Quicksand of Trouble

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 138. Here is what I learned.

Lord, ·even when I have trouble all around me [if I walk in the midst of distress], you will keep me alive. When my enemies are angry, you will ·reach down [send out your hand] and save me by your ·power [right hand]. Psalm 138:7 (EXB)

When I am surrounded by troubles, you keep me safe. You oppose my angry enemies and save me by your power. Psalm 138:7 (GNT)

Even though I walk into the middle of trouble, you guard my life against the anger of my enemies. You stretch out your hand, and your right hand saves me. Psalm 138:7 (GW)

Midst: the center, surrounded. 

Trouble: adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble.

Synonyms for Trouble: agitation, anxiety, bad news, bind, bother, commotion, concern, danger, difficulty, dilemma, dire straits, discontent, discord, disorder, disquiet, dissatisfaction, distress, disturbance, grief, hang-up, heartache, hindrance, hot water, inconvenience, irritation, mess, misfortune, nuisance, pain, pest, pickle, predicament, problem, puzzle, row, scrape, sorrow, spot, strain, stress, strife, struggle, suffering, task, torment, tribulation, tumult, unrest, vexation, woe.

No matter the word, when we find ourselves in trouble, often it’s hard to find the way out. Joy and happiness quickly become despair and discouragement. Being surrounded by trouble, there is choice. Look at the troubles surrounding you and sink deeper into despair and discouragement (which by the way will only cause you to sink deeper... like quicksand). OR look up and see God at work, knowing that He is present and that God can lift you out of the trouble and restore joy and happiness. 

Oh, God may leave you in the midst of the trouble for a time, to teach you, to teach others, or simply to bring glory to Himself... but even when surrounded by trouble, you don’t have to be discouraged, knowing that God will keep you safe. 

When  surrounded by troubles don’t fret and continue to struggle, for like quicksand the more you struggle, the deeper you’ll sink. Rather, stand tall and look up.... God is present and will restore the joy and happiness—even while still in trouble. It’s about recognizing that God is always present and that He is the one  who will save you. 

If I find myself surrounded by quicksand of trouble, to create a positive day, I need to stop trying to get out on my own, stand tall, look up and relax, knowing that God is present and will save me. 

Tried and True

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 111. Here is what I learned.

All His accomplishments are truth and justice; all His instructions are certain. Psalm 111:7 (VOICE)

In all he does he is faithful and just; all his commands are dependable. Psalm 111:7 (GNT)

·Everything he does is [The deeds of his hands are] ·good [faithful; true] and ·fair [just]; all his ·orders [precepts] ·can be trusted [are faithful/true/reliable]. Psalm 111:7 (EXB)

Dependable. I’m so thankful that God is dependable and that all His commands are dependable.

Reliable, responsible, always there, carrying the load, certain, constant, faithful, good as one's word, loyal, rocklike, secure, stable, staunch, steadfast, steady, sturdy, sure, to be counted on, tried, tried-and-true, true, trustworthy, trusty, unfailing. 

No matter how you say it... God is trustworthy. He Himself if trustworthy, and He only speaks truth. Tried-and true. 

Knowing that there is Someone you can always count on to keep their word, provides an assurance that is indisputable. God doesn’t say things to “make us feel good”. Nor does He say things because it’s what WE want to hear. Rather God only speaks truth. 

Often, we place are faith in people, then we are disappointed with they don’t follow through or when they don’t live up to our expectations. But although people have good intentions and don’t always mean to break their promises, people are not always dependable. 

Whereas, God keeps all His promises. He is truth, and can only speak truth. He is trustworthy. He can be counted on. He is steadfast. He is tried and true! 

To create a positive day, I only need to place my faith in God and His Word—for He is tried and true and so is His Word!

Pure Satisfying Joy

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 43. Here is what I learned.

Then let me go to the altar of God, to God my highest joy, and I will give thanks to you on the lyre, O God, my God. Psalm 43:4 (GW)

Then I will go to the altar of God, to God who is my joy and happiness. I will praise you with a ·harp [lyre], God, my God. Psalm 43:4 (EXB)

He is not his joy alone, but his exceeding joy; not the fountain of joy, the giver of joy, or the maintainer of joy, but that joy itself. The margin hath it, "The gladness of my joy," i.e., the soul, the essence, the very bowels of my joy. To draw near to God, who is such a joy to us, may well be the object of our hungering and thirsting. The Treasury of David

"Exceeding joy." This can be said of no other joy. All other beauties have their boundaries, all other glories have their glooms. This is that illimitable sea, God. E. Paxton Hood

Since God is the joy itself, why do I search for joy in other things and in people? Joy obtained from things and people is short-term joy. It doesn’t last. Only the joy that is God and that God provides is satisfying and eternal. 

Ever find yourself getting excited to a special activity or day? Perhaps is a weekend outing, or attending a concert or spending time with friends. We drag ourselves through the day/week in great expectation of that event. But then the event is canceled or doesn’t live up the expectations, then we are disappointed. The joy we had hoped for, didn’t materialize. 

But God is accessible 24/7, the joy that is Him and He provides is also available 24/7. I don’t have to wait until a particular day or time to celebrate His joy. And God’s joy is perfect and complete. It always meets expectations.  No disappoints. No let-downs. Just pure satisfying joy.

To create a positive day, I need to look to God for pure satisfying joy, and stop trying to make it or find it in things or people around me.