Monthly Archives: January 2011

Reflections in Psalms – Day 53 – A Gift

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Psalm 119:41-48

VAU
41 Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word.
42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.
44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.
47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

Journaling:

1. Find all the things the Bible will do for you
2. Find the things you are suppose to do with your Bible
3. Find the things the Bible is likened to

God’s mercy brings salvation through His word! It is His mercy that gives us what we DON’T deserve – it is His mercy that provides us with a way to Him (through the Lord Jesus Christ) – it is His mercy that He has given us His words for instruction in truth!

~Psalms 3:8a Salvation belongeth unto the Lord:

It is His salvation and His alone! Since salvation belongs TO God, it is His to give!  There is nothing we can do to receive it or earn it. We do not deserve salvation. But because God loves us so much, He pitied His creation and provided a way to Him! We don’t deserve this favor – it is unmerited – and that is called grace! Blessed be the name of the Lord!

~Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

What a gift, amen? God GAVE His Son; He gave Himself TO us! A gift cannot be forced upon someone. It has to be willfully given as well as accepted. Salvation is God’s to give – it is ours to receive – period!  God not only gives of Himself for our salvation, but He continues to give us a gift, the gift of His Holy Spirit to dwell within us so we have His gift 24/7! His gift is everlasting – it is never ending!

~John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

~John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

~Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

~Acts 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

~Acts 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

~Romans 5:15-18 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

~Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

~2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

~Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

~Ephesians 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Is there any doubt that God’s salvation is a gift and that gift is His Son, Jesus Christ? Is there any doubt that this gift cannot be purchased or earned, otherwise it is no longer a gift?

The Father outlines His plan of salvation, His gift to us, clearly through His word. No wonder the Psalmist loved His word and cherished it so! They are the words of life! Just as the snow, depicted in today’s photo, is gently falling, so does the Holy Spirit gently work in the heart of man, through the word of God, to woo man to Him!

Reflections in Psalms – Day 52 – A Great Prayer

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~Psalm 119:33-40

HE
33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.
36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.
40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

Journaling:

1. Find all the things the Bible will do for you
2. Find the things you are suppose to do with your Bible
3. Find the things the Bible is likened to

Today’s text reveals the heart of our Psalmist. For eight verses, he petitions the Lord God:

  1. He asks to be “taught” – who can teach better than the Author of our faith? (Hebrews 12:2)
  2. He asks to be “given understanding” – who better to open our eyes than God Himself? (Jeremiah 33:3)
  3. He asks to be made to “go” – who better to lead us than the Shepherd? (Psalm 23:1-3)
  4. He asks to be “inclined” – who better to bend our hearts to righteousness than the Holy Spirit who quickens the heart? (Psalm 51:10)
  5. He asks to be “turned away” from vanity – who better to guide us and help us to turn away from the world but the Father? (1 John 2:15-16)
  6. He asks to be “stablished” – who better to stablish us than the One who has been since the beginning and whose words and promises are established forever? (2 Samuel 7:25-29)
  7. He asks to be “turned away from his reproach” – who better to keep us from reproach than the One who can keep us from falling? (Jude 1:24)
  8. He asks to be “quickened” – who better than the Holy Spirit of God who does a work in our hearts as we read His word? (Romans 8:11)

Do we love God’s word with the same intensity as the Psalmist? Do we read it with the same hopes and desires as he had? Today’s text is a wonderful prayer to start the day with as I read my Bible and waiting to hear from God! What earthly father would not desire to give his child anything after his child petitions him in this manner? How much more our Heavenly Father?

Reflections in Psalms – Day 51 – Crying Out

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~Psalm 119:25-32

DALETH
25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.
26 I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.
27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.
28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.
29 Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.
30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.
31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O Lord, put me not to shame.
32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

Journaling:

1. Find all the things the Bible will do for you
2. Find the things you are suppose to do with your Bible
3. Find the things the Bible is likened to

Where do we turn when we are at our wits end? What do we do when our spiritual life seems as dry as the desert? The Psalmist, again, has the answer! I can see him in my mind’s eye now, telling the Lord how barren his heart is and asking God to make him alive through His word (Psalm 119:25)!  It’s like needing a spiritual defibrillator to make you spiritually alive so you can “hear” God’s word!

I especially love the next verse, Psalm 119:26. Talk to God and tell Him what you are going through and acknowledge your situation to Him. This verse clearly says that He hears you! Praise the Lord! We have access to our Heavenly Father at any time we want because of what Christ did on the cross! The believer is made alive through the new birth and all obstacles which prevented us from entering into one-on-one dialogue with our Heavenly Father were removed! Glory!

~Colossians 2:13-14 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Furthermore, the Psalmist asks God to teach him His word and to help him to understand His way (Psalm 119:25-26). As a result of sitting at the Master’s feet, he will share God’s wondrous works with others. What a great verse to encourage us to share what we learn with one another!

Because the Holy Spirit wrote the Bible, He can teach us and reveal to us what we should know! We don’t need a priest to interpret His word if we are a born again child of the King. Why would God give His word to the world to point them to salvation if they can’t understand what it says? Why a cruel God that would be indeed!

~2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The Psalmist knew who to ask and what to ask for (Psalm 119:27), didn’t he? The Holy Spirit will teach us, show us and guide us through His word. With God showing us the way, we do not need to worry about our path as it will always be truth (Psalm 119:30)!! As we heed His word, our hearts are convicted and taught the way we should go. Praise the Lord for this Psalm! We can see how important God’s words were to this Psalmist and so should it be for us!

Reflections in Psalms – Day 50 – Great Love

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Psalm 119:17-24

GIMEL
17 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.
20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.
21 Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.
22 Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.
23 Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.
24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

Journaling:

1. Find all the things the Bible will do for you
2. Find the things you are suppose to do with your Bible
3. Find the things the Bible is likened to

It seems to me that after meditating in the word of God (from yesterday’s post), the Holy Spirit’s convicting power has worked on the heart and the sinner realizes the gravity of his sin and repentance is wrought in the heart (Psalm 119:17-22).

There are so many verses dealing with repentance. I’ll list a number of them here but take a moment to move your curser back and forth on the Bible reference and read each one:

Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:4, Mark 1:15, Mark 2:17, Mark 6:12, Luke 5:32, Luke 10:13, Luke 13:3, Luke 15:7, Luke 18:13-14, Luke 24:47, Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, Acts 5:31, Acts 8:22, Acts 17:30, Acts 20:21, Acts 26:20, Romans 2:4, Romans 14:11, 2 Corinthians 7:9-11, Hebrews 6:1, James 4:8-10, 1 Peter 2:25, 1 and John 1:9

The Psalmist closes this third Hebrew alphabet with meditation once more. As a result of a repentant heart, a heart that has dwelled long and hard on God’s convicting words, the reader takes delight in it and acknowledges that the word of God is his “counsellor”! That speaks volumes, doesn’t it? Where do you go when you need advice or counsel on a situation in your life? Do you go to your spouse, a friend, your Pastor? The Psalmist said it right, “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.”

Everything we need in life are in our blessed instruction manual, the Bible! Who better than our Creator to give us counsel? He knows us better than our own parents or spouse!  Meditate on the following verses.  This passage is such a blessing as it comforts the child of God and shows him that he is so loved by his Creator!  How blessed we are!

~Psalm 139:1-18

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
1 O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 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. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Reflections in Psalms – Day 49 – Food for Thought

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Psalm 119:9-16

BETH
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.
13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

Journaling:

1. Find all the things the Bible will do for you
2. Find the things you are suppose to do with your Bible
3. Find the things the Bible is likened to

The second letter of the Hebrew alphabet’s verses open with drawing the reader to God’s word and to seek salvation in them. When one desires to be saved, he can find salvation within the blessed pages of the Bible! The Lord Jesus Christ desires to save us – after all, that is the reason He came to earth so we could accept His precious gift to us, repent and be saved!

~Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Once repentance and salvation are settled, we can keep from sin by following Psalm 119:11 and putting it to use! Our Heavenly Father did not leave us to our own devices. He has a clear cut plan for us that leads us along the way. Repeatedly throughout this Psalm, you are encouraged to dig into your Bible and find the Father’s instructions!

~Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

~Psalm 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Psalm 119:12 reveals to us that our Father desires to teach us through His Holy Spirit! The believer has the precious indwelling of the Holy Spirit who is responsible for teaching the child of the King of Kings!!

~John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

~Luke 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

Once we are taught, we are not to keep it to ourselves.  Psalm 119:13-14 encourages us to speak to others about what the Lord has shown us and done for us! What is joy if it is not shared with others? What are blessings if we keep them to ourselves? We glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by talking about the gifts He has given to us! Did He meet a financial need at the last minute? Shout from the rooftops! Did He bring a child into your life after years of being barren? Rejoice and share it with the world! Did He bring you comfort in a desperate time? Glorify Him by sharing it with someone else who needs comfort! Don’t keep His blessings to yourself – it is a grateful heart that brings the Lord much glory!

The next verse, Psalm 119:15, explains how meditating on God’s word will lead us to obey it and respect it. Have you ever been under conviction about a sin but you didn’t want to give it up? I think we’ve all been in that boat. But once you’ve read God’s word and thought about the consequences of the sin and how it hurts your Heavenly Father, did you not desire to give it up? Of course you did! It is by meditating on what God shows us that we realize the futility in continuing in it. The Holy Spirit takes those verses we are meditating on and does a work of conviction in our hearts.

~John 16:7-8 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Lastly, the Psalmist says that he delights in God’s word and won’t forget it. Committing the word of God to memory helps us to live day by day. Circumstances come up and immediately a Bible verse comes to mind that instructs us in the way we should go.  That is why the words of God are “living” words – they have been speaking to souls for thousands of years!

What powerful verses these eight verses are – they are packed with fuel for the believer’s life!  Now, take a few minutes and mediate on what you have read :-)

Reflections in Psalms – Day 48 – Aleph

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Psalm 119:1-8

ALEPH
1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

We will be covering this Psalm over the next few weeks so I wanted to share a little introduction. Not only is this Psalm the longest of all the Psalms but it is the longest chapter of the Bible. Psalm 119 is called an alphabetic acrostic. In Hebrew, the first eight lines of the psalm all begin with the letter aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The next eight lines begin with beth, the second letter, etc. The whole Psalm magnifies the word of God repeatedly by using different words: (1) law (2) testimony, (3) judgments, (4) statutes, (5) words, (6) precepts, (7) commandments, (8) promises, and (9) way. I have these underlined in my Bible.

God’s word is not only our bread – our life – but our very foundation! How appropriate that the longest chapter in the Bible would revolve around His word! I found notes by a preacher about this particular Psalm. He suggested that as we read through each of the alphabet sections, we should ask ourselves the following (I will repeat this “assignment” with the next 22 devotionals). Write in your Bibles or in a journal as you meditate over these verses:

1. Find all the things the Bible will do for you
2. Find the things you are suppose to do with your Bible
3. Find the things the Bible is likened to

God’s words are a very light in the Christian’s life. They illuminate our hearts and show us His will for us – they brighten our hearts in our darkest hour – they shine on our sin exposing it so we can confess and forsake it – they enlighten us and teach us! God’s word lives and never grows old! It breaths afresh upon us every day!

As I read the first eight verses, immediately I’m led to search for salvation. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Are there any who are undefiled? Even the “religious” are defiled. Our own righteousness is as a filthy rag! The best “religious” day we could possibly have is filthy in God’s eyes. All are defiled.

~Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

~Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Psalm 119:2 shows the way! The one who seeks the Lord with his whole heart will be blessed!

~John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The Word (John 1:1) leads us to everlasting life because of what He did on the cross for us! When we seek Him diligently and with our whole heart, He is faithful to forgive us and to cleans us from all our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We have Christ’s righteousness when we get saved, not our own. (Romans 4:22-24) Praise the Lord that the Father sees His Son and not our own righteousness when he gazes upon us!  Thank You Lord Jesus for taking my place on the cross!

God’s word is so important in our lives. The Psalmist surely recognized this!  What a blessing this entire Psalm is!  I hope you will glean from it as I am!

Reflections in Psalms – Day 47 – Preservation

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~Psalm 117

1 O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. 2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.

Today’s text is so short but it is packed with blessing! The Psalmist is exhorting us to praise the Lord. Why? Psalm 117:2 says that God’s merciful kindness is great toward us! Amen to that! If it weren’t for the Lord Jesus Christ saving my soul over 30 years ago, I would be dead and burning in Hell! That’s great mercy! But the latter part of verse 2 says that the Lord’s truth endures forever! Then the Psalmist tells us to praise the Lord again! We ought to praise God for showing His great mercy toward us by preserving His truth – His word!

God’s truth will endure forever! Endure what?  Let’s stop and meditate on these verses as the Lord reveals His word to us, amen? I am currently doing a study on Bible versions and the history of God’s words preserved through these thousands of years. Countless men and women have been killed over the preservation of God’s word. It did not take Satan long before he started corrupting the word of God – in fact, he began this corruption by causing doubt and actually changing what God said in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1).

It amazes me that you can discuss the preservation of God’s word with Christians today and they doubt that there is a true copy God’s word available to us today. Yet these same Christians believe that God created the universe and all that is in it. Why does their faith stop with creation, I wonder?  Can not this same God preserve His word?  God tells us that He can in His word so why are there doubts today?

Jesus said that God’s word is true and sanctifies (sets apart) the believer.

~John 17:17-19 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19

Is it any wonder that the devil would try to corrupt it or have people wonder if it even exists?  Satan does not want Christians to be sanctified.  He wants Christians to be powerless.  Furthermore, he does not want anyone coming to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, he has succeeded in producing 200+ bible versions out there which could not lead a horse to water, let alone a man to salvation.

God is not a liar, like man (Romans 3:4). He speaks the truth through His word. In fact, His word is more important to God than His very name!

~Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Since God holds His own word above His own name (He magnifies it), it stands to reason that He would preserve it through the centuries and make sure that His creation would have His true words so they could find His blessed gift of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ!

~Psalms 12:6-7 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

I encourage anyone who is reading to do a study on the history of God’s word and the corruption of the texts through the ages. You must know that God would not give us 200+ versions of His word to cause confusion for His creation.  That has never been His intention. It is, however, the intention of Satan to change, pervert and corrupt (Genesis 3:1).  He is the father of lies (John 8:44) and he hates truth!  It is not rocket science – this should be evident to all Christians yet many are convinced that we cannot possibly have the preserved words of God!

The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. It is also found in Mark 13:31 and Luke 21:33.

Christian, you believe that God can keep your salvation – why can you not believe that He can keep His word? You cannot escape God’s truth. The devil wants you to but you cannot escape God’s word.

~Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

I encourage each reader to study the history of the words of God as I have. We have God’s word in the English language and it is not contained in 200+ versions. Men and women died preserving the manuscripts throughout the years and, yes, God’s word does exist in the King James Bible. Don’t be deceived that you have to have a modern English translation to understand. That is just another ploy of Satan’s to keep you from the truth. God can preserve His words – don’t buy that lie from the pits of Hell.

A closing thought – as I was studying, one of the defenses used by those pushing the modern versions was that their manuscripts were in excellent shape and older than the manuscript used for the Kind James translation.  Friend, pause for a moment – do you have a favorite book on your book shelf that you have read over and over?  You’ve dog-eared the pages and the pages are worn from reading over and over.  A well read manuscript would be worn out – after all, they were written on papyrus.  It would not be in perfect condition.  I would be more concerned about a manuscript that was in mint condition – which would tell me it was never used. Is it any wonder that the manuscripts from the Authorized Version (AV) are newer than the corrupt manuscripts because the older ones were so used they fell apart? A well read and beloved book does not stay on a bookshelf! Many have died making sure that God’s word would be preserved through the ages.  Yes, man can fail – but God cannot fail – He is perfect!

Reflections in Psalms – Day 46 – Praises

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Psalm 113

1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. 2 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. 3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’S name is to be praised. 4 The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, 6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! 7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; 8 That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. 9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.

After 11 years of marriage and begging the Lord for a child, I came to the realization that I would not have the privilege of being a mother. I use to question the Lord – why aren’t You giving us a child? Your word says that one is blessed if she has a quiver full of children. Today’s text was always a tough pill for me to swallow and I would wonder why I couldn’t claim that verse for me. I finally resolved to the fact that my ways are not God’s ways, that He had a reason and I would trust Him. I can remember reading the following verses and deciding that I would make these my “life” verses:

~Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

If I wasn’t to be a mother, then I decided to redirect my thoughts. My thoughts were consumed with having a baby and they should have been consumed with trusting God and not dwelling on my lot in life.

Verse 6 gave me the guidance that I needed: in all my ways I was to acknowledge God. Acknowledge God? In what way? I believe that the Lord wants us to fully trust Him for every area of our lives. I also believe that He wants us to realize that He is the God of all creation and our Heavenly Father – His way, His path, is perfect for us. The Lord Jesus Christ taught us how to petition our Heavenly Father:

~Luke 11:2-4 When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. That’s it! It’s not my plans that I should be seeking after but God’s will. I remember praying day after day, “Lord, please bless me with a child!” After that, I was praying, “Lord, if I’m not to have a child, please show me what You would have me to do.” My focus turned from my circumstances to Him.

Why am I sharing this with you this morning? There may be someone reading that needs encouragement today. You may be disappointed that God has not given you what you thought was the desire of your heart. Today’s text reminds us that we are to praise Him in all things, whether they are blessings from Him or an answer of “no” to our petitions. The Lord desires to direct our paths. In fact, Proverbs 3:6 says that when we acknowledge Him in all our ways, He shall direct our paths.

At that point in my life, I had acknowledged that motherhood was not to be one of my many hats. I remember telling God, “OK, Lord, I’m over it. I have peace over this matter. Show me Your way.” The end of this story is that I was pregnant not too long thereafter and was blessed with a beautiful baby boy. Four years later, he blessed me again with another boy!

Is this to be the same ending for you? Maybe, maybe not. The point is that we are to praise the Lord for all things. Our circumstances may not be what we had hoped for but they are what they are. We must learn to accept God’s will for us. Granted, we may not be happy about it, but once we begin to praise Him, as in today’s text, we see there are so many things for which to be grateful! Our thought life changes from the negative circumstances to thoughts of hope for what is in store for us!

Maybe you feel you’ve been cheated in life – your health is bad, you’re childless, your spouse is not who you thought you married, you’re going through financial troubles, etc. I don’t mean to be harsh but, get over it and move forward in your walk with the Lord! He knows you’re disappointed – He knows you’re hurt.  Let Him direct you!

Heavenly Father, I thank You for always being watchful. Who am I that You would be mindful of me!? I’m so grateful that the Lord Jesus Christ’s blood covers me and that I can come to You as a child to her Daddy. I can’t even begin to thank You for all that You have done for me. Whatever Your will is for my life, may I accept it and live it in a manner that brings you honor and glory! For it’s in the Lord Jesus’ precious name I pray! Amen!

Reflections in Psalms – Day 45 – A Fixed Heart

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Psalm 112

1 Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. 2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever. 4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. 5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. 6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. 9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. 10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

There are some things in life that we know for a fact. I know that my spouse loves me. I know that my children love me. Beyond a shadow of a doubt. I know that I am saved and on my way to Heaven – again, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Everything else in life is uncertain, however. I don’t know if I will be here tomorrow – the bottom could fall out of the nation’s economy and we could all be broke today. Life contains more uncertainties than certainties.

~Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

With all these uncertainties then, how is one suppose to look at the day without feelings of desperation? The Psalmist says that the righteous shall not be afraid of evil tidings because his heart is fixed on the Lord and trusts in Him. How fixed is your heart today, Christian?

God’s love, and the “permanence” of that love, is something that you can count on. You never have to worry about it. You never have to doubt it. You never will lose it. This is one thing that you can know for certain! Though the winds blow, the rains fall, and the circumstances around you may seem impossible, God’s love for you is never ending!

When the child of God grasps this concept, there is a reassurance that whatever happens today has not taken the Lord Jesus Christ by surprise. When the heart is fixed on the Lord, one doesn’t wonder why.  One trusts in Him because He is diligently watching over us.

~Psalms 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

~Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

The Lord desires to guide us – He walks along side of us. When our heart is fixed on Him, we are not busy trying to order our own steps. I’ve been there, haven’t you? The best laid plans on my part had been planned for nothing. It’s so much easier to leave these matters to the Master and allow Him to guide us!

Reading my Bible and listening to the Holy Spirit’s voice will keep my heart going in the right direction. Staying fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ takes discipline and it requires a daily commitment. The time you put into having a fixed heart will be worth it – when you look at life’s circumstances, you won’t be overwhelmed because you will remember that God is on His throne!  The efforts you put into it will produce equal results:  put in much – have a fixed heart; put in little – be filled with worry!

~Psalms 11:3-7, 3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? 4 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. 5 The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. 6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

The Christian will go through many trials but he will not have to endure alone! He will know this because of the amount of time he has spent in God’s word and heeded to His directions! How fixed is your heart today? Work on it – just as you work on anything else that means something to you (whether it is your job, exercise, etc.)! You get out of it what you put into it. Are you tired of worrying? Then do something about it! Open your Bible and let the Lord Jesus Christ speak to you and encourage your heart.

Reflections in Psalms – Day 44 – How’s Your Heart

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Psalm 111

1 Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. 2 The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. 3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. 4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. 5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. 7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. 8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. 9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

As Christians, what comes out of our mouths? Are we constantly complaining or moaning about our circumstances? If an unbeliever were listening to our conversations, would they be able to tell that we are children of the King of Kings? These are pretty poignant questions, aren’t they?

No matter what our lot is in life, we have so much for which to be thankful! Just take a look around you. Psalm 111:2 says that those who have pleasure in God’s good works seek out His works. The Lord must delight in His children’s praises as they sit in awe looking out the stars, don’t you think? The Lord made all these things just for us so that we could behold their beauty and remember Him (PSalm 111:4)! Even in our day-to-day needs, we can see how He has provided (Psalm 111:5). Every time I think of His blessings in my life, I am reminded of:

“Great is Thy Faithfulness”

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

As the heart is prepared by praising the Lord for His marvelous blessings, Psalm 111:9 then leads us into the ultimate blessing, our salvation! Even the most pessimist Christian must acknowledge this blessing! We deserve judgment and Hell because the Lord’s words are truth and He will carry out those judgments (Psalm 111:8).

The child of God who obeys God’s Word is wise and will have His praises on their lips (Psalm 111:10). So Christian, how’s your mouth today? (Matt. 15:18 and Luke 6:45) Better yet, how’s your heart?