Psalm 20

¹ May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
   May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
² May he send you help from the sanctuary
   and give you support from Zion!
³ May he remember all your offerings
   and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices!
                         Selah
⁴ May he grant you your heart's desire
   and fulfill all your plans!
⁵ May we shout for joy over your salvation,
   and in the name of our God set up our banners!
   May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!
⁶ Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
   he will answer him from his holy heaven
   with the saving might of his right hand.
⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
   but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
⁸ They collapse and fall,
   but we rise and stand upright.
⁹ O LORD, save the king!
   May he answer us when we call.

Attributes of God

Almost two months ago a friend suggested that we do a little Bible study together. What we do is daily as part of our time with God we look for an attribute of God and text the verse and any thoughts we have on it to each other. It has been a wonderful time of learning about who God really is. I though I knew Him, but I have found that there is so much more to Him than I could ever imagine. The following are some of my favorites.
(All Scriptures are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted)

• God is Our Sustainer. Psalm 3:5, "I lay down and slept; I awoke again, for the Lord sustained me."
• God is a Stronghold. Psalm 9:9, "The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble."
• God is My Portion. Psalm 119:57, "The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words."
• He is the God of the Living. Matthew 22:32b, "...He is not a God of the dead, but of the living."
• God has Steadfast Love. Psalm 52:2, "...the steadfast love of God endures all day."
• Jesus is the Same. Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever."
• He is My God. Deuteronomy 10:21, "He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen." (This is my personal favorite)
• God Calls Us. Romans 11:29 (NKJV), "For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable."
• God Rescues Us. Psalm 18:16-17 (NIV), "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me."
• God is Patient. II Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
• The Lord knows the Way I Take. Job 23:10 (NKJV), "But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold."
• God is Unique. Job 23:13 (NKJV), "But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does."
• God will be Our Rear Guard. Isaiah 52:12, "For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard."
• The Lord Loves Justice. Psalm 37:28, "For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints."
• The Lord is Slow to Anger. Psalm 103:8, "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love."
• God Hears the Brokenhearted. Psalm 147:3, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
• The Lord Called Me from the Womb. Isaiah 49:1, "Listen to me, O coast lands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name."
• My Redeemer Lives. Job 19:25, "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth."
• God's Greatness is More than can be Told. Psalm 40:5, "You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with You! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told."
• God is Beautiful. Psalm 27:4, "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: 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 inquire in His temple."
• The Lord Heals Backsliding. Hosea 14:4 (NKJV), "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely."
• God Supplies. Philippians 4:19, "And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

I John 5:14-15

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him,

that if we ask anything according to His will,

He hears us.

And if we know that He hears us,

whatever we ask,

we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Decision Making

When it comes to making big and exstremely important decisions, it seems that most people my age are making the most important decisions of their lives. We're figuring out where to go to college, what to major in, what to do after college, which grad school to go to, who to marry, where to live, and on the list could go. We live life in a pretty confused and often topsy-turvy way. One day we're going here doing this thing, and the next well, we've done a complete 180-degree turn and we're doing something completely different. Our lives are on a constant roller coaster ride of emotions and uncertainty. We are in a process of discovering who we are and what our purpose is.

I happen to be at a crossroads of decision. One way would be a lot easier and honestly makes more sense. The other choice is much more difficult and humanly speaking doesn't make nearly as much sense. I'm torn between the two because neither is a bad decision. Unfortunately this is not a decision that I can take several months to make, in fact I must make it in the next two to three weeks max. My plans for the next few weeks are to do a lot of praying, reading my Bible, and getting counsel from people I trust about what to do. I know that God will lead me the way that is best.

"Receive [wisdom's] instruction, and not silver,

And knowldege rather than choice gold.

For wisdom is better than rubies,

And all the things that one may desire cannot be compared with her.

~Proverbs 8:10-11~

Day 27: A Physical Feature

It has been said that the eyes are the window to the soul, I firmly believe that. The first thing I notice about anyone is their eyes. You can tell what a person's mood is as soon as they walk into a

room by the way their eyes are. Eyes express joy, sorrow, love, thought, bitterness, hurt, and so much more. People can talk without uttering a single word by the look in their eyes.

I think the worst sense to lose would be that of sight. Not being able to see the beauty of God's creation, the faces of loved ones, the words of a book, or the color of a room has to be incredibly tragic. It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and without sight that picture cannot be seen.

The Bible speak of the eye in several places. "The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord has made even both of them." ~Proverbs 20:12 "The light of the body is the eye: therefore if thine eye is single, they whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness." ~Luke 11:34

Day 22: A Website

I think my favorite website is Bible Gateway. I love it because at the click of a mouse I can access many different Bible versions, look up verses, find a reading plan, use a commentary of Bible dictionary as well as many other study guides. It is a great way to study quickly and efficiently.

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

II Timothy 2:15

Full Blast

I came across an interesting passage today in Acts 20. In this passage the apostle Paul is talking to the leaders in the church at Ephesus. He makes a very interesting statement:

"And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me." (Acts 20:22-23)

Most would say that Paul is insane for going ahead with this plan of travelling to Jerusalem. After all, who in their right mind would willingly go somewhere that they are guaranteed problems? Surely Paul is going to back out and stay where it is safe! But wait, Paul is not finished, he continues in verse 24:

"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."

When I first read that I was amazed at Paul's endurance, faithfulness, boldness, and steadfastness. He was not willing to allow persecution to stop him from taking the message of God's amazing grace to the lost. He did not consider safety of his physical body to be more important than the salvation of lost souls who were on their way to hell. He knew his life was short and he wanted to finish strong for God, not wavering or wimping out. Unreservedly he gave his all to the One who had given His all on Calvary.

Sadly, I am afraid that out of a simple fear of people we fail to remember that we have been called to a ministry of telling others about Christ's gracious and free gift. Often the thought of going to someone we do not know (and especially those we do know) terrifies us. We are afraid of what they will think, or how they will react. We want to be on their good side, and we definitely do NOT want them to think we are some sort of religious freak.

But Paul, KNEW he was going to be persecuted much more than we will ever be in America, and still he went, counting his life as nothing in comparison to the spiritual darkness of the lives of those to whom he was to minister. How much better it would be if we would truly count the cost of serving Christ, taking out the stops, and going full blast for Him.

Shall We Not Accept?

Some of you know that I am taking a semester off from school while my mom recovers from her surgery (here is the post I wrote on that decision). I made the offer to drop out willingly and am very happy to be able to help out. However, yesterday was a bit rough for me because it was the first day of classes and I was not there. It felt really weird and I was somewhat sad. Then this morning I was reading in Job when a phrase jumped out at me:

"Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?"

(Job 2:10b)

It is so easy to take the blessings and good that God bring, accept it, be happy about it, and move on. But when He, in His sovereign way, chooses to bring adversity I react in sorrow. Yes, it is understandable to not always be the happiest when life throws a curve ball at me, but instead of fighting against it and asking God why He allowed something in my life, it is much better to accept His all knowing way, learn from the experience, and grow more in His image.

My heart's desire is to be more like Christ, and only by obediently following Him without question and complaint can I grow in Him. It is not an easy task, and often I fail, but He is always there to forgive and encourage me. He has promised to never leave or forsake me, and that is all I need.

Called Aside

My typical day usually starts with a cup of black coffee (if I'm in the mood) and my Bible. Today, for several reasons it did not start that way. To my shame, instead of making sure I spent time with my God, I got busy doing other things, baking cookies for the jail ministry, making Mom's breakfast, running some errands, etcetera. Suddenly in the midst of my busyness Luke 10: 41-42 popped into my head, "And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.'" Ouch. That hurt. As soon as I finished what I was in the middle of doing I sat down to read and spend time with my Lord and Savior.

Later, I began to consider my life and how easy it is for me to get focused on the wrong things, not necessarily bad things, but my priorities are misplaced and as a result my life is not as blessed or productive as it could be if God were my primary focus. I find myself doing thing "for God" but in my own strength rather than relying on Him for help and wisdom. No matter what, God is there, but it is my choice to give Him room to work or to push Him out. Life would be so much easier if I learned to completely rely on Christ rather than relying on myself.

Day 5: A Favorite Quote

Once again, these favorite posts are getting to me! I have so many quotes which I love. I have found that other people seem to be able to say exactly what I am thinking. So many musicians, theologians, politicians, historians, philosophers, writers, actors, and many more throughout the history of the world have made many profound statements.

I think the One who made the most amazing statements in the world, He did and said more than anyone else in the world ever has or ever will do. This man is Jesus, all man and all God. He did and said so much that the apostle John said of Him, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen." (John 21:25 NJKV)

Jesus made so many profound statements that to pick only one is also nearly impossible. However, there is one of His quotes that is recorded by John that has meant so much to me over the years. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27 KJV) The peace that Christ gives, whether the peace given at Salvation, or the peace He gives during the ups and downs of life, it is a calming balm to a troubled soul. He is the "Balm in Gilead" and the One who is near to all no matter their joys or sorrows.

This peace that He gives is free to anyone who simply repents of his sins and asks Christ to come into His life. If you have never asked Him to be your Lord and Savior, Jesus is waiting for you, He wants to give you true peace. If you want to know more about Salvation click here.

Just Peace

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

~Philippians 4:7~

"The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."

~Exodus 14:14~

"Then Eli said [to Hannah], Go in peace: and the God of Israel shall grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him."

~I Samuel 1:17~

"The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace."

~Numbers 6:26~

"Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."

~Psalm 119:165~

"Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord."

~I Timothy 1:2~

"Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee."

~Job 22:21~

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

~Romans 5:1~

"And [Jesus] said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace."

~Luke 8:48~

"Then Jesus said to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."

~John 20:21~

"And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

~James 3:18~

"Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all."

~II Thessalonians 3:16~

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

~John 14:27~

Is it Just Me??

This morning when my alarm I really didn't want to get up. After all it was early, it was dark outside, and no one else was up in my room. I really wanted to reset my alarm for about 30 or 45 minutes later. Mmmmm…sleep. The problem was that I knew that if I did that then I wouldn't have my devotions. I reasoned, "I'm so tired because yesterday was an insane day. Surely God will understand, after all the reason I was so busy yesterday was because I was busy for Him, I wasn't just goofing off all day." But the other side of me was arguing, "Hey! The 'spiritual' stuff you were doing yesterday won't carry over into today...each day you have to be renewed and you need to spend time with God TODAY! Don't live your life relying on yesterdays experiences, live life moment by moment with Christ." Thankfully I listened to the better side of the argument and got up and had sweet fellowship with my Savior. Sadly, that's not always the case for me...sometimes I do reset my alarm. I am wondering if I'm the only one who has that problem every day, or if anyone else also struggles? How do you overcome that problem?

Psalm 139

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.