Psalm - Psalm 3

Psalm 3:3But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.

You: YOURSELF! (personal God!)
Shield: a protector
My Glory: honorable one

This Psalm speaks of those who are against the Psalmist. Those who have caused him trouble. 

Yet, the Psalmist knows that He has a personal God who will protect and care for him. 

I too, have a personal God, my protector! 

Psalm 3:3 - My Personal God! 

Clean Heart Psalm 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

Clean: ethically pure (in a physical, chemical, ceremonial or moral sense)
Heart: the feelings, the will, the intellect; the center; with specific reference to moral character

Clean. That, at times, means different things to different people. Growing up, what I thought was a clean room, did not meet my sister's expectation. We both had different meanings for the word, "clean". And since we shared a room, that was a cause of contention between us. 

However, in Psalm 51, there is no room for personal interpretation. For it is God, who is creating a clean heart, therefore, it is God's absolute truth and pureness that defines "clean". 

The Psalmist knows that he has sinned and that only God can create a clean heart, a heart of purity according to God Himself. 

Create in me a clean heart. 

Heart. The essence of man's being. The heart is what determines actions and attitudes. The heart is the center hard drive that determines what the output. 

When sin enters the heart, the hard drive is corrupt and malfunctions. Sin is a virus that creates havoc. The only "upgrade" that will purge the heart of the virus is God Himself. 

Create in me a clean heart. 

That prayer will then have a great impact on all I do, say, and think. "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23

Thanks Living: Relationship

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

Praise: give thanks

Have done: accomplished

Wonderful: marvelous thing, of God's acts of judgment and redemption

Eternal One, You are my God.
I will lift You up and praise Your name.
Because You have made wonders marvelous and beautiful—the most ancient designs holding strong and sure. Isaiah 25:1 (VOICE) 

Lord, you are my God.
I ·honor [exalt] you and praise ·you [ your name],
because you have done ·amazing [wonderful] things.
·You have done what you planned long ago [Your plans were made long ago];
·you have always done what you said you would do [they are faithful and trustworthy]. Isaiah 25:1 (EXB) 

O Lord, You are my God. I will praise You. I will give thanks to Your name. For You have been faithful to do great things, plans that You made long ago. Isaiah 25:1 (NLV) 

O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God; you do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them, just as you said! Isaiah 25:1 (TLB)

Thanks Living is first having a personal relationship with God— "My God." 

Thanks Living is recognizing that relationship — "I will exalt You, praise (thank) Your name." 

Thanks Living is enjoying the benefits of that relationship — "You have done wonderful things."

Thanks Living is knowing that the relationship is based on everlasting truth — "faithfulness and truth."

Thanks Living is relationship based—a relationship with God— MY God! And when I grasp that solid truth—thanksgiving overflows. 

Thanks Living: The Four "P"s.

Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. Psalm 18:49

Give thanks: confess (originally acknowledge)

Among the heathen: in the sense of the masses

Sing praises: to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music
Name: an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority

Will I. 
That's personal. 

Among the masses. 
That's public. 

Give thanks/Sing praises.
That's purpose.

Unto Thee, Thy Name.
That's proper. 

Thanks Living is first personal. I have to do it. 
Thanks Living is to be public. I'm to be thanking and praising God so that others learn about how awesome my God is.
Thanks Living is to be purposeful. I'm to be giving thanks and praising God—no matter my circumstances or situation. Remember God does not change! 
Thanks Living is proper. It's the right thing to do. God is to be thanked and praised, because He is God Almighty! 

Proverbs 10:6, 7: Personal Memories vs Personal Conflict

Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot. Proverbs 10:6, 7

Blessings: of men, in recognition of good men

Righteous: just in conduct and character

Violence: rude wickedness of men, their noisy, wild, ruthlessness

Covers: overwhelm

Wicked: one guilty of crime, deserving punishment

Memory: recollection

Blessed: benefit, praise

Name: reputation

Wicked: guilty of sin, against either God or man

Rot: to decay, be cursed

What do you remember? 

Is there a memory that causes you to smile? Or one that makes you break out in laughter?

Is there a memory that causes you shame? Or one that makes you cry? 

Memories evoke emotion. 

Think back to a time you did something wrong. I don't mean you made a mistake. I mean a time that you sinned, disobeyed God. As you think of that moment in time, does your emotion change to shame and sadness? It should, for you sinned against God Almighty. 

Yet, as one listens to wisdom, and acts in accordance to that wisdom, the actions and attitudes create memories of joy and blessing! Memories that make one smile and break out in laughter! The emotion of joy from obeying God Almighty makes one glow! 

What is your reputation? 

Reputation: a publicly recognized name: either for a favorable and publicly recognized for merit, achievement, reliability; OR recognized for disgraceful or dishonest character or conduct.

A reputation lasts long after you are gone. When your name is remembered will it bring smiles or sadness to your family and friends? Will they remember your sinful and dishonesty? Or will they remember how you listened and obeyed God's wisdom? 

Personal memories of joy because of obedience to God. Lasting memories of a life lived in honor of God. 

Personal conflict and sadness because of disobedience to God. A disgraceful and dishonest reputation living on long after you are gone as a testimony of your rebellion against God. 

Personal Memories vs Personal Conflict. In order to create personal memories of joy, one must have a heart that is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG).

My Personal ‘Need-Meeter’

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 121. Here is what I learned.

My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2 (AMP)

The Eternal Creator of heaven and earth and these mountains will send the help I need. Psalm 121:2 (VOICE)

My help. I’ve mentioned it before... I tend to have a “do-it-myself” mentality. I’m self-sufficient. I’m strong. However, in reality..... I can’t do it myself. 

My help. My personal aid, supporter, advocate, interceder...... my ‘need-meeter’! God not only supplies any and all help I need.... He IS my help! My personal help! 

I like that word, “MY”. My own personal, exactly what I need, designed especially for me.... Help! 

All I have to do is say.... ‘help’. I need to accept God’s help. I need to realize that I don’t HAVE to do it on my own. I don’t need to struggle and fight..... I only need to accept God’s personally designed help. 

To create a positive day, I need to turn to my personal ‘need-meeter’, and accept Him and His personally designed help!

What type of person will I be?

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 11 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 1. Here is what I learned.

Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners,  or join the company of mockers. Psalm 1:1 (GW)

Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. Psalm 1:1 (AMP)

The person. The man. An ordinary individual. Someone just like you and me. 

There’s a lot of truth in the words—the person, or the man. First, that the truth of the Psalm, applies to all of us. Second, it removes the distinction that you must be some super-person, or a “saint’ or other high position. And lastly, it gives us hope that positive choices can be made—by each of us. 

The person. The man. Just your every day ordinary person. The choice of whom to follow is up to each of us. Peer pressure can’t make us decide. Oh, we can let it influence us, but the actual choice is ours to make. Each of us makes choices and we alone are responsible for those choices. 

The person. The man. Me. 

So often, we read or hear about a person who has a great attitude, or does something spectacular, and we think, ”that person is really special. I could never be like them.” I once sense that is true, we aren’t to be like “that other person”. We are to be the person God wants us to be. But on the other hand, we each have the ability to make choices—follow and obey God, or ignore God. It’s simple really... and any person can do it. 

To create a positive day, I need to ask myself, “What type of person will I be?” I need to make personal choices to follow and obey God. 

My God!

Throughout this year, each day of the month, I'm "Treasure Hunting" in a Psalm. I've created a "Ponder Every Morsel of Truth" Book to record the truths as I learn them. The twenty-ninth of each month, I'm studying Psalm 91. Here's what Treasure I found today.

I will say to the Lord, “You are my ·place of safety [refuge] and ·protection [fortress]. You are my God and I ·trust [have confidence in] you.” Psalm 91:2 (EXB)

This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. Psalm 91:2 (NLT)

I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! Psalm 91:2 (AMP)

"My refuge, my fortress, my God." "My refuge." God is our "refuge." He who avails himself of a refuge is one who is forced to fly. It is a quiet retreat from a pursuing enemy. And there are trials, and temptations, and enemies, from which the Christian does best to fly. He cannot resist them. They are too strong for him. His wisdom is to fly into the refuge of the secret place of his God - to rest in the shadow of the Almighty. His "strength is to sit still" there. Isaiah 30:7. "My fortress." The Psalmist says, moreover, that God is his "fortress." Here - the idea is changed - no longer a peaceful, quiet hiding-place, but a tower of defence - strong, manifest, ready to meet the attacks of all enemies, ready and able to resist them all. God is a Friend who meets every want in our nature, who can supply every need. So when we are weak and fainting, and unable to meet the brunt of battle, and striving against sin and sorrow and the wrath of man, he is our safe, quiet resting-place - our fortress also where no harm can reach us, no attack injure us. "My God." Now the Psalmist, as a summing up of all his praises, says "I will say of him, He is ... my God!" Is there anything omitted in the former part of his declaration? Everything is here - all possible ascription Of honour, and glory, and power to him "as God" - "God over all, blessed for ever," and of love, reverence, trust, obedience, and filial relation towards him on the part of the Psalmist, as My God ... when reflecting on the refuge and strength which the Lord has always been to him, and recalling his blessed experiences of sweet communion with God - words fail him. He can only say (but oh, with what expression!) My God! Mary B. M. Duncan 

As if it were not enough to call the Lord his refuge and fortress, he adds, "My God I in him will I trust." Now he can say no more; "my God" means all, and more than all, that heart can conceive by way of security. It was most meet that he should say "in him will I trust," since to deny faith to such a one were wilful wickedness and wanton insult. He who dwells in an impregnable fortress, naturally trusts in it; and shall not he who dwells in God feel himself well at ease, and repose his soul in safety? O that we more fully carried out the Psalmist's resolve! We have trusted in God let us trust him still. He has never failed us, why then should we suspect him? To trust in man is natural to fallen nature, to trust in God should be as natural to regenerated nature. Where there is every reason and warrant for faith, we ought to place our confidence without hesitancy or wavering. Dear reader, pray for grace to say, "In him will I trust." The Treasury of David

My God. Since He really is MY God, that fact should impact my life in an amazing way. My God, means a personal, real, intimate relationship with God Almighty. And if the fact that He is “My God” isn’t impacting my life, than I have a problem. The problem with not fully realizing that God is “My God”, is that I think I’m not only in control of my life, but that I can “do it alone”, and therefore, I ignore God’s direction. When I ignore God and head out on my own, I usually find myself floundering, and wondering how I got into the mess I find myself.

“My God” is more than just a “place” to run and hide when I’m afraid, but “My God” is a companion Who wants to be a part of my life—each and every day. “My God” is not a saying, or feeling, rather “My God” is a personal relationship with the Almighty Creator, who I should not only respect, but love and obey and realize that He is “mine”. My God, is worthy of honor, glory, praise, and trust.

To create a positive day, the fact that God is really “My God” needs to impact my life—He wants to be a part of my day, it’s up to me whether I truly allow Him to be “My God”. 

My God is Personal!

Throughout this year, each day of the month, I'm "Treasure Hunting" in a Psalm. I've created a "Ponder Every Morsel of Truth" Book to record the truths as I learn them. The First of each Month, I'm studying Psalm 67. Here's what Treasure I found today.

The earth has yielded its harvest [in evidence of God’s approval]; God, even our own God, will bless us. Psalm 67:6 (AMP)

As I read Psalm 67 this morning, verse 6 caught my attention, especially the phrase, “God, even our own God.” I had to stop and think about that. God, Elohim, meaning very great and mighty, is “mine”. That means that I have a personal relationship with Him!

Not only does God KNOW me, I can know Him. It’s an amazing thought—that my God is personal! 

Just looking at a (partial) list of the names of God I’m glad I know Him! 

• El Chaiyai: Living God, God of my life (Jeremiah 10:10; Psalm 42:2)
• El De’ot: The God of knowledge (1 Samuel 2:3)
• El Echad: The one God (Malachi 2:10)
• El Emet: The God of Truth (Psalm 31:5; Isaiah 65:16)
• El Gibbor: The strong and mighty God (Jeremiah 32:17, 18; Isaiah 10:21)
• El Haggadol: The great God (Deuteronomy 10:17; Nehemiah 8:6)
• El Kakkodosh (Elohim Kedoshim, El Kadosh): The Holy God (Joshua 24:19; 1 Samuel 6:20)
• El Hanne’eman: The faithful God (Deuteronomy 7:9)
• El Sh’maya: The God of the Heavens (Nehemiah 1:4-5; Psalm 136:26)
• El Kedem: Eternal God (Deuteronomy 33:27)
• El Mauzi: God of my Strength (Psalm 43:2)
• El Mishpat: God of justice (Isaiah 20:18; Malachi 2:17)
• El Olam: The God of everlasting time; the everlasting God (Psalm 90:1-2; Isaiah 26:4)
• El Rechem: The merciful God ((Deuteronomy 4:31; Nehemiah 9:31)
• El Rah’ee: The God who sees me (Genesis 16:13)
• El Sali: God of my strength, God my rock (2 Samuel 22:47; Psalm 42:9; Psalm 43:2)
• El Selichot: God of forgiveness (Nehemiah 9:17)
• El Tehilati: God of my praise (Psalm 109:1)
• El T’sadik: The righteous God (Isaiah 45:21)
• El Zur: God our rock (Deuteronomy 32:4; Isaiah 26:4)
• El Yishi: God of my salvation (Psalm 25:5)

To create a positive day, all I have to do is remember Who God is, and that He knows me, and I can know Him—God, even our own God—my God is personal!

The Stars in my Life

The past few days, the news highlighted the deaths of two celebrities. People are lined up around former homes, various theaters, etc. During one news show, on person interviewed said "I wanted to meet him in person. He was like family to me". What? How can someone you've never met be "family"?
Personally, I'm not caught up with the movie stars, actors, singers, etc. I don't even know the names of actors who play the characters I watch on TV. I've never been "star struck". Yet, as millions of people spend time mourning the death of both these "stars", it got me thinking: Who are the real "stars" in my life?
Who are the people who have impacted my life....PERSONALLY? Who are the people with whom I interact, talk, laugh, and cry? Who are the "stars" who I care about and who care about me? As I started listing the "stars" in my life....I am blessed!
But it shouldn't stop there. Knowing that people in my life have blessed me, is only half. I need to let them know! Maybe knowing that they are "stars" in my life, will encourage them. Maybe it will get them thinking about the "stars" in their lives. We are all quick to share when someone does something wrong, or hurts us. But when they have a positive impact, we neglect to share that news.
Take a few moments and send an email, or make a phone call, or better yet, send a note to let someone know that they are a "star" and have a positive impact in your life. Those few moments will do two things: 1. Make you realize how blessed you are 2. Let others know they are a blessing.
Be positive. Share the positive. Multiply the positive!