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! 

Protective Shadow

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.

The Eternal keeps you safe, so close to Him that His shadow is a cooling shade to you. Psalm 121:5 (VOICE)

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. Psalm 121:5 (NLT)

Protective Shade. Shadow. As I thought about a shadow... you need light for a shadow to appear. The Lord Himself is the LIGHT and I can take comfort that He is close enough so that His shadow protects me. 

Another thing about a shadow.. is that if the light is strong enough the shadow can be HUGE! That’s a great reminder that not only is God the source of Light—so the light is extremely strong— but He is larger than any problem or trouble I may have! His protection covers me in ways I could never imagine. 

To create a positive day, I only need to look for God’s protective shadow and realize that God is right beside me! 

Create a New Song... and Sing It!

O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Psalm 96:1 (AMP)

Sing to the Lord a new song [celebrating victory]; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Psalm 96:1 (EXB)

A new song. Do I have a new song to sing? What was I singing? 

A new song. Our old songs were those of pride, of gluttony, of luxury, in hope of gain, prosperity, or harm to others; our "new song" is of praise, reverence, and obedience, and love to God, in newness of life, in the Spirit that quickeneth, no longer in the letter that killeth, but keepeth that new commandment, that we love one another, not with the narrow patriotism and fellow feeling of a small tribe, or a mere national church, but with a citizenship which embraces all the whole earth. Neale and Littledale

I like a variety of music. And I usually have music on most of the time. As I read Psalm 96:1, I had to think about the songs I’ve been singing. Have they been songs of praise to God? Or are they simply filled with “me, myself, and I”? Am I singing songs of thanksgiving? Or songs of complaints?  Am I singing songs of joy? Or of misery? 

Music as an effect on our attitudes, emotions, and mind-set. Some songs make us smile, others make us cry. Since songs have such an affect on us, then I need to make a determined effort to be singing songs of praise to God. 

To create a positive day, I need to create a new song of praise and thankfulness to God, and then be sure to sing it.