Psalm 3
1LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. 6I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. 7Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
23 March, 2011
21 March, 2011
A Merciful God
Psalm69:13-18
13But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. 14Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. 15Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. 16Hear me, O Lord; for thy loving-kindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. 17And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. 18Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.
When I am in distress and don't know where to turn or who to speak to, this is where I will go. The Lord will deliver me out of the hands of my enemies and will not allow me to drown in despair. Sometimes the enemies here aren't only speaking of people. In my case it is things that I have or have not done that will begin to pull me down and start telling me that I'm not worth saving. But I know that God is merciful to all who seek His face. He is my strength and my strong tower, and he will not abandon me, even when I feel alone. He will lift me up if I seek Him.
13But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. 14Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. 15Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. 16Hear me, O Lord; for thy loving-kindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. 17And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. 18Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.
When I am in distress and don't know where to turn or who to speak to, this is where I will go. The Lord will deliver me out of the hands of my enemies and will not allow me to drown in despair. Sometimes the enemies here aren't only speaking of people. In my case it is things that I have or have not done that will begin to pull me down and start telling me that I'm not worth saving. But I know that God is merciful to all who seek His face. He is my strength and my strong tower, and he will not abandon me, even when I feel alone. He will lift me up if I seek Him.
19 March, 2011
Wisdom from My Savior
Mark 8:34-38
34And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
34And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Everlasting Salvation To Those Who Beleive
Ephesians 1:13-14
13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
When I read this verse, I am reminded that I am still a child of God, though my mind says to me that a just God could not allow a sinner such as I to enter into heaven. God is just, but he is also merciful and loving. And through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, I am justified. I have been "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" and nothing can take that away from me.
Now that doesn't mean that I can sin without consequences:
Hebrews 12:6
"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth."
If your father loves you, he is going to rebuke and then punish you for rebelling and sinning, because he wants you to do right and ultimately succeed in life. Likewise, the Lord will chastise and punish His children when they rebel against Him, because he wants us to succeed in the course He has laid before us. Ultimately bringing honor and glory to Him.
13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
When I read this verse, I am reminded that I am still a child of God, though my mind says to me that a just God could not allow a sinner such as I to enter into heaven. God is just, but he is also merciful and loving. And through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, I am justified. I have been "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" and nothing can take that away from me.
Now that doesn't mean that I can sin without consequences:
Hebrews 12:6
"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth."
If your father loves you, he is going to rebuke and then punish you for rebelling and sinning, because he wants you to do right and ultimately succeed in life. Likewise, the Lord will chastise and punish His children when they rebel against Him, because he wants us to succeed in the course He has laid before us. Ultimately bringing honor and glory to Him.
18 March, 2011
Friday Poem from my Father
Psalm 130
1Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 3If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O LORD, who shall stand? 4But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 5I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. 7Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
1Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 3If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O LORD, who shall stand? 4But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 5I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. 7Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
16 February, 2011
Three Enemies
We have this internal traitor called the flesh and that flesh answers to the seductions of an external world which are being placed before us by this invisible antagonist the devil; those are our three enemies.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)