A steadfast Heart

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. Psalm 57:7
Notice Psalm 57:1
"Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! 
For my soul trusts in You;
and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,until these calamities have passed by."
David had been on the run for his very life hiding from Saul.  At this point David was hiding in a cave.  Where do you hide when things are difficult, whether emotional or physical pain?  David was in a cave a place of physical protection but  his heart was not trusting in the cave - his heart understood his true place of peace and protection was under the shadow of God's wings.  David was waiting and trusting God until the storm passed.  Don't put your trust in yourself or any other physical thing of this world, rest under the goodness of your God.

Notice verse 2-3
"I will cry out to God Most High,
To God who performs all things for me.
He shall send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches the one who would swallow me up.
God shall send forth His mercy and His truth."
David cries out to his God.  We tend to stuff our pain-if we don't think about it-it might go away.  If we get real busy-we won't have time to think about it.  Let David be an example for us.  He cried out to His God. I believe he was trusting and remembering, even speaking aloud if necessary all God had done for him. David repeated to God what he knows to be true..."God You perform all things for me. You send from heaven and save me, You reproach the one who shall swallow me up" Did God need to be reminded?  No, but oh how we do, especially in the midst of trials.  Then David asks God to send forth His mercy and truth.

David asked for mercy to be delivered and His truth to persevere during the struggle.  We all need God's mercy and the sweetness of His word to strengthens us in our need. 
Psalm 119:92
"Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction"

In verse 4-6, David goes on to share with God his struggle.  Don't hold your feelings back from God.  Give Him the details and ask His to bring healing and deliverance to your bleeding heart.  Notice verse 5, David praised in the midst of the struggle. "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, Let Your glory be above all the earth", 

Then my favorite part of this passage Verse 7-11. 
"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast (Where is your heart today?)
I will sing and give praise.
Awake my glory!
Awake, lute and harp! (Do you see the praise?)
I will awaken the dawn (Wow he could not wait for the morning to come to give his praise)
I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the nations.
For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
And Your truth unto the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
Let Your glory be above all the earth."

Need I say more?

Words

Have you ever opened your mouth and in goes your foot?  Scripture has much to say about our words. Much to say about speaking before we hear the whole story.  Much to say about being wise in our own eyes.  Join me in meditating upon a few verses. 

He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to me. Prov.18:13
Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from trouble. Prov 21:23
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?  There is more hope for a fool than for him. Prov.26:12
A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back. Prov.29:11
Do you see a man hasty in his words?  There is more hope for a fool than for him. Prov. 29:30
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.  The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. Prov. 15:1-2
A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is. Prov. 15:23
The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. Prov.16:23

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
to practice wicked works
with men who work iniquity;
and do not let me eat of their delicacies. Psalm 141:3-4

It's All About Change

It's all about change.  The babies have been here today and wow I noticed change - change in my schedule and change in theirs.  Take the oldest, she was not so sure about being in a new place.She went around with her lip stuck out quit a bit.  The youngest, well he had a difficult time as well at first.They have adjusted now except for the sleeping...it funny how babies want their own beds. 

As I watched them today, I was reminded of how much I do not like change.  I  like routine and when God or someone else changes my routine, my lip tends to pucker as well and complaining starts at least in my mind.  But as I read God's Word-Change is what I see.

God calls us all to change to get out of our routine and comfortable lifestyle.  He calls us to give not just our resources but our very life. In David Nasser book, "A Call to Die", David said, "Jesus ruined my life"  Well He has ruined mine as well.  He has taken all my worldly sinful plans and goals and replaced them with His very life.  It is His life that flows out of mine..at least it should be.  But only when I am not puckering and walking around like my grandchildren when they are in an uncomfortable place.  God call us to step out of our comfort zone and be obedient.  Galatians 2:20 says, I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

What has God called you to do today?  It is uncomfortable?  Will you be obedient?

In The Mind's Eye

Have you noticed how a problem can grow and become so big in your mind's eye that it controls all you think about.  The problem becomes alive and it continues to grow until it is all you see.  Everything you think about is filtered through this problem. It is a miserable way to live but we all do it.  I have a situation now that I am praying about...but since this problem has grown so big in my mind, many times I am not praying at all...just repeating the same situation to the Lord and asking Him to give me the answer I want.  Wow I have lost sight of God in the midst of my problem.  Not a good place to be.

I have found some simple steps in resolving this problem.  I remember the character of God.  I remember that He is eternal, He is the creator, He holds all things in His hands.  Nothing can touch me that He has not allowed.  I remember who He is and bow before His throne room.  In the process of bowing I am thankful...thankful I have been called out of the darkness.  Thankful that when I cry He bows His ear. Scripture says, "God is abundant in mercy to all those who call upon Him."  Now I am ready to submit my will to the Holy One.  The One who holds life and death in His hands.  Submit means to surrender.  That situation that was so large in my mind, is now small compared to this great God who cares and knows my name. 

Yes, I am ready to surrender.  To lay the problem at my Lord's feet and allow Him to work as His perfect will would allow.  You know what happens...Peace fills my soul and I have a promise from Psalm 91:14-16:
Because he has set his love upon Me,
therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
and show him My salvation.

Lights

I love word pictures and analogies-to see spiritual truth in every day occurrences.  Here is one I noticed on Wednesday morning as I was driving before daybreak in the heavy fog.  The street lights are scattered along in different places along Hwy. 64.  The fog was descending and heavy and yet the lights broke through the darkness.The street lights may not have been bright enough to dispel all the darkness, but it was obvious there was a safe place of direction from the glow surrounding them.    This picture made me think of our Christian walk (our light) going out into this dark world. 

Without light the world is full of darkness and confusion.  Direction is essential to the Christian.  Without the light from God's word infused into our heart, we cannot know the path to walk nor can we be lights in a dark world.  Jesus said, "I am the light of world, He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

Friends, we are the "street lights" shining in the darkness of this world. As I looked toward those lights, I noticed some were brighter than others- a new bulb perhaps. We as Christians, have new bulbs, we just need to stay connected to power that provides brightness to the bulb.  Scripture teaches "But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day." The path of the believer is one of increasing light, just as a sunrise begins with the faint glow of dawn and proceeds to the splendor of noonday. (john macarthur) . So here comes a question...How bright are you shining?  People will be drawn toward the lights that are shining the brightest.

Stay connect to Christ through His word.  "Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life.." Phil :14-16

God Extends Mercy

"Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own mercy" Jonah 2:8

Hey what are you trusting in?  It's an honest question.  Every moment of every day we put our trust in something..  ie...our car to start, the alarm to awaken us, our coffee (or coke) to give us a boost.  We also trust in big things...our finances to meet our physical needs, our job to bring self worth, etc. But let me ask you a question, Do these things have mercy to be extended?  Does your car show mercy to you each morning?  Does your coffee care you are dragging and need a boost?  No, only the Creator of Heaven-the God who spoke the world into existence.  The God who spoke your name and called you to Himself.  He and He alone holds the key to mercy. 

Check your heart.  See what is exalting itself in your minds eye over our God-that my friend is an IDOL.  Lay it aside and worship the ONE who holds mercy in His hands.