We had some more medical drama on Monday, my brother in law had a 15 hour surgery a couple of weeks ago to remove a cancerous tumor. He became short of breath Monday, turns out he had multiple blood clots in both lungs and a saddle clot in the bronchial tubes as a result of the surgery. Because of the surgery, the doctor could not treat them in the normal manner. The doctor wheeled Hal from his office to the ER. Hal has since been moved from ICU to a regular room and may be home tomorrow. As a result of all this, I forgot to post my week's thoughts on the Psalms we read.
Psalm 83:4 "Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation,that the name of Israel be remembered no more." --- we still see people with the same intent today and Israel was not a nation for many, many years...astounding...
Psalm 83:18 Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD—that you alone are the Most High over all the earth. --- I pray those who hate Israel and the Lord, find out He is Lord before it's too late for them.
Psalm 86:10-13 I think these are some of the greatest words ever spoken to us by God:
Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.
Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. --- one day I will really remain/abide/rest in Him while still on earth...John knew how to really rest in Him...I want that too...
Psalm 98:1-2 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. --- I really believes this proves He makes Himself known to all people...because His mercy is too great not to reveal Himself to all people.
Psalm 121 - Dad's fav...ready it cried...love it, cannot discuss it yet...
Psalm 143:1-2 O LORD, hear my prayer,listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you. --- comforting words to me, I fall short, we all fall short...Jesus makes us righteous, it's not something we can achieve on our own.
Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do your will,for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. --- my prayer for myself
Psalm 144:1-2 Praise be to the LORD my Rock,who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. --- He has prepared me, why do I constantly try to do it my way instead of His way???
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. ---Who do I fellowship and keep company with???
Psalm 36:5-6 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. ---One of my Siesta Memory Verses
Psalm 37:4-7 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD;trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. ---Words to live by - Delight in Him!!!
Psalm 39:1 I said, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence." --- how many times have I told myself to keep my mouth shut and not involve myself in a conversation only to open it and speak....I would be rich if I had a dime for every time I did it...
Psalm 40:2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. ---In Jesus we have the Rock, a firm place to stand...
Psalm 49:15 But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. --- our future home...with God
Psalm 73:2-5 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. --- how many Christians have felt like this at one time or another?
Psalm 84:1-2 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. --- I am singing...
Psalm 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory,because of your love and faithfulness. --- Oh yes Lord, may the glory always ALWAYS be Yours, may we never seek it for ourselves.
Psalm 8:1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!You have set your glory above the heavens. ---this verse thrills my spirit man.
Psalm 19:1-3 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. --- One of my Siesta Memory Verses
Psalm 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD. --- as a teen, I purposely misconstrued this verse to further my bad behavior...
Psalm 27:1, 4 The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?; One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. --- I love these verses...
Psalm 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. --- my 1st Siesta Memory Verse of the year...
Blessings to all of you!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
WOW
So much to say, so little time...
In the psalms we read last week, we read the words: Fortess, Rock, Shield, Vindicate, Hear me several times. When something is written in the Word more than once, I feel we need to pause on it.
In today's world we hear people try to find vindication through many means but rarely through the Lord. We hear people air dirty laundry on talk shows in an attempt to sway people to their side.
David knew to ask the Lord for vindication and so should we. Even if we never see vindication here on earth, it is He Who vindicates us, He knows the truth.
David experienced all kinds of situations in His life...and he knew Who to address for help. I pray I seek the Lord 1st always and not as plan B.
I leave you with these words:
Psalm 35
Of David.
1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take up shield and buckler;
arise and come to my aid.
3 Brandish spear and javelin [a]
against those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
"I am your salvation."
4 May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay.
5 May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
6 may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
7 Since they hid their net for me without cause
and without cause dug a pit for me,
8 may ruin overtake them by surprise—
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
and delight in his salvation.
10 My whole being will exclaim,
"Who is like you, O LORD ?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them."
11 Ruthless witnesses come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good
and leave my soul forlorn.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14 I went about mourning
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
attackers gathered against me when I was unaware.
They slandered me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked [b] ;
they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 O Lord, how long will you look on?
Rescue my life from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among throngs of people I will praise you.
19 Let not those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
let not those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.
20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They gape at me and say, "Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we have seen it."
22 O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent.
Do not be far from me, O Lord.
23 Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God;
do not let them gloat over me.
25 Do not let them think, "Aha, just what we wanted!"
or say, "We have swallowed him up."
26 May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, "The LORD be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant."
28 My tongue will speak of your righteousness
and of your praises all day long.
In the psalms we read last week, we read the words: Fortess, Rock, Shield, Vindicate, Hear me several times. When something is written in the Word more than once, I feel we need to pause on it.
In today's world we hear people try to find vindication through many means but rarely through the Lord. We hear people air dirty laundry on talk shows in an attempt to sway people to their side.
David knew to ask the Lord for vindication and so should we. Even if we never see vindication here on earth, it is He Who vindicates us, He knows the truth.
David experienced all kinds of situations in His life...and he knew Who to address for help. I pray I seek the Lord 1st always and not as plan B.
I leave you with these words:
Psalm 35
Of David.
1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take up shield and buckler;
arise and come to my aid.
3 Brandish spear and javelin [a]
against those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
"I am your salvation."
4 May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay.
5 May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
6 may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
7 Since they hid their net for me without cause
and without cause dug a pit for me,
8 may ruin overtake them by surprise—
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
and delight in his salvation.
10 My whole being will exclaim,
"Who is like you, O LORD ?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them."
11 Ruthless witnesses come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good
and leave my soul forlorn.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14 I went about mourning
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
attackers gathered against me when I was unaware.
They slandered me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked [b] ;
they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 O Lord, how long will you look on?
Rescue my life from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among throngs of people I will praise you.
19 Let not those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
let not those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.
20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They gape at me and say, "Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we have seen it."
22 O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent.
Do not be far from me, O Lord.
23 Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God;
do not let them gloat over me.
25 Do not let them think, "Aha, just what we wanted!"
or say, "We have swallowed him up."
26 May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, "The LORD be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant."
28 My tongue will speak of your righteousness
and of your praises all day long.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Psalm 51 & Psalm 105
Last week we heard David's words as he praised the Lord for delivering him from Saul's clutches. A beautiful psalm filled with joy and praise. David had a mountaintop experience. This week we read Psalm 51...David, like us came back to the real world and was no longer on top of the mountain...we come back from retreats standing on the mountain...we experience answered prayer and we are on top of the mountain...and then we may not be home for 5 minutes and we have sinned and are amazed we are standing in a valley...
David cries out to the Lord for forgiveness, he commited adultery and murder, we may say I WOULD never do that...well it doesn't matter because sin is sin is sin is sin, we do commit sins just not murder and adultery...
In Psalm 51 we see David's heart cry...every verse is so rich, David cried:
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Can you imagine being cast from the presence of the Lord? Can you imagine losing the Holy Spirit? Thankfully through the Blood of the Lamb, confession and repentence we are not cast from the presence of the Lord, we do not lose the Holy Spirit.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are [c] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
The Lord does not want Old Testament sacrifices, He wants us to remain humble, He wants our hearts to remain soft and tender towards Him and others. We cannot afford to get into the self mode and live for ourselves and not for Him.
In Psalm 105, we see the praise once again, just as David was restored, we are restored through the Blood of the Lamb...we are New Covenant Girls!
1 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
2 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
David restated the facts, God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he listed the deeds the Lord had done in Egypt, He talked about the Lord giving Israel the Promised Land, and ended with praise. A great way for us to pray. Confessing what the Lord has done for us as we pray builds our faith.
Let us praise the Lord!
David cries out to the Lord for forgiveness, he commited adultery and murder, we may say I WOULD never do that...well it doesn't matter because sin is sin is sin is sin, we do commit sins just not murder and adultery...
In Psalm 51 we see David's heart cry...every verse is so rich, David cried:
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Can you imagine being cast from the presence of the Lord? Can you imagine losing the Holy Spirit? Thankfully through the Blood of the Lamb, confession and repentence we are not cast from the presence of the Lord, we do not lose the Holy Spirit.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are [c] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
The Lord does not want Old Testament sacrifices, He wants us to remain humble, He wants our hearts to remain soft and tender towards Him and others. We cannot afford to get into the self mode and live for ourselves and not for Him.
In Psalm 105, we see the praise once again, just as David was restored, we are restored through the Blood of the Lamb...we are New Covenant Girls!
1 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
2 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
David restated the facts, God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he listed the deeds the Lord had done in Egypt, He talked about the Lord giving Israel the Promised Land, and ended with praise. A great way for us to pray. Confessing what the Lord has done for us as we pray builds our faith.
Let us praise the Lord!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Ps 18
This is not exactly the post I intended, for the 2nd time in a little over a week, we have had such heavy rains (over an inch an hour) that the gutters and drains could not keep up with it...water rose over the threshold and came into our sun room. Clorox is my friend. This time it did not cover the baseboards but it created quite a mess.
David's sense of timing and what needed to be done always amazes me. In I Sam 26 we read:
So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.
Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won't strike him twice."
But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD's anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let's go."
So David took the spear and water jug near Saul's head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.
I think in my zeal, being caught up in the moment, or doing my will in Jesus' Name, I would have done the thing and "finished" the job. David is filled with the Lord's wisdom and stops Abishai from killing Saul.
The text this week shows us so much. I want to share a few verses from PS 18 which struck me, I am using the Holman Bible:
32 God—He clothes me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer
and sets me securely on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for war;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand upholds me,
and Your humility exalts me.
36 You widen [a place] beneath me for my steps,
and my ankles do not give way.
37 I pursue my enemies and overtake them;
I do not turn back until they are wiped out.
38 I crush them, and they cannot get up;
they fall beneath my feet.
39 You have clothed me with strength for battle;
You subdue my adversaries beneath me.
As New Covenant people, we see the correlation between these verses and the verses describing our armor in Eph 6. We are at war and He prepares and clothes us.
Also in Psalm 18, these verses grabbed me:
1 I love You, LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock,
my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my mountain where I seek refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold.
3 I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I was saved from my enemies.
David's sense of timing and what needed to be done always amazes me. In I Sam 26 we read:
So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.
Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won't strike him twice."
But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD's anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let's go."
So David took the spear and water jug near Saul's head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.
I think in my zeal, being caught up in the moment, or doing my will in Jesus' Name, I would have done the thing and "finished" the job. David is filled with the Lord's wisdom and stops Abishai from killing Saul.
The text this week shows us so much. I want to share a few verses from PS 18 which struck me, I am using the Holman Bible:
32 God—He clothes me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer
and sets me securely on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for war;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand upholds me,
and Your humility exalts me.
36 You widen [a place] beneath me for my steps,
and my ankles do not give way.
37 I pursue my enemies and overtake them;
I do not turn back until they are wiped out.
38 I crush them, and they cannot get up;
they fall beneath my feet.
39 You have clothed me with strength for battle;
You subdue my adversaries beneath me.
As New Covenant people, we see the correlation between these verses and the verses describing our armor in Eph 6. We are at war and He prepares and clothes us.
Also in Psalm 18, these verses grabbed me:
1 I love You, LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock,
my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my mountain where I seek refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold.
3 I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I was saved from my enemies.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Easter
Due to extra church services, family illness, and a trip to the ER in another town yesterday because my husband's 89 yr aunt was injured in a fall, I am behind in readings and posting.
I will be caught up hopefully by Wed or Thurs. and will have the posts up.
Hope everyone had a truly blessed Easter.
I will be caught up hopefully by Wed or Thurs. and will have the posts up.
Hope everyone had a truly blessed Easter.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Post
My post will be up tomorrow. I slept most of Sunday afternoon instead of posting. Sorry for the delay.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Week 13, Deut. 29 - Joshua 19
When God promises us something, He means it - He does it. He promised the Israelites they would live in the land He gave them, the Promised Land. They had to follow Him to get there. It can be sooo difficult to follow Him, we usually begin the journey following Him and then somehow we decided consciously or unconsciously to take the lead and it is a disaster until we repent and follow Him.
In the story of Rahab and the spies, we see a visible sign of the covenant yet to come, the scarlet cord - a visible and physical symbol of God' protection and deliverance. The scarlet cord worked, but how much more we have in the Blood of Jesus - our Messiah, our Deliverer, our Healer, our Passover Lamb, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords.
Let's give Him some praise!
In the story of Rahab and the spies, we see a visible sign of the covenant yet to come, the scarlet cord - a visible and physical symbol of God' protection and deliverance. The scarlet cord worked, but how much more we have in the Blood of Jesus - our Messiah, our Deliverer, our Healer, our Passover Lamb, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords.
Let's give Him some praise!
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