Category Archives: Psalms

2022, Psalms, Questions

Full Sap

Leave a comment

Psalm 92

Have you read it lately? I urge you to do so.

Are you able with an earnest heart to say verse 4 (or 5 depending on your translation) and mean it?

“For, ADONAI, what you do makes me happy;
I take joy in what your hands have made,”
source 

Does GOD make you happy?
I mean I know it is His Will to make us Holy; but does He also make you happy?

Do you have aught against Him?
Has He allowed some hurts into your life that brought you to a place of doubt; doubting His love for you and even His Goodness?

Psalm 92 also reads this way:

“How great are your deeds, ADONAI!
How very deep your thoughts!” 
source

Are you displeased with His Deeds? (See Psalm 145: 17-18)
Some years ago these two verses saved my sanity and my trust in Him.
Hurts happen. Perhaps even more often than we can admit to ourselves.
But there is GREAT NEWS — He forgives. He restores. He makes new over and over when we ask. 

One more:

“15(14) Even in old age they will be vigorous, still full of sap, still bearing fruit,
16 (15) proclaiming that ADONAI is upright, my Rock, in whom there is no wrong.”
source

Is that your testimony?
If we with an open and honest heart will always say He is my Rock, in whom there is no wrong, I think our sap will be full and our fruit delicious even when we are older than I am now. :)

What do you say? 

2022, Ephesians, Gospel of Mark, KWT Paraphrasing, Praying with my Sisters and Brothers in Holy Faith, Psalms

All Who Wait

2 Comments

I encourage you to read Psalm 31 today. 
Mark 10 too. 

I hope you will read these passages. They may be just what you need today. 

And if your hearts are heavy with all the boasts you hear, if your soul cringes daily, allow verse 18 to remind you our Father is faithful and while He is full of mercy He is also JUST. 

18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. (KJV)

Psalm 31 closes with this:

“23 Love the Lord, all His godly ones! The Lord watches over the faithful But fully repays the one who acts arrogantly.
24 Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who wait for the Lord.”  source 

As Paul prayed for the people of Ephesus I offer this on our behalf today. 

Father GOD, I pray today You will empower us with inner strength by Your Spirit; so that JESUS will live through us as we trust You and that we will be rooted and grounded in Your love for You and all Your people; that we will be given strength as Your people to grasp the breadth, height, and depth of Your love; to know beyond all-knowing and be filled with You, Holy Spirit. For we know and are confident that You are able to do more, beyond anything, we could ask or imagine. Thank You, Abba, for always hearing Your children when they pray. 
Taken from Ephesians 3: 16-21

 

2 Peter, 2022, Gospel of John, Malachi, Psalms

Nine Words

2 Comments

Malachi 4

I am taking 9 words from Malachi 4 as my focus for this piece.
Actually, in my Complete Jewish Bible, there is no chapter 4 but there is a Chapter 3 continuing beyond verse 18, and it is in these beyond verses that these 9 words reside. 

Allow me to give you a link to the CJB and a link to NASB, KJV, and NLT.

So what are the words?

“on the day when I take action,” says Adonai-Tzva’ot.”

These words encourage me. These words give me patience. 
These words crucify my flesh that wants to rise up in fear and anger. 
Why?

Because these words tell me GOD is going to take action. If we read the whole of the Text we see upon whom He is going to take action. 
That is and I quote from verse 1 (or 19 depending on your translation): “all the proud and evildoers”.

Let us be honest. 

Right now today we don’t see His actions against the proud and the evildoers, particularly for several years now. 
We see them doing their evil with no punishment, little if any visible restraint — but that will not always be. 

So take heart, my brothers and sisters. Take heart. 
Fret not because of evildoers. (Psalm 37)

Let us focus not on the evil but on our Father who does all things well, perfectly well, and perfectly on time. 

And remember too that just because we do not see His Hand does not mean He is not working. 
I mean JESUS told us He was preparing a dwelling place for us — we have not seen it yet but we believe, we KNOW He does not lie and He is surely preparing just as He said. (John 14:3)

So.
In the time we have left on this earth, let us live in love and trust; let us repent and forsake fear and anger; which will open us to sharing the Gospel of JESUS with anyone in our path who is willing to hear. 

Our Father wants NO ONE to perish. (2 Peter 3:9)
That must be our desire as well. 

P.S.  The nine words — “on the day when I take action,” says Adonai-Tzva’ot.”

It’s a set date, y’all.
Did you notice that?