Category: Psalms

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A Basket Case

Have you ever heard the expression “you’re a basket case”?

We generally say that to someone who is letting the circumstances of life overwhelm them. They begin to fall apart in the drama and chaos of their situation. This saying implies that their life is disjointed, in pieces. They need someone else to pick up the pieces and put them in a basket.

So now you know where that came from.

Worry!

The great destroyer. It destroys joy, peace, loving relationships, sleep, clear thinking.  I once heard someone say “if I didn’t have anything to worry about I’d be worried”.  A lot of people live this way but it’s not how God wants us to live.

“God is our safe place and our strength. He is always our help when we are in trouble. ” Psalm 46: NLV

I had never thought about it before but Moses’ mother had reason to worry. The Egyptians had ordered all Hebrew or Jewish male babies to be killed.

Her son became a basket case, literally. His mother wove a basket made of reeds and sealed with pitch. She put Moses in the basket and set it close to the bank, in the bulrushes of the Nile River.  Her’s was not an action of fear or worry. No, it was a true trust in the Lord.

“And the mother and father of Moses hid him for three months after he was born. They did this because they had faith. They saw that Moses was a beautiful baby. And they were not afraid to disobey the king’s order.” Hebrews 11:23 ERV

I heard a teaching once about worry. It goes something like this.

A successful businessman was asked what he did when situations came up with his business dealings that were bigger than he could handle. He was sitting at his desk and  pointed to a box in front of him.

He said, “I put all my worries in the box. Then I pray about them and close the box. I never think about them again until the following Wednesday when I open the box and take them out. Most of them are no longer problems by then. They have been resolved without me worrying over them. If they haven’t been resolved I repeat the process and go on about my way until the next week.”

I’ve had the opportunity to share this story with a number of people personally and I’ve given them worry baskets. Recently I was in the home of one of these young mothers and I was pleased to see that she still has her worry basket hanging in her kitchen. It’s a visible reminder that God is big enough to handle our problems.

“The Lord will lead you. He himself is with you. He will not fail you or leave you. Don’t worry. Don’t be afraid!” Deuteronomy 31:8 ERV

So instead of seeing the term “basket case” as a negative I choose to look at it this way; any situation that would cause me to worry or be afraid is ready for the basket! I can trust God to handle it. He’ll do a better job than I can, just look at what He did with Moses.

“Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. 7 And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.” Philippians 4:6-7 ERV

Get yourself a worry basket and go on to a life guarded by peace!

 

 

 

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Review and Evaluate

For many years I was responsible for conducting Personnel Evaluations and Reviews. When employees were first hired they had a 90-day review and after that it was an annual evaluation. I always looked for their strengths and tried to encourage change in areas of weakness.

Now I find myself each morning reviewing the events of my previous day. I look back and am thankful for so many things, large and small.  I know some of you do this at the end of your day and that’s great too. This isn’t a performance evaluation because we can never win God’s approval by performance or the lack of it, That was all done by Jesus.

So what did I learn in my review of yesterday?

The day started out spending time with Dave, Pam and Jen. We enjoy being together and it doesn’t have to be something great and significant, just the small things are so much better because of the love we share.

The afternoon was spent resting. It’s important that we give ourselves time to be quiet. Our bodies aren’t made to be on the go 24/7, they need rest. It’s a shame that I had to retire to realize that.

In the evening we went to friends for dinner. Randy and Kristi have been our friends for almost 30 years. Friendships like that are truly nuggets of gold. We spent time catching up on life; children, grandchildren, life’s treasures and disappointing times. We talked of the Lord and His faithfulness and our hearts were more full than our stomachs when we left.

Yes, it was a good day!

So, I began to thank the Lord for the day past and the one to come. I found myself saying “Thank you Father. You make my life so…” and then I searched my mind for the right adjective.

Exciting…adventurous…wonderful…full…marvelous…amazing…peaceful…joyful…loving.

But then I stopped. I realized I didn’t need any adjectives. What I was really saying is “Thank you Father, You make my life!”

It’s that simple. Without the Lord, I really wouldn’t be experiencing true living. He makes it all complete.

“You gave me life and showed me your unfailing love. My life was preserved by your care.” Job 10:12

Knowing God and having Him in my life intensifies and magnifies each day’s experiences.  The Apostle Paul said it this way:

“I am full of hope and feel sure I will not have any reason to be ashamed. I am certain I will continue to have the same boldness to speak freely that I always have. I will let God use my life to bring more honor to Christ. It doesn’t matter whether I live or die. 21 To me, the only important thing about living is Christ. And even death would be for my benefit.22 If I continue living here on earth, I will be able to work for the Lord. But what would I choose—to live or to die? I don’t know.” Philippians 1:20-22 ERV

Jesus purpose in coming to earth was to give man a life filled with purpose. He didn’t come to diminish life and cause it to be substandard. No! He came to enhance and improved our lives in a way that we can’t possibly do on our own.

“A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.” John 10:10 CEV

“I am the light that has come into the world. No one who has faith in me will stay in the dark.

47 I am not the one who will judge those who refuse to obey my teachings. I came to save the people of this world, not to be their judge.” John 12:46-47 CEV

Now it’s time to get up and start this day. I am really looking forward to it. I know that God has planned my steps and He has great things in store for me! I pray that you are looking forward to the moments of your day as well.

“This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us be full of joy and be glad in it. 25 O Lord, we beg You to save us! O Lord, we ask that You let everything go well for us! ” Psalm 118:24-25 NLV

 

 

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Making the Right Decision

Our daily lives are filled with decisions. It can be as simple as what to buy at the grocery store and as life changing as who to marry?

The who, what, why, where, when and how’s of life can be paralyzing. People want answers and all too often, want to assess blame and divert responsibility.

Do we go forward or stand still? Which college, mate, career, home? How do we accomplish the goal, what steps do we take to achieve the proper outcome?

What was the dream and what does it mean?

This was the question that King Nebuchadnezzar put to his wise men and advisors. Never before had a ruler posed such a dilemma. Magicians and wise men had been interpreting dreams for years but this was different. The king had a troubling dream but when he woke, he couldn’t remember it and he wanted his council to tell him his dream and the meaning.

“he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.”

4 Then the astrologers answered the king,“May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. 6 But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”

7 Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

8 Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: 9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”

10 The astrologers answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. 11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.”

12 This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon.” Daniel 2:3-12 ERV

Can  you imagine such a thing? Their very lives depended on them giving the king the correct answer and they were at a loss.

I’ve never yet had to make such a paramount decision, one that would cost me my life and the lives of my fellow associates. All the wise men in Babylon were to be killed because of the lack of wisdom of a few.

Daniel was a part of this intellectual group in the palace. His life was on the line as well. He had not been a part of the original committee but when he realized the severity of the issue, he approached the king. He asked that the king grant him just a little more time to interpret the dream.

The king granted this request and Daniel went to his friends and asked them to pray with him and for him. He needed answers from God.

“Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven” Daniel 2:17-19 ERV

When big decisions need to be made it’s always comforting to know that you have friends who will pray with you. Even Jesus asked his disciples to pray with Him the night before the crucifixion.

Daniel went to the king with the revelation that the Lord had given him. He told the king his dream and the meaning of it. He also told the king that the only way he could know this information was because God had revealed it to him.  As a reward the king promoted Daniel to the position of governor of Babylon and his three friends were given new positions as his advisors.

Again, we may never be asked to make such a monumental decision as this but we can trust God to lead us in our everyday decisions. Some of the decisions we make are life and death without us knowing it.  Leaving for work a bit early, taking another road could help us avoid an accident.

Implanting a new safety plan at work could keep hundreds of employees from being exposed to danger. Using a new teaching example in the classroom could open the minds of our students to better understanding. Changing our attitude, being more humble could change the atmosphere in our home for anger to peace.

All of these are important decisions where we need the Lord’s direction.

I was reading in Psalm 119 this morning  before I began to read in the book of Daniel. This is what King David wrote about making wise decisions.

“Our Lord, you always do right,  and your decisions are fair. 138 All of your teachings are true and trustworthy. 139 It upsets me greatly when my enemies neglect your teachings. 140 Your word to me, your servant, is like pure gold; I treasure what you say…144 Your rules are always fair. Help me to understand them and live. 145 I pray to you, Lord! Please answer me. I promise to obey your laws. 146  I beg you to save me, so I can follow your rules.

147 Even before sunrise, I pray for your help, and I put my hope in what you have said. 148 I lie awake at night, thinking of your promises. 149 Show that you love me, Lord, and answer my prayer...151 but you are with me, and all of your commands can be trusted. 152 From studying your laws, I found out long ago
that you made them to last forever.” Psalm 119:137-152 CEV

We can trust God’s word to give us direction and when we ask for wisdom we know that He will give it to us freely.

“If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking.” James 1:5 CEV

It’s up to us to take time to listen and then follow His lead.

 

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Be All You Can Be

As I sit here this morning, I realize again that God’s design for me is that of a human “being”.

You remember this used to be the slogan that the U.S. Army used on it’s recruiting posters.

New recruits were given opportunities that they didn’t find in our places. The Army would help mold and shape them; preparing them for a future with a purpose.

There are so many verses in the Bible that instruct me on how to be what God desires for me to be.

Be Still – Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

Be Quiet – But whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33

Be Ready – But keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have. I Peter 3:15

Be Obedient – If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: Isaiah 1:19

Be Rich – Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;  I Timothy 1:17-18

Be Lieve – Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9:23

Be Have –  And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him. 15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. I Samuel 18:14-15

Be Loved, Stedfast, Immovable –  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. I Corinthians 15:57-58

God’s purpose for our lives, for our very “being” is so much greater than an Army recruiter could ever imagine. God’s desire is that we be like Him and be dependent on His strength.

Be Like – You are God’s dear children, so try to be like him. 2 Live a life of love. Love others just as Christ loved us. Ephesians 5:1-2

Who is God asking me to “Be” today?

More than anything He wants me to be available!

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Don’t Forget to Call

With our most recent road trip only days behind me I stopped to consider this morning what really made it special and different from past trips.

It was the conversation.

Dave and I have traveled probably traveled hundreds of thousands of miles on the highways of the western United States in the past 25 years and this is the first one that was really filled with conversation.

Now don’t get me wrong, we spent other trips talking but it was generally about the work we had ahead of us. Making final mental notes of the preparations that needed to be completed, tweeking the last minute details of a trade show or streamlining the daily operations of our jobs was the general topic.

Take those moments and interject computer work, goggle searches for extra information, talk radio or the latest country hits and our time was gobbled up minute by minute without really listening to each other’s hearts.

This trip was 25 hours of enjoying each other’s company!

Have you noticed how text messages and twitter have reduced our conversations to brief snippets and how our cell phone conversations are disjointed and distracted? Does it bother you that we don’t just sit and talk?

So often phone conversations are one sided; I have to hurry and tell you all about me and when you start to talk about you, I get busy on my end doing dishes or folding laundry and I barely listen.

Important stuff like news stories have been reduced to snippets because the viewing public have shortened their attention spans and if you don’t catch my interest immediately I’m off to another channel. So everything appears to be a crisis or a breaking story.

Very few take time to show sincere interest.

The sad thing is I find that happens more often than I like to admit in my relationship with the Lord. The saying “quality not quantity” leaves us making excuses for our actions. But what’s wrong with quality and quantity. Spending time, our only unrenewable resource with those we love especially, our Heavenly Father, should be first and foremost in our actions.

“You can be sure that anyone who serves the Lord faithfully is special to him.
 The Lord listens when I pray to him.” Psalm 4:3 ERV

“The Father gives me my people. Every one of them will come to me. I will always accept them. ” John 6:37 ERV

Our heavenly Father has set an open-door, open-heart acceptance policy for us to follow. He listens when we talk with Him and He accepts us into His presence.

Should we do any less with those that we love?

Write a letter, leave a card, put a note in a lunch bag, sit down and focus when carrying on a phone conversation, turn the TV and other electronic devices off during meals and just visit. There’s a true expression of love in being listened too. There is a difference, a big difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is the comprehension of sound but listening is understanding  the heart.

The Father always listens – He waits for each word and His desire is that we take time to listen to Him as well. Jesus related this instruction to John in Revelation about Christians and lukewarm relationship.

“Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.” Revelation 3:20 CEV

Jesus is waiting to sit down and visit with you today. Do you have the time?

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Knowing When to Stop or Go

Yesterday we safely completed our trip from Arizona to Idaho. It was another 12 hours of travel and although we arrived weary we certainly enjoyed the journey.

As we drove through the rolling ranchlands and the greasewood covered plains we imagined what it must have been like for the first settlers that came to the area. Looking at the beauty of the landscape through their eyes gave us an appreciation for their sacrifice and dedication in coming to such a place.

What was it that made them stop here. Build their homes, raise their families and create a new life? I imagine it was much like King David wrote in Psalm 23, it was a place of quiet streams and green grass. A good place, a place of peace. A place to stay.

“The Lord is my Shepherd. I will have everything I need. 2 He lets me rest in fields of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. 3 He makes me strong again. He leads me in the way of living right with Himself which brings honor to His name.” Psalm 23:1-3 NLV

As we traveled down the road further I was faced with the contrast between staying in a place of rest  and moving forward.

For a good portion of the day we followed the Payette River. We had travelled this road last year and it was a beautiful drive. The forest was green and lush, the river beautiful but all of that was obscured from view this year.

There were fires in the area the last few days and the smoke was lingering in the air. Along the highway we passed numerous signs telling us “fire activity…don’t stop…proceed with caution”.  So we were obedient and just kept moving.

Isn’t that a lesson for life? Just keep moving!

Things happen that will obscure our view, detour our route and slow our progression but when we have Christ as our guide we can continue forward knowing that we will arrive at our destination.

“You are my God. I worship you.  In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert. 2 I have seen your power and your glory in the place of worship.

3 Your love means more than life to me, and I praise you. 4 As long as I live, I will pray to you. 5 I will sing joyful praises and be filled with excitement like a guest at a banquet.

6 I think about you before I go to sleep, and my thoughts turn to you during the night. 7 You have helped me, and I sing happy songs in the shadow of your wings. 8 I stay close to you, and your powerful arm supports me.” Psalm 63:1-8 CEV

Staying close to the Lord, receiving His powerful support is the key of our success.

The conclusion  I drew on yesterday’s journey is a simple one. Whether we are stopping in a place of resting or moving forward to a new place it’s important that we allow the Lord to lead in all of it.

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice saying, “This is the road! Now follow it.” Isaiah 30:21 CEV

I pray that you hear God’s voice today in your resting and receiving strength or moving forward by His leading.

 

 

 

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Summer is Time to Grow

Dave and I spent 13 hours in the truck driving from Arizona to Nevada. We enjoyed our travel time – we talked, looked at the scenery, talked some more and filled our day with the beauty of God’s creation.

I loved driving through the ranch country. We didn’t see a lot of cattle grazing but the alfalfa fields were filled with big square green bales. The thing I did miss seeing were the fruit trees. I guess the area we were in isn’t known for it’s fruit. But I always love how the spring rains prompt the blossom of the peach, apple, pear, cherry and apricot trees which lead to a full and bountiful end-of-summer harvest.

Summer is good for that – producing a harvest. I feel like I am going through, and growing in, a harvest season of my own. God is working in me, changing me, giving me strength and peace. I can see fruit developing and maturing.

There is a single verse in the Psalm 40 that I want us to look at this morning.

“You, Lord God, have done many wonderful things, and you have planned marvelous things for us. No one is like you! I would never be able to tell all you have done.” Psalm 40:5 NKJV

Look at this phrase “many are the wonderful works which You have done”. Think about that for a moment – what WONDERFUL works do you see that He has done? Was it last night’s sunset or this morning’s sunrise? Was it the love and compassion you felt for a stranger who was in need? Or was it the unpretentious love and acceptance of a child? What did you experience just yesterday that you can see was a wonderful work of God in your life?

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107:8 NJKV

“He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.” Psalm 111:4 NJKV

“O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” Isaiah 25:1 NKJV

I like the verse above – God’s counsellors are faithfulness and truth. The things that are wonder – full are the things that have the character of God woven through them. Things like faithfulness, truth, love, forgiveness, peace, gentleness, patience, joy. When God’s love fills us, we begin to produce fruit.

In nature a fruit  tree produces fruit for the kind of tree it is. Apples – apples, oranges – oranges, bananas – bananas and so on – you know what I’m saying. When we grow in Christ we will begin to produce fruit that is consistent with the vine we are growing on – we will begin to produce godly character.

As we examine our lives we should see godly fruit is growing. The Father is wanting us to share the fruit that grows in our lives with others. He is wanting to use us to do wonderful things in the lives of those around us.

“Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you. Then you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be answered. 8 When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored. 9 I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain faithful to my love for you. ” John 15:7-9 CEV

I pray that this summer we all produce a bumper crop! May God bless  you with an abundant harvest.

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Bad Haircut

Strength – feeling a bit like Samson after a bad haircut this morning? 

Yesterday Dave and I came up to Mesa and we helped Kim and Austin unpack boxes and do little chores in their new home. We sometimes forget that we are not as young as we used to be and that we aren’t nearly as able to handle the heat as we once were.

So whether you are feeling physically weak and sore this morning or emotionally drained or depleted I hope you will find strength from these words. 

“I know how to live when I am poor and when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of how to live through any kind of situation—when I have enough to eat or when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I have nothing. 13 Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do.” Philippians 4:12-13ERV

 This verse I learned years ago comes back to me time and time again.  I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

 With age comes wisdom – youth says let’s hurry up and get it done; age says pace yourself.

 Today as we head out for Idaho, David will do the driving and  I will remind myself how much the Father loves me, how He has always been there for me, how He will continue to show me His goodness and give me his strength. Even as I am writing this I’m beginning to smile.

“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10b NKJV

We’ve driven this road to Idaho many times and the Father has kept us safe on each one. We love traveling and seeing the beauty the Lord has created for all to enjoy. Our pace will be slower, a little bit and we are confident in the Father’s protection.  

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed  That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. 14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” Psalm 27:13-14 NKJV 

I don’t want to make this all about me this morning. I want to encourage you – whether it’s physical, emotional, or spiritual strength you need today – you can do ALL things through Christ. He even provides for us in financial ways.

 We will all say together – the JOY of the Lord is my Strength!

 

 

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Pure and Simple

Pure. What is pure? It’s simple.

When that word came to me this morning my first thought was Ivory soap. Remember the old commercial when they showed a bar of Ivory soap floating – 99 44/100% pure.

Pure as the new fallen snow, pure love, pure conscience, pure wool, pure heart, pure country.

The Scripture refers to pure gold – everything in the Tabernacle was to be made from pure gold. Pure gold is translucent – you can see through it – it has the highest value and quality.

Pure…
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Psalm 19:7-10 KJV

The commandment of the Lord is pure and it is to be desired more than gold. The Word of the Lord is pure; no defect, no fault, no blemish, no imperfection.

Pure. God’s Word reveals to us His grace and His amazing love. It is by grace, His grace, His unmerited provision that we are saved. Saved by placing our faith in His grace! There’s nothing we can do on our own to earn it, it’s a gift we receive!

His grace took our sin and placed it on Jesus and then exchanged it for a robe of righteousness; we were made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

We received right standing – right relationship – with the Father through grace! Oh yes, our righteousness is as filthy rags but we aren’t standing before the Father in our own righteousness. We stand before Him in the righteousness of Christ – that’s the message of grace that brought us salvation.

That’s the pure truth of God’s word.

We must lose sight of our own  efforts to be good enough for God and focus on His grace and righteousness. We are now a new creature when we are in Christ, old things have died (passed away) and all has become new!

We are instructed by the Apostle Paul to think on, meditate on, things that are pure, lovely, true and a good report.

“Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.

8 Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. 9 You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.” Philippians 4:7-9 CEV

When situations arise, and they will, choose to think as we are instructed here. It may be thoughts of self-condemnation, remember what God has done to make you righteous. And if they are thoughts of criticism and ridicule of others replace them with the thought that God’s love is pure toward each and everyone of us.

Thinking like this will keep us at peace, pure and simple.

 

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Perspective

The clock is ticking. Time is running out. Things look almost hopeless!

It’s 11:59 with a deadline of 12:00. What to do? What to do?

Yesterday our daughter and son-in-law were going through two house closings, selling one and buying another. How nerve racking! ! Everything was signed, filed and recorded with 2 minutes to spare – 2 minutes! I found myself telling her that God is never late and rarely early, that’s the reason it’s called faith.

Faith is having God’s perspective, not our own.

Perspective! It’s important to keep a proper perspective when going through a tough time. If we begin to look to closely at the situation it will begin to seem overwhelming. It’s important to pull back and look at things the way God’s see them.

Do we see our situation as time is running out or do we see it as God does, there is time to spare?

The children of Egypt saw a sea too big to cross; God saw a stream and damned it up. Saul’s soldiers saw a giant too big to conquer; David saw a man who was no match for God. Noah saw a world filled with corruption and a devastating flood; God saw a cruise ship of salvation.

The disciples saw a hungry mob and Jesus saw lunch for all. The widow woman saw a famine and her last meal; the prophet saw an oil bottle and flour barrel that never ran out. Jairus saw a daughter who had died; Jesus saw a young girl who had fallen asleep.

What is our perspective? Do we see things as hopeless, do we see defeat? Do  we see a looming bankruptcy, a doctor’s dismal report, a failing relationship, a career that’s ending?

“Like a deer drinking from a stream, I reach out to you, my God. 2 My soul thirsts for the living God. When can I go to meet with him?

3 Instead of food, I have only tears day and night, as my enemies laugh at me and say, “Where is your God?”

4 My heart breaks as I remember the pleasant times in the past, when I walked with the crowds as I led them up to God’s Temple. I remember the happy songs of praise as they celebrated the festival.

5-6 Why am I so sad?  Why am I so upset? I tell myself, “Wait for God’s help!
    You will again be able to praise him, your God, the one who will save you.”

In my sadness I say, “I will remember you from here on this small hill, where Mount Hermon and the Jordan River meet.” 7 I hear the roar of the water coming from deep within the earth. It shouts to the water below as it tumbles down the waterfall. God, your waves come one after another, crashing all around and over me.

8 By day the Lord shows his faithful love, and at night I have a song for him—a prayer for the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I suffer this sadness that my enemies have brought me?”
10 Their constant insults are killing me. They never stop asking, “Where is your God?”

11 Why am I so sad?  Why am I so upset? I tell myself, “Wait for God’s help!  You will again be able to praise him, your God, the one who will save you.”  Psalm 42 ERV

It’s ok to tell the Lord about our worries, our concerns, our heartaches but let’s not end there. We need to make our final declaration like the one that ends this Psalm, “Wait for God’s help!  You will again be able to praise him, your God, the one who will save you”.

Satan saw Jesus as a dead man, buried in a tomb but God saw the resurrection!  He has a plan for our deliverance.

Why be discouraged or disheartened? Put our hope in God!

Perspective!

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