Overwhelmed

O. T. #1434  "Overwhelmed"
April 30, 2019
Summary of Psalm

LET IT GLOW

Anyone feeling overwhelmed? I did this passed weekend. I had another episode with my stomach paining me. Finally, it slowly subsided when I got back on my medication, but I spent the whole time on the couch. (I stopped taking it due to the side effects of depletion of potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium.) One good thing, though, I was able to lie down on my new couch, after 25 years.) David was overwhelmed by those pursuing and hid in a cave.

When I am overwhelmed, You alone know the way I should turn. Psalm 142:3

I cried unto Thee , O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge (shelter, hope, trust) and my portion (smoothness, allotment) in the land of the living.  (Ps. 142:5)

I stretch forth my hands unto Thee: my soul thirsteth after Thee, as a thirsty land. (Ps. 143:6)

Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God: Thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness (along the land of smoothness). (Ps. 143:10)

Andrew Bonar said it this way about the last verse:

The land of plainness, a land where no wickedness of men, and malice of Satan, vex the soul day to day; a land where no rough paths and crooked turns lengthen out the traveler's weary journey; but where all is like the smooth pasture-land of Reuben (Deut. 3:16-20), a fit place for a flocks to lie down.

Now that is the kind of land I would like to live in right now, and not have to wait until I reach heaven. But until then, the joy of the Lord is my strength; when the pressure is on, He is making diamonds, as the song goes.

LET IT GROW

My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and He in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. (Ps. 144:2)

Happy is that people whose God is the LORD. (verse 15)

When we are in need of a fortress, a high tower of protection; in need of a deliverer, and a shield against the evils of this world, trust in God. He will be with us through whatever enemy we are combating today. Then as we make God our LORD, we will happily endure and survive. It is for His glory and our good.


So I say, it is good to be in the land of the living and the land of the uprightness, no matter the battles we are facing. Our God is with us and is our happiness when we turn to Him.

LET IT GO

Be my deliverer and shield, Jesus.

Reassurances

O. T. #1433 "Reassurances"
April 29, 2019
Summary of Psalm
The LORD will work out His plans for my life-for Your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Psalm 138:8

LET IT GLOW

I teach a girl's Bible class on Wednesday night at our church. They are grades 2-5, with a wide range of needs. I try to reassure them of God's love for them. Our last lesson dealt with our feelings. Sometimes we feel down about a certain physical characteristic, but to we can have reassurance from God. It is good to daily remember that we are God's child and don't forget it. He has always been involved in our life, even before our birth. Today's chapter deals with those reassurances.

Now turn over to David's Psalm 139. It can be good for us to review the characteristics of God. What are some things he is sure of concerning his relationship with God (NLT)?

• God knows everything about us. (verse 1)
• He knows when we sit down or stand up. (verse 2)
• He knows our thoughts. (verse 2) 
• He sees us when we travel and when we rest at home. (verse 3)
• God knows everything we do. (verse 3)
• He knows what we are going to say, even before we say it. (verse 4) 
• He goes before us and follows us. (verse 5)
• God places His hand of blessing on our head. (verse 5)
• We can never escape from His Spirit. (verse7)

Aren't those reassuring on one hand and even scary on the other hand? Yet we can find comfort in knowing we cannot escape from His Spirit.

 LET IT GROW

Verses 13-16 New Living Translation show us how special we are individually since God is our Creator:

• He made all the delicate, inner parts of our body and knit us together in our mother's womb. (verse 13)
• He made us wonderfully complex! His workmanship is marvelous.(verse 14)
• He watched when we were formed in utter seclusion.(verse 15)
• God saw us before we were born. (verse 16)
• Every day of our life was recorded in our book. (verse 16)
• Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. (verse 16)

After acknowledging God's work in our life before one breath toke place, he went on to say, as I do:

LET IT GO

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (verses 23-24)

Then wash me with the blood of Jesus.

Whatsoever

O. T. 1432 "Whatsoever"
April 26, 2019

Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. Psalm 134:6

When a loved one passes away-our God does whatsoever He pleases.
When a spouse betrays one-our God does whatsoever He pleases.
When we loose our job-our God does whatsoever He pleases.
When a child drifts into a sinful lifestyle-our God does whatsoever He pleases.
Whatever is burdening you dear friend, just remember, our God does whatsoever He pleases.

God has absolute power and may do what He wills.
He does whatever He pleases because He gives no account of any of His matters.
God can do anything. Period.
That is Who and what we are trusting.
Don't we tend to want to do our will?
So whose will will we do?

At the End of the Rope, There is Hope

O. T. #1431  "At The End of The Rope, There is Hope"
April 25, 2019
Summary of Psalm

Aren't there days that you just feel like you are at the end of your rope? You're hanging on by a thread. You have tried all your resources, prayed and prayed, sought advice and searched the Scriptures, yet nothing changes. Skip on over to Psalm 129 with us and find out what you can do about it.

Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.
(Ps. 129:2)

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

Paul reminds us that though we may think we are at the end of our rope, we are never at the end of our hope. Our perishable bodies are subject to sin and suffering, but God never abandons us. Because Christ has won the victory over death, we have eternal life. (Life Application Study Bible)

Do I hear a big "yes"?

Now look at 130:5, I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope.

Hoping and waiting are inseparably united. All who would hope must wait. (Falwell)

Actually, I have not though about it that way. Wait and hope. hope and wait. They go together like peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and syrup, don't they? Slap them on a fresh piece of light bread and you have a great thing to eat.

Jesus, help us look up when we are at the end of our rope, not knowing what to do. Refresh our hope as we wait for You to work things out. Bless those who are there this very moment with Your love, peace, and hope. You are going to do an amazing thing. Strengthen our rope with faith. You are never going to let us down. Glory to God in the highest!

Committed Geese

O. T. #1430  "Committed Geese"
April 24, 2019
Summary of Psalm
Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in His ways. Psalm 128:1

The other morning as I looked out my front door window, I saw a pair of geese in the field beside the pond. They have been there for a couple of weeks now. Apparently they had babies hatch out since more were on the pond.  (You can tell I like birds.) All of a sudden I heard honking from another pair flying over. They were not welcome in the pair's domain because the male on the ground got riled up, honking and flying over to the pond. It was if he told the fliers that was his home and keep on flying.

So I had to google my question-Are geese mated for life? The answer was yes. Males are very protective of their partners and offspring.
I keep telling my husband this pair of geese are the same ones that come visit me every year, but he fluffs it off. Maybe I am right. Anyway, I enjoy hearing them honk at me, as if to tell me "good morning" and "we're back." I use my binoculars to watch from a distance.  (One of God's blessings living along my country road.)

Well, could our society take heed from the example of the geese. Do I dare say that every family in our country has a divorced couple in it? Isn't it sad?

Turn over to chapter 128 today. We see that a good family life is a reward for following God when He is the head of the home. This writer gives the result of such a family-blessings:

• Food (verse 2) to eat is a result of working.
• Children (verse 3)around the table.
• The man, husband and father, fears the Lord. (verse 4)
• A nation will be prosperous, as Jerusalem. (verse 5)
• You will live to see grandchildren. (verse 6)

Life Application Study Bible gives us some good advice:

A good family life is a reward for following God. The values outlined in God's Word include love, service, honesty, integrity, and prayer. These help all relationships, and they are especially vital to home life. Is your home life heavenly or hectic? Reading and obeying God's Word is a good place to start to make your family all that it should be.

Our challenge today is to remain as faithful to our family (and God) as geese do.

Children Are a Blessing

O. T. #1429  "Children Are a Blessing"
April 23, 2019
Summary of Psalm

Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people, both now and forever. ((125:2 NLT)

Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. (126:5-6 NLT) No other metaphor is used more often than that of the farmer sowing and reaping.
Our faithfulness in bearing the seed of the Word of God to the unsaved carries with it the promise of future harvests. (Falwell)

Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it; except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. (127:1) If God is not blessing our home, we built it upon sand.
A family without God can never experience the spiritual bond God brings to relationships. Don't make the mistake of leaving God out of your life. Make God your highest priority, and let Him do the building. (Life Application Study Bible)

Of course, this verse does not apply to you, friend, for you are faithful in studying God's Word. However, do we all know families that are in trouble due to their not including God in their lives?

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man: so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. (127:3-5)
God gives children as a privilege, not as a penalty. Children can be an extension of our lives, doing what we could never do, in our golden years. They are a source of comfort and protection for us.

As an old German proverb says, "Many children make many prayers, and many prayers bring much blessing."

It is so sad that our society has become one in which a large family is looked down upon, even scorned. Yet, the Bible says children are a blessing from the Lord. Daily I pray for my children and grandchildren. Lord, bend them in the direction You want them to go today and the rest of their life.

Folks, will you pray with me that America will outlaw abortion and God would forgive us for killing unborn babies, so precious in His sight?

Children's children are the crown of old men... (Proverbs 17:6)
Grandmas, too. Amen?

How great is my God. He is worthy of our praise and worship now and forever.

A Protective Shade

O. T. #1428  "A Protective Shade"
April 22, 2019
Summary of Psalm

LET IT GLOW

I hope ya'll had a blessed Easter day of celebration on Sunday. We had a different service this year. One of those from our church who went on the Israel trip with us last month, put together a video for all to see, which included Via Delarosa, the path on which Christ carried his cross, the Hill of Galgotha, and the empty tomb, while our song director sang the song. How real it is to me this year!
Dear ones, Jesus went through all His suffering because He loves us so much! He wanted to provide our way to heaven without our paying for our sins. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? I know we have visitors to this blog, that is why I continually repeat this question.

Can you imagine what heaven is like? As we celebrated the rising of our Savior, Jesus Christ, on Easter Sunday, our worship is limited. It is by faith that we believe all the Bible's words are the Truth as we read of His story. However, those who have gone on before us into everlasting heaven are extravagantly worshiping Him by sight. One day we will join them and our faith will be sight. For now, we live with our King and Lord, The Christ, The Son of The Living God.

So I could not skip reviewing Psalm 121. Here are some verses that I highlighted our first time through it:
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. (verses 1-2)

The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The word shade means shadow. What a description of His protection as we abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Ps. 91:1) Who could use a protective shade over us as we face another Monday morning?

The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. (verse 8) From infancy to old age, from morning to evening, we have God's protection.

Can we face a new week with assurance? Yes, when Jesus is our protective shade, right beside us, walking with us through those tough decisions and testing of our faith.

LET IT GROW

If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us... (Ps. 124:2)

Well, if we live long enough, we will experience conflict from people, I dare say. David experienced a lot of conflict in his life, from a king to his own son, who were seeking to take his life. His enemies surely would have destroyed David, if it had not been for the Lord on his side, as well as Israel.
Can we say the same? Satan seeks to destroy us children of the Living God. He stirs up trouble everywhere. It could be around the next bend in our road of faith. It could be within the next hour. Surely we can say as David did in verse 8:
Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

LET IT GO

Let the past be in the past and live with the Living Savior today.
Be my protective shade today, Jesus.