2 Samuel 24:21 - Threshing Floor

Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”  “To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”

God was punishing the Israelites with a plague. 70 thousand had died. David was told by God through a prophet to build an alter at this certain location. When I had envisioned a threshing floor, I had always thought of an indoor wooden floor so I looked up Threshing Floor and found it can also be a flat area outside. A threshing floor is a place where grain is walked on or agitated until the grain comes out of its hull. The "chaff" is blown away by the wind and all that is left is the good grain. It is a symbol for judgement, so there was significance in where the alter was to be made.

Lord, please help me to recognize when you are in the process of "threshing" my life and not hang on to tightly to the chaff. Amen.

2 Samuel 22:50 - Therefore

Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
     I will sing the praises of your name.

I'm not sure where I heard this, but someone once said, "When the bible says 'therefore', you need to find out what it is there for." That resonated with me as I read David's Song of Praise in Chapter 22. David was faced with huge problems. Problems involving nations. His response to these problems was to go to the Lord. That is why he was a successful leader and probably why God put him in this position of leadership. David praised God, asked God for guidance, followed the guidance, then praised the Lord again. No wonder he was a man after God's own heart.

Lord, We praise you, among the nations, we will sing the praises of your name. Amen.

2 Samuel 20:22 - A wise woman stops a war

2 Samuel 20:22  Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.

One woman was able to stop a war. David had returned to Jerusalem and was again on the throne. Another threat arises and his men go out to destroy this man. They lay siege to a city to get to this man and a wise woman goes to talk to the leader of David's army. She is able to solve the problem with only the loss of one life.

Lord, thank you for this example of a wise, strong, peace loving woman. Please help us to give and listen to wise, Godly advice. Amen

Philippians 4:8 - Happy Halloween

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Halloween can be an evil holiday, worshiping satan, or it can be a fun day to dress up and have some candy. I choose the latter. We can bring glory to God by focusing on the good.

Lord, thank you for giving us the choice to celebrate or not celebrate certain days. Please help us to focus on the good and bring glory to your name in everything we do. Amen.

2 Samuel 19:6 - A leader who listened

You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead.

David was not perfect. David knew it and his trusted advisors knew it. Joab, the leader of David's army, was willing to tell him the truth and David would listen. King David's son, Absalom, had been trying to overthrow his father. They went to battle and his son was killed. Even though his son acted as his enemy he still loved his son and was devastated when he was killed. This was unfair to his armies who had just put their lives at risk for David to defeat his son. Joab pointed this out to David and he listened.

Lord, thank you for giving us people who are willing to tell us when we need to make a correction in our lives. Please help us to listen to these people and help us to be the advisor when needed. Amen

2 Samuel 17:14 - Understanding the ways of the Lord

Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.

Ahithophel had been an advisor to King David and now he was advisor to Davis's son, who was trying to overthrow David. His advice was given after praying to God. In this case God was using Ahithophel as a part of a bigger plan to return David to the throne. From the outside it looked like Ahithophel had failed and he killed himself. We never know the bigger plan. Our job is to always rely on God and cling to his hand even when it seems we have made the biggest mistake of our life or had a huge tragedy occur. God can use all things to his glory.

Lord, thank you for using us, and even what we see as failure, to your glory. Please help us to continue to rely on you even when it seems the worst has happened. Amen

2 Samuel 16:11 - God's tool

David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.

David is fleeing his city from his son and his men. A man along the way throws rocks at David and his men and yells curses at him. His men want to kill the man, but David has a deep insight into the ways of the Lord God. He understands that the Lord's ways are not our ways. David generally does not do things unless he feels directed by the Lord. He understands that within God's plans and purposes, one day he may be King, the next a pauper. He is merely God's tool. He will not fight for his position unless it is God's will.

Lord, thank you for guiding us and having a plan for us. Please help us to be sensitive to your will and understand what you are guiding us to do. Amen.

2 Samuel 15:21 - New loyalty

But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be.”

David's son was conspiring against him, so he decides to leave his city. Hundreds of soldiers and people go with him, even a group of 600 people who had just recently arrived from another country. David tells the group to stay, they "didn't have a dog in this fight," but the group was loyal to David regardless of what happened. When we are a new Christian, we may not understand everything, but new loyalty can be strong loyalty.

Lord, thank you for knowing what is right for us. Please help us to trust you, no matter of how long we have been your follower. Amen.

2 Samuel 14:14 - Returning to God

Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.

One of David's son killed his brother for an atrocious act. This son flees from David and is essentially banished. After mourning the son who was dead, one of David's men shows him it is ok for his son to return. God desires reconciliation. He knows of our sins, but he wants us to return to him and will create a path for us. The great path was the death of his son so that our sins could be forgiven, but he also devises a personal path for each of us to return to him if we will follow it.

Lord, thank you for making a way for us to return to you. Please help the lost to open their eyes and see your plan for them. Amen.

2 Samuel 13:3 - Bad advice

Now Amnon had an adviser named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man.

We have to be careful about the people we get advice from. Are they living the kind of life God wants them to live? David's son Amnon was getting advice from his uncle. We get the idea this man was not the most upright guy, but shrewd and street wise. It sounds like he knew how to get what he wanted, and he advised Amnon how to go about raping his sister who he was lusting after. We all have sinful desires, but who are we surrounding ourselves with, people who will encourage our sin our guide us away from it?

Lord, thank you for including this difficult topic in your word, so many have suffered because of rape. Please help us to surround ourselves with your people who will help us and give us good advice. Amen.

PS-On the flip side, give good, Godly advice. Be the kind of friend or mentor who gives wise council and pulls people away from sin.

2 Samuel 12:5 - Righteous indignation

David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die!

Nathan told David a story of injustice. David was angry, but Nathan tells him, "You are the man!" (v.7) because of his affair with Bathsheba and murder of her husband. Sometimes we get so angry at something we think is wrong, when the truth is we have done so much worse. Righteous indignation is rarely right.

Lord, thank you for helping us to see our flaws. Please help us to remember our own sin before pointing out the sin of another. Amen.

2 Samuel 11:27 - Displeasing the Lord

After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.

The story of David and Bathsheba is an important one for us to hear. David seems almost perfect, always pleasing the Lord, but here he sins as we all do. In the first verse of the story, it seems as though David is not where he ought to be. From there it gets worse. He commits adultery and eventually has her husband killed. The phrase, "But the thing David had done displeased the Lord," really caught my attention. If I put my name in for David's, it is heartbreaking to me. I think of all of my sins and how I have displeased the Lord. If we are Christians, we are forgiven, but maybe this thought will help us to avoid future sin.

Lord, thank you for the example of your servant David. Please help us to not displease you. Amen.

2 Samuel 10:12 - The Lord's will

Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

In this chapter, David sent a group of men to express condolences to the son of an enemy who has died. The gesture is not well received and the group of men are humiliated. This started a battle. Before going into battle, the leader of the David's army makes the above statement. I think these men realized they were God's tools. They were not assured victory. They wanted the Lord's will to be done. We are expected to be strong and brave, but the outcome is up to the Lord.

Lord, thank you for giving us strength and bravery. Please help us to seek your will in every situation. Amen.

2 Samuel 9:3 - Showing kindness

The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”  Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”

Giving to a good cause or donating to an organization are great things to do, but have you ever sought out someone to show kindness to? David took the time to seek out a relative of his good friend Jonathan to whom he could show God's kindness. This may be something we think of doing at Christmas or Thanksgiving, but there are always those around us in need, we just have to open our eyes to see them.

Lord, thank you for your loving kindness to us. Please show us someone to whom we can show your kindness. Amen

2 Samuel 8:11 - Success

King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued:

God was with David and helped him be successful in conquering many nations. David knew, without a doubt, God was the reason for his success and he gave the Lord the valuable thing he acquired. Do we attribute our successes to God? Do we dedicate to him the plunder, the results of the success?

Lord, thank you for allowing us to be successful. Please help us to give you the glory and return the plunder to you. Amen.

2 Samuel 7:21 - Sometimes we get a no

For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

In this chapter, David decides to build a permanent home for the Ark of  God. God speaks to David though the Nathan and says no, David's son will be the one to build a temple. David accepts this from God and praises Him. We (or someone close to us) may not hear an audible answer from God today, but he has his ways to make his will known. If we pray for an answer to be made clear, it will.

Lord, thank you for your guidance. Please help us to accept your answers. Amen.

2 Samuel 6:5 - Pray, then plan

David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.

David has a great plan. He wants to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem and make it a huge celebration for all the people. Everything starts out well, then Uzziah touched the ark and is instantly killed. David was doing all this for the Lord. Why did God bring this celebration to a halt? Why didn't God overlook this mistake?

A few weeks ago I heard a sermon by Paul Cartwright about Uzziah.. (This is the sermon where we were challenged to read 2 Samuel.) In this lesson, Paul talked about how there were several things wrong here, mostly, David did not make sure the Ark was being moved as God specifically required it to be moved. It should not have been on an cart, but carried by poles. David was usually so good at praying to God before doing things like going to battle, but in this case, maybe he planned this big celebration to move the Ark without going to God first.

Lord, than you for being clear with us about what you want from our lives. Please help us to always go to you before making plans. Amen.

From The Message - Romans 12 - Keep smiling

If you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

My sisters and I have been reading Romans from The Message over the last several weeks. This passage spoke to me, the lines above (about verse 8) and the whole chapter (12). It is a snapshot of what being a Christian is meant to look like. This passage is especially meaningful to me because I work with people with dementia and it can be very challenging at times. It was so great to read this and think, "God gets this, he knows how hard this is and what the challenges are."

Lord, thank you for these words from The Message. Please help me to put these words in action every day. Amen

2 Samuel 5:19 - Guidance

so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”
  The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

David sought after God's will. He did not trust in his own strength or mind. The Philistines were attacking David. Common sense would dictate fighting back, if not to conquer then at least to defend yourself. But David went to as secure place and prayed. How many times to we rush in to a new project or commitment without praying first? We may not hear an audible voice like David did, but if we ask for guidance, the answer will be made clear.

Lord, thank you for being with us and guiding us. Please help us to remember to pray before we act. Amen.

2 Samuel 4:9-11 - Motivation

David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news! How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!”

Rekab and Baanah were in the army of Saul, David's enemy. After Saul's death, they decided to kill Saul's son who was now king over Saul's people in order to pledge their allegiance to David. Bad idea. David was not one to reward senseless violence. David did not hate his enemy Saul or members of his family. The brothers were overzealous. They acted without knowing the whole story, with the ultimate motive of selfishness, in an effort to better their own position. They should have checked their PMS (Purpose, Motivation, Strategy).

Lord, thank you for delivering us out of every trouble. Please help us to carefully check our motivation before we take action. Amen.

Psalm 121:1-2 - Help

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
     where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
     the Maker of heaven and earth.

I always open Bible Gateway each morning to copy the scripture I plan to focus on in my blog. This morning the scripture above was the Verse of the Day and I felt it was so appropriate for the hurricanes and fires many have been dealing with.

Lord, thank you for your promise of help. Please guide us to come to you first when we need help. Amen.

2 Samuel 3:25 - Forgiveness

You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.”

From what we know of Abner, he was deceitful. He would play whichever side would benefit him. After pledging allegiance to Saul's son, he goes to David and pledges allegiance. David was openly willing to forgive Abner, but some of David's men were not so forgiving. They killed Abner and David publicly chastises them and honors Abner as a fallen warrior. Forgiveness is always the right thing to do. God forgives us of our sins time after time after time.

Lord, thank you for forgiving us. Please help us to forgive others. Amen.

2 Samuel 2:26 - Mercy

Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”

After the death of Saul, the army of Saul continued to fight David's army. David's army was stronger and was defeating Saul's army, but Abner (from Saul's army) called out and asked for mercy. David's army backs down. This is not the end of the war, but it demonstrates the kind of army David lead. Are we the kind of person who takes every advantage offered to us, or are we merciful?

Lord, thank you for being merciful to us. Please help us to be merciful to others. Amen.

2 Samuel 1:23 - Mourning an enemy

Saul and Jonathan—
     in life they were loved and admired,
     and in death they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles,
     they were stronger than lions.

When Saul and Jonathan died, we can understand David mourning and lamenting about Johnathan, his good friend, but what about Saul? He and Saul had been enemies many times. Maybe this was a sign that David really had forgiven Saul. He did not dwell on the problems of the past between the two of them. He forgave him and honored the good things about Saul. He did not allow this anger to fester in his heart.

Lord, thank you for the life of David and the things we can learn from him. Please help us to put away past arguments and hurts and move forward for your glory. Amen.

Matthew 6:3 - Seek first

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

This morning I am choosing a new book to begin reading and studying. It is always a difficult choice, but recently someone suggested reading 2nd Samuel, which is about King David, his rise to power and his mistakes. So unless I get a strong feeling from the Lord pointing me in a different direction, that is where I will start tomorrow.

Lord, thank you for waking me up this morning early enough to study your word. Please help me to continue to seek you first. Amen.

Lamentations 3:22-2 - New every morning

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
     for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
     great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
     therefore I will wait for him.”

You may or may not have noticed I have written very rarely the last month or so. I've been having a hard time getting up in the morning and chose to sleep in instead of do my bible study. I am praying for a renewal, for an extra bolt of energy in the morning to get out of bed early enough to do this short bible study.

Lord, thank you for your faithfulness. Please help me to renew my dedication to the study of your word. Amen.

Amos 9:11 - Restoration

“In that day
“I will restore David’s fallen shelter—
     I will repair its broken walls
     and restore its ruins—
     and will rebuild it as it used to be,

In this passage God has just stated how he will destroy the Israelites because of their sin, then he tells them how he will restore them. As we deal with the wreckage of our lives (family problems, work problems, depression, addiction, natural disasters, loss of a job, health issues, etc...), we to are promised restoration. We may see some restoration in the world, but more importantly, we will receive complete restoration when we are with God.

Lord, thank you for the gift of restoration. Please help us to not loose hope, but to look to you to be made complete again. Amen.

Amos 8:11 - Word famine

“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord,
     “when I will send a famine through the land-
not a famine of food or a thirst for water,
     but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.

Right now we hear the word of the Lord and we choose to believe and obey or not. We have the luxury of choice. Imagine a time when there is no choice to be made because we have no opportunity to hear...a famine of hearing.

Lord, thank you for allowing us to hear the words of the Lord. Please help all those who hear to believe and obey. Amen.

Amos 7:7-8 - A plumb line

This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Amos?”

 “A plumb line,” I replied.

Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.

When I was a little girl growing up in Nebraska, my Uncle David preached at a little church about two hours from the town we lived in. He preached there for years and years, then his son preached there for years and years. Occasionally my mother and I would accompany my aunt and uncle on their Sunday preaching trip. I remember one Sunday when Uncle David preached on this passage. He showed us a plum line (a cord with a weight to get a straight up/down line) and talked about how as Christians, Jesus is our plumb line. He is the measure we seek to live up to.

Lord, thank you for illustrations in your word. Please help us to continually strive to live up to the guide you have set for us. Amen.

Amos 6:4-7 - Living in America?

You lie on beds adorned with ivory
     and lounge on your couches.
You dine on choice lambs
     and fattened calves.
You strum away on your harps like David
     and improvise on musical instruments.
You drink wine by the bowlful
     and use the finest lotions,
     but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile;
     your feasting and lounging will end.

This passage describing Israel just really reminded me of us, living in America, living an easy, luxurious life.

Lord, thank you for your gifts which make our lives easier. Please help us to not be complacent in these gifts. Amen.

Amos 5:8 - Pleiades and Orion

He who made the Pleiades and Orion,
     who turns midnight into dawn
     and darkens day into night,
who calls for the waters of the sea
     and pours them out over the face of the land—
     the Lord is his name.

Did you know the Bible mentions constellations? I did not until now. They are also mentioned two times in Job, one verse also mentions the Bear.

Lord, Your Word holds new things for me every day. Please help me to continue to be amazed. Amen.

Amos 4:6 - Hardships from the Lord?

“I gave you empty stomachs in every city
     and lack of bread in every town,
     yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord.

Several verses in Amos chapter 4 reflect the same sentiment as the verse above. God allows his wayward people to suffer hardships in an effort to get them to return to him.  Have you ever suffered a hardship which brought you closer to God?

Lord, thank you for doing whatever it takes to bring us closer to you. Please help us to see all things in our life as a way to develop a better relationship with you. Amen,

Amos 2:6b - Treatment of the poor

They sell the innocent for silver,
     and the needy for a pair of sandals.

Among the list of atrocities attributed to the Israelites is their treatment of the poor. I believe God gives us the weak (or allows us to be the weak) so that the strong will realize everyone is made stronger when the stronger support the weak.

Lord, thank you for giving us the poor. Please help us to treat the poor with respect and assistance. Amen.

Amos 2:4-5 - Pointing out sin

This is what the Lord says:
  “For three sins of Judah,
     even for four, I will not relent.
Because they have rejected the law of the Lord
     and have not kept his decrees,
because they have been led astray by false gods,
     the gods their ancestors followed,
I will send fire on Judah
     that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem.”

Amos is a prophet in the Old Testament time. In this book, to this point, in similar passages the Lord has told of the atrocious acts of  heathen nations and how he will destroy them. Then God's own people are condemned because of their sin. Some times we point out the sins of others while failing to realize our own sins. We are all equal at the foot of the cross.

Lord, thank you for helping us to realize when we have sinned. Please help us to focus on sinning less and bringing you glory rather than focussing on the sins of others. Amen.

Source: http://biblehub.com/commentaries/amos/2-4.htm

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 - Parting words

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.

Paul writes these words as a part of the closing of the first letter to the Corinthians. Paul has given the Corinthian church some tough teachings in this letter. He has spoken very specifically to issues and problems they were experiencing, but as a brother, he wrapps things up with encouragement and love.

Lord, thank you for direct teaching in your word. Please help us to follow these parting words: "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love". Amen.

I Corinthians 15:58 - Resurrection

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Chapter 15 talks about resurrection. As a Christian, we have no fear of death. We may not fully understand what will happen after death, but we do know we will be with God. The sting of death is sin, with Christ as my salvation, there is no sting of death. In fact, death is something to look forward to because we can not be with God for eternity while in human form. So, as the verse above states, while we are here on earth, we must do the work of the Lord, knowing this is the only work that matters into eternity.

Lord, thank you for the hope of resurrection. Please help us to be useful to the kingdom while here on earth. Amen.

1 Corinthians 14:12 - The purpose of gifts of the Spirit

So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.

This was an interesting passage and one I don't remember reading before. Speaking in another language (tongues) was a gift of the Holy Spirit in the time of the New Testament. Apparently many people had (or claimed to have) this gift, demonstrated by speaking in a "language" no one understood. Today, I believe some have (or claim to have) this gift as well. This passage points out that the point of the gift is for one to speak to people who speak a different language than they do, for example speaking Spanish to Spanish speakers when I don't speak Spanish. If we want to excel in a special talent, work on something that will be useful to the church.

Lord, thank you for special talents and gifts. Please help us to use our gifts to grow and build up the church, not for our personal gratification. Amen.

1 Corinthians 13:3 - Love

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Before I begin, I need to make a confession. I have not done my morning study for 15 days. That may be the longest stretch of non-study I have gone since I began. I've had a hard time waking up in the mornings. I am praying for God to help me restore/create better sleep patterns so I will get back to my "First Fruits of the Day"study.

The passage above is part of the "Love Chapter". It is so familiar and a great place to go to for a refresher on what love is and is not. It clearly emphasises that love is the most important thing, This world and all of the good (and bad) in it will pass away and all that will remain is love. We can do lots of good deeds and suffer for our cause, but if love is not at the root of our actions, nothing is gained.

Lord, thank you for teaching us to love. Please help us to keep love at the root of all we do. Amen,

1 Corinthians 12:22 - Weaker vs. stronger parts of the body

On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,

The other day I watched a movie/documentary about a group on the "Camino de Santiago" which is a pilgrimage/walk through Spain ending at the possible site of the grave of James the Apostle. The scene from this movie which is stuck in my head is when the group realizes they all have to start walking together. Up to this point, the stronger people would just walk on at their comfortable pace and leave the weaker walkers behind. When they all started walking together, they realized it made them all stronger. It was easier for the struggling walkers to keep up and a harder for the stronger walkers to slow their pace and help their weaker brothers. The work evened out. This stronger realized they needed the weaker to make this walk more meaningful.

Lord, thank you for making each of us an important part of your body. Please help us to respect others in your body work together. Amen.

1 Corinthians 12:5 - Spiritual Gifts

There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

This passage is referring to spiritual gifts or talents. I am not convinced that today these talents are received miraculously as they were in the first century, but almost all of the gifts listed are talents which can be studied and learned (healing, languages, etc). People who move into these fields often have a natural ability which leads them in this direction. I think this is just as much a gift as it was in the first century and has the same purpose of the common good (v.7). So, whatever you are good at, whatever you have studied and mastered, it is a gift from the Lord. Use your gift to serve him!

Lord, thank you for giving us gifts and opportunities to serve. Please help us to use our gifts to your glory and for the common good. Amen.

1 Corinthians 11:28 -The Lord's Supper

Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.

What is the Lord's Supper? It is a fellowship meal, not in the "potluck" sense, but it is a common "meal", shared by brothers and sisters in Christ in his remembrance. A time to examine ourselves and realize that we are all equal at the foot of the cross. In this passage the Corinthian church apparently had it wrong. They were partaking in a "potluck" meal and calling it the Lord's Supper, and they weren't even eating all together, but were divided by social class.

Lord, thank you for having your son implement a time of communion between believers, Please help us to take it in a worthy manner. Amen.

1 Corinthians 10:23 - Choices

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.

We have freedom in Christ, but just because we can, doesn't mean we ought to. Sometimes we restrict ourselves from various foods or activities based on reasons of health, conscious or religion. As long as our decision to do or not do something seeks the good of others and to glorify God, we can feel comfortable with our choices.

Lord, thank you for the freedom you give us. Please help us to make choices which seek the good of others and glorify you. Amen

1 Corinthians 10:21 - Two worlds

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.

Demons here refer to idols. Idols are anything we place above the Lord. We can't serve two masters or live in two worlds. We have to choose who we will serve. Which is our sovereign prince, our liege lord?

Lord, thank you for making it clear for us where our loyalty needs to lie. Please help us to place you above all other things of this world. Amen.

1 Corinthians 10:13 - The power of the Word

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

This verse is very important to me. Not only is is a powerful message, but it is one of the verses I memorized in the study which began my regular (almost daily) bible study and blog. I find it interesting that although I had learned this (and other) verses independently, coming across one of these verses in my study of a book really solidifies it's location in the bible for me.

Lord, thank you for your Word. Please help us to memorize and retain passages of scripture. Amen.

1 Corinthians 9:25 - Self-Discipline

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Last night I blew it. I had to work yesterday, so I guess I felt sorry for myself and decided to eat pizza. Normally I eat very healthy on "pizza days" to compensate. Not yesterday. I way overate. Very much "disobedient eating". I was so tired, I had planned to go to bed at 8 to get a good night's sleep to be ready for today, but after overeating like that, I was so uncomfortable, I did not get to sleep until about 1 am. Obedient eating will give me a dual crown; one of a healthy body and one that will last forever.

Lord, than you for the good food you give us to eat and make our bodies healthy. Please help me to eat obediently today. Amen.

1 Corinthians 9:19 - Using our Freedom

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

As Christians, we are free. As Americans, we are free. We have the opportunity, as Paul does in the above passage to use our freedom for the greater good.

Lord, thank you for my freedom in Christ and my civil freedom. Please help me to give up these rights as needed to secure the liberty of others. Amen.

1 Corinthians 8:9 - Freedom vs. responsibility

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

We are free in Christ. A person who has been a Christian for a long time had gained knowledge about those freedoms, but a new Christian may have not. This passage is about meat sacrificed to idols. Because there really are no other Gods, a Christian may understand that there is no harm in eating that meat, but a new Christian, especially one who was influenced by the idol or god the meat was sacrificed to, would feel like eating that meat was a sin. So, the long time Christian should not eat this meat when they are with the new Christian. I think drinking alcohol may fall into this category. Can you think of other freedoms we may need to give up for the sake of a weaker brother?

Lord, thank you for our freedoms in Christ. Please help us to limit ourselves in those freedoms if it will cause someone else to stumble, Amen,

1 Corinthians 7:4 - Equal rights for women?

The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife.

In a passage about marriage, this verse stood out to me. I am sure this was radical thinking in the culture in which this was written. We often hear about the "wives submit to your husbands" verses, but here Paul is telling both partners to submit and give authority to their spouse.

Lord, thank you for giving us marriages. Please make our marriages strong. Amen.

I Corinthians 6:19-20 - My sin and the Holy Spirit

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

I have heard this verse so many times. In context it is speaking of sexual immorality, but it can be applied to so many things. What am I exposing the Holy Spirit to? Alcohol? Junk food? Junk television? As a Christian, remember the spirit of God is in us all the time,

Lord, thank you for taking up residence in this weak vessel. Please forgive me of all the sins I drag you into and help me to sin less frequently. Amen.

1 Corinthians 6:7 - Right vs. rights

The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?

In this passage, the Corinthian church had been having disagreements to the point of lawsuits amongst believers. Paul tells them to have their arguments settled within the church. But even better would be to not have the disagreements. It is better to live in harmony and simply not cheat or do wrong. And on the occasions when we are wronged or cheated, it is better to be "unoffendable" and not demand our rights.

Lord, thank you for this gift of wisdom from your word. Please help us to live "unoffendable," peaceful lives. Amen.

1 Corinthians 5:9-10 - Tolerance

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.

In this passage, Paul is telling the Corinthian church not to associate with someone who claims to be a brother or sister in Christ, but does not attempt to live like a Christian. In verse 12 Paul says, "What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church."

Lord, please help us to be tolerant of those outside the church, showing only love and kindness, not judgement. Amen.

1 Corinthians 4:19 - The boss is comming

But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have.

Today is a big day at work. The bosses are coming. Leaders from our corporate office are coming in for a "Town Hall" meeting. They come once a year and everyone scurries around making everything as perfect as possible. It is a good thing. It keeps us on our toes and helps us to get around to things we have been needing to get done. In this verse Paul is telling the Corinthian church that he plans to come and see for himself all the problems this church has been having. With his eminent arrival, Paul hopes to instil in them a sense of urgency to correct the problems. Every day we should have this sense of urgency regarding the return of Jesus. The time is now to turn to God and give our lives to him, to live our lives by the example given to us by Christ. He could come at any time.

Lord, thank you for putting the right verse in front of me for today. Please help us to always live with the sense of urgency of meeting you. Amen.

1 Corinthians 4:1 - Christian Leaders

This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.

What makes a good leader? 1 Corinthians chapters three and four are about leaders in the church. These leaders were apparently gaining status and wealth based on who had taught them about Christ. They were focused on reigning and judging. Paul tells these leaders being a leader really means being a servant.

Lord, thank you for making it clear the role of a church leader. Please help us to look for these kinds of people to put in leadership positions. Amen.

Romans 3:23 - Loving a struggling sinner

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

When someone close to us is struggling with sin what do we do? Well, first we pray. We ask God to fix the situation. But then what do we do? How do we cope? What do we say to them? Lectures and judgement probably won't do much to help. God shows "kindness, forbearance and patience" (2:4). To help us in our frustration and to help them, we can remind them and ourselves of the above verse. I am a sinner, you are a sinner. We are all equal at the foot of the cross.

Lord, thank you for loving us even though we have all sinned. Please help us to offer kindness, forbearance and patience, just as you do. Amen.

1 Corinthians 3:6 - Co-workers

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

Verse 9 in this passage calls us "Co-workers in God's service." Whether as Christians or at our places of work, working together is important. We each have a role and each of us is vital. The "pay" may not be the same, in verse 8, "they will each be rewarded according to their own labor." But less pay doesn't mean the role is any less essential, it may just require a different specialized skill set or carry a different level of responsibility. No matter what our "position", we are an integral part of a team,

Lord, thank you for our jobs as employees and as Christians. Please help us to be good co-workers. Amen.

1 Corinthians 2:15 - Human judgements

The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,

As a person with the Spirit, I am not subject to merely human judgements. I needed to hear this today.

Lord, Thank you for giving me the just the right verse when I need it.  Amen.

1 Corinthians 2:11 - What is the Holy Spirit?

For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

The context of this passage is the wisdom of God and that we receive his wisdom through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can be a difficult concept to understand, confused even more by the King James Version of the bible referring to it as the Holy Ghost. I suppose it seems a bit supernatural, but no more supernatural than God. This passage is a great explanation. Just like you and I have a spirit (our inner thoughts, the spark of the divine which sets us apart from the animals, the "I think, therefore I am" idea), God has a spirit too. This is the spirit which he shares with us and gives as a gift to us when we are baptized. This is God living in us.

Lord, thank you for sharing your Spirit with us. Please help us to rely on your Spirit rather than our own wisdom. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:27 - Weak and foolish

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

God wants us to rely on him. Good uses the weak and the foolish because the glory belongs to him, it is his power and wisdom. Our righteousness, holiness and redemption is not to our credit, We have nothing to boast about except the Lord.

Lord, thank you for choosing us. Please help us to remember all the glory is due to you for our salvation. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:18 - Faith

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

The other day my husband and I went and saw a movie called "Gifted" about a child who was genius. She excelled in math, but was a generally deep thinker as well. She asked her uncle about Jesus and he said he didn't know if it was true. A family friend had told her she knew it was true and the girl asked her uncle about this. He said she can't know it, but she had faith. I thought that was a good answer. This story of God and the good news of Jesus may seem like foolishness, but those of us who believe have faith in what we can not know.

Lord, thank you for giving me the gift of faith. Please help others to come to faith as well. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:10 - Church unity

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

After studying in the Psalms for so long, it is interesting to be studying something so practical. This book is dealing with specific situations and problems, not general ideas. In this passage a church is struggling with divisions. As a body of Christ, we have to be able to get along. All are equal at the foot of the cross. If we can not demonstrate unity in the church, then how can we expect anyone outside of Christ to be drawn in.

Lord, thank you for practical wisdom. Please help our churches to be perfectly united in mind and thought. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:3 - A blessing

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A blessing for you this morning as I begin 1 Corinthians.

Lord, Thank you for new beginnings. Please bless this study. Amen.

Psalm 90:14 - Morning

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
     that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning. Let's face it, I have a hard time getting out of the bed most mornings. It is my least favorite time of the day.

Lord, thank you for the gift of the morning, for the gift of another day. Please help me to appreciate the morning and what it brings. Amen.

Romans 2:1 - Passing judgement

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

In general I think of myself as a tolerant person. I accept people where they are, regardless of their life choices and I hope they will accept my choices as well. But the ridiculous thing is that as grand as my ideas are, it's the little things that trip me up. I get angry at my husband for being careless. I get frustrated with co-workers who don't do something exactly as I would do it. And there is more...but you get the idea.

Lord, thank you for speaking the truth to us. Please help us to not be judgemental. Amen,

Psalm 150:6 - Praise the Lord

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.

The perfect verse to end a study of Psalms: the last verse of the last chapter. It has been a phenomenal study which has taken me six months longer than I anticipated, Maybe on to Romans next, I am studying this with my sisters, so I may incorporate it here.

Just FYI, I had lots of pageview of yesterday's praise dancing post. Praise dancing and lots of instruments are also noted in this chapter.

Lord, thank you for the Psalms. Please help us to praise you, glorify you, and rely on you. Amen.

Psalm 149:3 - Praise dancing

Let them praise his name with dancing
     and make music to him with timbrel and harp.

I have a friend for whom praise dancing is a regular part of their worship services. I have lots of friends for whom instruments are a regular part of their worship services. I think this verse indicates God is ok with it. I am part of a fellowship who choses not to praise dance or use musical instruments in our worship service. I think God is ok with that too. I think God is concerned with our hearts. As long as we are bringing glory to God (and not ourselves) with our acts of worship, I think God is pleased.

Lord, thank you for allowing us to worship you in different ways. Please help us to keep the focus on you and your glory. Amen.

Psalm 148:13 - Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
     for his name alone is exalted;
     his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

Psalm 148 is very recognizable as it is the text on which the song "Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah" is based. It is a beautiful psalm of praise!

Lord, thank you for the gift of the Psalms, songs the ancient Israelites sang to you. Thank you for inspiring songs to be lifted from these texts for us to sing today. Amen.



https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/page/114

Psalm 147:10-11 - What makes God happy?

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
     nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
the Lord delights in those who fear him,
     who put their hope in his unfailing love.

In the first two lines, In my head I modernize this verse to this: His pleasure is not in cars or athletes. Humans are drawn to strength and victory. We love to drool over new cars and cheer on sports teams. But God is not impressed by these things. This is not where he finds "delight". He finds happiness in us, in those who fear him, love him and put their hope in him.

Lord, thank you for delighting in us. Please help us to always fear you and put our hope in your unfailing love. Amen.

Genesis 2:18 - Eve

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

I am working on a lesson for our ladies class about a woman of the Bible. I chose the most obvious one...Eve.  The first woman. The first wife. The first mother. The first grandmother. Part of the first family (the first dysfunctional family). The first sinner. The first to loose a child. The verse above is the first reference to Eve.

Lord, thank you for giving us the story of creation and humankind. Please help us to learn from this story about ourselves and about you. Amen.

Psalm 146:7-8 - Prophecy or similarity?

He upholds the cause of the oppressed
     and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
     the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
     the Lord loves the righteous.

These verses of Psalm 146 were very familiar. Similar verses are in Isaiah 61:1-2, which are quoted by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19. Scholars say similarities like this are actually prophecy of the coming of the messiah. I am not sure if I agree with that or not, but for this same idea to be in the scriptures three times, God must want us to take notice.

Lord, thank you for being the champion of the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner and the blind, whether physically or metaphorically in need. Please help us to understand we are this person in need of a savior. Amen.

Psalm 145:15-16 - Satisfaction

The eyes of all look to you,
     and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand
     and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Because of my food issues, I am always looking for verses which speak to that issue. Amid the praise offered in Psalm 145 these verses stood out to me. I feel like my food issues stem from dissatisfaction. I am always looking for something to satisfy me. I know it is God, but I keep looking for other things to satisfy. This is also the reason I regularly start new projects and quickly loose interest. All I really need is God. He will give me food at the proper time and satisfy my desires.

Lord, thank you for reassuring us that you will satisfy our desires. Please help us to rely on you alone. Amen.

Psalm 145-150 - Praisefest

I am closing in on the end of the Psalms.When I started this book last year, I thought I would be done in November of 2016. Ha! I was not prepared for the longer books which held too much good to skip through in a day, especially Psalm 119 which took 22 log entries. This morning as I read Psalm 145, it was all beautiful praise. I thought I might just copy the whole chapter down. Then I glanced at the next couple of psalms and realized I was going to have this problem through the end of the book because they are all beautiful psalms of praise. If I am ever having trouble coming up with new words of praise, I know where to look!

Lord, thank you for the Psalms. Thank you preserving these beautiful words generation after generation. Please help us to use these words to bring you even more praise. Amen.

Psalm 144:2a - Stronghold

He is my loving God and my fortress,
     my stronghold and my deliverer,

In the past few years the word stronghold has come to mean something negative to me. It is a thing which has dug into my life and I struggle to release it. This passage calls God our stronghold. Here is a definition of stronghold from the Mirriam-Webster online dictionary:

Definition of stronghold

1. 1:  a fortified place
2. 2a :  a place of security or survivalone of the last strongholds of the ancient Gaelic language — George Holmesb :  a place dominated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic a Republican strongholdstrongholds of snobbery — Lionel Trilling

I guess a stronghold itself is not a good or bad thing. Where is our stronghold? In God or in things of the world?

Lord, thank you for being our true stronghold. Help me to reject other strongholds and find my security, fortification and survival only in you. Amen. 

Psalm 143:8 - Morning

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
     for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
     for to you I entrust my life.

Because I sit down to study in the morning, I am always drawn to the passages about morning. This is a beautiful verse and encapsulates a perfect morning prayer.

Lord,
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
     for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
     for to you I entrust my life.
Amen,

Psalm 142:2 - Complaining

I pour out before him my complaint;
     before him I tell my trouble.

No one likes to hear us complain. We can wear our friends and family out with complaining. But, there is one we can go to who does not tire of our complaints: God. God will listen to us for as long as we talk, God loves us and as a baptized believer, his spirit lives in us and is always ready to listen.

Lord, thank you for always listening to our complaints. Please help us to fully trust you and give our concerns over to you. Amen.

Psalm 141:3 - A prayer for obedient eating

Set a guard over my mouth, Lord;
     keep watch over the door of my lips.

I recently heard the phrase "obedient eating." This is much better than the word "diet." As a person with a stronghold of overeating, I am always looking for scriptures to help me in my struggle, The verse after this requests, "Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil," and "do not let me eat their (evildoers) delicacies."

Lord, thank you for giving us scriptures which apply to our situation. Please set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Amen.

Psalm 140:1 - Blessed with non-violence

Rescue me, Lord, from evildoers;
     protect me from the violent,

As I read many of the psalms, especially 140, I am reminded how blessed I am that I do not live in fear each day. I live in a safe neighborhood, in a safe city, in a safe country. I know there are acts of violence out there, I see them on the news. But my life is so peaceful and protected. It is a blessing I had not really thought about before.

Lord, thank you for the peace and safety I enjoy. Please help me to remember what a blessing it is and please help those who are faced with violence and evildoers every day. Amen.

Psalm 139:21-22 - Hatred?

Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
     and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
     I count them my enemies.

Really David? (This Psalm was written by David.) Hatred? What happened to Love God, Love People? What happened to being unoffendable and merciful? Most of the time I have some words of truth, but today I just have questions. This may be a old testament vs. new testament issue. After all. in the old testament, God asked his people to kill entire nations. But when Christ came a new law was revealed, putting to death the old law of sin and death. Christ is the one who said."Love your enemies." (Matthew 5:43-48),

God, thank you for sending Christ to offer us salvation and a new law. Please help us to love everyone, even our enemies and those we do not agree with. Amen.

Psalm 139:13 - Creation

For you created my inmost being;
     you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Have you ever thought about that when God created the earth, he didn't stop creating. He is creating new people every day. He hand crafted each of us in our mother's womb.

Lord, thank you  for creating us, for caring so much about each and everyone of us that you knit us together. Help us to honor you and give you the glory for your creation. Amen.

Psalm 139:9-10 - Change

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
     if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
     your right hand will hold me fast.

No matter what we are facing in life, God will be there with us. If I am waking up before I normally do, that usually means something big is happening. I may be going on vacation or starting a new job. Making a move and settling far away is a big change for anyone. God is with us and guiding us at all times.

God, thank you for being with us in all circumstances. Please help us to trust you. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 - Plunder

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

I've had an epiphany, and aha moment. God has been bringing me to this point for several months and the last few days have made it clear. I tried to share this with a ladies class last night and I think I realized that aha moments may be difficult to translate to others who have not been walking your journey, but here it goes. The process of seeking healing may even be more important than actually receiving healing. We all have one or many strongholds, right now my stronghold of focus is food issues. My sisters and I have been reading the book Breaking Free by Beth Moore. At the end of the book she states that our motivation may have been to find deliverance, but hopefully we will find more of the deliverer. She also talks about the idea of plunder and that when the Israelites left the slavery of Egypt, the Egyptians gave the gold. God gives us more than what we've asked for. In fact, God can even give us plunder if he does not give us healing right away or ever. Perseverance in study and prayer gives us a closer connection and relationship with God. Dealing with our stronghold will help us to have mercy on others who are dealing with their stronghold. And if we do receive healing, that's just the icing on the cake and gives more plunder because now we have an amazing story of healing to share with others.

Lord, thank you for plunder. Thank you for the things you do that go above and beyond what we ask for. Please help us to persevere in our struggle against our stronghold. Amen.

Proverbs 11:12 - Unoffendable and merciful

Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,
     but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.

Be unoffendable and merciful because I am a sinner. This is a lesson God has been working on teaching on me. And last night I blew it. I said something mean to my next door neighbor. I suppose I thought I had "righteous indignation", but truly, there is never a reason to be mean. Just this weekend I heard a speaker talk about this very subject. Most people know their sin and already feel guilty about it. Pointing it out to them does not help. Even if they don't recognize their problem, me being mean to them about it isn't going to help the situation at all. How likely are they to make any changes because I was mean?

Lord, thank you for offering me unlimited mercy, Please forgive me for deriding my neighbor. Amen.

Psalm 139:1 - God knows me

You have searched me, Lord,
     and you know me.

God, the one who knows everything, knows me. He sees the big picture, but he also sees my little picture. He knows how I feel and what I think(v2). He know what I am going to say before I say it (v4). God, master of the universe, cares about me.

Lord, thank you for caring about each one of us individually in the midst of this whole world. Please help us to remember, we are not alone and in your eyes, we are significant. Amen.

Psalm 138:3-Boldness

When I called, you answered me;
     you greatly emboldened me.

Our experiences with God strengthen our boldness in him. The more we see him working in our lives, the more we want to share this with others.

Lord, thank you for every time you answer us, when we can see you working in our lives, whether it was exactly what we asked for or not, whether your answer was yes, no or not now. Please help us to see your work in our lives, so that we will be greatly emboldened and share you with others. Amen.

Psalm 46:10a - Quiet

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

Sometimes the best way to communicate with God is to just be quiet.

Lord, Thank you for being GOD. Please help us to be still and quiet. Amen

Psalm 66:18 & John 8:47 - Failure to communicate

The other day during a conference, a single friend of mine was pleasantly surprised to be seated next to a very handsome man. They flirted casually through dinner, then grew restless as the speeches were given. During one particularly long-winded lecture, the guy sitting nest to my friend drew a # sign on a cocktail napkin. Elated, she wrote down her phone number. He looked startled for a moment, then drew another # sign, this time adding an X to the upper-left-hand corner.

Sometimes we have a failure to communicate.

Psalm 66:18

If I had cherished sin in my heart,

      the Lord would not have listened;

John 8:47

Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Listening and hearing are the lock and key of communication. How do we know God is listening? Can I hear God when he is speaking to me? According to these scriptures, if there is sin in our heart, God will not listen and if we are not hearing him, we need to examine if we actually belong to God. Have we given his life to him? How about you? Do you belong to God? Have you repented and been baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and to receive the holy spirit? If not, please do so today.

Lord, thank you for offering us salvation, listening to us and allowing us to hear you. Please help those who have not decided to be your child to do so today. Amen.

  

Psalm 5:3 - Daily study and prayer

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
     in the morning I lay my requests before you
     and wait expectantly.

I think daily bible study and prayer is one of the most important ways we communicate with God. I love to study every morning, but my favorite part of study is sharing what I have studied, that's why I blog almost every morning and share it on Facebook.

Computers, tablets and phones can really help us achieve a goal of daily study and prayer. Sometimes there is a little disconnect when we text others though.
The other day my mom texted me: Your great-aunt just passed away. LOL.
I texted back: Why is that funny?
Mom: It’s not funny, Crystal! What do you mean?
Me: Mom, LOL means Laughing Out Loud.
Mom: I thought it meant Lots of Love. I have to call everyone back.

Lord, thank you for opportunities to communicate with you every day. Please help us to stay in contact with you often. Amen.

John 16:23b-24 - Specific communication in Jesus name

Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

When we are communicating with God and we have needs for ourselves and others, there are some guidelines we are given. First we need to be specific in our prayers. The other day our preacher saw Bubba and asked, “What’s wrong, Bubba?” Bubba said, “I need you to pray for my hearing.”  The preacher put his hands on Bubba’s ears and prayed. When he was done, he asked, “So how’s your hearing?”  “I don’t know,” said Bubba. “It isn’t until next Tuesday.”

Well, I guess the idea here is that we need to carefully communicate our needs to the Lord. When we do, we can more clearly see what his answer is. As this scripture states, we must ask in the name of Jesus Christ. According to John 14:13, when we do this, God is glorified.

Lord, thank you for giving us the opportunity to come to you with requests. Please help us to ask in Jesus name so that you may be glorified, Amen.

Joshua 1:8 - Time for God

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

How much time do you spend with God? How many hours of the week are you focused in study, worship and prayer. How much time to we spend connecting with God? In a week there are about 112 waking hours for most people. In your head break up the hours in your week. I figured I spend about 10% of my time connecting with God. I guess if you think about it like tithing, that's OK, but that means 90% of my time is focused on things of the world.

Lord, thank you for always being there to listen to our prayer or worship and to help us with our study of you and your word. Please help us to spend even more time connecting with you. Amen.

Psalm 137:3 - A sad story

for there our captors asked us for songs,
     our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
     they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

Psalm 137 is a sad story. Apparently the Israelites had fallen to the Edomites and they were asked to sing their songs of worship as entertainment for their captors. They asked to loose their skill of playing the harp and singing if they did not remember Jerusalem. How painful to have something meant for God to be twisted and misused.

Lord, Thank you for hearing us all the time, especially in our pain. Please help us to trust you no matter what. Amen.

Psalm 136:1 - His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
                                                His love endures forever.

I have been waiting for this chapter. I am not sure how I haven't known this for most of my life, but the other day I heard something in a sermon or lesson about Psalm 136. All 26 verses in this chapter begin with something about God or tells something God has done and ends with the phrase, "His love endures forever." Many of these words from Psalm 136 are also featured in the song "Forever" written by Chris Tomlin.

Lord, Thank you for all you are and do. Your love endures forever. Amen.

Matthew 16:24-25 - Will you still love him?

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

Do you believe God can turn any situation? Will you still love him if he doesn’t?

In preparing for another ladies class discussion, this phrase really impacted me. We are called to believe, but we are called to believe beyond getting our way. Our lesson is on Mary and Martha, but not the story of the sisters having Jesus in their home. This lesson focuses on when their brother, Jesus' friend, Lazarus dies. They expect Jesus to drop everything and come to their rescue, but he doesn't. They both eventually come to show Jesus they love him and he is their messiah, even though Lazarus is dead. That's not the end of the story, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, but Mary and Martha would have loved him even if he hadn't.

Lord, We love you and believe in you, even when you don't do what we ask. Please help us to trust in you always. Amen.

Psalm 135:7 - God is in control

He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
     he sends lightning with the rain
     and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

This is such a beautiful passage. In this season of stormy spring weather, I am reminded that God is in control. He makes it, sends it and brings it.

Lord, thank you for the ferocious beauty of nature which you have created. Please help us to trust in you through all the storms of life. Amen.

Psalm 1:3 - Daily supply (Rerun)

This is an old post I am reposting because I have been having trouble getting into the word and making posts on a regular basis.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
     which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—
     whatever they do prospers.

"That person" refers to (v. 2) the one who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his laws day and night. In order to produce fruit and remain alive in Christ, we must receive a regular, daily supply of his word. The blessings of God are available, we just have to reach out and take them.

Lord, thank you for your word. Please help us to study it daily. Amen.

Acts 18:1-3 - Priscilla

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,  and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.

Tonight I am leading the discussion at our ladies bible class on Priscilla. The thing that struck me the most about this lesson is how ordinary she was. A simple, hardworking woman who, with her husband, finds a great friend in Paul while sharing in his ministry.

Lord, thank you for giving each of us a special role in the kingdom. Please help us to be open to what ever role you place us in. Amen.

Psalm 134:1-2 - Lift up your hands

Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord
     who minister by night in the house of the Lord.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
     and praise the Lord.

These scriptures stood out to me for two reasons, First, I thought it was interesting that there were people who ministered by night in the temple. I guess someone needed to keep watch, keep the candles burning and maybe more. It's good to recognize the work of those behind the scenes. Secondly, this Psalm suggests they lift up their hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. The people who I worship with are a pretty conservative group, so there is not much lifting of hands. If I had just posted verse 2, it would have supported this practice (it really doesn't bother me one way or the other), but I thought it needed to be shared in context as something that was done in the temple, but at night when no one else was around.

Lord, We love you so much and want to praise you in all the ways pleasing to you. Please help us to fully worship you, in a group or alone. Amen.

Psalm 133:1 - Unity

How good and pleasant it is
     when God’s people live together in unity!

When God's people, which might be a church family or the general idea of Christians, do not get along, not only does it displease God, it makes us loose our effectiveness as a group. Why would non-Christians want to be a part of a group of people who fight and quarrel among themselves? It represents the very opposite of what we stand for; Love God, Love People.

Lord, Thank you for giving us a church family. Please help us to get along and live together in unity. Amen.

Psalm 132:11a - Promises

The Lord swore an oath to David,
     a sure oath he will not revoke:

Psalm 132 is about a promise David made to God and a promise God made in return, This is something I am going to have to study on more, I believe God has made us many promises in the bible, but I'm not sure about promises beyond that. Have you ever felt like God asked you to do something specific with a promise of something if you complete your task?

Lord, thank you for being so faithful. Please help us to understand you and your will. Amen.

Psalm 131:1b-2a - Calm

I do not concern myself with great matters
     or things too wonderful for me.
But I have calmed and quieted myself,

At points in our lives we are very passionate about a great many topics and ideas, but there are also times of calmness and quiet introspection. If we are seeking God first, we will find a balance.

Lord, thank you for the times of calmness. Please help us to always make you our greatest concern, Amen,

Psalm 130:3-4 - Forgiveness

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,

     Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness,

     so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

I am a sinner. Since you are human, you probably are too. As a follower of God, we can receive forgiveness and those sins do not keep us from him. 

Lord, thank you for forgiving us of our sins. Please help us to go and sin no more. Amen.

Psalm 129:4 - Freedom

But the Lord is righteous;
     he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.”

I have often compared the enemies spoken of in Psalms to sin and the strongholds in our life. When we pray for release from a stronghold, I think we can expect release. It may not happen right away, and it may be a painful process, but the Lord is righteous, he will release us.

Lord, thank you for releasing us from strongholds of sin. Please help us to not allow the cords to be re-tied. Amen.

Psalm 128 - A blessing

1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
    who walk in obedience to him.
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;
    blessings and prosperity will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
    around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing
    for the man who fears the Lord.

5 May the Lord bless you from Zion;
    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
    all the days of your life.
6 May you live to see your children’s children—
    peace be on Israel.

Lord, thank you for blessing us every day. Please help us to obey you. Amen.

Psalm 127:5 - A blessing for sports?

Blessed is the man
     whose quiver is full of them (children).
They will not be put to shame
     when they contend with their opponents in court.

When I read this passage, I had to laugh. I immediately thought of a Sports Dad watching his son play basketball on the court. I'm not sure that is what it means, but children, as difficult as they can be to raise, are indeed a blessing from the Lord.

Lord, thank you for children, whether they be sons or daughters, nieces or nephews, part of our blood family or part of our Christian family. Please help us to give you the glory for these blessings. Amen.

Psalm 126:6 - Joy after sorrow

Those who go out weeping,

     carrying seed to sow,

will return with songs of joy,

     carrying sheaves with them.

God gives us hope. So many painful things happen, but God restores our joy.

Lord, thank you for your restoration, bringing beauty from ashes, joy from weeping. Please help us to rely on you in our times of suffering and focus on the hope we have in you. Amen.

Psalm 125:2 - His people

As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
     so the Lord surrounds his people
     both now and forevermore.

In the days of the Israelites, God's people were a nation. When Jesus came and brought Christianity, the idea of "his people" became much wider and open to all humanity. We now have the privilege of being surrounded by the Lord. We as individual Christians, local congregations and as a worldwide church are under the protection of God.

Lord, thank you for surrounding us. Please help us to remain in you to receive your protecting arms around us. Amen.

Psalm 124:8 - Victory

Our help is in the name of the Lord,
     the Maker of heaven and earth.

This Psalm, written by David, starts out by saying if the Lord had not been with us we would have been defeated. One line states, "We have escaped like a bird from the fowler's snare." David knew about battle. He knew when his army was out numbered and should have lost. He knew when God was responsible for the victory.

Lord, thank you for the help you provide. Please help us know who is responsible for our victories and give you the honor and glory. Amen.

Psalm 123:1 - Visualization

I lift up my eyes to you,
     to you who sit enthroned in heaven.

We are what we see. Visualization can be an important part of achieving a goal,  Seeing success will help your mind to adjust to this reality even before you get there. Keeping our eyes fixed on God will help us on each step of our path towards a closer relationship with him.

Lord, thank you for being such a holy God, so worthy of praise. Please help us to keep our eyes lifted to you. Amen.

Psalm 122:1 - Jerusalem

I rejoiced with those who said to me,
     “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

This Psalm is all about Jerusalem, I've talked a lot about the difference between the old and new testaments, which is basically the difference between Judaism and Christianity.  For the Jews, Jerusalem was a holy city. That is where the temple was built and was the only true place of worship. Later synagogues came about which were a local place of worship. Many things in Judaism are foreshadowing of things to come. As Christians, we do not have a holy city on earth. Our Jerusalem is heaven. This is the city we long to go to, the house of the Lord.

Lord, thank you for your holy city. Please let us long to be with you in heaven and sing of it's glory. Amen.

Psalm 121:7 - Safety

The Lord will keep you from all harm—
     he will watch over your life;

We all want to feel safe. Yesterday I was out for a walk and three little girls were out running around, following a puppy. The puppy had on a new harness, so it appeared this was a new member of their family. The little girls were trying to pick up the puppy but when they did the puppy would just squeal and try to escape their grasp. The puppy came running toward me and I bent down and scooped it up. I held it firmly and the puppy was quiet. I told the little girls, "Hold the puppy under her belly, next to your body so she feels safe." That is what we all want, we want to feel safe. As much as we want freedom, we also long for safety and security. When we give our lives to God, along with salvation and so much more, we also receive safety and security.

Lord, thank you for safety and security. Please help us to rest in your arms. Amen.

Psalm 120:6-7 - Imagine

Too long have I lived

     among those who hate peace.

I am for peace;

     but when I speak, they are for war.

Many times in the last few days the idea of peace and equality for all has come up. I believe in respecting the differences and life choices of others, because I want them to respect my differences and my life choice of being a Christian. I am for peace. 

Someone suggested this video to me, Penetonix - Imagine

Also I am involved a project dealing with the same subject: Momochrome

Lord, thank you for loving everyone. Please help us to love everyone too, Amen. 

Psalm 119:176 - Find me, God

I have strayed like a lost sheep.
     Seek your servant,
     for I have not forgotten your commands.

I love this! Hundreds of years before the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7) this sentiment is made. We all stray. We all sin and loose our way. How wonderful that we don't have to find our way back on our own. We can ask God to seek us, he will not only show us the way, but to pick us up and carry us back to the fold.

Lord, you are so wonderful and loving. Thank you for seeking us. Please help us to call out to you when we have lost our way. Amen.