Psalms 46

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.[c]

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields[d] with fire.
10 He says, “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 Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Read on 9/11 by our current president.

Wednesday's Word: Better Than Life

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than Life, My lips will praise You." Psalm 63:3


A challenge from the book I am now reading (15 pages a day M-Friday), Idols of the Heart, Fitzpatrick challenges us to live a life where His lovingkindness is better than anything in our life.

Is His Lovingkindness better than

• Our children being obedient?
• A new camera?
• A new computer?
  
• Having an easy day?
  

Is His lovingkindness better than life to us?

"The good news is that the Holy Spirit can illumine your heart and cause you to grow in your esteem of Christ and disdain for the charms of the world."

Pray to the Holy Spirit for help. He will help you! His power is made perfect in your weakness.

"Our heart consists of our mind (thoughts, judgments, etc), affections (longings, desires, feelings), and our will (chooses and determines actions)."

"We can't accomplish this heart change on our own. We need His power to teach incline, and direct our hearts to Him."

Click here to see what Charlie is talking about this Sunday!

Wednesday's Word: Power over Fear

"When I am afraid, I will trust in You."

Psalm 56:3

Last Sunday I taught my 4th grade girls Sunday School class on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The title of the lesson from Lifeway was "Power Over Fear," it was a great lesson.

It is so funny, it seems like I am the one who always teaches on worry, fear, etc. Worrying is definitely a struggle for me.

I made all the girls right down on their sheet that:

God works out all the bad things that happen to you for your good and His glory.

Even though bad things will happen here on earth, God uses it to show his glory and will use it for a purpose (Romans 8). Even if you fail a test, which many of my girls were concerned about, God can use it to help you become more like him. God can use it to help you die to yourself and depend on him, which is an ultimate goal God has for your life.

I have realized that worrying comes straight from your thought life, and if you do not believe that God is in control and is a good God, you will live in a life that is full of anxiety over everything.

Some application from the lesson was for the girls to:

Pray when they are afraid
Remember Bible verses
Remember that God is with you or
talk to an adult.

What do you do when you are afraid?

I usually do pray that in Jesus powerful name that _____________ will not happen. I also pray that if the bad thing does happen that God will show me how he is using it for my good and to show His glory. I also pray that God gives me a peace that surpasses all understanding. Our hope is not in the temporal things of this world, but in our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Wednesday's Word: Psalm 119:89-96

From my daily reading in The Mcarthur Daily Bible:

Forever, O LORD, your word
is firmly fixed in the heavens.
Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
you have established the earth, and it stands fast.
By your appointment they stand this day,
for all things are your servants.
If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have given me life.
I am yours; save me,
for I have sought your precepts.
The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,
but I consider your testimonies.
I have seen a limit to all perfection,
but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Wednesday's Word: Everything is For His Glory

Recently, God has been reminding me of how everything has a purpose.

Why were we created in the first place?

The Answer: To glorify Him.

I know you have heard that a million times, but do you really, I mean really, think about what that means? He created the heavens and the earth to show His glory. We live to show His glory.

Many times in Scripture when David prays to God that his enemies would be crushed he does this so that God's glory may be revealed.




Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and tone for our sins,
for your name’s sake!

Psalms 79:9

Throughout the entire Old Testament there is story after story of men and women failing, and then rising up through God's power (not their own) and then glorifying His name.

I would go as far to say that even Jackson’s and other little ones’ suffering is for His glory. Sin is the ultimate cause of their suffering, but God uses it so powerfully to show His glory and to glorify Himself through sin and living in a fallen world. When I think back on why Jackson has had to struggle through so many things that should come easy for children, I know that the journey of it all was to show God's greatness and faithfulness and power. It was all for His glory.

The end result of any type of suffering should ultimately cause Christians to die to themselves and to depend on God. Isn't that God's perfect plan for our lives? To die to ourselves, and to completely rely on Him for healing.

So next time when we are praying for our babies, ask God, for His glory, to heal your baby, and know that only Jesus can heal. Ask God to give us the right motive for praying and living, which is for His glory and for His glory alone. For others to come and know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior through your suffering and your experiences, ultimately glorifies Him for eternity.

Wednesday's Word: Psalm 13

One of my favorite professors in seminary was Dr. Schemm. He would often open class just by reading God's Word slowly and loudly and the only comment he would have would be to repeat a line of Scripture. So in honor of Dr. Schemm, Wednesday Word is Psalm 13. No comments, just God's life changing, PERFECT Word. Let us have passion and love for HIS HOLY WORD. Let it penetrate our hearts and our thoughts.

Psalm 13

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?

² How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

³ Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

⁴ my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

⁶ I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me."

Psalm 27

Psalm 27 (ESV)

The LORD Is My Light and My Salvation

Of David.

¹The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

²When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.

³ Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.

⁴ One thing have I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to inquire in his temple.

⁵For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.

⁶And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

⁷ Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
⁸ You have said, "Seek my face."My heart says to you,
"Your face, LORD, do I seek."

⁹ Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
¹⁰ For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the LORD will take me in.

¹¹ Teach me your way, O LORD,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
¹² Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.

¹³ I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living!
¹⁴ Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD!

Psalm 44

Today in my Bible Reading plan I read Psalm 44:

verses 4-8

You are my King, O God;
Command victories for Jacob,
Through You we will push
back our adversaries
Through Your name we
will trample down
those who rise up
against us,
For I will not trust in my bow,
Nor will my sword save me.
But you have saved us from our adversaries
And You have put to shame those who hate us
In God we have boasted all day long.
And we will give thanks to Your name forever.

Through God, and God alone will we overcome adversity here one earth. Through His name...He is our only hope! Things of this world will not save us, but God will save us. Do yall think about this fact?

Sometimes I really do believe that God allows things to happen to us so we will pray. Then, we will see Him move, and He will get all the glory. I am so quick to be thankful for things here on earth...am I boasting in God all day long or in His resources?

Have I mentioned I love the Psalms? Whatever I am going through over the years God has really spoken to me through the Psalms and today is certainly no different.

Psalm 40

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

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.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.

I was listening to John Piper's sermon, "I am Sending you To Open Their Eyes" and he opened his sermon by praying this Psalm...it was very powerful. If you like to listen to sermons I would strongly recommend listening to his sermons and you can get it through your podcast by going to: http://www.desiringgod.org/

Psalm 23

Here is one of the best video's I have seen all year. I am trying to memorize this Psalm, and I will have it and then two days later I forget. Abby is a great encouragement! It drives me crazy when parents do not even try to teach their children some hard theological truths such as the Trinity. Listen, back in the day, children had the first 5 books of the Bible memorized by 10 years old and we do not even want to try to explain the Trinity to them when they ask. Hope you enjoy the video.

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

³ he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, ^[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

Well, I am trying to memorize this Psalm and with all this unpacking, and I am having a hard time. Any advice on memorizing, I am all ears. I have the Bible on cd so I am listening to that as well. I want Jackson to hide God's Word in his heart as soon as he is able and I think this is going to be our first project. Last Thursday when Jackson was screaming for an hour straight(he ended up having a double ear infection), I started quoting this Psalm....what a blessing it was to have these words to turn to!

Psalm 62:5-8

"Help my soul find rest in You alone; my hope comes from You. You alone are my rock and my salvation; You are my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depends on You; You, God are my mighty rock and my refuge."

A New Year, God's Word, and Your Life

Psalm 119:9-16:

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.

I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.

I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.

Praise be to you, O LORD;
teach me your decrees.

With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.

I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.

I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.

I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word."

This week Dr. Rummage talked about God's Word in your life. He said that "This Book is your source of Power, use it and your ministry will honor the Lord, refuse it and the drought of sin will prevail."

Several Principles in Keeping God's word in Your life:

1) Need to be Cleansed By God's Word (vs.) We need to read it, do what it says to stay refined.

2) We need to Keep Close to it (vs. 10) We have also got to pray

3) We need to Be Corrected By it (vs 11)

4) We need to be contented by God's Word (vs. 12-14)

5) We need to be committed to God's Word (vs. 15-16)

Am I truly delighting in God's Word and Mediating on it? Do I hit the floor and ask how can I glorify God today? Or do I ask how do I feel?

Psalm 32

Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Selah

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
Selah

Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.

You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Selah

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD's unfailing love
surrounds the man who trusts in him.

Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalm 62:5-8

"Help my soul find rest in You alone; my hope comes from You. You alone are my rock and my salvation; You are my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depends on You; You, God are my mighty rock and my refuge."