Our Strength Is In Him

Psalm 74

English Standard Version (ESV)

A Maskil^[a] of ^(A)Asaph.

74 O God, why do you ^(B)cast us off forever?
    Why does your anger ^(C)smoke against ^(D)the sheep of your pasture?
^2 (E)Remember your congregation, which you have ^(F)purchased of old,
    which you have ^(G)redeemed to be ^(H)the tribe of your heritage!
    Remember Mount Zion, ^(I)where you have dwelt.
³ Direct your steps to ^(J)the perpetual ruins;
    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!

⁴ Your foes have ^(K)roared in the midst of your meeting place;
    ^(L)they set up their ^(M)own signs for ^(N)signs.
⁵ They were like those who swing ^(O)axes
    in a forest of trees.^[b]
6 And all its ^(P)carved wood
    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.
⁷ They ^(Q)set your sanctuary on fire;
    they ^(R)profaned ^(S)the dwelling place of your name,
    bringing it down to the ground.
⁸ They ^(T)said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;
    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

⁹ We do not see our ^(U)signs;
    ^(V)there is no longer any prophet,
    and there is none among us who knows how long.
¹⁰ How long, O God, ^(W)is the foe to scoff?
    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
¹¹ Why ^(X)do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
    Take it from the fold of your garment^[c] and destroy them!

¹² Yet ^(Y)God my King is from of old,
    working salvation in the midst of the earth.
¹³ You ^(Z)divided the sea by your might;
    you ^(AA)broke the heads of ^(AB)the sea monsters^[d] on the waters.
¹⁴ You crushed the heads of ^(AC)Leviathan;
    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
¹⁵ You ^(AD)split open springs and brooks;
    you ^(AE)dried up ever-flowing streams.
¹⁶ Yours is the day, yours also the night;
    you have established ^(AF)the heavenly lights and the sun.
¹⁷ You have ^(AG)fixed all the boundaries of the earth;
    you have made ^(AH)summer and winter.

^18 (AI)Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs,
    and ^(AJ)a foolish people reviles your name.
¹⁹ Do not deliver the soul of your ^(AK)dove to the wild beasts;
    ^(AL)do not forget the life of your poor forever.

²⁰ Have regard for ^(AM)the covenant,
    for ^(AN)the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
²¹ Let not ^(AO)the downtrodden ^(AP)turn back in shame;
    let ^(AQ)the poor and needy praise your name.

²² Arise, O God, ^(AR)defend your cause;
    ^(AS)remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!
²³ Do not forget the clamor of your foes,
    ^(AT)the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+74&version=ESV)

Do you really think God needs to be told when to defend His cause?  I hardly think so but how often do we tell God what we think that He should do?  When we do this are we fully trusting in God?  I would imagine, that even in the time of this Psalm it was not God who abandoned His sanctuary but the people themselves.  How often do we make the sanctuary of God about us and not about God?  How often do we carry our idols into the doors of the church or into our inner most being and brush God to the side?  I tend to think it happens more than we want to admit.  At those times God has to take drastic actions to get us to see what we are doing.  He will go so far as to allow the temple to be destroyed, our lives turned upside down at a moments’ notice just so we will recognize Him and give Him glory.  Just so we can once again be in full communion with Him.  I’m telling you, He has our backs, we just have to trust!!!! 

I found it amazing that the Psalmist mentions the greatness of God in ways that we take for granted.  In verse 13 where he says, “you divided the sea by your might”.  If you look at a world map you can see how the land was broken away and the sea divided it.  God’s greatness had been revealed to him in many ways.  Just as His greatness has been revealed to us, but are we recognizing it or are we blaming it all on the course of nature, global warming . . .  Let us stop and recognize that our God is the One who is in control.  He is the One that holds this earth in orbit and He is the One that holds us in the palm of His hand.

Let no one mistake, God’s sanctuary can be destroyed but God will never be destroyed.  His majesty and glory will forever be.  We need to remember to seek Him and know that He is God and find our strength in Him.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

The Time Will Come

Psalm 73

English Standard Version (ESV)

Book Three

A Psalm of ^(A)Asaph.

73 Truly God is good to ^(B)Israel,
    to those who are ^(C)pure in heart.
² But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
    my steps had nearly slipped.
^3 (D)For I was ^(E)envious of the arrogant
    when I saw the ^(F)prosperity of the wicked.

⁴ For they have no pangs until death;
    their bodies are fat and sleek.
⁵ They are not in trouble as others are;
    they are not ^(G)stricken like the rest of mankind.
⁶ Therefore pride is ^(H)their necklace;
    violence covers them as ^(I)a garment.
⁷ Their ^(J)eyes swell out through fatness;
    their hearts overflow with follies.
⁸ They scoff and ^(K)speak with malice;
    loftily they threaten oppression.
⁹ They set their mouths against the heavens,
    and their tongue struts through the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore his people turn back to them,
    and find ^(L)no fault in them.^[a]
11 And they say, ^(M)“How can God know?
    Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
¹² Behold, these are the wicked;
    always at ease, they ^(N)increase in riches.
¹³ All in vain have I ^(O)kept my heart clean
    and ^(P)washed my hands in innocence.
¹⁴ For all the day long I have been ^(Q)stricken
    and ^(R)rebuked ^(S)every morning.
¹⁵ If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
    I would have betrayed ^(T)the generation of your children.

¹⁶ But when I thought how to understand this,
    it seemed to me ^(U)a wearisome task,
¹⁷ until I went into ^(V)the sanctuary of God;
    then I discerned their ^(W)end.

¹⁸ Truly you set them in ^(X)slippery places;
    you make them fall to ruin.
¹⁹ How they are destroyed ^(Y)in a moment,
    swept away utterly by ^(Z)terrors!
²⁰ Like ^(AA)a dream when one awakes,
    O Lord, when ^(AB)you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
²¹ When my soul was embittered,
    when I was pricked in heart,
²² I was ^(AC)brutish and ignorant;
    I was like ^(AD)a beast toward you.

²³ Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
    you ^(AE)hold my right hand.
²⁴ You ^(AF)guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will ^(AG)receive me to glory.
^25 (AH)Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
^26 (AI)My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is ^(AJ)the strength^[b] of my heart and my ^(AK)portion ^(AL)forever.

²⁷ For behold, those who are ^(AM)far from you shall perish;
    you put an end to everyone who is^(AN)unfaithful to you.
²⁸ But for me it is good to ^(AO)be near God;
    I have made the Lord God my ^(AP)refuge,
    that I may ^(AQ)tell of all your works.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+73&version=ESV)

Who says that times have changed?  Just reading our Bible helps us realize that the problems of today have gone on for generation after generation.  The rich get what they want because they can buy other people off.  They stay out of jail because they can hire the best attorneys.  They appear to be well off and satisfied.  Yet this scripture among others tells us that they have received their reward.  They have fought so hard to stay where they are that they have forgotten God.  Their motto is like the popular song, “I did it my way”.  Is that the motto you want for your life?  I would rather be remembered as one who did it God’s way. 

Oh, I can’t say that I have never wanted to climb the corporate ladder.  I have thought it would be nice to have all the money I needed to buy the things I wanted.  I absolutely drool over big huge homes and dream of what it might be like to have a vacation home in Hawaii but then I remember that this life is short and sometimes I wish it was shorter than it is!  But there will be a time called “eternity” where there will be no more deaths and separation so long as we have a pure heart.  A pure heart can only be obtained through the blood of Jesus Christ who sacrificed His life that we might live.  If we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and are living for Him being guided by His Holy Spirit, we have not reason to envy the rich, for they are poor.  We have no need to desire the things of this world because they will soon pass.  We do have a future, one with Christ.  We cannot imagine what Heaven will be like, we have no idea what God has in store for us but we know there will be no more pain. 

For those who want to be at the top for the sake of being at the top and controlling others, have fun because soon it will be over.  There will be a time that you will realize that this world is not all about you.

For those of you who are trying to serve the Lord yet find yourselves in difficult situations and you wonder why, remember that your promised land is coming and keep on serving Him with gladness.  Seek Him and know that He is God.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

Before our Feet Hit the Ground

Psalm 72

English Standard Version (ESV)

72 Give the king your ^(B)justice, O God,
    and your righteousness to the royal son!
² May he ^(C)judge your people with righteousness,
    and your poor with justice!
³ Let the mountains bear ^(D)prosperity for the people,
    and the hills, in righteousness!
⁴ May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
    give deliverance to the children of the needy,
    and crush the oppressor!

⁵ May they fear you^[a] while ^(E)the sun endures,
    and as long as the moon, ^(F)throughout all generations!
⁶ May he be like ^(G)rain that falls on ^(H)the mown grass,
    like ^(I)showers that water the earth!
⁷ In his days may ^(J)the righteous flourish,
    and ^(K)peace abound, till the moon be no more!

⁸ May he have dominion from ^(L)sea to sea,
    and from ^(M)the River^[b] to the ^(N)ends of the earth!
⁹ May desert tribes ^(O)bow down before him,
    and his enemies ^(P)lick the dust!
¹⁰ May the kings of ^(Q)Tarshish and of ^(R)the coastlands
    render him ^(S)tribute;
may the kings of ^(T)Sheba and ^(U)Seba
    bring gifts!
¹¹ May all kings ^(V)fall down before him,
    all nations serve him!

¹² For he delivers ^(W)the needy when he calls,
    the poor and him who has no helper.
¹³ He has pity on the weak and the needy,
    and saves the lives of the needy.
¹⁴ From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
    and ^(X)precious is their blood in his sight.

¹⁵ Long may he live;
    may ^(Y)gold of Sheba be given to him!
May prayer be made ^(Z)for him continually,
    and blessings invoked for him all the day!
¹⁶ May there be abundance of grain in the land;
    on the tops of the mountains may it wave;
    may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people ^(AA)blossom in the cities
    like the ^(AB)grass of the field!
^17 (AC)May his name endure forever,
    his fame continue as long as the sun!
^(AD)May people be blessed in him,
    ^(AE)all nations call him blessed!

^18 (AF)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    who alone does ^(AG)wondrous things.
¹⁹ Blessed be his ^(AH)glorious name forever;
    may ^(AI)the whole earth be filled with his glory!
^(AJ)Amen and Amen!

^20 (AK)The prayers of ^(AL)David, the son of Jesse, are ended.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+72&version=ESV)

As you read this Psalm you may have wondered how it relates to you.  You may have thought that this applies to rulers, kings, sons of kings but wait, are you a child of the King?  This prayer applies to all of us who call ourselves Christians.  To all of us who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and who have given our lives to Him.  We, as Christians, represent the ultimate King of all the heavens and the earth, God.  I would encourage you to re-read this scripture with that in mind. 

We as parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends need to heed these words.  We need to be praying daily that our justice will be right and that our actions will be righteous.  I have heard the word righteous described as “right-living”.  Do our actions reflect our words?  Do we model for our children what righteous living is?  Does our discipline reflect justice or our mood?  Are we consistent, firm, and fair in our rules or do our rules depend upon the convenience of the time? 

Now let’s take this into the workforce.  You may think this is only for the boss but wait . . .  How do we react with our fellow co-workers?  Do we model a right living attitude or do we gossip and complain and disagree with those around us?  Are we living a righteous life to our co-workers who may not know the Savior?  Are we being a reflection of Christ? 

Maybe you are a leader, in your work, in your church, or even in your country in that case we need to also remember that being a leader puts on us even more responsibility to live a righteous life.  To be fair to the poor and needy and to live a life that brings about right living for all.  Being fair to the poor and needy does not necessarily mean to give them handouts but are we helping them help themselves or do we simply view them a worthless?  Teachers, preachers, administrators, congressmen/women, presidents, kings, queens, co-workers, parents, if we are children of God, we should be praying a prayer like this every day before our feet hit the ground.  May we be a reflection of Christ, may people see the righteousness and justice of God through us each and every day as we seek Him and know Him with all our hearts.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila  

Remember Him

Psalm 71

English Standard Version (ESV)

71 ^(A)In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame!
² In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me, and save me!
³ Be to me a rock of ^(B)refuge,
    to which I may continually come;
you have ^(C)given the command to save me,
    for you are my ^(D)rock and my fortress.

^4 (E)Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
⁵ For you, O Lord, are my ^(F)hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
⁶ Upon you I have leaned ^(G)from before my birth;
    you are he who ^(H)took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.

⁷ I have been as ^(I)a portent to many,
    but you are my strong refuge.
⁸ My ^(J)mouth is filled with your praise,
    and with your glory all the day.
^9 (K)Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
    forsake me not when my strength is spent.
¹⁰ For my enemies speak concerning me;
    those who ^(L)watch for my life ^(M)consult together
¹¹ and say, “God has forsaken him;
    pursue and seize him,
    for there is none to deliver him.”

¹² O God, be not ^(N)far from me;
    O my God, ^(O)make haste to help me!
¹³ May my accusers be ^(P)put to shame and consumed;
    ^(Q)with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
    who ^(R)seek my hurt.
¹⁴ But I will ^(S)hope continually
    and will ^(T)praise you yet more and more.
¹⁵ My ^(U)mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
    of your deeds of salvation all the day,
    for ^(V)their number is past my knowledge.
¹⁶ With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;
    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

¹⁷ O God, from my youth you have taught me,
    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
¹⁸ So even to ^(W)old age and gray hairs,
    O God, ^(X)do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
    your power to all those to come.
¹⁹ Your ^(Y)righteousness, O God,
    reaches the high heavens.
You who have done ^(Z)great things,
    O God, ^(AA)who is like you?
²⁰ You who have ^(AB)made me see many troubles and calamities
    will ^(AC)revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
    you will bring me up again.
²¹ You will increase my greatness
    and comfort me again.

²² I will also praise you with ^(AD)the harp
    for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
    O ^(AE)Holy One of Israel.
²³ My lips will shout for joy,
    when I sing praises to you;
    my soul also, which you have ^(AF)redeemed.
²⁴ And my ^(AG)tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been ^(AH)put to shame and disappointed
    who sought to do me hurt.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms+71&version=ESV)

Again this is a long passage but just couldn’t see splitting it up.  It is a resounding message of hope in our Father in Heaven.  But there is something else we need to learn.  As the Psalmist talks about God not forgetting Him in his old age we also need to remember that we should not forget God either.  I think sometimes people go through life and they think they have the answers to life’s questions; then as they get a little older they become wiser and see how much they don’t know.  Once they reach a certain age they have a tendency to not even want to try to figure the answers out anymore.  Sometimes I think they may just feel that they have seen enough heartache and pain and they want no more of it.  Yet God tells us to hold on to the promise, it isn’t going to be found on this earth but this earth will help us trust in Him even more.  Through our trials and tribulations, our heartache and our pain, we find that God will comfort us and give us strength if only we will seek Him and know that He is God and do so with all our hearts.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

Through our Weakness His Strength is made Known

Psalm 70

English Standard Version (ESV)

To the choirmaster. Of David, ^(A)for the memorial offering.

70 ^(B)Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
    O Lord, make haste to help me!
² Let them be put to shame and confusion
    who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
³ Let them turn back because of their shame
    who say, “Aha, Aha!”

⁴ May all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
    say evermore, “God is great!”
⁵ But I am poor and needy;
    ^(C)hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
    O Lord, do not delay!

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+70&version=ESV)

Throughout the Scriptures we see God choosing the less likely candidates to serve Him.  He chose Moses, a coward who ran in a time of weakness and a man that could not speak well, to go into Egypt and rescue His people.  He chose Rahab once a prostitute/foreigner and Ruth a foreigner to be descendants of Jesus.  He chose Paul a persecutor of Christians to be one of the most influential apostles in the Bible.  When you look at their stories you realize that it was through hardship and despair that they got to the point that they did.  That point in time where they had to make very difficult chooses.  Aw, and there were fishermen and tax collectors and the sick and the blind that Jesus chose to help and call His own. 

So what am I complaining about?  Why do I get discouraged?  I am a chosen child of God!  I made that decision, years ago as a small child to call Him my Father.  I have not strayed from that decision and I choose to follow Him.  I choose to seek Him in the good times and the bad.  I choose to keep my focus on Him and not the situations that I find myself in.  I choose to know that His strength is found in my weakness.  I choose to honor Him above all else. 

The one choice that we all have to make is to follow Christ or not.  To recognize that are weakness is made strong through Him or wallow in our weakness and be miserable.  As you seek Him today may you find Him reaching out His hand to you so that you may be saved from the destruction of this world.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila