Just Remember

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 fifth of each month, I'm studying Psalm 29. Here's what Treasure I found today.

The Lord’s voice is powerful; the Lord’s voice is ·majestic [splendid; awesome]. Psalm 29:4 (EXB)

Voice: to call aloud, a voice or sound.

Lord: of deity Yahweh.

Powerful: ability, able, force, might, strength, substance, wealth.

Majestic: beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honor, majesty.

Often when I think of powerful, I think if loud and very strong and mighty... a display of superior strength. But as I watch the snowflakes fall outside, I see that those tiny flakes are powerful—they shut down airports, close schools, delay traffic, etc. The snowflakes don’t make any noise. They just gently fall to the ground, but they are powerful enough to disrupt our daily lives. 

God is the ultimate “powerhouse”. His voice can be “booming”. But there are times when He speaks in a whisper. The truth that I need to remember that weather God is speaking loudly and showing His mighty power, or if He’s whispering and showing a gently display of power, I am to be listening. 

Today, I had planned to go see my chiropractor. However, as I watched the snow fall,  I knew that cancelling the appointment would be the safer thing to do. As I stayed inside and watched the snow continue to fall, Psalm 46:10 came to mind.

God says, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be ·praised [exalted] in all the nations; I will be ·praised [exalted] throughout the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (EXB)

Be still. Absolute let alone, i.e. do nothing, be quiet, relax. If I can grasp even a bit of God’s power and might—I should be able to relax and do nothing, resting in Him. If I can just remember that the God of all power and majesty loves me—I should be able to trust Him to care for me. If I can just remember that God Creator, who hung the stars in place and keeps them there, watches over me—I should be able to relax and rest, knowing that He’s in control. 

To create a positive day, I need to just remember that God is powerful, and majestic. 

Do I really value God’s Word?

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 19. Here is what I learned.

The Word of the Lord is worth more than gold, even more than much fine gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey straight from the comb. Psalm 19:10 (NLV)

They are ·worth [desired; coveted] more than gold, even ·the purest [fine] gold. They are sweeter than honey, even the ·finest honey [droppings of the honeycomb]. Psalm 19:10 (EXB)

Desired: greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, great delight, desire, lust, precious (thing).

Gold: gold as wealth.

Fine Gold: refined, pure gold.

Much: in abundance, enough, exceedingly, full, greatly.

Sweeter: sweet, sweetness.

Honey: honey, made by bees.

Dripping: flowing honey, honey from the comb, the purest honey. 

Honeycomb: the bees natural storage for the honey.

God’s Word. Do I value it? Do I give it the respect it deserves? 

If I do value God’s Word, then there should be a desire.... an overwhelming desire... to hear what God has to say. Then that desire would translate what I read into action. 

Wealth: abundance, affluence, assets, belongings, bounty, capital, cash, commodities, cornucopia, dough, estate, fortune, funds, gold, goods, holdings, lap of luxury, long green, lucre, luxuriance, luxury, plenitude, plenty, possessions, profusion, property, prosperity, prosperousness, revenue, riches, richness, security, stocks and bonds, substantiality, treasure, worth.

Gold, the purest gold. Far better than the purest gold. Highly valued. 

How do I know if I really value God’s Word?

First, do I take time to read it? Am I satisfied with 10 minutes of reading a few verses? How much time do I spend doing other things that have no real value... like watching TV? How often do I rearrange my schedule so that I can watch a certain TV show? And then consider the morals that show taught. So many of the TV shows on today, are filled with examples of sin—yet, I sit and watch them for hours.  I’d say , if I have time to watch (and fill my mind with ‘trash’) than I have time to study God’s Word. So, the question remains.. “Do I really value God’s Word?” 

Secondly, do I obey God’s Word? If I value something, I cherish it. Reading God’s Word is a great place to begin, but if I really value God’s Word, I’ll want to make it part of my life and allow it to change me into the person God wants me to be. 

And lastly, do I share God’s Word with others? Remember those TV shows that I rearrange my schedule to watch? I talk about those with others... and they have no eternal value. If really think that God’s Word is worth more than pure gold, shouldn't I want to share my “riches’ with others? 

The only true way to create a positive day is to make sure that I really value the richness of God’s Word.

Why the “Therefore” is There For

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 16. Here's what Treasure I found today.

Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety. Psalm 16:9 (AMP)

Therefore: according to such conditions, that being so.

Heart: seat of the emotions and passions of joy and gladness.

Glad: cheer up, be make glad, have, make joyful, be make merry, cause to, make to rejoice.

Glory: my honour, seat of honour in the inner man, the noblest part of man.

Rejoices: be glad, joy, be joyful, to spin round under the influence of any violent emotion—rejoice!

Body: flesh, person.

Also: especially as introducing emphatically a new thought.

Rest (dwell): not to be removed, especially at rest, peace, in security.

Safety (hope): assurance, boldly, without care, confidence, hope, safely secure, surely.

Psalm 16:9 begins with “Therefore”. So, we must first learn why the “therefore” is there for. Looking back at Psalm 16:8, we learn that “the Lord is always with me”. According to the condition—the Lord is always with me..... the following are available to me: gladness, rejoicing, rest, confidence of hope!

Notice also that the gladness, rejoicing, rest and confidence of hope all come from WITHIN me! They are not based on outward situations, outward physical traits, outward circumstances. Each one is from within... based on the solid fact that the Lord is always with me. 

Since October 2000, I’ve lived with chronic pain. It’s always present. I’m often asked, “How can you smile, when you are in pain?”  This verse explains it. The joy and gladness that I have is from within and based on the “therefore”—the Lord is always with me. 

Gladness, rejoicing, rest, confidence of hope—are all present, it’s up to be to let them shine forth.  No matter my pain, no matter my circumstances, no matter what is happening around me..... the Lord is always with me, THEREFORE, gladness, rejoicing, rest, confidence of hope are mine! 

To create a positive day, I only have to remember why the “therefore” is there for— the Lord is always with me—and gladness, rejoicing, rest, confidence of hope are mine!

Incomprehensible

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.

Tremble and do not sin. Think about this on your bed and remain quiet. Selah Psalm 4:4 (GW)

Tremble with fear and stop sinning; think deeply about this, when you lie in silence on your beds. Psalm 4:4 (GNT)

Be angry [or stand in awe] and sin not; commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be silent (sorry for the things you say in your hearts). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! Psalm 4:4 (AMP)

Tremble: be afraid, stand in awe, disquiet, fret, provoke, quake, rage, shake, trouble, be wroth.

Not: nay, neither, never, no, nor, not, nothing, rather than.

Sin: always against God, absolute; to miss, trespass.

Think: meditate, commune, consider, declare, desire.

Heart: inner man, mind, will, understanding.

Be still: be silent, cease, hold peace, quiet self.

Bed: place of lying, couch; act of lying, reclining. 

Selah: pause.

Why is it when something happens we immediate get angry and blame God? Perhaps if we had a right perspective on what God is doing, or better yet had a proper understanding of Who God is, our reaction would not be that of blaming God or going against God. 

In our finite minds who are we to think we can fully understand God and what His plan is? We are not that mighty or smart! When we don’t understand God’s actions or what we may deem as lack of action, it’s time to step back and pause. Take time to meditate and consider Who God is. It’s time to be silent. Time to be still and stop trying to figure out what God is doing. God doesn’t need our approval for His actions. 

“Stand in awe, and sin not.” If ye be angry, and if ye think ye have cause to be angry; do not let your disaffection carry you to acts of rebellion against both God and your king. Consider the subject deeply before you attempt to act. Do nothing rashly; do not justify one evil act by another: sleep on the business; converse with your open heart upon your bed; consult your pillow. Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

It’s time to have a healthy fear of God. Time to consider that God has a specific purpose and plan that is far greater than we can comprehend. In stead of blaming God, it’s time to spend time getting to know God, and trust Him. 

To create a positive day, I don’t need to understand what God is doing, rather I need to trust God and allow Him to work... even if it is incomprehensible to me.  

Exercise that Knowledge

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.

May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere. Psalm 67:2 (NLT)

So the world will ·learn [know] your ways, and all nations ·will learn that you can save [your salvation/victory]. Psalm 67:2 (EXB)

Your way: a course of life or mode of action, journey, manner.

Known: observation, care, recognition, acknowledge, acquainted with, advise, be aware.

God’s course of life, mode of action, manner....what is God doing, and what does He want me to do? Can one really know what God wants? The answer is “yes”. Oh, we may not know some things, or specific details, or what will happen... before it happens. But there is PLENTY that we do know! 

Just take the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:2-17

1. I am the Lord, your God. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shall not kill/murder.
7. Thou shall not commit adultery.
8. Thou shall not steal.
9. Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
10. Thou shall not covet your neighbor's wife (or anything that belongs to your neighbor).

The ten commandments, modes of action that God has specifically stated—we are very aware of them! The list is very simple. Yet, as simple as that list is..... how many times do I fail at exercising on that knowledge? 

Seeing “knowing” what God course of life, mode of action is..... is one thing. Notice that the word, “way” means mode of action. Knowing should produce action. I need to be “exercising” God’s way daily. As I exercise what I do know, God will reveal His will and way to me so that I can continue on the journey He has planned for me. 

So often I want to know what God’s will is for me tomorrow or next week. But I don’t want to do God’s will today. My focus can’t be on the future if I’m not willing to obey and do what God wants today. 

To create a positive day, I must learn God’s will for the ‘here and now’ and exercise (act on) that knowledge, and let God take care of the tomorrows.