Category: Psalms

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Loaded Up

Here we are just a few days before Thanksgiving and other than the grocery store commercials not a lot is being said about this day that was set aside for giving thanks. The focus is already on the Christmas shopping season and it has been for several weeks now.

It seems that less and less time is allotted for thankfulness. Our hearts should be overflowing with thankfulness. God has been gracious and kind. There may have been disappointments and even heart aches in the last year but God remains faithful and trustworthy.

He continues to bring blessings and benefits into our lives.

“Do not be misled, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes]. 18 It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes]. 19 Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; ” James 1:16-19 AMP

He is the giver of every good and perfect gift and He does not change. We need to listen more and murmur less. This will definitely bring us closer to thankful hearts.

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.” Psalm 68:19 NKJV

Daily, He loads us up with benefits…Selah means stop and think.

Yesterday I stopped in at our local grocery store to pick up a few things that I wanted to have on hand for our Thanksgiving meal next week. I saw a number of people who had their shopping carts loaded to the top. It made of think of this verse. I consider a full shopping cart to be a benefit from the Lord. Loaded up. I remember the days when we had very little in our weekly grocery budget and so my cart was never loaded. A full shopping cart always makes me grateful; I’m thankful for the blessing of enough to eat.

“After you eat and are full, give praise to the Lord your God for the good land he gave you. 11 Make sure that you never forget the Lord or disobey his laws and teachings that I am giving you today. If you always obey them, 12 you will have plenty to eat, and you will build good houses to live in.” Deuteronomy 8:10-12 CEV

As you go about your day, Stop and Think about the ways the Lord has been good to you. I guarantee it will make you thankful!

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Shout For Joy

I hope things get really noisy at your house today. I want you to shout for joy – yes, shout!

Does that sound silly to you? I hope not. We shout at sporting events for our favorite team, we rise to our feet in applause at the end of a concert or public performance; we shout when we are calling our kids home for dinner; we shout when we feel someone is in danger. So why not shout for joy?

Little kids do it all the time – they go outside to play and they shout – they giggle, they laugh, they yell with glee! At this time of year, we should be child like and overcome with excitement and joy. There’s so much to be thankful for – if you’ve been following along since the first of the month you have nineteen days of things you’re grateful for. Everyone of them should be worth shouting about.

On my list from yesterday I told the Lord I was grateful for His loving correction in my life. Yes, correction – I had talked to Him about a situation I was experiencing and He lovingly showed me that I needed to adjust my attitude. I was mumbling inside and it was disturbing my joy. I was quick to repent and my whole outlook changed.

I would shout right now but it would wake up the whole house, so…I will go outside in a little while and shout.

Today is a day to shout – Shout to the Lord, with a voice of triumph!!!

Remember in the movies when the battle would be over and those that were on the winning side would shout and toss their hats and other clothing in the air? That’s the picture I see when I read this verse – shout with a voice a triumph – not a voice of defeat or depression!!!!

“All of you nations, clap your hands and shout joyful praises to God. 2 The LORD Most High is fearsome, the ruler of all the earth. 3 God has put every nation under our power,
4 and he chose for us the land that was the pride of Jacob, his favorite. 5 God goes up to his throne, as people shout and trumpets blast. 6 Sing praises to God our King, 7 the ruler of all the earth! Praise God with songs. 8 God rules the nations from his sacred throne. 9 Their leaders come together and are now the people of Abraham’s God. All rulers on earth surrender their weapons, and God is greatly praised!” Psalm 47 CEV

Verse 5 reminds me of the children of Israel when they had marched around Jericho for seven days. For six days they had walked around the city in silence. On the seventh day they were given the command to march around the city in silence again but when the trumpets blew they were to SHOUT and the walls came crumbling down.

“The LORD said to Joshua:
With my help, you and your army will defeat the king of Jericho and his army, and you will capture the town. Here is how to do it: March slowly around Jericho once a day for six days. 4 Take along the sacred chest and have seven priests walk in front of it, carrying trumpets.
But on the seventh day, march slowly around the town seven times while the priests blow their trumpets. 5 Then the priests will blast on their trumpets, and everyone else will shout. The wall will fall down, and your soldiers can go straight in from every side.” Joshua 6:2-3

In obedience, they followed the Lord’s command and victory came! In obedience today, rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice – why? Because you feel like it, probably not; because you can figure out the solution on your own, probably not; then why? Because God said so, He has a victory planned for you!

SHOUT!

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The Air I Breathe

Have you ever been desperate? Thinking all hope was gone and there was no where to turn – what do you do? That’s a time when many turn to God – they have exhausted their own resources; their wisdom, their finances, their influence and even their health and then they say “God help!”

I’ve been there and so have many of you! I would never criticize any who finds yourselves in that place. I only want to encourage you with this truth – God does care and He will help – He will provide a way out! When I think of that helpless, hopeless feeling now it brings me to a place of comfort and peace because God did meet me there – He did provide all that I needed and more!

There’s a song by Michael W. Smith that says “I’m desperate for you” – that’s the place I want to be each and every day. Desperate for the Lord – I want to be so dependent on Him that I can’t imagine a day or an hour of living without a sense of His presence in my life. Again from the song there’s a line that says, He’s the very air I breathe. Do you know what’s it like to be that desperate for the Lord? I hope so!!

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good his love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story, those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, 3 those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. 4 Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. 5 They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. 6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 7 He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. 8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:1-9 ERV

Verse 9 in the King James version says “ For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” To be longing – that’s desperate. It’s more than desire; it’s a need, a deep need – a “I can’t go on any further without you” need.

When Jesus was teaching the Sermon on the Mount he said this:

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6 KJV Now read it in the Easy to Read Version
“Great blessings belong to those who want to do right more than anything else. God will fully satisfy them.” Matthew 5:6 ERV

Are you satisfied – fully satisfied? They will be satisfied! That’s a promise from God. Do you long for Him today? I hope you do!

I hope you are as grateful for God’s presence as you are for the air you breathe and the food that sustains you.

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Be A Comfort

Yesterday morning I went to the hospital early to see Mom. She had a good night and was feeling much better than she had the day before. Shortly after I arrived she received her breakfast. She said it tasted good but not as good as the chocolate pudding she had the night before.

In just a little bit, a sweet nurse’s aide came in and asked if Mom would like to have a sponge bath. She thought that sounded nice. The aide was so sweet as she went about her task – warm water, wash cloths, a clean hospital gown and then she changed the sheets on the bed. Mom felt like a new woman! To top it off, she leaned over and gave Mom a big hug before she left.

Comfort!

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” II Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT

Mom was dismissed from the hospital yesterday afternoon, my sister and brother-in-law are taking good care of Mom, we are so grateful for all they do!

The littlest kindnesses are sometimes the greatest sources of comfort. Where do you find comfort?

“When I felt my feet slipping, you came with your love and kept me steady. 19 And when I was burdened with worries, you comforted me and made me feel secure.” Psalm 94:18-19 CEV

“When I am hurting, I find comfort in your promise that leads to life. 51 Conceited people sneer at me, but I obey your Law. 52 I find true comfort, Lord, because your laws have stood the test of time.” Psalm 119:50-52 CEV

Our true comfort doesn’t come from the external things in our lives but from the eternal – from God’s Word and His love.

“Christ encourages you, and his love comforts you. God’s Spirit unites you, and you are concerned for others.” Philippians 2:1 CEV

My prayer is that we will all be used of God to make others “Comfort-abled” today!

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Thankful for Peace

Spent quite a bit of time this morning thanking the Lord for peace. No, not the kind of peace that is talked about at beauty pagents, world peace, but soul peace.

I was a Christian for a lot of years but had no peace. Worry was a big part of who I was. I worked hard to worry. Occasionally I would find small moments of peace but for the most part peace eluded me. Peace isn’t the absence of conflict, but instead, it is a clear focus while in the turmoil. King David says in Psalm 91:

“Live under the protection of God Most High and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful. 2 Then you will say to the Lord, “You are my fortress, my place of safety; you are my God, and I trust you. 3 The Lord will keep you safe from secret traps and deadly diseases. 4 He will spread his wings over you and keep you secure. His faithfulness is like a shield or a city wall. 5 You won’t need to worry about dangers at night or arrows during the day. 6 And you won’t fear diseases that strike in the dark or sudden disaster at noon. 7 You will not be harmed, though thousands fall all around you. 8 And with your own eyes you will see the punishment of the wicked. 9 The Lord Most High is your fortress. Run to him for safety, 10 and no terrible disasters will strike you or your home.” Psalm 91: 1-10 CEV

True peace, peace that comes from God, isn’t something we “work” to get, it comes from a place of trust. It is an outgrow of being attached to Jesus the living vine. Jesus told his disciples that He was the vine, we are the branches and if we abide in Him we will bear fruit. Peace is some of the fruit that grows when abiding in Him.

“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.” Galatians 5:22-24 AMP

Producing fruit is a natural result for a healthy plant. Water, sunshine, good soil and a strong stock produce good fruit. Good ground (a prepared heart), the Living Water, the Vine and the Son.

Yesterday I learned about peace from my 96 year old mother. She had a heart incident in the morning and had to be taken to the ER. I spent the day with her there. She wasn’t scared or worried about dying, in fact, she was looking forward to “going home”. She talked of my father, her parents and all her friends that are already in heaven. She talked about her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and how she prayed they would all be there some day too. She was a testimony of peace to the medical staff and to me. She stayed the night for observation and I came home. Before I did, we prayed, she prayed that I would have a peaceful night sleep and not worry.

This morning my heart is filled with peace. Jesus has been cultivating my heart’s soil and I am grafted to His vine. I bear the fruit of peace through Him.

Focus on the Vine today – the fruit of peace will come!

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What To Do With Bad News

We’ve all been the recipients of bad news. The question is what do we do with it when it comes. It could be a doctor’s report, the loss of a job, a disappointing end to a relationship, an expectation that is dashed. How we handle these situations can set the course of our day, our week or maybe the rest of our lives. I truly love the words of Psalm 112. They keep me focused; they guard my heart.

“Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. 2 Their children will be successful everywhere;  an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. 3 They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever. 4 Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. 5 Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. 6 Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. 7 They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. 8 They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. 9 They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. 10 The wicked will see this and be infuriated. They will grind their teeth in anger; they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.” Psalm 112 NLT

We give praise to God because He has already given us so much. Nothing is greater than the new life we have in Christ. We have been blessed to be loved by Almighty God and He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. There’s one verse in the middle of this psalm that says we will not fear bad news. I have claimed that verse for years. When bad news comes I know it didn’t catch God by surprise and that He has already worked out the answer. I can trust Him!

In every adverse situation Jesus told his disciples to Fear Not. There wasn’t one time that He said “hey boys, I’m not really sure how to handle this – it’s a big problem and I don’t know if the Father can help us out of this one”.

No, Jesus answer was always the same – fear not, trust God. The apostle Paul filled his letters with encouraging words.

“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? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep)”. 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 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. 39 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

Bad news and adversity will come but when they do we can be like young David, a shepherd, who went out to face Goliath. He said God has helped me kill the lion and the bear; He will help me with this ungodly Philistine giant.

That’s why I asked you to keep a daily gratitude list. We all need things we can look back on and see how God has been faithful in the past. The blessings of the past strengthen our hope for the future.

Join me as I take time to praise the Father this morning for who He is and what He has done in my life.

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Grateful?? Sing!

Have you ever seen a child sing with abandon? You know what I’m talking about – they take a stance, close their eyes, pretend they have microphone in hand and sing at the top of their voices. They don’t care if they know the right words, most of the time they don’t and seldom are they on tune but they sing with every ounce of their being and it’s great!

I think Mark Twain must have experienced such an occasion as this when he penned these words:

“Dance like nobody’s watching; love like you’ve never been hurt. Sing like nobody’s listening; live like it’s heaven on earth.” -Mark Twain

It’s time to sing!

I’m not sure what goes on in your life on a daily basis but I know that some days I face more challenges than others. Some days it’s easy to sing because all seems right with the world but other days come with unexpected distractions and joy-robbing obstacles.

That’s where singing comes in – singing lifts the heart, it can make the heart skip and brings a lightness to our step.

Paul and Silas had been beaten and were chained in a prison but at midnight they chose to sing. I don’t believe they were singing the blues either, “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen”. No, I’m sure it was something like “I’ll fly away, o glory, I’ll fly away. When I die hallelujah by and by, I’ll fly away.”

Today I encourage you to sing! Sing like a child – loud and long. Sing like nobody but God is listening. Sing a song from your heart – make up the words as you go along. It will be great! Sing songs of praise to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Savior of your soul. Sing because yesterday is over and you get a new day to experience God’s love.

“Sing joyful songs to the Lord! Praise the mighty rock where we are safe. 2 Come to worship him with thankful hearts and songs of praise. 3 The Lord is the greatest God, king over all other gods. 4 He holds the deepest part of the earth in his hands, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The ocean is the Lord’s because he made it, and with his own hands he formed the dry land. 6 Bow down and worship the Lord our Creator! 7 The Lord is our God, and we are his people, the sheep he takes care of in his own pasture.” Psalm 95:1-7 CEV

Sing until your heart tells your face you have something to be grateful for. Are you grateful? Then sing!

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Grateful for Grandeur

I have lived in Arizona most of my life; I was born and raised here. I grew up in the desert and we took family vacations in the mountains. I lived in the small town, at that time, of Yuma. We didn’t even have a McDonald’s or a Burger King, shocking. I worked and went to college in metro Phoenix before I was married.

Dave and I moved back to Phoenix within the first year of our marriage. We started a business here. We closed a business during the gasoline shortage of 1974. We found jobs and started our family here. All three of our children were born here. We moved away for twenty-five years and returned when we retired in 2014. We’re home!

In the last year, I have realized how little of the State I have actually discovered. I learned that Arizona is the sixth largest state in land mass. I was surprised by that and I am in awe of the diversity of terrain. We have arid desert, farm land, larger metropolitan cities, ski resorts, pasturelands and wastelands. One of the things that I enjoy the most is the tremendous rock formations; there are huge, jagged rocky crags and also the smooth, round boulders that look like misplaced loaves of bread. We plan to spend a great deal of time traveling the backroads of Arizona and learning more about my home.

Do I sound like a travel log? I don’t mean too but I truly love the grandeur that God has placed before me, here in my home state. Yesterday Dave and I took a localized road trip and drove to a couple of lakes on the far east side of the Valley of the Sun. We went to Saguaro Lake and Canyon Lake; we stopped at the little settlement of Tortilla Flats and we went to the campground at the base of the Superstition Mountains.

I had never been there! It is absolutely beautiful! We are making plans to return – I can hear the Father speak to my heart there.

“The heavens are telling of the greatness of God and the great open spaces above show the work of His hands. 2 Day to day they speak. And night to night they show much learning. 3 There is no speaking and no words where their voice is not heard. 4 Their sound has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun. 5 It is as a man soon to be married coming out of his room and as a strong man who is happy to run his race. 6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens, and it makes its way to the other end. Nothing is hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19:1-6 NLV

When I see the beauty of creation my heart is filled with gratitude for the physical glory that the Lord has placed all around us. No matter where we go, creation speaks of God’s love. The snow capped peaks of the mountains, the rolling waves of the ocean, the rich green of the farmlands and the glow of a desert sunset are a reflection of God’s creativity and imagination. He was thinking of us when He designed all of this.

“Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy. 4 For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does. 5 He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth. 6 The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. 7 He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. 8 Let the whole world fear the Lord,  and let everyone stand in awe of him. 9 For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command…We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice,  for we trust in his holy name. 22 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,  for our hope is in you alone.” Psalm 33:3-9, 20-22 NLT

I hope you will take time to read all of Psalm 33 today. The timelessness of nature is an example of the eternal power of God’s word, it was created by His word. Creation is a testimony to us of God’s faithfulness. He has left his fingerprint in creation and He uses it to draw us in to relationship with Him.

Oh yes, I am grateful for the grandeur of God’s panoramic display!

“It is wonderful to be grateful and to sing your praises,  Lord Most High! 2 It is wonderful each morning to tell about your love and at night to announce  how faithful you are.” Psalm 92:1-2 CEV

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Three Dog Morning

For the last several days we have been at our daughter’s, dog sitting. They went to Japan to visit our grandson and his wife. What a wonderful opportunity for them and we were glad to help.

When I got up this morning, I started the coffee and you guessed it, I let the dogs out. The past few mornings the dogs have come in and scattered to their various places. Not today! If I were to take a picture, you would find me in the large chair with one pup laying across my legs while the other two are sleeping on the floor on either side of my chair.

It’s a three dog morning. The pups are content to be close – no fear, just gentle sleep. This was the object lesson before me while I was reading my Bible.

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;  therefore, I will hope in him!” 25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.” Lamentations 3:22-25 NLT

The Lord is good. The Lord is faithful. The Lord’s love never ends. The Lord’s mercies are fresh every morning.

Those are verses of comfort and peace. God’s word is soothing and it makes my heart rest just like these pups that surround me. This morning is free from anxiousness or fear. There is rest and peace in the air.

My prayers turned to those who woke this morning in turmoil and anxiety. I prayed that they would know rest and safety. Remember a week or so back when I wrote about the kindness of God? Since then I have been very mindful of finding the words kind, kindness and safety in my daily Bible reading. It’s there on almost every page!

One of my favorite Scriptures, a must read at least 4 or 5 times a month, is Psalm 91. When I was learning to trust, really trust, the Lord I read it daily. On difficult days I would read it several times throughout the day. Here are just a few verses from that chapter.

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection…7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you…9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home…14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. 16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.” Psalm 91 NLT

A place of rest – a place of safety; staying close to the Father brings me to that place!

As the pups sleep on, my heart is quiet and I am content knowing that my Father watches over me and gives me new mercy for the day ahead.

It’s a three dog morning!

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Counting Is Good Exercise

No, I’m not talking about counting calories or carbs; not sit-ups or miles walked but what I am choosing to count is blessings.

One of the things I put on my grateful list was no daylight saving time. Here in Arizona we don’t fall back or spring forward. Our clocks stay the same; we’re consistent. That is a blessing. I was grateful that yesterday I was able to spend time with our youngest daughter; she, her youngest daughter (only 3 weeks old) and I went to the craft faire at her church. Then, last evening I was able to sit and enjoy time with Dave. That’s one of my favorite things.

Those are a few of the things I counted. There are some things that are innumerable and I am so grateful for them.

“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!” Psalm 139:16-18 NLT

Do you see that? Every day was laid out before a single day passed. WOW! God’s thoughts about us are innumerable. They are more than the grains of sand on the seashore. If we could count all particles of sand on every beach throughout the world and add to it all the sand in the deserts, God’s loving thoughts toward us would be greater.

All His thoughts of us are good because He has refused to remember our sins and our iniquities.

“This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” 18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.” Hebrews 10:16-18 NLT

So, when you start your list of things you’re grateful for today – start there. Start by putting the Father’s love at the top of the list. He thinks the best of us. That’s what love does!

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” I Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT

The word Gospel can be defined as Good News, more accurately is means the nearly too good to be true news. The Father’s good thoughts toward us are nearly too good to be true but that’s how He is.

Let’s begin to build up our gratitude muscle. Counting God’s thoughts about us is good exercise!

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