"The wicked in his proud ountenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts... he has said in his heart, "I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity." He has said in his heart, "God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see."
Psalm 10:4,6,11
I often act as if God has left the control panel. As if I need to take things into my own hands (or maybe that's inaccurate, because I don't think I've ever loosened my grip on my little useless, imaginary toy controls.)
I act as if God is not involved. As if He has forgotten. As if He is, in a fit of Godly anger, righteous pique, turning away from me. Hidden His holy face from my unholiness.
As if He does not see.
This isn't a thought process I can allow myself to continue.
It cannot go on.
2/28/12
2/27/12
Prayer
Let me learn to face my own angers and disappointments, my hurts and the failures of others... to handle them the way You handle me every day, Father.
Psalm 8:3-5
"When I consider Your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained... What is man that You should be mindful of him? And the son of Man that You should be mindful of him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and you have crowned him with glory and honor."
Psalm 8:3-5
Understand how truly gracious God is to give us such beauty, such complex loveliness that surrounds us.
Psalm 8:3-5
Understand how truly gracious God is to give us such beauty, such complex loveliness that surrounds us.
2/26/12
Psalm 5
"Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation, give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, for to You I will pray. My voice you shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning i will direct it to You, and I will look up."
Psalm 5:1-3
Something I have a lot of trouble with is praying for myself. There are many reasons for this - I feel awkward, I feel redundant telling God about my life, I don't feel worthy of His attention, I get distracted, I simply hit a wall in my mind...
But it is something I need to work on. I know that. Without prayer, I focus too much on my own thoughts, interpretation, and desires. And I'm not supposed to be doing this alone.
"But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple... Lead me, O LORD, because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face."
Psalm 5:7-8
I need not be afraid of approaching the throne of God - not for any reason. Whether I have a request, a question, a plea, a prayer, or simply a need to experience him and talk. My guilt does not hold God back from me, it holds me back from Him.
His mercies are a multitude.
Lead me Lord, because of my enemies.
Make Your way straight before my face. Your way.
My way is a sacrifice to You.
Your way will be my way.
Psalm 5:1-3
Something I have a lot of trouble with is praying for myself. There are many reasons for this - I feel awkward, I feel redundant telling God about my life, I don't feel worthy of His attention, I get distracted, I simply hit a wall in my mind...
But it is something I need to work on. I know that. Without prayer, I focus too much on my own thoughts, interpretation, and desires. And I'm not supposed to be doing this alone.
"But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple... Lead me, O LORD, because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face."
Psalm 5:7-8
I need not be afraid of approaching the throne of God - not for any reason. Whether I have a request, a question, a plea, a prayer, or simply a need to experience him and talk. My guilt does not hold God back from me, it holds me back from Him.
His mercies are a multitude.
Lead me Lord, because of my enemies.
Make Your way straight before my face. Your way.
My way is a sacrifice to You.
Your way will be my way.
"FOR YOU, O LORD WILL BLESS THE RIGHTEOUS;
WITH FAVOR YOU WILL SURROUND HIM AS WITH A SHIELD."
Psalm 5:12
2/25/12
Psalm 4:3-5
"But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; the LORD will hear when I call to Him. Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD."
Psalm 4:3-5
God has set me apart. I have found that He chased me, hunted me down, pursued me. And now he is wooing me. He has chosen me for Himself. He has set me aside for Himself. He considers me precious, worthwhile, special.he invests in me. He made sacrifices bigger than I am ever capable of reciprocating. He loves me while knowing I will always fail.
Obedience is the only worthy sacrifice I possess. Myself. The only thing of worth I have to offer is myself. My conduct, my attitude, my words, my heart, my reputation, my body, my mind. All the things that constitute Me should be sacrifices to the Lord.
Psalm 4:3-5
God has set me apart. I have found that He chased me, hunted me down, pursued me. And now he is wooing me. He has chosen me for Himself. He has set me aside for Himself. He considers me precious, worthwhile, special.he invests in me. He made sacrifices bigger than I am ever capable of reciprocating. He loves me while knowing I will always fail.
Obedience is the only worthy sacrifice I possess. Myself. The only thing of worth I have to offer is myself. My conduct, my attitude, my words, my heart, my reputation, my body, my mind. All the things that constitute Me should be sacrifices to the Lord.
2/24/12
Psalm 3:1-4
"Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are those who rise up against me. Many are those who rise up against me. Many are those who say of me, "There is no help for him in God."
Psalm 3:1-2
I am not being physically or verbally attacked the way David was. But I do have a host of opposition - doubts. I doubt myself. The doubts have voices and they are never still. So also do my regrets, my shames, my past actions have voices, as they replay history in my mind. They tear apart the image I have of myself, painting an ugly picture in the place of who I am in God's eyes. They tell me that I am unworthy, I should not even lift my eyes, I need to make myself better before I can approach God. They whisper that there "is no help for me in God," that I am unsaveable, unforgivable.
"But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my Glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill."
Psalm 3:3-4
Against these doubts, regrets, shames, mistakes, and feelings of unworthiness, I have protection. God is the one who lifts up my head.
He takes me by the hand and leads me to a place where I can see a reflection of His image of me once more - past the vulgar lies my shame painted on my heart. God shows me His mirror. In it I see His purity, His love, His beauty, His devotion, His sacrifice. I see the grace He gave me written across my forehead. Because of these things, because of the investment such a loving, powerful God made in me... I see the reflection of myself and can say - I am beautiful. I am changed.
I am not the one who considers myself worthy.
I am not my own judge. God is my judge. He has written the verdict. I am guilty, but I am pardoned. I was dirty, but I am clean. I was unwantable, but I am desired. I was doomed, but I have been SAVED.
Nothing the world can throw at me will ever shake the knowledge that the Lord sees me and the first thing He thinks is, "MINE."
I can call to Him without trying to hide my shame.
He will always hear me.
He is the one who found me.
He lifts my head.
Psalm 3:1-2
I am not being physically or verbally attacked the way David was. But I do have a host of opposition - doubts. I doubt myself. The doubts have voices and they are never still. So also do my regrets, my shames, my past actions have voices, as they replay history in my mind. They tear apart the image I have of myself, painting an ugly picture in the place of who I am in God's eyes. They tell me that I am unworthy, I should not even lift my eyes, I need to make myself better before I can approach God. They whisper that there "is no help for me in God," that I am unsaveable, unforgivable.
"But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my Glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill."
Psalm 3:3-4
Against these doubts, regrets, shames, mistakes, and feelings of unworthiness, I have protection. God is the one who lifts up my head.
He takes me by the hand and leads me to a place where I can see a reflection of His image of me once more - past the vulgar lies my shame painted on my heart. God shows me His mirror. In it I see His purity, His love, His beauty, His devotion, His sacrifice. I see the grace He gave me written across my forehead. Because of these things, because of the investment such a loving, powerful God made in me... I see the reflection of myself and can say - I am beautiful. I am changed.
I am not the one who considers myself worthy.
I am not my own judge. God is my judge. He has written the verdict. I am guilty, but I am pardoned. I was dirty, but I am clean. I was unwantable, but I am desired. I was doomed, but I have been SAVED.
Nothing the world can throw at me will ever shake the knowledge that the Lord sees me and the first thing He thinks is, "MINE."
I can call to Him without trying to hide my shame.
He will always hear me.
He is the one who found me.
He lifts my head.
Psalm 1:6
"For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish."
Psalm 1:6
Sometimes it seems like our obedience is completely ignored. The world considers us foolish, we feel under-appreciated in our efforts. Our lives often seem unfruitful or worthless because we can't see what the results of our diligence are. We are not appreciated by those around us, so we don't feel like our righteous acts are worthwhile.
But we are short-sighted.
The LORD knows our ways.
Even when the fruits of our labor are seemingly nonexistent, they ARE worthwhile because the world is no longer our judge - God is!
And He sees the way of the righteous.
It is also frustrating to look around us and see the corrupt rising to power, fame, fortune. it seems that our faithful efforts keep us from reaching the perceived greatness, the popular acknowledgement of "success".
Their ungodly pursuits seem to elevate them, and we wonder if we will ever have our chance at victory...
But the psalms say, "the way of the ungodly shall perish."
They do not see that their path, though it seems pleasant and good and profitable now, will lead them to ultimate destruction and pain in the end.
If you covet their lifestyle, you must also covet their end.
Psalm 1:6
Sometimes it seems like our obedience is completely ignored. The world considers us foolish, we feel under-appreciated in our efforts. Our lives often seem unfruitful or worthless because we can't see what the results of our diligence are. We are not appreciated by those around us, so we don't feel like our righteous acts are worthwhile.
But we are short-sighted.
The LORD knows our ways.
Even when the fruits of our labor are seemingly nonexistent, they ARE worthwhile because the world is no longer our judge - God is!
And He sees the way of the righteous.
It is also frustrating to look around us and see the corrupt rising to power, fame, fortune. it seems that our faithful efforts keep us from reaching the perceived greatness, the popular acknowledgement of "success".
Their ungodly pursuits seem to elevate them, and we wonder if we will ever have our chance at victory...
But the psalms say, "the way of the ungodly shall perish."
They do not see that their path, though it seems pleasant and good and profitable now, will lead them to ultimate destruction and pain in the end.
If you covet their lifestyle, you must also covet their end.
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