He is the Overcomer

Psalm 108[a]

A song. A psalm of David.

1 My heart, O God, is steadfast;
    I will sing and make music with all my soul.
2 Awake, harp and lyre!
    I will awaken the dawn.
3 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.

6 Save us and help us with your right hand,
    that those you love may be delivered.
7 God has spoken from his sanctuary:
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
8 Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet,
    Judah is my scepter.
9 Moab is my washbasin,
    on Edom I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?
12 Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.
13 With God we will gain the victory, 

  and he will trample down our enemies.

There is victory where God is! There is a popular Christian song that speaks of being an overcomer.  Although I think the song means well I have a bit of a disagreement with it.  It talks about how God reminds us in our lowest moments that we are overcomers.  That doesn't seem so bad until you realize that God is not telling us that we are overcomers but that He is!  When our enemies are at hand it is not us that will defeat but rather God Himself.  

Remember today that the Victory comes from God and without Him we are mere humans.  Seek Him and know that it is He that overcame the world.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

No Matter Where You Are He Cares for You

Psalm 107

English Standard Version (ESV)

Book Five

107 ^(A)Oh give thanks to the Lord, ^(B)for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever!
² Let ^(C)the redeemed of the Lord say so,
    whom he has ^(D)redeemed from trouble^[a]
3 and ^(E)gathered in from the lands,
    from the east and from the west,
    from the north and from the south.

⁴ Some ^(F)wandered in desert wastes,
    finding no way ^(G)to a city to dwell in;
⁵ hungry and thirsty,
    their soul ^(H)fainted within them.
⁶ Then they ^(I)cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
⁷ He led them by ^(J)a straight way
    till they reached ^(K)a city to dwell in.
^8 (L)Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
⁹ For he ^(M)satisfies the longing soul,
    ^(N)and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

^10 (O)Some sat in darkness and in ^(P)the shadow of death,
    prisoners in ^(Q)affliction and in irons,
¹¹ for they ^(R)had rebelled against the words of God,
    and ^(S)spurned the counsel of the Most High.
¹² So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
    they fell down, ^(T)with none to help.
^13 (U)Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
¹⁴ He brought them out of ^(V)darkness and the shadow of death,
    and ^(W)burst their bonds apart.
^15 (X)Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
¹⁶ For he ^(Y)shatters the doors of bronze
    and cuts in two the bars of iron.

¹⁷ Some were ^(Z)fools through their sinful ways,
    and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
^18 (AA)they loathed any kind of food,
    and they ^(AB)drew near to ^(AC)the gates of death.
^19 (AD)Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
²⁰ He ^(AE)sent out his word and ^(AF)healed them,
    and ^(AG)delivered them from their destruction.
^21 (AH)Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
²² And let them ^(AI)offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
    and ^(AJ)tell of his deeds in ^(AK)songs of joy!

²³ Some ^(AL)went down to the sea in ships,
    doing business on the great waters;
²⁴ they saw the deeds of the Lord,
    his wondrous works in the deep.
²⁵ For he ^(AM)commanded and ^(AN)raised the stormy wind,
    which lifted up the waves of the sea.
²⁶ They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
    their courage ^(AO)melted away in their evil plight;
²⁷ they reeled and ^(AP)staggered like drunken men
    and ^(AQ)were at their wits' end.^[b]
28 (AR)Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
²⁹ He ^(AS)made the storm be still,
    and the waves of the sea were hushed.
³⁰ Then they were glad that the waters^[c] were quiet,
    and he brought them to their desired haven.
^31 (AT)Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
³² Let them ^(AU)extol him in ^(AV)the congregation of the people,
    and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

³³ He ^(AW)turns rivers into a desert,
    springs of water into thirsty ground,
^34 (AX)a fruitful land into a salty waste,
    because of the evil of its inhabitants.
³⁵ He ^(AY)turns a desert into pools of water,
    ^(AZ)a parched land into springs of water.
³⁶ And there he lets the hungry dwell,
    and they establish ^(BA)a city to live in;
³⁷ they sow fields and plant vineyards
    and get a fruitful yield.
^38 (BB)By his blessing they multiply greatly,
    and he does not let their livestock diminish.

³⁹ When they are diminished and brought low
    through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
^40 (BC)he pours contempt on princes
    and ^(BD)makes them wander ^(BE)in trackless wastes;
⁴¹ but ^(BF)he raises up the needy out of affliction
    and ^(BG)makes their families like flocks.
^42 (BH)The upright see it and are glad,
    and ^(BI)all wickedness shuts its mouth.

^43 (BJ)Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
    let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+107&version=ESV)

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me . . .  An age old favorite hymn and one that mirrors this Psalm.  Notice how God chooses the downcast soul to speak to, notice how He cares for those who are lost.  I have often thought that I was probably not as good of a Christian  because I didn’t suffer like so many people have had to suffer.  Yet they suffered in order to become close to Him, to have to call out to Him in their distress.  I don’t know why I was blessed to take Him as my Savior at a young age but I did and have held true to that faith ever since, yet I have to wonder sometimes why He spared me, maybe because He knew that would not work for me.  One thing is for sure, I am grateful He did spare me!

I was amazed when I read about the calming of the storm.  There is a similar passage of scripture recorded in Matthew 8:23-27  that reads:

^23 (A)And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. ²⁴ And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but ^(B)he was asleep. ²⁵ And they went and woke him, saying, ^(C)“Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” ²⁶ And he said to them, “Why are you ^(D)afraid, ^(E)O you of little faith?” Then he rose and ^(F)rebuked the winds and the sea, and ^(G)there was a great calm. ²⁷ And the men^(H)marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even ^(I)winds and sea obey him?”

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+8%3A23-27&version=ESV

Just as we marvel at power of God,  the disciples marveled at Christ’s power.  This passage reveals that Christ is deity and the disciples knew it.  God can use storms to draw us closer to Him yet some push Him further away.  It is all in how we view the wonderful works of God.  In order to view those works we need to study His word, seek Him with all our hearts and know that He is a God of compassion, He cares for you no matter where you are in this life.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

Wishy Washy Us

Psalm 106

English Standard Version (ESV)

106 ^(A)Praise the Lord!
^(B)Oh give thanks to the Lord, ^(C)for he is good,
    ^(D)for his steadfast love endures forever!
² Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord,
    or declare all his praise?
³ Blessed are they who observe justice,
    who ^(E)do righteousness at all times!

^4 (F)Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
    help me when you save them,^[a]
5 that I may look upon the prosperity of your ^(G)chosen ones,
    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
    that I may glory with your inheritance.

^6 (H)Both we and ^(I)our fathers have sinned;
    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
⁷ Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
    did not consider your wondrous works;
they ^(J)did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
    but ^(K)rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
⁸ Yet he saved them ^(L)for his name's sake,
    ^(M)that he might make known his mighty power.
⁹ He ^(N)rebuked the Red Sea, and it ^(O)became dry,
    and he ^(P)led them through the deep as through a desert.
¹⁰ So he ^(Q)saved them from the hand of the foe
    and ^(R)redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
¹¹ And ^(S)the waters covered their adversaries;
    not one of them was left.
¹² Then ^(T)they believed his words;
    they ^(U)sang his praise.

¹³ But they soon ^(V)forgot his works;
    they did not wait for ^(W)his counsel.
¹⁴ But they had ^(X)a wanton craving in the wilderness,
    and ^(Y)put God to the test in the desert;
¹⁵ he ^(Z)gave them what they asked,
    but sent ^(AA)a wasting disease among them.

¹⁶ When men in the camp ^(AB)were jealous of Moses
    and Aaron, ^(AC)the holy one of the Lord,
^17 (AD)the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
    and covered the company of Abiram.
^18 (AE)Fire also broke out in their company;
    the flame burned up the wicked.

¹⁹ They ^(AF)made a calf in Horeb
    and worshiped a metal image.
²⁰ They ^(AG)exchanged the glory of God^[b]
    for the image of an ox that eats grass.
²¹ They ^(AH)forgot God, their Savior,
    who had done great things in Egypt,
²² wondrous works in ^(AI)the land of Ham,
    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
²³ Therefore ^(AJ)he said he would destroy them—
    had not Moses, his ^(AK)chosen one,
^(AL)stood in the breach before him,
    to turn away his wrath from destroying them.

²⁴ Then they ^(AM)despised ^(AN)the pleasant land,
    having ^(AO)no faith in his promise.
²⁵ They ^(AP)murmured in their tents,
    and did not obey the voice of the Lord.
²⁶ Therefore he ^(AQ)raised his hand and swore to them
    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,
²⁷ and would make their offspring fall among the nations,
    ^(AR)scattering them among the lands.

²⁸ Then they ^(AS)yoked themselves to the ^(AT)Baal of Peor,
    and ate sacrifices offered to ^(AU)the dead;
²⁹ they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds,
    and a plague broke out among them.
³⁰ Then ^(AV)Phinehas stood up and intervened,
    and the plague was stayed.
³¹ And that was ^(AW)counted to him as righteousness
    from generation to generation forever.

³² They ^(AX)angered him at the waters of Meribah,
    and it went ill with Moses on their account,
³³ for they ^(AY)made his spirit bitter,^[c]
    and he ^(AZ)spoke rashly with his lips.

³⁴ They did not ^(BA)destroy the peoples,
    ^(BB)as the Lord commanded them,
³⁵ but they ^(BC)mixed with the nations
    and learned to do as they did.
³⁶ They served their idols,
    which became ^(BD)a snare to them.
³⁷ They ^(BE)sacrificed their sons
    and their daughters to ^(BF)the demons;
³⁸ they poured out innocent blood,
    the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
    and the land was ^(BG)polluted with blood.
³⁹ Thus they ^(BH)became unclean by their acts,
    and ^(BI)played the whore in their deeds.

⁴⁰ Then ^(BJ)the anger of the Lord was kindled against ^(BK)his people,
    and he abhorred his ^(BL)heritage;
⁴¹ he ^(BM)gave them into the hand of the nations,
    so that those who hated them ruled over them.
⁴² Their enemies ^(BN)oppressed them,
    and they were brought into subjection under their power.
^43 (BO)Many times he delivered them,
    but they were rebellious in their ^(BP)purposes
    and were ^(BQ)brought low through their iniquity.

⁴⁴ Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
    when he ^(BR)heard their cry.
⁴⁵ For their sake he ^(BS)remembered his covenant,
    and ^(BT)relented according to ^(BU)the abundance of his steadfast love.
⁴⁶ He caused them to be ^(BV)pitied
    by all those who held them captive.

^47 (BW)Save us, O Lord our God,
    and ^(BX)gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.

^48 (BY)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
^(BZ)And let all the people say, “Amen!”
    ^(CA)Praise the Lord!

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+106&version=ESV)

This was a long passage but one that I just didn’t want to split up.  It shows of God’s grace over and over again. His people failed Him time after time, yet, He heard their cries.  When He rescued them they praised Him for a short time and then went back to their sinful ways.  Does that sound familiar to anyone besides me?  I have to think about the twin towers.  When they crumbled our nation’s churches were full the next Sunday but what do our churches look like today?  Why is it that we cannot see the glory of our God every day in the amazement of His creation?  Rather we blame Him when things don’t go our way.  We grumble to Him when life doesn’t turn out the way we would have hoped it would have.  We are no better than the Israelites wondering in the desert.  We have our idols, we have our preferences to food, we grumble and complain when we feel like God is not helping us through our desert times.  But He, has a steadfast love that will last forever.  That does not mean He will tolerate our sin forever. It doesn’t mean that we can go unpunished for our sins against the Almighty. 

There are so many types of love but the love that the Father has for us is the love in its purest form.  With this love we find that God disciplines those He loves because He wants us to come to Him.  He wants us to seek Him with all our hearts and know that He is God and His love endures forever.  What about you?  Do you love God unconditionally or do you love Him in order to get what you think you deserve?  If it is the later, you will not be strong in the time of struggles, you will seek your way, not His.  You will doubt His existence while at the same time blame Him for your situation.  OUCH!  Seek Him in good and bad times and know that He cares for you.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila