Tag Archives: Psalm 46

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Three Times! (again)

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Continuing some search and clean up operations I found this one:

IDOK Devotion for Thursday, April 8, 2010
Psalm 46 (NKJV)
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
Selah
4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah
Did you notice that three times in eleven verses God said He is our refuge?  Do you think He wants us to get it? I am reaching way back this morning, all the way to high school English grammar classes, or was the junior high?  Whatever — bear with me here.  Do you remember learning about superlatives?  Good, better, best. Crabby, crabbier, crabbiest. Cuddly cuddlier cuddliest.  deep deeper deepest.  zippy zippier zippiest.  holy holier holiest.  However, I am told the Hebrew and Greek languages do not have such superlatives, so when ABBA wants to say something to the greatest degree of emphasis, He says it three times: holy, holy, holy.  Get it?  HE IS OUR REFUGE!  Selah. 
You will also note the word Selah is used three times in these eleven verses.  Perhaps we should take note of that too.  I have been told for years that Selah means ‘pause and calmly think about that’.  I have also been told that in poetry it denotes an interlude, a pause.  But I like what I found this morning.  Selah, [celah], is from the primary Hebrew root word [calah] which literally means ‘to hang,’ and by implication to measure (weigh). This is readily understood because in Biblical history, money, food and other valuables were ‘weighed’ by hanging or suspending them on a type of balance (the equivalent of our measuring scale) to determine their value.
So seeing that this Hebrew word [calah] means to ‘measure,’ as in weighing something in the balances, we better understand how the word Selah [celah], which is derived from it, is illustrating that we should measure or value what has been said.  Taken from URL address:
http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/faq/selah.html
So this is what I think.  To the highest degree of emphasis ABBA has said: ‘I AM your refuge and I want you to weigh this.  I want you to see how heavy I am with this toward you.’  Do we see here that He is serious?  And that we are to NOT take it lightly – HE IS OUR REFUGE.  ACT LIKE IT!  So what would acting like it, look like in you (and me) today? Selah!  

Again, I like this, ABBA.  And I like that it is not yet 8:30 Wednesday morning and Thursday’s devotion has come.  I am so delighted!  Let me not be so delighted that it has come that I do not see what it is that has come! You are my refuge – complete – none higher, none stronger, none wiser, none better.  This is important.  Holy Spirit, apply it, plant it, grow it in us I pray.  And I pray now for our IDOKs; I want them to be protected today; protected from the evil one, the world and particularly their own flesh.  I want them to make right decisions today.  I want me to KNOW that You can be trusted today.  I want them to KNOW they CAN believe You.  They can be victorious today.  They can make right decisions today.  They can overcome their own fleshly desires today.  They don’t have to give in to themselves.  They can give themselves to You to experience Your Strength, Your Brilliance, Your Glory and Goodness.  Me too, ABBA.  Me too.  Protect too our IDOK Troops; keep them safe from stray and intended hostile or friendly fire; surround them.  Cause it to be that they receive You as their complete refuge today.  And their families too.  And all the Body of Christ, not only in America but around the world today.  Tend the ill, the dying, the living, the wayward, the rebellious, the undecided.  Thank You, ABBA, in Jesus Name and for His Sake. Amen and amen.

Kathie

 

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Not Ripe so — The Still

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I am borrowing a Word today to share with you. It has been a quiet occupation at the Thompson house for a few days. I have had some really good days of study but it’s not a ripe study yet – not ripe for sharing. But my devotion from YouVersion is  – take a ‘read’.

THE STILL

On many British vessels when disaster strikes, “the still” is sounded. This signals people to pause a moment and figure out the wise thing to do. Panic, sailors feel, can be avoided if “the still” is observed. God gives us similar advice. Rather than panicking when crisis comes, we are to be still, and know that I am God… Perhaps that could be paraphrased, “Just don’t be frightened; see how I can help you in this trying situation.” The wise believer will learn to observe “the still” in times of tension.

If we are still only in times of trial, we miss much of what God is trying to say to us. We feel we do not have time to be still, but a University of Wisconsin study revealed that the average person spends three years of life waiting. How we use that time will determine much of our future. The wise person will use it to get to know God better, and he also will seek to get alone and listen to the quiet voice of the Creator.

Poems are not written on busy street corners, and symphonies are not composed in crowds. Aloneness is necessary for creativity and spiritual growth. So often we are spiritual chatterboxes when we come to the closet of prayer. How well it would be to learn to listen in those quiet moments, and know that I am God. Psalm 46 also states that “the heathen raged.” How often we rage at this and that; how much better if we would listen to God. Let us relax and know Him. Be still and learn to love Him better.

via Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with God | YouVersion.com.

Psalm 46:10

10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

via Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with God | YouVersion.com.

Don’t you like that?

The Still is the signal to pause and figure out the wise thing to do.

Next harried, screaming for NOW attention that comes barging in on you, remember The Still.

And be still and know HE is GOD and you will figure out the wise thing to do.

I really like that!

I am praying today for many things. I’ll share only a few here. Richard – that his recovery be sure and lasting. Poppins – a happy and enjoyable recovery with no unhealthy residual. Iran. You know how ABBA stopped the building of the Tower of Babel by confusing the languages of the people? I am asking that DADDY GOD do something ‘simple’ and stop Iran from obtaining a weapon of mass destruction to use on Israel and on US. And Dear Friends with challenges born from many facets of this hostile world. 

DADDY GOD, thank You. I am so grateful. Thank You. I give You applause of praise with clapping and even singing for the goodness and mercy and grace You have given to this child of Yours. You have heard my prayers for Richard and Poppins and Others and You have heard my cries for this world, Israel and America. Again I pray You will forgive us and grace us with repentance. Thank You for every Dear One who comes here to read and pray, I ask You to comfort, correct, empower, encourage and heal as each needs in JESUS Name.

Blessings to you Dear Friends    +++

Remember YOU have the God-given RIGHT to do right in this wrong world!