December 15, 2010
Psalm 86:9-10 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
I read in a book recently about a woman on the mission field who was experiencing extreme homesickness at Christmastime. Through several events, she learned that not only did God have her in that place for her to show God’s love to them; He also had her there so that He could show her His love through her circumstances. I found that very comforting that God wants to show us His love and some of the ways He does so might not have been our picks; yet, they are wonderful. They are wonderful because He is wonderful…”For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.”
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
No Not One...
December 14, 2010
Psalm 86:8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours
“…nor are there any works like yours” only the one true God could put smiles on the faces of my children. Only the one true God could put love in the eyes of my husband and a knowledge in my heart, that he will always be there for me because our marriage is grounded in Him. Only the one true God can make you know that even while we may be crying now we will be rejoicing later. Only the one true God can make the faithful firm in their faith when everything around them is falling down. These are just a small list of the “works” of God. There is none like our God; no not one.
Psalm 86:8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours
“…nor are there any works like yours” only the one true God could put smiles on the faces of my children. Only the one true God could put love in the eyes of my husband and a knowledge in my heart, that he will always be there for me because our marriage is grounded in Him. Only the one true God can make you know that even while we may be crying now we will be rejoicing later. Only the one true God can make the faithful firm in their faith when everything around them is falling down. These are just a small list of the “works” of God. There is none like our God; no not one.
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Monday, December 13, 2010
The Confidence of Prayer...
December 13, 2010
Psalm 86:6 In my day of trouble I call upon you, for you answer me
Interestingly the Psalmist doesn’t say, “all I have left to do is pray” or “when all else fails pray.” He doesn’t tell us what else he is doing along with praying; no, he simply says “I call upon you, for you answer me…” I find myself wondering, why when we find ourselves in trouble, our first response isn’t hitting our knees in prayer. I wonder why we don’t go to God with the confidence that He will answer us. I think that perhaps we fear the answer. I’m sure that most believers are firm in their belief of God’s power, but there is nothing we can do about the answer. That is solely in God’s hands and His plan. We can however, be confident in knowing that His plan is in our best interests.
Psalm 86:6 In my day of trouble I call upon you, for you answer me
Interestingly the Psalmist doesn’t say, “all I have left to do is pray” or “when all else fails pray.” He doesn’t tell us what else he is doing along with praying; no, he simply says “I call upon you, for you answer me…” I find myself wondering, why when we find ourselves in trouble, our first response isn’t hitting our knees in prayer. I wonder why we don’t go to God with the confidence that He will answer us. I think that perhaps we fear the answer. I’m sure that most believers are firm in their belief of God’s power, but there is nothing we can do about the answer. That is solely in God’s hands and His plan. We can however, be confident in knowing that His plan is in our best interests.
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Sunday, December 12, 2010
My Thoughts for The Day...
Check out "My Out My Other Side" for my thought's for today!
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Thursday, December 9, 2010
Praise and Answered Prayer...
December 9, 2010
Psalm 86:6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.
I think it’s easy to fall into the trap of assuming that if we aren’t given the answer from God that “we” think should happen, then for whatever reason God didn’t hear our prayers. Only if our plans are satisfied, is He worthy of praise for answered prayer. It’s harder to understand that every prayer we pray is answered, but sometimes not in the manner in which we want. Recently, I had a “BIG” prayer, and God saw fit in His plan to answer it according to my desire. Of course, I praised Him; He is worthy of that praise. However, I have asked myself repeatedly, if the answer had been something else would I have been so quick to praise? I hope so.
Psalm 86:6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.
I think it’s easy to fall into the trap of assuming that if we aren’t given the answer from God that “we” think should happen, then for whatever reason God didn’t hear our prayers. Only if our plans are satisfied, is He worthy of praise for answered prayer. It’s harder to understand that every prayer we pray is answered, but sometimes not in the manner in which we want. Recently, I had a “BIG” prayer, and God saw fit in His plan to answer it according to my desire. Of course, I praised Him; He is worthy of that praise. However, I have asked myself repeatedly, if the answer had been something else would I have been so quick to praise? I hope so.
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Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Abounding In Forgiveness and Love...
December 8, 2010
Psalm 86:5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in love to all who call upon You.
And aren’t I glad that God is forgiving. I think that God’s forgiveness goes beyond even what we can comprehend as forgiveness. We, as humans, are incapable of it. God chooses to no longer remember, not that He couldn’t if He wanted to, our sin; this is even more amazing considering that God Hates sin! He can do this, completely forgive us, because when He looks at us, He sees His Son. The fact that God can love me is always amazing to me but He is “abounding” in “love”. Abounding is defined as…”to be rich or well supplied.” God’s love is rich and is plentiful for everything we may experience.
Psalm 86:5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in love to all who call upon You.
And aren’t I glad that God is forgiving. I think that God’s forgiveness goes beyond even what we can comprehend as forgiveness. We, as humans, are incapable of it. God chooses to no longer remember, not that He couldn’t if He wanted to, our sin; this is even more amazing considering that God Hates sin! He can do this, completely forgive us, because when He looks at us, He sees His Son. The fact that God can love me is always amazing to me but He is “abounding” in “love”. Abounding is defined as…”to be rich or well supplied.” God’s love is rich and is plentiful for everything we may experience.
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Tuesday, December 7, 2010
For He has Made Me Glad...
December 7, 2010
Psalm 86:4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
How surprised I was to read “Gladden the soul of your servant…” I don’t know why; of course, I know that we aren’t always “Glad”. However, if we are to pray for gladness perhaps we are supposed to always be glad. Glad has several definitions listed in the dictionary but this one…characterized by or showing cheerfulness, joy or pleasing looks. So, perhaps we aren’t really “in the mood” to be glad, or we are having a rough day, or we are just tired and grumpy; yet, we are to be glad. We are to be glad because He has made us glad. And once again I’m learning that our circumstances have little to nothing to do with our gladness.
Psalm 86:4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
How surprised I was to read “Gladden the soul of your servant…” I don’t know why; of course, I know that we aren’t always “Glad”. However, if we are to pray for gladness perhaps we are supposed to always be glad. Glad has several definitions listed in the dictionary but this one…characterized by or showing cheerfulness, joy or pleasing looks. So, perhaps we aren’t really “in the mood” to be glad, or we are having a rough day, or we are just tired and grumpy; yet, we are to be glad. We are to be glad because He has made us glad. And once again I’m learning that our circumstances have little to nothing to do with our gladness.
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Monday, December 6, 2010
He Hears My Voice...
December 6, 2010
Psalm 86:3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day
God is gracious in that He, the creator of the universe, is available to me. He wants me to cry to Him. Psalm 116:1-2 says, “I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my supplications, Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.” As we live out the lives planned for us, we can call and know with a certainty that we can have with few other things that God hears us!
Psalm 86:3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day
God is gracious in that He, the creator of the universe, is available to me. He wants me to cry to Him. Psalm 116:1-2 says, “I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my supplications, Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.” As we live out the lives planned for us, we can call and know with a certainty that we can have with few other things that God hears us!
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Thursday, December 2, 2010
Smile...
December 2, 2010
Psalm 86:2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
What is trusting in God? Simple question and I’m sure that the words would come easy. Of course, we trust in God. However, what does the countenance of our faces reflect? I’m a smiler; I mean I smile all the time, mostly I don’t even know I’m doing it. For all of my life I have had people remark on this and sometimes ask me why am I smiling. My answer is usually “I don’t know” it’s just something I do. However, if I am truly trusting in God, His power, and His control over every situation; what is there to not smile about. Being able to trust is being able to rest in the knowledge that God holds us…”Your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me (Psalm 139:10). As a believer who is resting in God today…smile! :)
Psalm 86:2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
What is trusting in God? Simple question and I’m sure that the words would come easy. Of course, we trust in God. However, what does the countenance of our faces reflect? I’m a smiler; I mean I smile all the time, mostly I don’t even know I’m doing it. For all of my life I have had people remark on this and sometimes ask me why am I smiling. My answer is usually “I don’t know” it’s just something I do. However, if I am truly trusting in God, His power, and His control over every situation; what is there to not smile about. Being able to trust is being able to rest in the knowledge that God holds us…”Your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me (Psalm 139:10). As a believer who is resting in God today…smile! :)
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Wednesday, December 1, 2010
With Your Strength...
December 1, 2010
Psalm 86:1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy
A sweet dear friend of mine recently included part of this Psalm in a recent email; the verses really spoke to my heart and I decided to spend some time thinking on each verse in it. How true is the part that I am “poor and needy” but not the most amazing part of this verse? Nope, the most amazing part of this verse is the fact that we, as believers, can call upon God and He will listen. We can know that God’s ear is always available to us. It’s true that God’s plan will never take us to places that His grace can’t keep us. Yet, what we sometimes forget is that it isn’t our strength that keeps us there. It isn’t our strength that causes us to fly on wings of eagles. No it is His strength that sustains us; that allows us to walk. We can only walk by faith if we are walking in His strength daily not just in time of trials but every day. “You answered me when I called to you; with your strength you strengthen me” (Psalm 138:3). In both of these verses the Psalmist is calling out to God. Have we called out to Him lately because without doubt He will answer?
Psalm 86:1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy
A sweet dear friend of mine recently included part of this Psalm in a recent email; the verses really spoke to my heart and I decided to spend some time thinking on each verse in it. How true is the part that I am “poor and needy” but not the most amazing part of this verse? Nope, the most amazing part of this verse is the fact that we, as believers, can call upon God and He will listen. We can know that God’s ear is always available to us. It’s true that God’s plan will never take us to places that His grace can’t keep us. Yet, what we sometimes forget is that it isn’t our strength that keeps us there. It isn’t our strength that causes us to fly on wings of eagles. No it is His strength that sustains us; that allows us to walk. We can only walk by faith if we are walking in His strength daily not just in time of trials but every day. “You answered me when I called to you; with your strength you strengthen me” (Psalm 138:3). In both of these verses the Psalmist is calling out to God. Have we called out to Him lately because without doubt He will answer?
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