THE OLD TESTAMENT NAMES FOR GOD:
ELOHIM......Genesis 1:1, Psalm 19:1
meaning "God", a reference to God's power and might.
ADONAI......Malachi 1:6
meaning "Lord", a reference to the Lordship of God.
JEHOVAH--YAHWEH.....Genesis 2:4
a reference to God's divine salvation.
JEHOVAH-MACCADDESHEM.......Exodus 31:13
meaning "The Lord thy sanctifier"
JEHOVAH-ROHI......Psalm 23:1
meaning "The Lord my shepherd"
JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH.......Ezekiel 48:35
meaning "The Lord who is present"
JEHOVAH-RAPHA.........Exodus 15:26
meaning "The Lord our healer"
JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU......Jeremiah 23:6
meaning "The Lord our righteousness"
JEHOVAH-JIREH.........Genesis 22:13-14
meaning "The Lord will provide"
JEHOVAH-NISSI.........Exodus 17:15
meaning "The Lord our banner"
JEHOVAH-SHALOM........Judges 6:24
meaning "The Lord is peace"
JEHOVAH-SABBAOTH......Isaiah 6:1-3
meaning "The Lord of Hosts"
EL-ELYON..............Genesis 14:17-20,Isaiah 14:13-14
meaning "The most high God"
EL-ROI................Genesis 16:13
meaning "The strong one who sees"
EL-SHADDAI............Genesis 17:1,Psalm 91:1
meaning "The God of the mountains or God Almighty"
EL-OLAM...............Isaiah 40:28-31
meaning "The everlasting God"
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Paths
This is a picture of the path I've been walking each morning to get back home after watching the sunrise with God. After my precious hour with Him, I look at that path and think how beautiful it looks to me. I walk away from my "spot in the woods" with my Father inspired and energized. I am reminded that I want Him to guide my path, always. I only want to walk down the road where He leads me. I reflect on the path I tried going down for years and years and how it always ended at one dead-end after another. It was a destructive way of life and I thank God daily that he spared me from so many terrible consequences! But finally, when God put a MAJOR roadblock in that old path and I realized the road I was on would never bring me to the destination I had always dreamed of, I made the best decision of my life and turned the other direction, the right direction and began following Jesus Christ, committing to pursue His purpose for my life. Of course I mess up up along the way, we all do. I am so thankful for His mercy which is new each day. As sure as the sun rises, He promises new mercy and new grace for us every day.
I am so thankful for the "wide path He has made for my feet to keep them from slipping (all the way off)." (2 Samual 22:37) I am thankful that His commands He places on me are not too heavy for His burden is light! He is the light for my path! When I stray away from His commands in disobedience, that is when I feel lost and alone. But thank the Lord, He is our own personal spiritual "GPS system". He will gently call us out and convict us when we begin to go down a wrong path. He loves us that much!
He is our Father, our Creator and He knows which path is best for us. He does not desire for us to stumble and fall, but to fall right into His arms where He will love us, take care of us and turn us facing the right direction, if only we will submit to His authority over our lives. I pray we will have the courage to trust Him, believe and receive His love!
"Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found." (Psalm 119:35)
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do and He will direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
"Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong." (Hebrews 12:13)
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Prayerful lives are powerful lives
Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message)
"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."
"What victory the enemy has in winning us over to prayerlessness! He would rather we do anything than pray. He'd rather see us serve ourselves into the ground, because he knows we'll eventually grow resentful without prayer. He'd rather see us study the Bible into the wee hours of the morning, because he knows we'll never have deep understanding and power to live what we've learned without prayer. He knows prayerless lives are powerless lives, while prayerful lives are powerful lives!"
"Our strongest motivation will be the Person with Whom we walk. Staying so close to Him through constant communication, we receive a continual supply of strength to walk victoriously - in peace even as we walk through a war zone."
- Beth Moore, Breaking Free
"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."
"What victory the enemy has in winning us over to prayerlessness! He would rather we do anything than pray. He'd rather see us serve ourselves into the ground, because he knows we'll eventually grow resentful without prayer. He'd rather see us study the Bible into the wee hours of the morning, because he knows we'll never have deep understanding and power to live what we've learned without prayer. He knows prayerless lives are powerless lives, while prayerful lives are powerful lives!"
"Our strongest motivation will be the Person with Whom we walk. Staying so close to Him through constant communication, we receive a continual supply of strength to walk victoriously - in peace even as we walk through a war zone."
- Beth Moore, Breaking Free
Saturday, May 23, 2009
In your strength I can crush an army!
2 Samuel 22
David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. 2 He sang:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
3 my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.
4 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.
5 “The waves of death overwhelmed me;
floods of destruction swept over me.
6 The grave[a] wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.
7 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.
8 “Then the earth quaked and trembled.
The foundations of the heavens shook;
they quaked because of his anger.
9 Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth.
Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
10 He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
11 Mounted on a mighty angelic being,[b] he flew,
soaring[c] on the wings of the wind.
12 He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.
13 A great brightness shone around him,
and burning coals[d] blazed forth.
14 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He shot arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were confused.
16 Then at the command of the Lord,
at the blast of his breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
17 “He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
19 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
but the Lord supported me.
20 He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.
21 The Lord rewarded me for doing right;
he restored me because of my innocence.
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
23 I have followed all his regulations;
I have never abandoned his decrees.
24 I am blameless before God;
I have kept myself from sin.
25 The Lord rewarded me for doing right.
He has seen my innocence.
26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
to those with integrity you show integrity.
27 To the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.
28 You rescue the humble,
but your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them.
29 O Lord, you are my lamp.
The Lord lights up my darkness.
30 In your strength I can crush an army;
with my God I can scale any wall.
31 “God’s way is perfect.
All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
32 For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
33 God is my strong fortress,
and he makes my way perfect.
34 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
35 He trains my hands for battle;
he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
36 You have given me your shield of victory;
your help[e] has made me great.
37 You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.
38 “I chased my enemies and destroyed them;
I did not stop until they were conquered.
39 I consumed them;
I struck them down so they did not get up;
they fell beneath my feet.
40 You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
41 You placed my foot on their necks.
I have destroyed all who hated me.
42 They looked for help, but no one came to their rescue.
They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.
43 I ground them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I trampled them[f] in the gutter like dirt.
44 “You gave me victory over my accusers.
You preserved me as the ruler over nations;
people I don’t even know now serve me.
45 Foreign nations cringe before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they submit.
46 They all lose their courage
and come trembling[g] from their strongholds.
47 “The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
May God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted!
48 He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
he brings down the nations under me
49 and delivers me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
you save me from violent opponents.
50 For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
51 You give great victories to your king;
you show unfailing love to your anointed,
to David and all his descendants forever.”
David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. 2 He sang:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
3 my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.
4 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.
5 “The waves of death overwhelmed me;
floods of destruction swept over me.
6 The grave[a] wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.
7 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.
8 “Then the earth quaked and trembled.
The foundations of the heavens shook;
they quaked because of his anger.
9 Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth.
Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
10 He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
11 Mounted on a mighty angelic being,[b] he flew,
soaring[c] on the wings of the wind.
12 He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.
13 A great brightness shone around him,
and burning coals[d] blazed forth.
14 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He shot arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were confused.
16 Then at the command of the Lord,
at the blast of his breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
17 “He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
19 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
but the Lord supported me.
20 He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.
21 The Lord rewarded me for doing right;
he restored me because of my innocence.
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
23 I have followed all his regulations;
I have never abandoned his decrees.
24 I am blameless before God;
I have kept myself from sin.
25 The Lord rewarded me for doing right.
He has seen my innocence.
26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
to those with integrity you show integrity.
27 To the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.
28 You rescue the humble,
but your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them.
29 O Lord, you are my lamp.
The Lord lights up my darkness.
30 In your strength I can crush an army;
with my God I can scale any wall.
31 “God’s way is perfect.
All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
32 For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
33 God is my strong fortress,
and he makes my way perfect.
34 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
35 He trains my hands for battle;
he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
36 You have given me your shield of victory;
your help[e] has made me great.
37 You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.
38 “I chased my enemies and destroyed them;
I did not stop until they were conquered.
39 I consumed them;
I struck them down so they did not get up;
they fell beneath my feet.
40 You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
41 You placed my foot on their necks.
I have destroyed all who hated me.
42 They looked for help, but no one came to their rescue.
They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.
43 I ground them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I trampled them[f] in the gutter like dirt.
44 “You gave me victory over my accusers.
You preserved me as the ruler over nations;
people I don’t even know now serve me.
45 Foreign nations cringe before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they submit.
46 They all lose their courage
and come trembling[g] from their strongholds.
47 “The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
May God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted!
48 He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
he brings down the nations under me
49 and delivers me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
you save me from violent opponents.
50 For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
51 You give great victories to your king;
you show unfailing love to your anointed,
to David and all his descendants forever.”
Monday, May 18, 2009
Let God pick out our clothes
Colossians 3:12-14 (The Message)
"So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic all-purpose garment. Never be without it."
I heard a very challenging sermon on this verse over the weekend. As I examine myself, I claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ, yet can I honestly say that I "dress" the way this verse describes, every day? Just as I let my small children pick out their own clothes - their choices don't always match; I admit I'm the same way. When I try to dress myself, I don't always pick out the same clothes that God would pick for me. I settle for the worn out "comfy" outfit that I've kept putting on, time and again, all the while overlooking my closet full of beautiful clothes, especially tailored to fit me perfectly. If only I would reach out and pull them off the hanger and put them on.
I can't attain these "great outfits" on my own because my flesh gets in the way. That is why I must allow God to pick out my clothing of compassion, kindness, humility and most importantly love! It is the "basic all-purpose garment" that I can never be without. Without love, everything else serves no purpose - "like a noisy gong." (1 Corinthians 13:1)
"So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."
1 Corinthains 13:3
I thank you, God, that your word is sharper than a double-edged sword, exposing me for what I really am. It then gives me right path to take, I just have to choose to take it!
"So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic all-purpose garment. Never be without it."
I heard a very challenging sermon on this verse over the weekend. As I examine myself, I claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ, yet can I honestly say that I "dress" the way this verse describes, every day? Just as I let my small children pick out their own clothes - their choices don't always match; I admit I'm the same way. When I try to dress myself, I don't always pick out the same clothes that God would pick for me. I settle for the worn out "comfy" outfit that I've kept putting on, time and again, all the while overlooking my closet full of beautiful clothes, especially tailored to fit me perfectly. If only I would reach out and pull them off the hanger and put them on.
I can't attain these "great outfits" on my own because my flesh gets in the way. That is why I must allow God to pick out my clothing of compassion, kindness, humility and most importantly love! It is the "basic all-purpose garment" that I can never be without. Without love, everything else serves no purpose - "like a noisy gong." (1 Corinthians 13:1)
"So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."
1 Corinthains 13:3
I thank you, God, that your word is sharper than a double-edged sword, exposing me for what I really am. It then gives me right path to take, I just have to choose to take it!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The hidden treasure within
"We shatter ourselves to bear fruit. The spirituality of Jesus reaches its peak on the cross. He broke his body on the cross to produce abundant fruit of salvation for all humankind.
The life we have from God is our hidden treasure. We who have accepted Jesus have this rich treasure deep within our hearts. It's eternal life; it reveals the character and power of God. How can we make this hidden life flow into the world? When our walls of self are shattered, this life in us pours out.
But when I say the self must be tamed and broken, I'm speaking of a hardened outer self that limits the life within. When we let ourselves be shattered, we bring God's hidden life into the open.
How can we shatter the outer walls that hold the life of God in check? How can we let the life of God flow free? One way is to deny ourselves. As the Lord said, "If you want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23
- Joshua Choonmin Kang, Deep Rooted in Christ
The life we have from God is our hidden treasure. We who have accepted Jesus have this rich treasure deep within our hearts. It's eternal life; it reveals the character and power of God. How can we make this hidden life flow into the world? When our walls of self are shattered, this life in us pours out.
But when I say the self must be tamed and broken, I'm speaking of a hardened outer self that limits the life within. When we let ourselves be shattered, we bring God's hidden life into the open.
How can we shatter the outer walls that hold the life of God in check? How can we let the life of God flow free? One way is to deny ourselves. As the Lord said, "If you want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23
- Joshua Choonmin Kang, Deep Rooted in Christ
Thursday, May 7, 2009
David - a man after God's own heart!
I've been reading about David lately and it has been so wonderful. It's almost a realistic picture of truly one of God's children - the high points and the low points of David's life. The one constant is that David ALWAYS trusted God, always went back to Him, always sought God out in prayer in the "stronghold". He pleaded with God, he wrestled with God. He was truly a man after God's own heart. Oh how I'd love to be as faithful to God as David was. He worshiped God with all of his heart, people even thought he looked foolish doing it, dancing before the Lord and all, but he could have cared less. He just knew He was in love with his Father and he wanted to express that to Him. He loved His Lord!
As many victories as God provided for David, the man still screwed up, still gave into temptation, still sinned terribly, but when he did, he ran straight back into the arms of God in repentence. I believe David was so grateful to God because he knew His grace and forgiveness. He experienced it, first hand, for himself. And to think, David didn't even get to experience the grace and forgiveness of knowing Jesus Christ as his savior. Can you imagine how he would have worshiped then!?!? Wow!! I think his heart might have just exploded right out of his chest!!
God is speaking to David below, through the profit, Nathan. Note that vs. 11-14 are referring to Jesus! And this was written how many years before the birth of Christ?!?! Amazing!!
1 Chronicles 17:7-27 (New Living Translation)
7 “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! 9 And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, 10 starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will defeat all your enemies.
“‘Furthermore, I declare that the Lord will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 11 For when you die and join your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong. 12 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for me. And I will secure his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my favor from him as I took it from the one who ruled before you. 14 I will confirm him as king over my house and my kingdom for all time, and his throne will be secure forever.’”
15 So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.
David’s Prayer of Thanks
16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,
“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 17 And now, O God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! You speak as though I were someone very great,[a] O Lord God!
18 “What more can I say to you about the way you have honored me? You know what your servant is really like. 19 For the sake of your servant, O Lord, and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known.
20 “O Lord, there is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! 21 What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations that stood in their way. 22 You chose Israel to be your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.
23 “And now, O Lord, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. May it be a promise that will last forever. 24 And may your name be established and honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.
25 “O my God, I have been bold enough to pray to you because you have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him—a dynasty of kings! 26 For you are God, O Lord. And you have promised these good things to your servant. 27 And now, it has pleased you to bless the house of your servant, so that it will continue forever before you. For when you grant a blessing, O Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”
May we be as grateful to God for His grace, mercy and love as David was. I sure hope I get to meet him in Heaven one day!
As many victories as God provided for David, the man still screwed up, still gave into temptation, still sinned terribly, but when he did, he ran straight back into the arms of God in repentence. I believe David was so grateful to God because he knew His grace and forgiveness. He experienced it, first hand, for himself. And to think, David didn't even get to experience the grace and forgiveness of knowing Jesus Christ as his savior. Can you imagine how he would have worshiped then!?!? Wow!! I think his heart might have just exploded right out of his chest!!
God is speaking to David below, through the profit, Nathan. Note that vs. 11-14 are referring to Jesus! And this was written how many years before the birth of Christ?!?! Amazing!!
1 Chronicles 17:7-27 (New Living Translation)
7 “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! 9 And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, 10 starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will defeat all your enemies.
“‘Furthermore, I declare that the Lord will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 11 For when you die and join your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong. 12 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for me. And I will secure his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my favor from him as I took it from the one who ruled before you. 14 I will confirm him as king over my house and my kingdom for all time, and his throne will be secure forever.’”
15 So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.
David’s Prayer of Thanks
16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,
“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 17 And now, O God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! You speak as though I were someone very great,[a] O Lord God!
18 “What more can I say to you about the way you have honored me? You know what your servant is really like. 19 For the sake of your servant, O Lord, and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known.
20 “O Lord, there is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! 21 What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations that stood in their way. 22 You chose Israel to be your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.
23 “And now, O Lord, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. May it be a promise that will last forever. 24 And may your name be established and honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.
25 “O my God, I have been bold enough to pray to you because you have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him—a dynasty of kings! 26 For you are God, O Lord. And you have promised these good things to your servant. 27 And now, it has pleased you to bless the house of your servant, so that it will continue forever before you. For when you grant a blessing, O Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”
May we be as grateful to God for His grace, mercy and love as David was. I sure hope I get to meet him in Heaven one day!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Lord knows
"The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment."
2 Peter 2:9
"For He knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust."
Psalm 103:14
"Trust reverses the detours of adversity into highways of destiny." - Beth Moore, Esther
In my study of Esther, I am encouraged that we don't have to be responsible for the "how" in life. We are simply called to a life of trusting God, our Father. He knows how things will all shake out, he knows all!! It really all boils down to trust. Do we really trust God? Do we understand what trust means? Of course, I have failed in this area just like the rest of us, but I believe that God wants us to simply trust him!!He continues to remind me to be obedient, take my rightful place as his daughter and step out of his way so he can make the "how" happen.
Again, I reference my favorite quote from my pastor, Rob Campbell - "The greatest stress reliever of all time is that God is God and we are not!"
Amen!
2 Peter 2:9
"For He knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust."
Psalm 103:14
"Trust reverses the detours of adversity into highways of destiny." - Beth Moore, Esther
In my study of Esther, I am encouraged that we don't have to be responsible for the "how" in life. We are simply called to a life of trusting God, our Father. He knows how things will all shake out, he knows all!! It really all boils down to trust. Do we really trust God? Do we understand what trust means? Of course, I have failed in this area just like the rest of us, but I believe that God wants us to simply trust him!!He continues to remind me to be obedient, take my rightful place as his daughter and step out of his way so he can make the "how" happen.
Again, I reference my favorite quote from my pastor, Rob Campbell - "The greatest stress reliever of all time is that God is God and we are not!"
Amen!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
A hug from God
Last week, my husband and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. Every year, we go out on a dinner date and then come home and watch our wedding video. Keep in mind, we got married in St. Lucia, on the beach at a Sandal's Resort. Needless to say, it was a short and sweet wedding and the video is only about 15 minutes long. The video ends with Tony and I dancing to a song at our "reception" there at the resort.
We decided this year to start a new tradition of watching the video with our children, as a family. They just loved it!! My daughter, Loren, is extremely imaginative and is always asking to try on my wedding dress and "act out" the wedding pictures she sees of mommy and daddy around the house. So, during the video, she put on my wedding dress and had little brother Luke put on Tony's "wedding" suit jacket that he also saved. They pretended like they were the bride and groom and did their wedding "dance." It was so precious to see them so excited to be a part of our wedding day. I can see that they totally "get it" already. Despite our every day short-comings as parents, our children are so secure in their family! They are so secure in our marriage and the love that Tony and I have for each other. At that sweet moment, I felt a huge "hug from God!" He just reminded me that in spite of the mistakes I made in my past, He has gifted me with a wonderful husband and marriage and absolutely beautiful children. I was overwhelmed with the fact that everything good we have, comes from Him, right down to the air we breathe!
Wow, thank you Lord that you love me that much!
2 Corinthians 9:15
"Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!"
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