Where can I go?….

……from Your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, You are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there Your hand will guide me,
Your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to You;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to You.
(Psalm 139:7-12, NIV)

What an awesome thought!!

If we are away from God, this is such a scary thought…. we cannot escape the all-seeing, everywhere present God!! It so daunts us with guilt!!

But when we’re right with God, it is such a comfort to know that no matter what happens, and even if God seems far away, God is always right there with us.

He says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39, NLT)

We cannot RUN from God, and neither can anything separate us from Him.

And when we’re in trouble, there’s a song that says,

“Where can I go, oh, where can I go?
Seeking a refuge for my soul?
Needing a friend on whom I can depend,
Where can I go but to the Lord?”

Too Wonderful for me to Comprehend!

Over the past few months in my devotions, I’ve been slowly making my way through the Psalms….(I’m a bit of a grazer when it comes to Bible Study… stay in one place for a long time!!… God’s Word is so full)

Anyhow, the past two mornings, I’ve been camped at the beginning of Psalm 139. I normally read it from the Amplified (a good grasing Bible), but I do like how the NLT puts it as well:

O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand! (v.1-6)

How could the creator of the universe, who holds the galaxies in place, have such time for me? But that is how BIG our God is!! That is how vast His love is!! He is ALL knowing!! He is ALL loving!!

It reminds me of what Paul, the apostle, prayed in Ephesians:

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” (v14-21, NLT)

Stop the Flow!

We can all suffer “foot in mouth” disease from time to time.  Here’s what the Bible says about talking too much and hastily….

There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking. (Proverbs 29:20, NLT)

Too much talk leads to sin.  Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. (Proverbs 10:19, NLT)

As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.
Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.
When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him.  It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.  Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved.
Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead.  (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, NLT)

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.  Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.  So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. (James 1:19-21, NLT)

If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.  Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. (James 1:26-27, NLT)

And the words of Isaiah:

“Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5, ESV)

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:6-7, ESV) (Read the whole chapter.)

And some wise advice from Paul:

Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:5-6, ESV)

Tongue Trouble = Heart Trouble!

Okay, I have some more wise words about our speech (from the New Living Translation) ….

“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.” (Matthew 12:35-36)

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring. (James 3:7-12)

Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. (James 3:2)

Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything. (Proverbs 13:3)

“And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” (Matthew 12:36-37)

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29)

So, here’s a prayer from Psalm 141:3-4 (ESV)…..

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!
Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
and let me not eat of their delicacies!

Some Wise Words about Words!

I was thinking again this morning about our speech and the power of our words …. a powerful force for either good or bad. Just like it says in Proverbs:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. (18:21, ESV)

So I decided to check out some more about what the Bible says about our speech. This is what I found in Proverbs in the New Living Translation:

The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain;the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. (10:11)

Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. (15:4)

Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. (12:1

Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies. (20:15)

Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket. (25:11)

The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive. (16:21)

Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. (16:24)

I do pray you, too, are encouraged and challenged by this! Bless ya! May your words be fruitful and bring life to others!

My prayer:

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14, NLT)

Do WE have Sanballats?

The verse the Lord gave me on New Year’s Day was this:

“And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.” (Psalm 90:17)

But, does that work always run smoothly? Do obstacles come to hinder our progress, and if so, where from?

Well, we’ve certainly experienced this the past couple of months in a project the Lord had called us to do… but thankfully, we pressed through and got finished today!! Such a relief and an achievement!! Praise the Lord for His strength and wisdom.

But these hindrances we’ve had, got me thinking, and I remembered the story of Nehemiah. God called him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem which were in ruins and had been for many years.

Nehemiah told the people about God’s plans, and here’s what happened:

But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” 18 Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.

They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.

But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked.

I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah 2:17-20, NLT)

So right from the start, Nehemiah had his keen supporter AND his opposition!! Can you relate? I sure can, but I’m much too sleepy to comment further…..

… so in the morning, I’ll come back to it!! There ya go, another obstacle…. tiredness!! However, God does give His beloved sleep. By for now!!

Catch ya next time!!

Needing a Change

Boy, it’s good to come at the end of something!! The feeling of something finished, something accomplished! I’ve really enjoyed my time in Psalm 119, but it is nice to be finished. So now, there’s the “what do I do next” feeling!

I’m think a change would be good….. and I’m thinking about leaving the Psalms for a while. One idea is the Sermon on the Mount, but I’ll wait and find out what the Lord wants. But for now, this is a good reminder…..

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

(Matthew 5:3-12, NLT)

When You’re Bad-Mouthed!

Hey!!  I start a NEW psalm today!! ….. Psalm 120!

In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.

What shall be given to you,
and what more shall be done to you,
you deceitful tongue?
A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with glowing coals of the broom tree!

Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,
that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
Too long have I had my dwelling
among those who hate peace.
I am for peace,
but when I speak, they are for war! (ESV)

The poor guy was really having a hard time of it!  Can you relate?  I sure can… not that I’m in that situation right now, but I have been.

And oh how wicked that old tongue can be!  It reminds me of what James said:

“And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.”  (James 3:6, NLT)

Oh, how we have to be careful about what we say!

“Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.”  (James 3:2, NLT)

(James 3 and 4 have some excellent teaching about the tongue and its effects and how to handle it.) 

But, what do we do when we are on the receiving end of others’ abuse?   Here’s what Jesus said:

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  (Matthew 5:10-12, ESV)

And here’s some promises from Psalm 37:5-17, NLT …..

5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

7 Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.

8 Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.
9 For the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

10 Soon the wicked will disappear.
Though you look for them, they will be gone.
11 The lowly will possess the land
and will live in peace and prosperity.

12 The wicked plot against the godly;
they snarl at them in defiance.
13 But the Lord just laughs,
for he sees their day of judgment coming.

14 The wicked draw their swords
and string their bows
to kill the poor and the oppressed,
to slaughter those who do right.
15 But their swords will stab their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

16 It is better to be godly and have little
than to be evil and rich.
17 For the strength of the wicked will be shattered,
but the Lord takes care of the godly.

I hope it encourages you as it does me!!  Bless ya!

Lost??…Yet God is Near!

Well, now the final section in Psalm 119!

Let my cry come before you, O LORD;
give me understanding according to your word!
Let my plea come before you;
deliver me according to your word.
My lips will pour forth praise,
for you teach me your statutes.
My tongue will sing of your word,
for all your commandments are right.
Let your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen your precepts.
I long for your salvation, O LORD,
and your law is my delight.
Let my soul live and praise you,
and let your rules help me.
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments. (Psalm 119:169-176, ESV)

I find it so interesting, that despite how the Psalmist loves God’s Word, yet he says, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep.”

It seems a bit of a contradiction to what he’s said throughout the Psalm. And why should he end the Psalm this way?

I think it’s a reminder to us of how easily we can stray. It was our nature from the beginning.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way….” (Isaiah 53:6, ESV)

Left to our own devises, we will stray. It’s so easy to run with our own ideas, to depend on our own understanding, and then ask God to bless our plans.

But, guess what?? He DOESN’T!!! Praise the Lord!! Instead, He lets us feel lost…. He lets us fall flat on our face…. so we will realise how helpless we are, and then turn back to Him.

Then when we cry out, He is there ready to rescue and restore us to back to the Way.  Isn’t it so reassuring to know that in our lostness, He has NOT forgotten us?  Instead, all that time He was seeking us out and longing for out return.

(This is all explained in Isaiah 30:15-18. I’d encourage you to click the link and read it.)

Even in those times, we are in His heart and in His hands.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28, ESV)

And in the church I attend, we sing this line from the 23rd Psalm:

“My wandering steps He brings back to His way, in straight paths of righteousness making me stay, and this He has done, His great name to display.”

Oh, what a truly gracious and awesome God we have!!