"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." Psalm 139:23-24
We like to think that we know our selves so well, but the truth is we don't. There is only one who knows our every thought, fear, feeling, dream, hope, and dread. Read all of Psalm 139 and you will see this is true.
God know us even before we were born, He knit us together in our mother's womb. I do not knit, sometimes I think I'd like to learn. Yet I do quilt. I take pieces of material and sew them together. The more pieces I sew the more the pattern starts to become evident. I have a plan when I quilt, a specific pattern. God has a plan as He knits us together. He know exactly what out makeup is because He's the one who made us up.
Knowing that brings a seems of freedom, a sense of peace. I know I have messed up. I know I have sinned. I know I have feared. I know that I have been gracious. I know that I have shown kindness. I know things about me, but there is still so much more about me that I don't know. Knowing that He does calms me. He already knows my next idle word or unkind thought. He already knows the next time I will be loving towards someone. Regardless of whether my next move is good, bad, or really ugly, He knows me and loves me.
He is waiting for me to ask Him to lead me. I need His lead. I have my own plans, but they are so small, so insignificant. I need to be lead in His way, for His way is everlasting. Notice He said that He is the Way? I just thought we don't all walk the same path, otherwise we'd be bumping into each other and knocking each other off. The path that He has set my feet on looks different than the path He set your feet on, but both paths are led by Him.
Now, I'm not saying "all paths lead to Heaven" because they don't some paths lead to destruction and Hell. I need to make sure that I'm on His path, following the Way. How do I do that? I ask Him to lead and I follow.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Let the Redeemed Say So
"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble." Psalm 107:2
Lately, an old song from my growing up years keeps going through my mind. I know there is more to the song, at least I think there is, but the part that keeps going through is, "let the redeemed of the Lord say so". Before you continue reading this post I think you should take a moment to read the whole chapter of Psalm 107.
Okay, did you read it? If not, go read it!
I love that this chapter gives examples of some of the different people that should say so. God brings so many different people to Him. We all come from different experiences. Some of us have been wanderers. Some of us have rebelled against God. Some of us have been fools. Some of us have had roller coaster lives. But when we called upon the Lord He delivered each of us. No matter where we came from, no matter what we have experienced or put other selves through, He has delivered us, and we need to announce it.
When I am out in public, at the store for example, I see people whose lives declare that they are still lost. I also see those whose lives seem to declare that they have been redeemed. I hope that when people see me and my life that they see that I have been redeemed. I hope that my life declares that the Lord has redeemed me.
I could vocally declare that He has set me free, and I should. But if I'm checking out at the grocery store will the cashier be more impressed with my words or my actions? Will she see that I am patiently waiting while an item refuses to ring up? When someone cuts me off in traffic will others be more impressed with the Christian music on my car radio or with how I react? Will others see that I just continue to drive safely and not ride the car's bumper?
It is very important for me to say what He has done for me. To declare that He has redeemed me. It is also so very important that the people who can't hear my words will see my actions, and that He has redeemed me and my life says so.
Lately, an old song from my growing up years keeps going through my mind. I know there is more to the song, at least I think there is, but the part that keeps going through is, "let the redeemed of the Lord say so". Before you continue reading this post I think you should take a moment to read the whole chapter of Psalm 107.
Okay, did you read it? If not, go read it!
I love that this chapter gives examples of some of the different people that should say so. God brings so many different people to Him. We all come from different experiences. Some of us have been wanderers. Some of us have rebelled against God. Some of us have been fools. Some of us have had roller coaster lives. But when we called upon the Lord He delivered each of us. No matter where we came from, no matter what we have experienced or put other selves through, He has delivered us, and we need to announce it.
When I am out in public, at the store for example, I see people whose lives declare that they are still lost. I also see those whose lives seem to declare that they have been redeemed. I hope that when people see me and my life that they see that I have been redeemed. I hope that my life declares that the Lord has redeemed me.
I could vocally declare that He has set me free, and I should. But if I'm checking out at the grocery store will the cashier be more impressed with my words or my actions? Will she see that I am patiently waiting while an item refuses to ring up? When someone cuts me off in traffic will others be more impressed with the Christian music on my car radio or with how I react? Will others see that I just continue to drive safely and not ride the car's bumper?
It is very important for me to say what He has done for me. To declare that He has redeemed me. It is also so very important that the people who can't hear my words will see my actions, and that He has redeemed me and my life says so.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Power To Make Satan Bow
"Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11
The other day I was lying in bed and satan started chirping in my mind. He was stirring up, old garbage that has been dealt with. I laid there listening to it and started to feel like yuck, when I decided that he just needed to shut up.
Sometimes I just tell him to "shut up". Sometimes I get really into it and rebuke him and tell him who I belong to and the whole nine yards. Once I even told him to go to Hell. This time I just didn't have much in me to fight back, but I think I used the most powerful force possible. I simply said, "Jesus". and I just said His name over and over and over again. Soon satan was silent and gone.
Satan can stand a lot of things from us. He doesn't really mind those scripted, pious prayers. If you are truly saying it that's one thing, but if it's just words it he's heard it before. Some plead the blood, which is found nowhere in Scripture. Look it up if you don't believe me. The blood of Jesus covers our sins. There are any number of other ways that people try to deal with the attacks and whispers of satan.
The Bible gives a wonderful, easy way to deal with him. Say the name of Jesus. That's it! Look at verse 10. "so that AT the NAME of JESUS EVERY knee shall bow, in HEAVEN and on EARTH and UNDER THE EARTH. Under the earth is referring to Hell. Even there satan has to bow to the name of Jesus. He has no choice. He hears it and it affects him. He hears it enough that he can't do anything but bow, and he would much rather flee than bow. So he flees.
This is such a simple reminder to me that I don't have to listen to him. I don't have to let anxiety control me. I don't have to let the past affect me. I don't have to let any attacks of satan, and sometimes those come in human skin form, assail against me. I can simply say the name of Jesus, as much as I need, because there is incredible power in His name.
The other day I was lying in bed and satan started chirping in my mind. He was stirring up, old garbage that has been dealt with. I laid there listening to it and started to feel like yuck, when I decided that he just needed to shut up.
Sometimes I just tell him to "shut up". Sometimes I get really into it and rebuke him and tell him who I belong to and the whole nine yards. Once I even told him to go to Hell. This time I just didn't have much in me to fight back, but I think I used the most powerful force possible. I simply said, "Jesus". and I just said His name over and over and over again. Soon satan was silent and gone.
Satan can stand a lot of things from us. He doesn't really mind those scripted, pious prayers. If you are truly saying it that's one thing, but if it's just words it he's heard it before. Some plead the blood, which is found nowhere in Scripture. Look it up if you don't believe me. The blood of Jesus covers our sins. There are any number of other ways that people try to deal with the attacks and whispers of satan.
The Bible gives a wonderful, easy way to deal with him. Say the name of Jesus. That's it! Look at verse 10. "so that AT the NAME of JESUS EVERY knee shall bow, in HEAVEN and on EARTH and UNDER THE EARTH. Under the earth is referring to Hell. Even there satan has to bow to the name of Jesus. He has no choice. He hears it and it affects him. He hears it enough that he can't do anything but bow, and he would much rather flee than bow. So he flees.
This is such a simple reminder to me that I don't have to listen to him. I don't have to let anxiety control me. I don't have to let the past affect me. I don't have to let any attacks of satan, and sometimes those come in human skin form, assail against me. I can simply say the name of Jesus, as much as I need, because there is incredible power in His name.
Friday, August 9, 2013
One of Those Ouch Verses
"Let bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:31-32
Ouch! These verses were perfect for me today, and I can't say that I really like them very much. I hate when I read devotions where the author writes about verses like these as if that is so easy. It is so not!
Do you see the incomplete list of malice there? We have bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander to name just a few. These words are not synonyms. Just because you have anger doesn't mean that you will go around slandering other people. Of course, if you are angry you could slander people. Bitterness can be poisoning just me or it could come out as wrath on others around me.
Now if I'm going to be honest if someone hurts me I feel anger towards them and depending on how badly I've been hurt bitterness does take root. I don't tend to slander people though or act upon wrath. Now clamor is so not me. Clamor is shouting and confusing, imagine arguments on "reality" TV shows. People are just yelling at each other and it's almost impossible to understand what anyone is saying. Yea, so not me.
Well, back to the verses. I have been feeling so serious anger lately and the last thing I really want to do is be kind or tenderhearted. And forgive! No, I don't want to forgive. But I have to forgive. My anger may be hurting others, but it might not. Others might not even know that I'm angry. The same goes for forgiveness. The other person might not even know that they did something or said something they need to be forgiven for. Regardless, I need to forgive. When I forgive I feel peace. The anger and bitterness seem to just melt away.
Of course, when I read the final words of the verse "as God in Christ forgave you" I have a real hard time hanging on to my anger and not forgiving. God forgave me and He did through the sacrifice of His Son. When I really think about that there is no way I can not forgive. So today's verse was perfect for me today. Is it meant for you too?
Ouch! These verses were perfect for me today, and I can't say that I really like them very much. I hate when I read devotions where the author writes about verses like these as if that is so easy. It is so not!
Do you see the incomplete list of malice there? We have bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander to name just a few. These words are not synonyms. Just because you have anger doesn't mean that you will go around slandering other people. Of course, if you are angry you could slander people. Bitterness can be poisoning just me or it could come out as wrath on others around me.
Now if I'm going to be honest if someone hurts me I feel anger towards them and depending on how badly I've been hurt bitterness does take root. I don't tend to slander people though or act upon wrath. Now clamor is so not me. Clamor is shouting and confusing, imagine arguments on "reality" TV shows. People are just yelling at each other and it's almost impossible to understand what anyone is saying. Yea, so not me.
Well, back to the verses. I have been feeling so serious anger lately and the last thing I really want to do is be kind or tenderhearted. And forgive! No, I don't want to forgive. But I have to forgive. My anger may be hurting others, but it might not. Others might not even know that I'm angry. The same goes for forgiveness. The other person might not even know that they did something or said something they need to be forgiven for. Regardless, I need to forgive. When I forgive I feel peace. The anger and bitterness seem to just melt away.
Of course, when I read the final words of the verse "as God in Christ forgave you" I have a real hard time hanging on to my anger and not forgiving. God forgave me and He did through the sacrifice of His Son. When I really think about that there is no way I can not forgive. So today's verse was perfect for me today. Is it meant for you too?
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