No Fear

Psalm 27 is such an inspiring song of praise to God! That's where I'm listening for the thoughts God wants to place on my heart today. It's so packed with profound and encouraging thoughts, I am having a hard time focusing on just one! What is God impressing on you?

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? (v. 1)

God is saying there is no room for fear where there is faith! Instead of feeling afraid I can feel confident, because God is with me and he is the one that gives me my sense of security. Who or what should make me fear when God is for me? There is nothing that will ever come my way that he can't bring me through. When everything else feels precarious, God is the fortress that I can run to. Within his care and love and direction nothing can ultimately harm me, not even death! Today, I lay down any fear and replace it with faith!

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. (v. 13-14)

A year ago when my wife, Cathy, died, it was hard to conceive that life could ever be good again. The most precious person in the world to me was gone, torn from my life. The pain was overwhelming. The black clouds settled in, pressing down on me for a long time. God seemed distant and baffling. It was hard to believe the words of these verses then, yet I clung to them.

And God has proved true. While nothing can replace Cathy or what was suffered in losing her, God has shown me his goodness again. He pierced that heavy blanket of clouds with the rays of the sun and broke it up. He has brought new and wonderful blessings my way, including an exciting new relationship. He has brought love and happiness into my life again! No matter how dark things may be for you now, hold onto this promise from God: you will experience his goodness again. Believe it!

There are yet many uncertainties ahead and some imposing obstacles in the way of realizing my dreams. Sometimes I flat out get discouraged and wonder if things will work out. And God speaks to me here and says, "Wait for me. Be strong and take heart, and wait for me. I haven't forgotten you and I will come through. You will find that my plans are better than yours, and I will indeed work them out. So just be patient! It will be worth the wait!"

To share what God impressed on you through this psalm, first log in (top right corner of the page). Then type your comments below. Alternatively, you can select Anonymous from the "Comment as" field.

God, I Love Your House!

I'm spending time alone with Almighty God in Psalm 26. Yesterday's blog by Michele was a great one on taking the high road in conflicts, if you missed it! So be sure to read it and then take in God's word in Psalm 26 with me. Ask God to show you what he wants to communicate specifically to your own heart through these words. For me, this statement jumps out:

I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O LORD, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds. I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells. (v. 6-8)

We used to live in a little wood frame house while I was in seminary. It didn't have a piece of insulation anywhere in it. We could feel the cold breeze through the floorboards in the winter. A squirrel lived in our attic and would get in our closet, depositing nuts in Cathy's shoes. At one point, we discovered that raw sewage had been pouring out underneath the house. The floors were so unlevel that a ball would roll all by itself from one wall of a room to the other. And on top of all that it was Pepto Bismol pink with blue trim. But people would come to visit us and remark how they loved our house. I think they were lying. But it is a nice feeling when someone says they love your house. After all, it's where you live.

Through this whole psalm, David is laying his case before God, and it is this: I am faithful to you, God, so please come to my aid. And one of the points that he reminds God of is the genuine worship that he has offered up. It hasn't been hypocritical worship, which is really more of an insult to God than anything. He worships in innocence out of pure motives. He loves to tell about the great things God has done in history and in his own life. And he loves God's house. That would be the temple, the center of the worship and service of God. Through Christ, God no longer puts the focus on a building of brick and morter but on the people who make up his church. Christ's church is described as a spiritual house, with him as the foundation and each believer as a living stone (1 Peter 2:5).

I do love Christ's church. I can honestly and wholeheartedly say, "Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells." It is important to me. I prioritize my place in it and the contribution that I make within it. I love worshiping and testifying to God's goodness with his people. Sometimes the church doesn't live up to its calling. It's made of imperfect people. I've certainly been disappointed at times when the church failed to grasp the vision that God has for it. But I love it just the same! I love it because it is God's house and the place where his glory dwells.

It's good to be able to pray to God and ask for help and offer up my love for his church as evidence of my love for him. I wish the same for us all.

God, please help us to love your church with the passion that you do, to do everything we can to build it up and make it strong. I commit myself, my finances, my time and spiritual gifts, my effort to ramping up the ministry that happens from your house. Please bless all of my efforts and those of every other member and make your church all that you dream for it. Amen!

Teachable Hearts

Good evening all! I, Michele, am reading and focusing on Psalm 25 tonight. This is a favorite psalm of mine because it speaks of the character traits that I desire to portray.

Many of the psalms are about enemies and the havoc they raise in the writer's life. Sometimes our enemies seem to "take the upper hand" in life. Those with blatant disregard for God appear to get what they want......and that's just not fair! So it seems.

But I don't want to act like my enemies. I want to take the high road! Isn't that the example we want to set as Christians??

Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. (v. 4-5)

David is seeking guidance in these verses because he wants to do what the Lord wants, not as his enemies did to him. We have to want to be guided by God. We need teachable hearts. The only way to accomplish this is through a committed relationship with God. Being in his Word and spending time w/ him are vital to softening our hearts so that we are able to be examples of his love for others.

He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. (v. 9)

Humility will also come as we seek God's direction in our lives. I don't need to behave like my enemies because I know who I am in Christ! I know my depravity outside of God's will....I've been there many times before! I am no better then those who torment me....but, I have been saved and my enemies need to see the evidence of my faith and changed life.

Many integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you. (v. 21)

Lord, I want to walk in moral uprightness. I want to show your love to my enemies. They need you desperately! I also want to be a godly example to the younger ones in my life. We need to be an example for the next generation. I'm afraid they sometimes see more of the enemy's example in this world than a godly one. I want to have a teachable heart that desires your guidance. Mold me and shape me to be a reflection of who you are. Amen.

Please share your thoughts and how God has used this song to minister to your heart. We would love to hear from you!

King of Glory

Psalm 24. It's where I'm going to hear from God today. Come along! This is meant to be read aloud, so enjoy! ... What did you hear?

What especially impresses me here is the focus on God. This one isn't as much about me and my life and what God is going to do for me. This one is about God, for the most part. And that's a welcome point of focus! I read this and I just take in the God that I love and trust!

Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. (v. 7-8)

God...Yahweh...Creator of all things...the one who laid out the world and all of its wonders. He is awesome! And he is the King of glory! Five times he is lauded with that title in the closing refrain, as if to say, "Stop everything and pay attention! The King of the universe is entering! Take him in. See his majesty. Let the world just be put on hold for now. Nothing and no one compares with our King! His might is unparalleled! Nothing exists beyond his realm and power. The victorious King is returning from his conquest over evil an dtaking his rightful place on the throne of heaven.

It's an image that is just so inspiring when I pause and take it in! God is so much greater than me. My problems pale in comparison to his power. Life isn't about me; it's about him. His church is about his greatness and goodness. His world is in his hands. And that means my future is secure.

Lord, I worship you. I lift up my heart in praise and awe of who you are! What an awesome God! Take your rightful place on the throne of my heart today! It is yours. Reign in me, God. Reign over me. I am forever your loyal subject. Amen!

All That I Need

Happy Friday to you all! I hope that you all will enjoy this day and the weekend to come! This is Michele with you this morning and I am focusing on Psalm 23. I have heard this psalm used at times of death but today I am drawn to the promise of God's provision as we live our lives. This text is short and can be read several times in a short amount of time.

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. (v. 1)

This is the verse that my heart is centered on today.

The Lord is my shepherd....a shepherd is one who provides for his sheep, guides them, and protects them from any and all danger. Sheep need a shepherd to lead them away from the wolves in this life! What happens if the sheep don't follow or obey the shepherd? Disaster!!

Many people live their lives without following Christ or giving him any thought at all. People who choose to live this way are very lost and floundering in this life looking for direction and meaning. This is why the crime rate is so high, drug use is rampant, and people invest in highly unhealthy relationships. There is no fulfillment in life without Christ, our good shepherd. The sheep know their shepherd and follow him faithfully because they are very aware of what will happen if they don't. If we don't stand for something, we will fall for anything!

I have all that I need....When you really stop to think about it we do have all that we need to live this life. I know it seems like we are always in need of something....or so we think. Just like a teenager who thinks he/she "needs" a cell phone or new shoes or more freedom, we all grumble for things we think we need. How about a new car, new house, new job because we don't get along w/ a coworker or our boss, an exotic vacation to "get away" from day to day life, or any number of things depending on our circumstances. Do we really need any of these things?

We need to be obedient followers. Jesus sacrificed his life for us! Not because he had to or because he had fun in the process. He sacrificed his life for us so that we can be forgiven for all of our sins and have new life in him. A life with purpose, meaning and joy. We are not alone, we are being guided by the creator of all things! The one who set the sun and moon in their places is invested in our lives! God knows what is best for us even more than we parents know what is best for our children. God promises to provide for all of our needs....not all of our wants.

Lord, help me to live my life following you and trusting that you will provide all that I need. So many times I've tried to go my own way only to find that I really do need you to be my guide and protector. I am lost and clueless without you, Lord. I need your direction in my life. Thank you for the many blessings that you provide. Amen.

Please share any thoughts or comments below. We would love to hear from you!

Alone in the Dark!

Today is a new and beautiful day in the life! Rejoice and be glad in it and give God the glory and thanks for every blessing! God is Good! Please read through Psalm 22 before continuing. Here we have one of the major prophecies of the Bible fortelling the death of our Lord Jesus. In this psalm we see the whole scene of Jesus' crucifixion laid before our eyes in great detail. This text was written hundreds of years before the actual event took place! What an amazing thing! There are many such passages in the Old Testament that predict to the last detail the life and death of Jesus our Lord!

What hits me right between the eyes as I read this psalm is that in this we have been given the chance to "get into Jesus' head." We have the chance to feel what he felt, think what he thought as he was being rejected, tortured, killed by the very people that he loved so much! Sometimes I have wondered what it was like for Jesus through those terrible events. Did the fact that he was God-man make it so that he didn't actually suffer or feel the pain like you or I would? What exactly did Jesus go through to become our sacrifice for sins? What did it feel like as a human being to become the greatest GIFT the world will ever know? What is amazing is that the answers to these questions are found right here in this psalm.

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (v. 1)

Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 contain these exact words as Jesus hung on the cross dying for the sins of the entire world! As I read verses 1-5 my eyes fill with tears. Jesus was "dying of loneliness." Sometimes we think we feel alone but we have never had anything like what Jesus went through in our lives! For the first time in all Eternity, Jesus felt that God the Father had left him alone! Right at the time when his soul and body were in torment, just when Jesus needed the Father the most -- that was the time he was left alone. The anguish of his soul was excruciating as he experienced the "aloneness"! Although Jesus being God surely "knew" the answer before the foundations of the world, during this horrible experience his soul shouted out the same question that we so often ask: "WHY?" That gives me great comfort because now I realize that he really does know what we feel when we are asking the same hopeless question: "Why?"

"But I am . . .scorned by men and despised by the people.

All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads;

'He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him.' (vv. 6-8)





Talk about betrayal and heart pain at rejection -- Jesus experienced it to the fullest degree! Have you ever felt betrayed by someone you trusted, someone you have done a lot to help? Have you ever been "kicked in the teeth" by someone or a group of people who you counted as your friends? Jesus suffered it ALL. His face was wet with tears as he cried looking out over the city of Jerusalem who refused to listen to him and come to him as his own nationa and people. Sometimes my heart is broken and I cry too when someone I love dearly refuses advice and goes in a destructive path of life. Jesus understands, he knows how it feels when they turn and "slap you in the face" after all you have done to try and help them. The thing is that Jesus had it a LOT worse than you or I will ever have it! His pain at the rejection is very real. He suffered.

In the following verses the physical anguish of Jesus is described in detail. As his life ebbed away and his body was closing down, Jesus felt it all. He says that his strength "dried up" and his tongue "sticks to the roof of my mouth" (v. 15). Yes, Jesus felt the pains of dying just like any other human being dying. Death is not a pretty sight ever! The death Jesus suffered was among the worst possible, and our Lord felt it all as a human being, and without his Father beside him. Jesus died ALONE. That was the worst part of it all!

Another well-known prophecy is found in verse 18, "They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." These events took place hundreds of years later and are described in detail in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John This truly was historical event.

"You who fear the Lord, praise him! . . .For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one, he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help." (v.24)

What? After all that has happened to him, Jesus still praises His Father! It is also very interesting to me to notice that the answers Jesus asked for came after  he died! First he had to go through the fire, the pain, the rejection, the torture, the hateful words and actions of those around him, the physical pain, the horror of death closing in around him -- and THEN the blessings came! Jesus was raised from the dead and glorified beyond the heavens! He sits at the right hand of God and rules the nations!

Jesus bought us with his precious blood and suffering and now WE ARE HIS! We are washed in his blood when we are baptized and our spirit wears bright, white clothes! Now we can overcome and be with him after this life is over. He blesses us in this life with his Holy Spirit to comfort us so we are never ALONE as he was as he went through the crucifixion. We always have the Spirit to strengthen and carry us when we are too weak to go it alone. Praise the Lord, oh my soul!!! I have Jesus, the Light of the world beside me in the darkness!

K.B.



 

Motherload

I'm listening for a word from God from Psalm 21. The first thing I noticed was how closely connected it is to the previous psalm. The warm wishes and blessing that are extended in Psalm 20 have been fulfilled in Psalm 21 (compare 20:1 with 21:13; 20:4 with 21:2; 20:5 with 21:1; 20:7 with 21:7). Again, the power of blessing! But what else is God impressing on you here?

Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. (v. 6)

God is so generous! And the blessings he gives are numberless and constant. Just today we finally got some good rain here in the Houston desert! What a blessing to see it fall! I have a computer and Internet access that allows me to share this blog with you. More blessings to be thankful for! And a lot of people get those kinds of blessings from God, even people who don't see them as blessings or bother to thank God for them. But God's best blessings--his very best--are "eternal blessings." They're the sort of gifts that you never stop enjoying--things like endless love, forgiveness, a noble legacy, friendships that really will last forever, freedom to become all God intended, authentic core goodness, the adventure of exploring and enjoying the new heaven and earth, and most of all, the 100-proof joy of being in the direct presence of God!

Not everyone gets those blessings, because not everyone seeks God and puts their hope in his only Son. But of all the good things that he's introduced into my life, there is nothing temporary--no matter how good--that is going to satisfy like God's eternal blessings! And they are mine no matter what temporary troubles I face! All of the struggles of life on this present earth will simply melt away the moment that I am escorted into a face-to-face encounter with the ultimate Being who honors and loves me as his own! That's a good thought to hang onto! It's amazing to know that you've hit the motherload!Even now, the small tastes of his presence that he gives me make me feel glad to be alive!

God, how can I thank you enough for the ways you bless my life? And I want to be sure that your best, eternal blessings will be mine to enjoy! I don't want to miss a single one! Amen.

What did God speak into your day in this ancient text? Please share it in the comments box below. First sign in (top right corner of page) or you can opt for Anonymous in the "Comment as" field. I wish you the best blessings!