” we should be saying, “I’m struggling for power over my own life.” It’s not as easy to admit that though is it? As soon as those words are out we realize we’re sinning and need to change our ways. But as always, there is good news… if we submit to Him and allow Him to protect us, we will find happiness. Maybe not complete happiness while on earth, but when we are in His presence in Heaven one day, we will know joy beyond our capability to imagine.
Hugs & Love
"rebellion." WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University. 02 Jun. 2008.
“Why do the nations plan rebellion? Why do people make their useless plots?
“Their kings revolt, their rulers plot together against the LORD and against the king he chose.
"Let us free ourselves from their rule," they say; "let us throw off their control."
“From his throne in heaven the Lord laughs and mocks their feeble plans.
“Then he warns them in anger and terrifies them with his fury.
"On Zion, my sacred hill," he says, "I have installed my king."
"I will announce," says the king, "what the LORD has declared. He said to me: 'You are my son; today I have become your father.
“Ask, and I will give you all the nations; the whole earth will be yours.”
“You will break them with an iron rod; you will shatter them in pieces like a clay pot.' "
“Now listen to this warning, you kings; learn this lesson, you rulers of the world:
“Serve the LORD with fear; tremble
“and bow down to him; or else his anger will be quickly aroused, and you will suddenly die. Happy are all who go to him for protection."
What is rebellion? The best dictionary definition I’ve seen is, “organized opposition to authority; a conflict in which one faction tries to wrest control from another.” Okay, so in the very literal sense, David is referring to his earthly enemies in this Psalm, the people who were trying to overthrow the kingship God established. The message for us today is no different. Every time we try to do things our way, go against what we know God wants us to do in our lives, we are trying to take control away from God. “Why do people make their useless plots?” Our typical answer, “we just can’t help ourselves, it’s our human nature.” Well ladies and gentlemen, when you ask Christ for forgiveness from your sins and ask Him to be the ruler of your life, you are asking HIS nature to take over your life. Instead of answering, “its human nature,” we should be saying, “I’m struggling for power over my own life.” It’s not as easy to admit that though is it? As soon as those words are out we realize we’re sinning and need to change our ways. But as always, there is good news… if we submit to Him and allow Him to protect us, we will find happiness. Maybe not complete happiness while on earth, but when we are in His presence in Heaven one day, we will know joy beyond our capability to imagine.
Hugs & Love
"rebellion." WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University. 02 Jun. 2008.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Bible Blog: Psalm 1 - May 29, 2008
Psalm 1: 1-6 (GNB)
“Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God.
“Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the LORD, and they study it day and night.
“They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do.
“But evil people are not like this at all; they are like straw that the wind blows away.
“Sinners will be condemned by God and kept apart from God's own people.
“The righteous are guided and protected by the LORD, but the evil are on the way to their doom."
We have a decision to make; it’s as simple, and as complicated, as it sounds.
Option 1 – God’s way
Option 2 – Man’s way
On the surface this seems so simple; we want to live for God. End of story, right? WRONG!
Every association we have in life, teachers, parents, siblings, friends, every conversation, has the potential to impact our thoughts and perceptions on what things in life are good and what are not so good. Sometimes we can find ourselves strongly convinced to believe in a way contrary to God’s teaching, but we can also find ourselves indifferent to Him. What’s the danger in indifference? Well, when you don’t have an opinion on something, you can’t really have any goals. For example, a neutral opinion on sex before marriage could result in putting yourself into compromising positions and having the decision made for you. Yes, that’s an extreme example, but it’s effective. In addition to not being able to set your goals and boundaries, you will find that your contentment in Christ and your joy in Him will start to fade. If you’re indifferent to His presence in your life you can’t experience the joy and satisfaction of a relationship with Him because it just doesn’t matter.
I have good news for you though… you have a choice!
When we study God’s Word, immerse ourselves in Him, His ways, and His Love, His will becomes obvious to us, His Love restores our contentment and our lives are once again filled with His joy! When we give God our time and attention we become productive, fruitful and we grow. The more we become like Him, the more joy, hope, and grace we experience in our lives! It’s the same idea as making those human associations, except that association is the one where we get to experience perfection through an intimate relationship with the Perfect One! He offers us everything; all we need to do is accept it.
So today, we choose. Do we give our time and attention to others with imperfect hearts and motives and allow ourselves to be complacent and indifferent to God OR do we choose to spend time with our Savior, learning about His desires for our lives and living in His Love and Grace while letting Him mold us and remake us in His image?
Hugs & Love
“Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God.
“Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the LORD, and they study it day and night.
“They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do.
“But evil people are not like this at all; they are like straw that the wind blows away.
“Sinners will be condemned by God and kept apart from God's own people.
“The righteous are guided and protected by the LORD, but the evil are on the way to their doom."
We have a decision to make; it’s as simple, and as complicated, as it sounds.
Option 1 – God’s way
Option 2 – Man’s way
On the surface this seems so simple; we want to live for God. End of story, right? WRONG!
Every association we have in life, teachers, parents, siblings, friends, every conversation, has the potential to impact our thoughts and perceptions on what things in life are good and what are not so good. Sometimes we can find ourselves strongly convinced to believe in a way contrary to God’s teaching, but we can also find ourselves indifferent to Him. What’s the danger in indifference? Well, when you don’t have an opinion on something, you can’t really have any goals. For example, a neutral opinion on sex before marriage could result in putting yourself into compromising positions and having the decision made for you. Yes, that’s an extreme example, but it’s effective. In addition to not being able to set your goals and boundaries, you will find that your contentment in Christ and your joy in Him will start to fade. If you’re indifferent to His presence in your life you can’t experience the joy and satisfaction of a relationship with Him because it just doesn’t matter.
I have good news for you though… you have a choice!
When we study God’s Word, immerse ourselves in Him, His ways, and His Love, His will becomes obvious to us, His Love restores our contentment and our lives are once again filled with His joy! When we give God our time and attention we become productive, fruitful and we grow. The more we become like Him, the more joy, hope, and grace we experience in our lives! It’s the same idea as making those human associations, except that association is the one where we get to experience perfection through an intimate relationship with the Perfect One! He offers us everything; all we need to do is accept it.
So today, we choose. Do we give our time and attention to others with imperfect hearts and motives and allow ourselves to be complacent and indifferent to God OR do we choose to spend time with our Savior, learning about His desires for our lives and living in His Love and Grace while letting Him mold us and remake us in His image?
Hugs & Love
Poetry
Did you know that a poet opens his or her mind and heart to provide us with a lyrical and almost tangible account of that person’s inner struggles and desires? The Psalms of the Bible aren’t any different in that aspect. Where they differ is that they illustrate an intimacy with our Savior, the open, honest, free communication that is available to any who call on Him. Isn’t it wonderful? We are free to call upon the most important and powerful being ever to exist with the mundane (toe stubbing, hang nail, split ends) to the problematic (disciplinary issues with children, unemployment) to the emotional (loneliness, depression, joy) to rejoicing (praises, songs of worship, promotions) and anything else we might want to talk with Him about. He wants more than you’d give your best friend on earth, He wants EVERYTHING!
It is my hope that during my journey through the Psalms I will feel comforted, encouraged, but above all, that I develop a deep and intimate knowledge of my Savior, a closeness that I’ve never before known that will remain with me until I meet Him. I also hope that whoever reads my accounts of the Psalms will get from it whatever God intends. Above all, I want to be His servant and do His will.
Hugs & Love
It is my hope that during my journey through the Psalms I will feel comforted, encouraged, but above all, that I develop a deep and intimate knowledge of my Savior, a closeness that I’ve never before known that will remain with me until I meet Him. I also hope that whoever reads my accounts of the Psalms will get from it whatever God intends. Above all, I want to be His servant and do His will.
Hugs & Love
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