Soaking in His Light

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 4. Here is what I learned.

Many say, Oh, that we might see some good! Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord. Psalm 4:6 (AMP)

Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” Let the light of your face shine on us. Psalm 4:6 (NIV)

Crowds of disheartened people ask, “Who can show us what is good?” Let Your brilliant face shine upon us, O Eternal One, that we may know the undeniable answer. Psalm 4:6 (VOICE)

If I’m in the living room, and it gets dark, I do not turn on the bedroom light. Turning on a light in another room, does not make the darkness disappear in another room. 

The same concept is true if I want God’s blessing on my life. If I want the light of God’s face to shine on me, then I must be near Him. I can’t be off on my own “in another room” doing my own thing. I must be in the presence of God to enjoy the light He provides. 

How often do I spend time in the dark, simply because I do not want to obey God? How many times do I complain to God that I’m “in the dark”, but I’m not willing to move to allow Him to shine His grace and mercy on me? 

Lord, let the light of your face shine on me.... and direct me to Your presence so that I can be bathed in Your light of grace and mercy. 

To create a positive day, I need to move out of the dark, and spend time in God’s presence soaking in His light of grace. 

Remember ‘My Place’

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 67. Here is what I learned.

God be merciful and gracious to us and bless us and cause His face to shine upon us and among us—Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! Psalm 67:1 (AMP)

God, mark us with grace and blessing! Smile! Psalm 67:1 (MSG)

Gracious: compassionate, good-hearted, loving, merciful, kindness, and generosity of spirit, responsive, right, righteous, thoughtful.

So often we think we deserve something from God. We often ‘demand’ things or try to bargin with God. “God, if you do ..................., then I’ll do ................” But God is not one to make bargins nor does He need to listen to any of our demands. 

God is gracious, but that does not mean that He will give us everything we think we deserve or want. For in reality if God gave us what we really deserved, that would be eternity in Hell, separated from a Holy God.

However, God graciously provided His Son as a sacrifice to pay the debt we owe for our sin. Only, by accepting that substitute can we have access to God’s grace and mercy. 

God be merifcul and gracious to us. He has been.... and abundantly so... simply in the way He demonstrated His love toward us. 

To create a positive day, I need to remember ‘my place’ and be grateful for God’s mercy and grace. 

The Noisy Storm

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 92. Here is what I learned.

My eye looks upon those who lie in wait for me; my ears hear the evildoers that rise up against me. Psalm 92:11 (AMP)

When ·I [my eyes] looked, I saw my enemies; I heard the cries of those who ·are against me [rose against me with evil; [he sees and hears the defeat of his enemies]. Psalm 92:11 (EXB)

Where is my focus? Where am I looking? To what am I listening? What I focus on will have a direct impact on my thoughts, actions, attitude. Am I focusing on my enemies and what is happening to them and what they are trying to do to me? Am I listening to their banter and allowing what I hear to impact my faith and trust in God? 

As I read this verse I thought of Peter when the Lord invited him to walk on the water. Peter did fine...until he took his eyes off the Lord and listened to the storm. 

Peter said, “Lord, if it is really you, then ·command [tell] me to come to you on the water.”Jesus said, “Come.” And Peter left the boat and walked on the water ·to [and came toward] Jesus.  But when Peter saw the wind, he became ·afraid [terrified] and began to sink. He shouted, “Lord, save me!” Matthew 14:28-30 (EXB)

Just because there are those who would like to see me fail and have me doubt God, doesn’t mean I have to listen to them—let alone allow them to change my focus to from God to the noisy storm. Focus. Where am I directing my focus? Do I allow the noisy storm raging around me to distract me from God and His purpose? 

To create a positive day I must not be distracted by the noisy storm that my enemies create, rather, I need to remain focused on God and what He is doing! 

A Really Amazing Hug!

"The truth, which lives faithfully within all of us and will be with us for all eternity, is the basis for our abounding love. May grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Jesus the Anointed, the Father’s own Son, surround you and be with you always in truth and love." 2 John 1:2-3 (VOICE)

Abounding Love based on the Truth! And you are surrounded by God's own Truth and Love everywhere you go. Just think of it.... that's a really amazing HUG!

No Regrets!

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 91. Here is what I learned.

With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation. Psalm 91:16 (AMP)

I will satisfy you with a long life. I will show you how I will save you. Psalm 91:16 (GW)

"With long life will I satisfy him." The man described in this Psalm fills out the measure of his days, and whether he dies young or old he is quite satisfied with life, and is content to leave it. He shall rise from life's banquet as a man who has had enough, and would not have more even if he could. "And shew him my salvation." The full sight of divine grace shall be his closing vision. He shall look from Amana and Lebanon. Not with destruction before him black as night, but with salvation bright as noonday smiling upon him he shall enter into his rest. Treasury of David

I read an article the other day about interviews of regrets people had as they knew they had a short time to live. The top 5 regrets are:

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself,

not the life others expected of me.

(Bronnie Ware, The Guardian February 1, 2012)

I find it interesting that no-one said that they’d would have loved God more, or served Him more. The regrets listed were all about “me, myself, and I”. Rather than a focus on what matters in light of eternity!

Don’t you realize that everyone who runs in a race runs to win, but only one runner gets the prize? Run like them, so that you can win. Everyone who enters an athletic contest goes into strict training. They do it to win a temporary crown, but we do it to win one that will be permanent. So I run—but not without a clear goal ahead of me. So I box—but not as if I were just shadow boxing. Rather, I toughen my body with punches and make it my slave so that I will not be disqualified after I have spread the Good News to others. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (GW).

A truly satisfied life is one that has an eternal purpose—and that is living a life loving and obeying God. 

To create a positive day, I need to make sure I live my life so that I have no regrets—according to God’s standards!