relationships (Psalm 139:1-24) Hating Evil, Loving Good

(Psalm 139:1-24)

1   Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2   You know when I sit down and when I get up;
     You understand my thought from far away.
3   You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
     And are acquainted with all my ways.
4   Even before there is a word on my tongue,
     Behold, Lord, You know it all.
5   You have encircled me behind and in front,
     And placed Your hand upon me.
6   Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
     It is too high, I cannot comprehend it.

7   Where can I go from Your Spirit?
     Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8   If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
     If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
9   If I take up the wings of the dawn,
     If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will lead me,
     And Your right hand will take hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
     And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even darkness is not dark to You,
     And the night is as bright as the day.
     Darkness and light are alike to You.

13 For You created my innermost parts;
     You wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made;
     Wonderful are Your works,
     And my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You 
     When I was made in secret,
     And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth;
16 Your eyes have seen my formless substance;
     And in Your book were written 
     All the days that were ordained for me,
     When as yet there was not one of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God!
     How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand.
     When I awake, I am still with You.

19 If only You would put the wicked to death, God;
     Leave me, you men of bloodshed.
20 For they speak against You wickedly,
     And Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate those who hate You, Lord?
     And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with the utmost hatred;
     They have become my enemies.

23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
     Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there is any hurtful way in me,
     And lead me in the everlasting way.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:  

Putting this passage and the entire Bible into context, we know that we should only hate sin.  Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverted mouth'..."  Proverbs 6:16-19, "There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 a false witness who declares lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers."   In Matthew 5:44, Jesus says, "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"   Romans 12:9, "Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good."

Just because we are to love everyone, doesn't mean that we should be friends with those who commit evil deeds.  Our closest allies, mentors and friends should be those who also walk closely with the Lord, so we can help keep each other accountable to Him.  The Lord should be our main go-to!  So in this psalm, we see David venting and confessing his struggles, and THEN asking God to search him and his heart.  It can be a scary thing to ask God to sort us out and test us, so that we can rid ourselves of anxious thinking, bad attitudes, and/or hurtful habits and lifestyles (which are hurtful to ourselves as well as to others).

God has skillfully formed us!  We are awesomely and wonderfully made!  Therefore, He most definitely cares about what happens with us and to us, now, and in our future!  He has a much better way for us!  So, knowing that He knows everything should help us accept His leading, teaching and plans for us.  And not just accepting, but being thankful - will help us be content with how He has created and formed us!

God does not make mistakes - but we do.  So if and when we have questions or complaints, no problem - tell Him and ask Him about these things!  He already knows everything about us, so why not vent and confess to Him our struggles and put ourselves into His hands to mold us and shape us into who and what He wants us to be... which is to be more and more like Jesus.

relationships (Psalm 138:1-8) Just How Needy Are We?

(Psalm 138:1-8)

1   I will give You thanks with all my heart;
     I will sing Your praises before the gods.
2   I will bow down toward Your holy temple 
     And give thanks to Your name for Your mercy and Your truth;
     For You have made Your word great according to all Your name.
3   On the day I called, You answered me;
     You made me bold with strength in my soul.

4   All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, Lord,
     When they have heard the words of Your mouth.
5   And they will sing of the ways of the Lord,
     For great is the glory of the Lord.
6   For the Lord is exalted,
     Yet He looks after the lowly,
     But He knows the haughty from afar.

7   Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
     You will reach out with Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
     And Your right hand will save me.
8   The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;
     Your faithfulness, Lord, is everlasting;
     Do not abandon the works of Your hands.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

The Lord looks after the lowly - the humble of heart!  This is opposite the haughty - the ones who are too proud to realize their need for God.  Not only do we need to be saved through Jesus, but we need His help every day, all the time.  This is not something we should be ashamed about.  The Lord is sovereign, which means that He is more powerful than all powers combined, and He is wiser than all intellects put together!  And He wants to help us!  Why would we NOT want to tap into that?!

Plus the Lord is truth.  In Him and in His word, there are no lies, which means we can rely on Him and trust in Him.  In His righteousness, He is fair and just.  As well, He is compassionate and caring, therefore, He is faithful and will accomplish all of His plans and His purpose:  for all believers, for Israel, and regarding all things.  

Because He is mercy, He saves those who humbly come to Him to accept His free gift of forgiveness and salvation.  Because of His grace, even though we will still make mistakes, we will never lose our salvation.  When we confess, He revives us.  Whether we are struggling or not, we are to go to Him for His strength and wisdom, so we can boldly live our faith outwardly for others to see.  WHEN we call - WHEN we ask - He answers, and He will take care of our concerns!  He cares, and there is nothing too difficult for Him!!!

relationships (Psalm 137:1-9) Putting Love in Perspective

(Psalm 137:1-9) 

1   By the rivers of Babylon,
     There we sat down and wept,
     When we remembered Zion.
2   Upon the willows in the midst of it 
     We hung our harps.
3   For there our captors demanded of us songs,
     And our tormentors, jubilation, saying,
     “Sing for us one of the songs of Zion!”

4   How can we sing the Lord’s song 
     In a foreign land?
5   If I forget you, Jerusalem,
     May my right hand forget its skill.
6   May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth 
     If I do not remember you,
     If I do not exalt Jerusalem 
     Above my chief joy.

7   Remember, Lord, against the sons of Edom
     The day of Jerusalem,
     Those who said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare
     To its foundation!”
8   Daughter of Babylon, you devastated one,
     Blessed will be one who repays you 
     With the retribution with which you have repaid us.
9   Blessed will be one who seizes and dashes your children 
     Against the rock.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Interestingly, this psalm falls on Valentine's day, which is a day of "love".  Yet, this chapter is very applicable, especially to all of those who cannot celebrate this day, for any given reason.  To understand these verses, it helps to keep the entire Bible in context.  Because of Israel's disobedience, God allowed Israel to be taken into captivity by the very evil nation, Babylon.  Besides the loss of loved ones, and their homeland, Israel was also mourning the loss of the blessings and closeness they had with the Lord.

Verses 4-6 is reminding Israel to remember their chief joy, the Lord.  Jerusalem represents how God blesses them when they are enjoying the close relationship with the Lord.  To exalt (worship) anything or anyone is an action and attitude focused on that one thing or person as being the most important in your life.  So, the psalmist is encouraging Israel (and us) to understand that the Lord should be first in our lives.  No one person or thing is worthy to be exalted in such a way.

So, For those who are cynical about celebrating anything that appears to be so commercial, should anyone really celebrate Valentine's Day?  I would say, we can celebrate those we love and respect, whether it is on this day, birthdays, Mother's and Father's Day, or everyday!  But, we do need to keep things in perspective.  

The Lord God should be first in our lives, then our spouse, then our children, then other family members and friends... And hopefully we are honoring, celebrating and exalting the Lord everyday, not just on Sundays when we go to church to worship, praise and serve Him.

For those who are mourning the loss of a loved one, whether you had only been dating for a short while, but you knew this could be "the one", or whether you had been with your spouse for many, many years, still, keep things in perspective.  If your loved one was a believer, this is a temporary loss.  One day, you will see them for all eternity.  If they were not believers, understand that the Lord is fair and just and would never allow anyone to pass away without having a fair opportunity to come to know Him.  Plus, you never know what that person did in the last few seconds of their life.  Meanwhile, focus on the Lord and striving in His will, in order to serve Him, which will help you be present for loved ones who are still living.

For those believers who have been single and "loveless" all their lives, know and understand that the Lord is literally our soulmate!  He is the only one who can fill, fulfill and complete us.  If there is a desire to be married, ask God to find you "the right one for you", and then rest in Him.  Don't get desperate and decide to take things into your own hands to speed up the process.  It is so easy to make a huge mistake that can have lifelong implications.  If we focus on others to be some sort of solution, we will only be disappointed and crushed when they don't live up to our expectations.  The Lord is faithful and never disappoints.  Continue living in His will, and when you see another person doing the same, introduce yourself!

For those who are stuck in a loveless relationship and things are not going well, turn your focus back to the Lord.  Confess any sins that you have been committing.  For example, if you have been selfish, self-centered or self-righteous, trying to get your own way, manipulating instead of serving your spouse, you need to apologize.  This will go a long way towards reconciliation, with your loved one, as well as with God.  Apologize always, whether they forgive you or not.  And forgive always, whether they apologize or not.  

Then, with God's help, go back to growing closer to Him and striving in His will and praying for your relationship.  If your loved one is not doing this, at the very least, you can be a living example which can inspire them to do the same.  But we cannot change or control anyone.  We can only change and control ourselves - with the Lord's strength, wisdom and help!  It is so much easier for others to soften, when we are doing these things.

For those who are in some type of captivity, the same applies.  Although there could be a lot more to this.  Ask God for wisdom, direction, protection and intervention.  If crimes have been committed or are being committed, report these to the authorities if you are able.  Get help in order to escape if you are able.  Do not retaliate or attempt to hurt them back.  Leave vengeance to the Lord.  And in your heart, in forgiving those who have hurt you, the Lord will free you from the chains of hatred and bitterness.  This is in no way saying that what they have done or what they are doing is okay.  This is more for your wellbeing than it is for those who have hurt you.

As children of God, no matter what is happening to us or around us, never forget to remain focused on the Lord and obedient to His will, in His strength and guidance.  And even when we don't feel like it, may we always continue to go before the Lord, in His joy, to sing praises and worship, celebrate and exalt Him!  God blesses those who bless Him!

relationships (Psalm 136:1-26) The Key to Joy and Contentment

(Psalm 136:1-26)

1   Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting.
2   Give thanks to the God of gods,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting.
3   Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting.
4   To Him who alone does great wonders,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting;
5   To Him who made the heavens with skill,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting;
6   To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting;
7   To Him who made the great lights,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting:
8   The sun to rule by day,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting,
9   The moon and stars to rule by night,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting.

10 To Him who struck the Egyptians, that is, their firstborn,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting,
11 And brought Israel out from their midst,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting,
12 With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting.
13 To Him who divided the Red Sea in parts,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting,
14 And allowed Israel to pass through the midst of it,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting:
15 But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting.
16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting;
17 To Him who struck great kings,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting,
18 And brought death to mighty kings,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting:
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting,
20 And Og, king of Bashan,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting,
21 And gave their land as an inheritance,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting,
22 An inheritance to His servant Israel,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting.

23 Who remembered us in our lowliness,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting,
24 And has rescued us from our enemies,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting:
25 Who gives food to all flesh,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
     For His faithfulness is everlasting.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

From mankind's point of view, God takes land and life away.  While from a believer's point of view, we see that God gives life, blessings and provisions!  It is when we choose to study God's word and see things from God's point of view, that we can gain insight and understanding, which then helps us be thankful in all things.  

In my own life, I've experienced proof that as I grow closer to the Lord in my personal relationship and walk with Him, I learn more about Him.  The more I learn, the more I trust Him in every circumstance.  The more I trust in Him, the more I put into practice being thankful.  No matter what is happening to me or around me, there is greater joy and contentment when I practice thankfulness!  And my thankfulness will never come to an end, since the Lord's faithfulness is everlasting!!!

relationships (Psalm 135:1-21) Filling the Void

(Psalm 135:1-21) 

1   Praise the Lord!
     Praise the name of the Lord;
     Praise Him, you servants of the Lord,
2   You who stand in the house of the Lord,
     In the courtyards of the house of our God!
3   Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
     Sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.
4   For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself,
     Israel as His own possession.

5   For I know that the Lord is great 
     And that our Lord is above all gods.
6   Whatever the Lord pleases, He does,
     In heaven and on earth, in the seas and in all the ocean depths.
7   He causes the mist to ascend from the ends of the earth,
     He makes lightning for the rain;
     He brings forth the wind from His treasuries.

8   He struck the firstborn of Egypt,
     Both human firstborn and animal.
9   He sent signs and wonders into your midst, Egypt,
     Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He struck many nations 
     And brought death to mighty kings,
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
     Og, king of Bashan,
     And all the kingdoms of Canaan;
12 And He gave their land as an inheritance,
     An inheritance to His people Israel.
13 Your name, Lord, is everlasting,
     The mention of You, Lord, is throughout all generations.
14 For the Lord will judge His people 
     And will have compassion on His servants.
15 The idols of the nations are nothing but silver and gold,
     The work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
     They have eyes, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear,
     Nor is there any breath at all in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will become like them,
     Yes, everyone who trusts in them.

19 House of Israel, bless the Lord;
     House of Aaron, bless the Lord;
20 House of Levi, bless the Lord;
     You who revere the Lord, bless the Lord.
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
     Who dwells in Jerusalem.
     Praise the Lord!

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

We were created to worship, adore, serve and have a close, personal relationship with the Lord.  This is the very reason why God gave each person a soul - which can only be filled by Him.  When we are born, because of our sin nature, our souls are empty, but our God-given conscience gives us a sense of how it should be.  So until we choose to become Christians, we will not have inner peace, and there will be this innate yearning to find purpose and something to fill that void.

Even if a person declares that they are an atheist, they will be worshiping and serving something.  Therefore, mankind, in their selfish and self-centered sin, create gods in their own image (whatever these might be:  false religions, cults, statues, money, power, fame, sports, sex, drugs, other people, and even themselves).  This is so that they can try to justify their desires and actions, and do what seems "right" and "good" in their own eyes.  

While God, who is sovereign, holy, righteous, just, fair, good, loving, compassionate... wants to help us become more like Him, with His help!  This requires that we humble our hearts, putting aside our selfishness and pride that is self-centeredness, so that we are able to realize we are sinners in need of saving, and we do need God in our lives!

All signs and wonders and events display God's power and sovereignty!  Egypt had their chance to see what the Lord is able to do and submit and serve Him, but they did not.  The rest of the world heard about what happened, as well as saw how God blessed the nation of Israel, and this spoke of God's mighty power, giving them an opportunity to see why they should submit and serve the Lord.  The Lord is good and faithful!  So whoever turns to the Lord for His salvation, He is faithful to save and help them.

For us who accept the Lord into our hearts, His indwelling Holy Spirit of promise fills and seals our souls for eternity... and all believers are equal in the Lord's eyes.  Because we are born again into God's family, as children of God, we are His inheritance, and He also gives us an inheritance.  Just because of this, as believers, we should desire to serve, worship and praise the Lord.  Our service is an extension of our praises to the Lord, for His pleasure, desiring to do things in His will, in His love, wisdom and strength, all to His glory!

relatonships (Psalm 134:1-3) Blessing and Being Blessed

(Psalm 134:1-3) 

1   Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
     Who serve by night in the house of the Lord!

2   Lift up your hands to the sanctuary 
     And bless the Lord.
3   May the Lord bless you from Zion,
     He who made heaven and earth.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

The Lord blesses and works all things out for good to those who love Him.  When we bless Him, He definitely blesses us.  Do not think that this is a conditional love.  God loves everyone unconditionally, sacrificially!  Period.  And because He is love, He will not force anyone to love Him back.  That is a choice everyone has to make:  to become a child of God, or not.  

When we become a Christian (when we are "born again", accepting His free gift of forgiveness for sins and His salvation which includes His indwelling Holy Spirit), God adopts us, and He will never let us go.  We cannot lose our salvation.  We will spend all eternity with the Lord in heaven which is His home, therefore our home, because we are fellow heirs.  This makes complete sense, yes?  Then, why and how can anyone who rejects and curses the Lord, who hates Him, His word as well as His children - feel so entitled to think that they deserve to retire and live in God's home and enjoy all the blessings and inheritance meant for His children?

Recently, I met a couple who were adopting three siblings from South America.  These orphans had a chance to come live in their home for a month, as a kind of trial, although they had no idea this would be their future home, they only knew that this was somehow part of the process.  They didn't speak English, and the couple didn't speak Spanish, but the future-parents patiently demonstrated to them how things worked, and these kids keenly and respectfully observed everything.  Their desire was to have parents who protected and cared for them, so that they could just be part of a home with a brighter future.  So without even being asked, they would wake up, make their beds, prepare breakfast for everyone, and clean up!  This is human nature, to realize that in order to get something good, we should probably do good.

Well, no one can buy, earn or work their way into heaven, or buy, earn or work to become a child of God.  It is a free gift.  We only have to humble our hearts in order to receive it.  But then, shouldn't we be so very appreciative and thankful for such a great honor and blessing?  Or will we become spoiled, entitled brats who insist that we will only bless if and when God blesses us in the way that we want?  

It only makes sense that our humble hearts will trust that the Lord knows the future and what is best for us, and desire to keenly and respectfully observe all of His instructions in order to serve, live according to His example, and please Him.  We will do good, because we want to, not because we have to.  Humble and appreciative hearts will desire to bless, honor and worship the Lord, and the Lord alone who is worthy!

relationships (Psalm 133:1-3) The Key to True Unity

(Psalm 133:1-3) 

1   Behold, how good and how pleasant it is 
     For brothers to live together in unity!

2   It is like the precious oil on the head,
     Running down upon the beard,
     As on Aaron’s beard,
     The oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes.
3   It is like the dew of Hermon 
     Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
     For the Lord commanded the blessing there—life forever.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

It doesn't make sense to me how people who have heard the gospel message, have studied God's word, and even called themselves Christians, although most likely just going through the motions - walk away, angered and embittered, declaring that Christianity doesn't work, and the Bible is false and misleading - because they just cannot understand or accept the good news.  

In HIs word, God doesn't hold back on the bad news, because He tells us as it is.  There is sin and evil in this world, as well as dark forces at work, who do their utmost (as much as God allows them) to take people away from God and keep people away from God.  And we don't have to look all that far to see those who will take God's words, twist and distort them, to deceive and destroy, and create division and disunity.  But where there is darkness, the light can pierce through.

Right here in God's word, we see the very good news.  God desires that all come to know Him personally, so that He can free us from sin and give us eternal life.  And - He commands that there are blessings and beautiful, harmonious, peaceful and loving unity!!!  For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear!

It is a blessing when fellow believers experience deep fellowship and godly unity, encouragement and support.  The key to achieving this is when we all seek and live in God's will, which is only possible in His forgiveness, righteousness and salvation.  I know say this often, but it is so very true, and it is the only way to find this unity... the closer we all grow to God, the closer we will grow to each other.