Tag: Hope

Christ Did It All for Me

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As I near the end of this Lenten season and my journey through the Psalms, it seems appropriate to conclude with one of my favorite psalms. Psalm 103 had always held a special place in my heart as the messages contained within are so encouraging to my faith.

Psalm 103:1-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can claim the benefits of knowing and trusting in God without any reservations.

God promises the benefits of faith: healing, forgiveness, redemption, love, mercy, goodness and renewal! That is why without reservation, I can praise His name and call Him blessed. He has healed my broken heart, forgiven my sins and restored me on more than one occasion. He has treated me with love and tender mercy and renewed my life when I thought all was lost. I think this is why this psalm resonates so with me. It seems a picture of my spiritual journey and shows the hope and redemption I have found in Christ. I pray the words of this psalm speak to you today and remind you of how blessed with are to know and live in Christ.

Linda

Be Honest with God, He Listens

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Psalm 90 shows the depravity of man and the power and might of God. It also shows God’s heart for mankind and His great generosity.

Psalm 90:1-2 “Lord, through all the generations
    you have been our home!
2 Before the mountains were born,
    before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
    from beginning to end, you are God.” The psalmist is thinking about the eternality and the faithfulness of God towards man. He has always been there for us.

In verses 3-6, You turn people back to dust, saying,
    “Return to dust, you mortals!”
4 For you, a thousand years are as a passing day,
    as brief as a few night hours.
5 You sweep people away like dreams that disappear.
    They are like grass that springs up in the morning.
6 In the morning it blooms and flourishes,
    but by evening it is dry and withered. The psalmist extols the fragility of man and the fleetingness of our lives. God is timeless but not man.

In verses 7-12, We wither beneath your anger;
    we are overwhelmed by your fury.
8 You spread out our sins before you—
    our secret sins—and you see them all.
9 We live our lives beneath your wrath,
    ending our years with a groan. 10 Seventy years are given to us!
    Some even live to eighty.
But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
    soon they disappear, and we fly away.
11 Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
    Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. 12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
    so that we may grow in wisdom. God is angry over sin, rightly so, God abhors sin. As we live with a sin nature fighting within us, we can experience pain and trouble. The psalmist asks for wisdom from God that he might grow in Him in his short lifetime. As we confront our own sin, our faith in Jesus helps us to grow in the time God has allotted us.

In verses 13-17,  O Lord, come back to us!
    How long will you delay?
    Take pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
    so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
    Replace the evil years with good.
16 Let us, your servants, see you work again;
    let our children see your glory.
17 And may the Lord our God show us his approval
    and make our efforts successful.
    Yes, make our efforts successful! The psalmist concludes with a plea to God for compassion and love, for gladness in proportion to his suffering, that good would replace evil years, to be able to see God at work and that his children would see God’s glory. Lastly, he asks God for His approval, that He could see that God was pleased.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can lay our hearts before God in prayer and know He is listening and will respond. Hebrews 4:16, we can approach God, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Philippians 4:6-7 “ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Psalm 4:3 “But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.”

Linda

Rejoicing in Trials

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Psalm 66 caught my eye because it is a song of praise to God that is filled with thankfulness. When was the last time you thanked God for testing and proving your character? James 1:2-4 says we should rejoice in trials, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James says trials help us to grow and have our character refined by God. The psalmist would agree.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2     Sing the glory of his name;
    make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power
    that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
    they sing praise to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.” Praise the Lord for who He is and His preeminence.

5 Come and see what God has done,
    his awesome deeds for mankind!
6 He turned the sea into dry land,
    they passed through the waters on foot—
    come, let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules forever by his power,
    his eyes watch the nations—
    let not the rebellious rise up against him. Praise the Lord for His wonderous deeds on our behalf.

8 Praise our God, all peoples,
    let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
    and kept our feet from slipping.
10 For you, God, tested us;
    you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
    and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;
    we went through fire and water, Praise the Lord for the trials of life that
    but you brought us to a place of abundance. refine my character.

13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
    and fulfill my vows to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
    when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
    and an offering of rams;
    I will offer bulls and goats. Come and worship the Lord!

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God;
    let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
    his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
    and has heard my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
    who has not rejected my prayer
    or withheld his love from me! Praises to our God who listens and answers my prayers, who forgives my sins and accepts me with His unfailing love. He has not rejected me but sent Jesus to save me! Thank you Father God.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can know joy in trials, changed character and lack for nothing through faith in Him. We can rejoice with the psalmist over who God is and what He has done for us.

Linda

Dependable God, No Matter What!

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Have you ever asked yourself, How strong is my God? What can He withstand? Is anything to hard for Him? Will anything overcome Him? Psalm 46 is a celebratory psalm proclaiming the power of God.

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

The psalmist’s conclusion is that nothing is too hard for God. He will not waver even as He looks down from Heaven He will be victorious. How can we know this? Verse 10 tells us to be quiet and listen, you will know that He is God.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can depend upon God. He is who he says He is. John 10:28-30. “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” God’s promises are Jesus’ promises and Jesus’ promises are God’s promises too!

Linda

I Can Know This…see Psalm 40

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Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can talk to God, accept His rescue and foundation, sing praises to Him and Have No Fear!

Psalm 40 shows us all those things we have in Christ and more.

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

When has God rescued you or answered your prayer? Did you turn to Him in praise? Each act of God listening and answering, rescuing and standing us upright again are cause for praise. Be the large or small it shows us yet again how God loves us and seeks our good. In spite of myself, I see God working and learn to trust in Him and revere Him!

4 Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.
5 Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.

David learned that the one who walks and depends upon God is blessed. Have you learned that too? We have to put aside things of this world and focus upon His goodness and the wonders He has done in our lives. Nothing in this world will compare to the things of God! Praise God!

I pray this psalm speaks to your heart and encourages you walk with Jesus.

Linda

Taking Good Advice Pays Off

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When looking at Psalm 32, I searched various translations. The Message, though paraphrased, really hits the mark and plainly points to God’s truth about sin. The question you need to consider before you read this psalm is, what do you do about your sins? Do you ignore them, excuse them, blame them on others or do you own up and confess your wrong doings? You know what is right and failing to do it is sin according to James 4:17 “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—
    you get a fresh start,
    your slate’s wiped clean.

2 Count yourself lucky—
    God holds nothing against you
    and you’re holding nothing back from him.

3 When I kept it all inside,
    my bones turned to powder,
    my words became daylong groans.

4 The pressure never let up;
    all the juices of my life dried up. Bottled up sin was ‘killing him’.

5 Then I let it all out;
    I said, “I’ll come clean about my failures to God.”

Suddenly the pressure was gone—
    my guilt dissolved,
    my sin disappeared. Confession brought blessed relief.

6 These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray;
    when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts
    we’ll be on high ground, untouched.

7 God’s my island hideaway,
    keeps danger far from the shore,
    throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.

8 Let me give you some good advice;
    I’m looking you in the eye
    and giving it to you straight: Good advice.

9 “Don’t be ornery like a horse or mule
    that needs bit and bridle
    to stay on track.”

10 God-defiers are always in trouble;
    God-affirmers find themselves loved
    every time they turn around.

11 Celebrate God.
    Sing together—everyone!
    All you honest hearts, raise the roof!

His good advice was to not be stubborn and obstinate in our sin. Confess and get blessed relief. I love verse 10 God defilers are always in trouble- sin brings trouble, opposition to God brings disaster but knowing and loving God brings affirmation from God and you will see it all around you! I think the psalmist would agree. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can experience blessed forgiveness of our sins and live a full and redeemed life that looks forward towards eternity. The psalmist concludes that getting your soul right with God brings rejoicing, and joy enough to raise the roof top!

May you see the truth of the psalmist’s words and put them into practice so you may experience His love and forgiveness today!

Linda

Prayer to Accessible God

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Psalm 27 comes straight out of David’s heart. He is concerned about what is happening around and to him but David remains confident in the Lord. He knows God is in control and no matter what He will be with Him in heaven. David is taking the long view of life and down the tunnel of time he sees God and knows without a shadow of a doubt that God will be there for Him. May we all ‘catch’ his view.

He begin with verses 1-3 with his high view of God and ends the psalm with confidence!

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
    so why should I tremble?
2 When evil people come to devour me,
    when my enemies and foes attack me,
    they will stumble and fall.
3 Though a mighty army surrounds me,
    my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
    I will remain confident.

David seeks heaven as He knows he will be safe and loved there. verses 4-6 The one thing I ask of the Lord—    the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
    delighting in the Lord’s perfections
    and meditating in his Temple.
5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
    he will hide me in his sanctuary.
    He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
6 Then I will hold my head high
    above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,
    singing and praising the Lord with music.

In verses 7-10 David pleads with the Lord to hear him as he prays-Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
    Be merciful and answer me! In verses 11-13 David asks the Lord to teach, guide and protect him. Teach me how to live, O Lord.
    Lead me along the right path,
    for my enemies are waiting for me.
12 Do not let me fall into their hands.
    For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;
    with every breath they threaten me with violence.

David concludes with a return to full confidence in verses 13 and 14.
13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
    while I am here in the land of the living. 14 Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

How much our prayers resemble David’s psalm. We begin praising God, knowing He is real and will answer, then petition Him and as we pull up the happenings of the world we get mired down. By the time we have finished pouring our heart out to God, we realize that He is in control and we will be victorious in Him. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can pour out my heart knowing the Holy Spirit will intercede for me before the Father. Romans 8:26-27 “ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” We can truly pray with confidence and hope waiting patiently for His response.

Linda

Prayer Has Power! Pray! Second Sunday of Lent

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The first Sunday of Lent we looked at Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians in verses15-17. Lent is a time of prayer and reflection. Looking at how Paul prayed for his friends and coworkers gives us insights and ideas on how we to can pray for others. In Ephesians 1:18-21 Paul continues adding to what he desires for his friends in Christ so they will be ready, equipped and empowered to live God directed lives.

18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. 19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.

Paul prayed for: **their hearts to be filled with God’s light so they could fully understand the hope and inheritance they have in Jesus. God sees us as holy through the power of Christ and what He gives us is glorious and rich beyond measure. Paul wanted the Ephesians, and us, too to grasp more clearly what marvelous things we have in Christ.

**them to have complete understanding and knowledge of the actual power they had in their lives because of Christ. This is the power of God that raised Christ from the dead. Power to conquer sin and defeat death.

**for them to know and be assured that Christ has risen and is seated at the right hand of the Father. His power and authority is greater than any other on earth and above any power past, present or future. He is above all!

What about you? Do you understand the full measure of what it means to be saved? We will spend eternity with Christ and He gives us power to live our lives in a way that is holy and pleasing to Him. This power we have is resurrection powered and available to us through faith in Jesus. Through Christ we are conquerors as Romans 8:37 tells us “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Life or death and in all things we can be victorious through Christ. Have you ever wondered where Christ is now? In Luke 22:69 Jesus said, “But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.” He may be seated there but He is not idle. His Holy Spirit is guiding, counseling, comforting and as Romans 8:26-27 tells us “ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are always with us, watching over us and caring for us.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, the power of the risen Christ lives within us and empowers us to live godly lives for Him. Therefore our prayers can be powerful and effective. 1 Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Keep on praying!! It works.

Linda

Keeping Eternal Pleasures in Mind

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Today we are looking at the remainder of Psalm 16 verses 7-11. I read this in various translations but I really felt the Message was the most direct.

The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
    is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
    I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go. Do you ever go to bed with a problem and think you’ll sleep on it and maybe in the morning you will know your mind and decided what to do? The psalmist is identifying with this, saying God is directing him during the day and then confirms his directions while he sleeps. So night and day, God is his guiding light. I find this both comforting and encouraging and it reaffirms Deuteronomy 31:6 “ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” That means God is with us day and night!

9-10 I’m happy from the inside out,
    and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
    that’s not my destination! David, the psalmist, was convinced that God had his eternity secure and that he had a heavenly home with God. His faith in God had cancelled his sin and assured him of a heavenly home. We can be assured of this too as faith in Christ and his work on the cross confirms our gift of eternal life with Him. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

11 Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
    all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
    I’m on the right way. David knows his pathway is assured and it is lifelong. He is on the right pathway in life walking hand and hand with God.

We too can say we have a heavenly home, God is our light and guide, and we do not need to fear death and punishment in Hell. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can be assured of life eternal and walking with him day by day. Thank you Jesus.

Linda

Realigned Focus during Adversity

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How do you deal with Nay Sayers or those that would desire to cast doubt on your faith? Believe it or not, the psalmist David had the same issues when he wrote Psalm 3. He did not want to listen his many foes who were telling him God was not going to rescue him or do anything to help him solve his problems. This was written when he was struggling with his son Absalom who was trying to take over David’s throne and kill him. David talked to the Lord about this, laying it before Him. Then, he set about remembering the times God had rescued him!

O Lord, I have so many enemies;
    so many are against me.
2 So many are saying,
    “God will never rescue him!” Interlude

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
    you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
4 I cried out to the Lord,
    and he answered me from his holy mountain. Interlude

5 I lay down and slept,
    yet I woke up in safety,
    for the Lord was watching over me.
6 I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies
    who surround me on every side.

7 Arise, O Lord!
    Rescue me, my God!
Slap all my enemies in the face!
    Shatter the teeth of the wicked!
8 Victory comes from you, O Lord.
    May you bless your people. Interlude

David’s conclusion, after remembering who God is and what He had done for him during his lifetime, was that God holds the victory. Victory comes from Him. He can defeat any foe as He is sovereign. David was reminded that God will bring victory and blessing.

David is our example for how to react to those who would discourage our faith saying it is worthless, that God will not help us. We too can change our focus from the Nay Sayers to Jesus. The right perspective will bring us to Jesus. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we have a permanent advocate in Jesus. He intercedes for us and sent the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us. Romans 8:27 “And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” John 14:26 “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” Focusing on Jesus will put everything in perspective as it did for King David.

Let thanks be on you tongue and praises in your heart as you look to Jesus. Thank you Jesus.

Linda