More from Psalms

I felt compelled to begin reading Psalms. About a week ago, that's what I did. I'm also reading Matthew, Isaiah and Exodus. I usually don't begin a new book until I've finished one, but my soul yearned for the comfort of Psalms so I gave in. I have enjoyed it so much. David has ups and downs, struggles and victories. He pours his heart out to the Lord time and time again, and always comes away changed. Terry and I often discuss our "Davidic moments". In our family, that phrase refers to when we start out our quiet time or our day heavy-hearted, ready to quit, questioning God's plan but end up joyful, encouraged, and with increased faith. How does this change take place? GOD! As we read His word and, like David, pour out our hearts before Him, He changes us. Not our circumstances, but us.

If you don't already have a quiet time scheduled in your day to read God's Word and pray, I encourage you begin now. It doesn't have to take a long time, 15 minutes or more, if you have it. Something is better than nothing. :)

Here are some verses that blessed me today.

Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Oh how I needed to be reminded that joy will come!)

Psalm 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. (Hallelujah! I need "strengthening"!)

Psalm 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thous shalt preserve me from trouble; thous shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. (I'm running to my "Hiding Place" today.)

Psalm 32:10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. (I need mercy...desperately.)

I'm so thankful for His Word!

A Matter of Perspective

Psalm 13:1 How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

I admit, that I've felt this way lately. I've wondered where the Lord is, how long must I be in difficult situations, forever? I was eager to read this chapter, which is only 6 verses long, to see the answer that David got. David basically pours his heart out to the Lord for four verses and then stops. Just like that.

Verses 5-6 say: But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. David totally changes perspective. He remembers the mercy that God gave him, and that God is extending that same mercy to others who equally don't deserve it. He remembers that God has blessed him, so he can no longer complain to the Lord, but rather, praise Him, for truly, God has "dealt bountifully with him".

You know, it's true for me, too. I have problems and enemies. Yet, God freely gives His mercy. I know, because I receive it every day. So, I say with David, He has dealt bountifully with me, and I will trust Him. It really is just a matter of perspective.

My Refuge

Psalm 9:9-10 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.


These verses were such a blessing to me today! I just wanted to share them. What a blessing that those of us who know the name of the Lord will trust in him. Why? Because, as verse ten says, he "hast not forsaken us". I'll be honest, sometimes I feel like waving toward heaven and saying "Yoohoo! I'm down here!", because I feel invisible to the Lord. But feelings, as we all know, are not facts. The facts are found in God's Word, and He says He is my refuge and that He has not forsaken me, nor will He ever forsake me.

Isn't that wonderful news?! I've been oppressed lately from various angles. I'm weary, I feel beaten up. These are truly troublesome times. What a comfort to know where to go in times like these - to the feet of my Lord in prayer; to the pages of His Word. My Lord is my refuge and I run to Him today. Would you like to come, too? There's room for all.

Dust and Sin

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.


Dusting is always the chore that I put off until last. I only dust when it's bad enough to write your name in it! At least then I can see the difference after I dust! It looks shining and beautiful. I dust our ceiling fans once a year, and the blinds...well, about once a year. Periodically, I dust my kitchen cabinets and the corners of the ceilings in all the rooms where cobwebs like to gather. I never thought about the walls, until one day, the door to our school room was open and the light from those windows shone perfectly on the wall of our darkened entry room, where I was standing. The light revealed a layer of dust and even cobwebs clinging in lines across the wall! I was shocked! How could a wall get so dusty? How could I let it get so dirty?

It immediately made me think about how I feel whenever I look into the perfect law of liberty, God's Word, or hear a sermon and the light is shone on my sin. I'm shocked! How could I let that sin in my life? Perhaps it's envy or anger or bitterness, sins that only I know about.

I'm thankful for the light of God's Word that reveals the things I need to "clean out" of my life. I'll be cleaning the dust off the walls and the sins from my heart.

Lessons from Tests

Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

After Jesus' baptism, but before His earthly ministry began, He was tempted by the Satan. Just want to jot down a few thoughts about it.

• Jesus was tempted after he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights. He was "hungered". (Matt. 4:2) It seems we are all tempted when we are "hungry". For example, we are tempted when we are physically weak, or spiritually. The devil knows when we are most vulnerable.
• The Devil wanted Jesus to sin. If Jesus sinned, then He could no longer be our Savior, He would have been an unfit sacrifice. It would have ruined everyone's life. It seems Satan goes after those in the Christian life who have the most influence. No, no one is the same as Jesus, but think about it. If Satan can pull down a pastor or a prominent church member, he's brought down several people with them, mostly those weaker Christians we mentioned earlier. If you stand up and teach a class, you'll sit down with a target on your back.
• The Devil's method of bringing Jesus down was pride: He wanted Jesus to sin by having pride, by feeling the need to "prove himself" to Satan. Satan scorns, "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee:..." How many times have I fallen into that pride trap, wanting to "prove my point" and losing my testimony in the process! I'm so glad my Lord and Savior didn't fall for that. Another interesting point is that Satan knows God's word! How handy! He can twist it and mangle it till that weaker Christian is convinced that their un-scriptural way is, in fact, scriptural.
• Jesus wins by knowing God's Word inside and out. He quotes it, He lives it. We cannot be perfect, but we can all win the battle by knowing and living God's Word. Read it, memorize it, study it, live it. 
• It seems that we all must endure some testing before God uses us. Notice that in Matt. 4:17, after the temptation, Jesus began preaching. If you are facing a time of trial, keep in mind that God could be preparing you for a ministry. The temptation or trial you are in is not the end, it's the beginning!

Whatever the test we face, our hope is the Lord and His Word.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Cor. 15:57

God's Boundary Lines

Ex. 19:12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye  go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:


In Exodus 19, we see Moses preparing to receive the law from God on Mt. Sinai. The Lord tells Moses to set up bounds around the mountain, because anyone who touches it will die. God is truly a loving God, not wanting to hurt people. If He'd wanted to kill people, why would He have told Moses to set up a boundary around the mountain? The boundary line was a warning sign "Stop! Go no further!" The people could roam anywhere they wanted and be perfectly happy. If they crossed the line, then their happiness, or rather their family's, would be gone.

As I thought about that boundary around the mountain, I thought about how God's Word sets up boundaries. Again, not so that we can be miserable, but so that we can be happy and safe. I was just trying to explain to my children two nights ago that God's "rules" are meant for our happiness. I used marriage as an example. If they choose carefully  and prayerfully in marriage, and keep their vows, then their children will never have to see their homes broken. It grieves me so much to see how so many kids these days get shuffled back and forth between parents and grandparents. Most of it could have been avoided if saved people married saved people. That's a "rule" given in 2 Cor.6:14. That's not given so that we won't be happy in marriage, but so we can be. How happy I am to go to church as a family! How wonderful it is to all gather round the dinner table each night and laugh and talk, to spend every holiday together, to enjoy sweet fellowship at breakfast and bedtime! It truly is a wonderful life, and it's all because of God's boundaries, the Bible. This fellowship can only be broken if I or my husband decide to ignore God's rules for marriage, if we are unfaithful to one another. As long as we "don't cross the line", or happiness, including our children's, remains in tact.

I have no idea what your marital status is, and I do not at all mean to sound critical if you have been divorced. If you've been down that painful road, then you can agree whole-heartedly with what I'm saying: Be careful in marriage! Perhaps you did marry right, yet it ended anyway. We are all sinners, and we can certainly suffer because of the sin of others. God knows who did the wrong, and He will take care of it. Keep going and keep serving, knowing that you are loved by the Lord. He has a plan for your life. Remember, you can only stay in the boundaries for yourself. 

There are many other "boundary lines" in God's Word. And let me say, I struggle to stay within some of them. But I want to, for I know that obedience to God's Word will produce wonderful fruit in my life. May we all stay within God's boundaries; may we stay in His Word.

The Daily Dose

Heb. 3:12-13 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

These verses explain exactly why each of us needs to be in God's Word daily, on our own. It doesn't matter if you read a whole book of the Bible each day or a whole chapter. It doesn't matter if it's one hour a day or 15 minutes a day. Being in God's Word, everyday, is like looking in the mirror - the spiritual mirror.(James 1:23-25) We need to see if we have "an evil heart of unbelief"; we need to be exhorted to do right, to keep going, to stay faithful.

Being in church is an excellent way to get fed from the Word of God. God has ordained regular men to proclaim His Word, so we should be in our places to hear "thus saith the Lord." But that shouldn't be the only time we study God's Word.

I can't tell you how many days I rise and try to shine, but the last thing I want to do is plant myself in front of God's Word. But I also can't begin to tell you how many times I walk away a different person. I'm humbled (or humiliated), I'm loved, I'm encouraged, I'm strengthened.

I have a great husband and a wonderful pastor. ;) I have a very loving family. I'm blessed with friends who care about me. But no one on Earth can do for me, what God can do through the pages of His holy word.

You could think of God's Word as your daily spiritual vitamin. Have you had your dose today?

He Has the Answers

John 6:5 When Jesus lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

In the passage today, the Lord and the disciples have 5,000 men, plus women and children, to feed. Jesus asks Philip, "What should we do?" Wow. The Creator of the universe asks a mere mortal what to do! The passage tells us that Jesus knew what He was going to do. He asked the question in order to "prove" or test Philip. Philip's answer was one of human reasoning, not blind faith. 

Each day I'm "tested" in my Christian life. I constantly see some area, new or old, in which I need to improve. Just when I think I've got a meek and quiet spirit, something happens and I blow up in front of the children. Just when I think I've got a discreet tongue, I let some bit of gossip or criticism slip out. Then, I realize that I thought I had those areas licked, and thinking that is a pride problem. There is always something! Perhaps the test is one similar to what Philip faced, like, where will I get food for today? Or, how will I pay this bill? How often do I view those dilemmas with human reasoning and try to figure a way out, rather than pray and let God work!

I wonder what would have happened if Philip had answered the Lord with something like, "Lord, You can handle this with no sweat. I can't wait to see what You'll do!" I wonder what would happen if I did that in my own life? I think I'll do my best to face today by letting God handle the tests. When I do it myself, I always seem to fail. After all, He already knows what He will do, so I think I'll just let Him do it.

One Thing

So many thoughts today. I started reading through the Gospels over and over per the recommendation of an evangelist friends of ours. He said that reading about Jesus' life on earth had changed his life. That sounded good - life changing - I need that. So, I started doing it. It has been good. Reading Jesus' words have been a blessing. Walking where He walked, meeting those whom He met, watching His life, all of it is changing my life.

One Thing

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. - Luke 10:42

Last night, as I was drifting off to sleep, I started thinking about my career, as a Mom. :) Leslie lost her third tooth last night. She's in first grade! Laci isn't far behind her. Pretty soon, hugging and cuddling with me will not be something they want to do. I'm hoping I'll be ready for that when the time comes. I hope I can "let go", but sometimes I wonder if I can? I started to get very melancholy about it. I started praying about it and telling myself that that's life - kids grow up - and that's a good thing! I managed to fall asleep without shedding any tears.

This morning, I was so happy to read in God's Word that there is one thing in life that will not be taken away and that is spending time with the Lord. Sitting at the "feet of Jesus" via His Word is permanent. I can do it anywhere, anytime. I don't have to be in church or in a quiet place. I can talk to Him, and listen to Him while cooking, folding laundry, or even as I drift off to sleep. Many things in this life beckon for my attention, but only one thing is needful, and that's my time with the Lord.

I hope everyone is able to enjoy some time in His Word today! Walking with God is the key to happiness. Read His Word, pray, and obey! :)