A psalm of Asaph.
1Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from the burdens common to man;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.
11 They say, "How can God know?
Does the Most High have knowledge?"
12 This is what the wicked are like—
always carefree, they increase in wealth.
13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;
in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been plagued;
I have been punished every morning.
15 If I had said, "I will speak thus,"
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it was oppressive to me
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
20 As a dream when one awakes,
so when you arise, O Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
(NIV)
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Himself
Once it was the blessing, Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, Now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, Now Himself alone.
Once 'twas painful trying, Now 'tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, Now the uttermost.
Once 'twas ceaseless holding, Now He holds me fast;
Once 'twas constant drifting, Now my anchor's cast.
Once 'twas busy planning, Now 'tis trustful prayer;
Once 'twas anxious caring, Now He has the care.
Once 'twas what I wanted, Now what Jesus says;
Once 'twas constant asking, Now 'tis ceaseless praise.
Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, Now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, Now for Him alone.
Once I hoped in Jesus, Now I know He's mine;
Once my lamps were dying, Now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored, Safe within the vail.
By A.B. Simpson
Once it was the feeling, Now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, Now Himself alone.
Once 'twas painful trying, Now 'tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, Now the uttermost.
Once 'twas ceaseless holding, Now He holds me fast;
Once 'twas constant drifting, Now my anchor's cast.
Once 'twas busy planning, Now 'tis trustful prayer;
Once 'twas anxious caring, Now He has the care.
Once 'twas what I wanted, Now what Jesus says;
Once 'twas constant asking, Now 'tis ceaseless praise.
Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, Now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, Now for Him alone.
Once I hoped in Jesus, Now I know He's mine;
Once my lamps were dying, Now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored, Safe within the vail.
By A.B. Simpson
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Thank-You.
Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for His is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting. -Psalm 106:1
The, “images of build, extend, promote, and establish stand in sharp contrast to the biblical language used to define the relationship of church to the kingdom of God”.
Instead we are to; “receive, enter, seek and inherit”.
–The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit, Craig Van Gelder -
Lord,
Thank-You that Your kingdom is something that we can recieve and enter,
something that we can seek and inherit.
How lovely You are, how lovely.
And we give You thanks.
-Amen
For His lovingkindness is everlasting. -Psalm 106:1
The, “images of build, extend, promote, and establish stand in sharp contrast to the biblical language used to define the relationship of church to the kingdom of God”.
Instead we are to; “receive, enter, seek and inherit”.
–The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit, Craig Van Gelder -
Lord,
Thank-You that Your kingdom is something that we can recieve and enter,
something that we can seek and inherit.
How lovely You are, how lovely.
And we give You thanks.
-Amen
Saturday, October 3, 2009
My Hearts Cry
So here is the cry of my heart. This is the song that I've been singing in my soul. Enjoy.
Also, I recently re-read something by A. B. Simpson that deeply resonated with me:
"Years ago a friend placed in my hand a little book which became one of the turning points in my life. It was "True Peace." It was an old medieval message, and it had but one thought--that God was waiting in the depth of my being to talk with me if I would only get still enough to hear Him. I thought this would be a very easy matter, so I began to get still. But I had no sooner commenced than a perfect pandemonium of voices reached my ears, a thousand clamoring notes from without and within, until I could hear nothing but their noise and din. Some of them were my own voice, some of them were my own questions, some of them my own cares, some of them my own prayers. Others were suggestions of the tempter and the voices of the world's turmoil. Never before did there seem to be so many things to be done, to be said, to be thought; and in every direction I was pulled and pushed and greeted with noisy acclamations and unspeakable unrest. It seemed necessary for me to listen to some of them, but God said, "Be still, and know that I am God." Then came the conflict of thoughts for the morrow and its duties and cares; but God said, "Be still." And then there came the very prayers which my restless heart wanted to press upon Him; but God said, "Be still."
As I listened and slowly learned to obey, and shut my ears to every sound, I found that after a while when the other voices ceased, or I ceased to hear them, there was a still small voice in the depth of my spirit. As I listened, it became to me the power of prayer, the voice of wisdom, and call of duty; and I did not need to think so hard, or pray so hard, or trust so hard, but that the "still, small voice" of the Holy Spirit in my heart was God's prayer in my secret soul, and God's answer to all my questions."
In the morning when you rise, may the Lord God bless you with the stillness of spirit to listen to His voice and the courage in your heart to respond.
GIVE US JESUS.
Also, I recently re-read something by A. B. Simpson that deeply resonated with me:
"Years ago a friend placed in my hand a little book which became one of the turning points in my life. It was "True Peace." It was an old medieval message, and it had but one thought--that God was waiting in the depth of my being to talk with me if I would only get still enough to hear Him. I thought this would be a very easy matter, so I began to get still. But I had no sooner commenced than a perfect pandemonium of voices reached my ears, a thousand clamoring notes from without and within, until I could hear nothing but their noise and din. Some of them were my own voice, some of them were my own questions, some of them my own cares, some of them my own prayers. Others were suggestions of the tempter and the voices of the world's turmoil. Never before did there seem to be so many things to be done, to be said, to be thought; and in every direction I was pulled and pushed and greeted with noisy acclamations and unspeakable unrest. It seemed necessary for me to listen to some of them, but God said, "Be still, and know that I am God." Then came the conflict of thoughts for the morrow and its duties and cares; but God said, "Be still." And then there came the very prayers which my restless heart wanted to press upon Him; but God said, "Be still."
As I listened and slowly learned to obey, and shut my ears to every sound, I found that after a while when the other voices ceased, or I ceased to hear them, there was a still small voice in the depth of my spirit. As I listened, it became to me the power of prayer, the voice of wisdom, and call of duty; and I did not need to think so hard, or pray so hard, or trust so hard, but that the "still, small voice" of the Holy Spirit in my heart was God's prayer in my secret soul, and God's answer to all my questions."
In the morning when you rise, may the Lord God bless you with the stillness of spirit to listen to His voice and the courage in your heart to respond.
GIVE US JESUS.
Monday, September 28, 2009
10 minutes and 32 seconds
Please turn on your speakers and watch this video. May it challenge you and bless you dear ones. Love.
Friday, September 18, 2009
How He Loves Us
As you listen to this song my prayer is that you would catch just a glimpse of how much God loves you. You are precious in His sight; His delight is in you.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Hold Fast
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:9-11
The following is an excerpt from my journal, it was written June 23, 2009. During that season of my life I was working full time at a Pregnancy Care Centre:
At work we had a client come in for baby clothes. And, as she was picking them out she noticed big rubber-made containers on top of the shelves marked “winter clothes”.
Now, currently, the clothes on the shelves are considered summer clothes. We switch the clothes out according to season.
Anyhow, after spotting them, she turned to me and said, “I come from a warm region and I still find it quite cold. Can I look through those bins?”
Now, when she asked this question, every single inch of me wanted to say, “yes”. Her request was legitimate; she wanted her child to be as warm and comfortable as possible.
However, even though I wanted to say, “yes”, I understood something that she did not.
First, getting those tubs down is a huge task and each one is filled with clothing that has been carefully folded and placed perfectly so that the lid fit on. Folding, switching, and tubing the clothes is a tremendous task that takes lots of time and effort.
What is more, I know that even if we took every tub, turned it upside down and sifted through it, it was highly unlikely that we would find anything more appropriate for her child than what was already placed on the shelves.
So, I said “No”. Even though it broke my heart and I know she couldn’t fully understand. Then I quickly followed with an, “I’m sorry”, and I was.
And, her response amazed me. She said, “That’s okay. We must not always get what we ask for.”
I think I understood a lot about God’s heart for us in that moment.
Sometimes we ask God for things and He says, “No”, because only He can comprehend the magnitude and the measurable outcome of our request.
Keeping the clothing in the tubs, out of reach, was the best thing. So, I said, “No”, even though it broke my heart.
They will be taken down when the season is right.
We shall come one day to a heaven where we shall gratefully know that God’s refusals were sometimes the true answers to our truest prayers.
–P.T. Forsyths “The Soul of Prayer”
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."
Luke 1:38a
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:9-11
The following is an excerpt from my journal, it was written June 23, 2009. During that season of my life I was working full time at a Pregnancy Care Centre:
At work we had a client come in for baby clothes. And, as she was picking them out she noticed big rubber-made containers on top of the shelves marked “winter clothes”.
Now, currently, the clothes on the shelves are considered summer clothes. We switch the clothes out according to season.
Anyhow, after spotting them, she turned to me and said, “I come from a warm region and I still find it quite cold. Can I look through those bins?”
Now, when she asked this question, every single inch of me wanted to say, “yes”. Her request was legitimate; she wanted her child to be as warm and comfortable as possible.
However, even though I wanted to say, “yes”, I understood something that she did not.
First, getting those tubs down is a huge task and each one is filled with clothing that has been carefully folded and placed perfectly so that the lid fit on. Folding, switching, and tubing the clothes is a tremendous task that takes lots of time and effort.
What is more, I know that even if we took every tub, turned it upside down and sifted through it, it was highly unlikely that we would find anything more appropriate for her child than what was already placed on the shelves.
So, I said “No”. Even though it broke my heart and I know she couldn’t fully understand. Then I quickly followed with an, “I’m sorry”, and I was.
And, her response amazed me. She said, “That’s okay. We must not always get what we ask for.”
I think I understood a lot about God’s heart for us in that moment.
Sometimes we ask God for things and He says, “No”, because only He can comprehend the magnitude and the measurable outcome of our request.
Keeping the clothing in the tubs, out of reach, was the best thing. So, I said, “No”, even though it broke my heart.
They will be taken down when the season is right.
We shall come one day to a heaven where we shall gratefully know that God’s refusals were sometimes the true answers to our truest prayers.
–P.T. Forsyths “The Soul of Prayer”
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."
Luke 1:38a
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