CAMPING OUT IN THE PSALMS!

What does camping out in the Psalms look  like if one is camping indoors? Messy for me. LJJ even plays relevant, uplifting spiritual songs as she cleans!

At different ages/seasons or addresses. Steve Rd.,585,3958,1093,1152 or 125 it often looked like this, whether for meditation or teaching.

Psalm 23     I will not FEAR. (The Psalmist says)

Often, when unable to relax from medical maladies or other stresses, I have used this psalm as my sleeping pill. Think, "nite-nite" from relaxing words of Scripture or hymns playing quietly.

Psalm 27     Whom shall I FEAR? (We ask; God answers)

When God is our light and strong hold, there is nothing or no one to fear. The Lord gives "heart" courage as we wait for Him to answer.

Psalm 46     I/We will not FEAR! (Our response of Worship)

Be still before Him and Know He is GOD as I/we seek Him through prayer and His Word allowing us to exalt Him as our fortress.

Once again may "camping out in the Psalms" bring songs to my soul.

A musical interlude of sorts to help ease my mind and overlook my mess.

MEDITATION CONTINUES....

Last Monday's passage meditation had me on a single verse---Psalm 143:8, specifically the last 2 lines of the verse.
This time the selection prompted prayers beyond family to prayers for friends---so many friends. Sisters in Christ who seem to struggle as I do when it comes to being confident in God's daily plan for them. Such wonderings require daily focus on scripture.
I prayed the verse especially for sweet KDS friend, Sandra, who was hospitalized for observation after a scary blood pressure event. Taking a few treats to Methodist Germantown to celebrate her recovery, I saw she had her Bible opened to that verse.  I had told her earlier I was praying Psalm 143:8 for her.

After  she was dismissed from the hospital, she shared this picture from her morning quiet time. 

Her morning cuppa---tea and truth. Her special Psalm143:8 teacup served as bookmark for that same verse in her Charles Stanley study Bible!  

Then........Sunday's "responsive reading" at church that week was from Psalm 143:8----of course it was.

God is gracious to keep me meditating on a verse until "I get it"!

The meditation continues so I'm excited to see all that He has for me within these 31 words!

NEED A BREAK.....or at LEAST A PAUSE?!

Our culture is always telling us we do....need a break, that is. We even deserve it. Just ask McDonalds. My favorite breaks include reading and crossword puzzles, especially USA Today ones. (

Today my "break" is to be a time of pondering, a PAUSE,
A focus on meditation with my marginalia quotes from previous weeks.

Putting
Aside
Unnecessary
Sidelines to
Embrace meditation

• God is always doing more than I know. (Romans)
• God is builder of all things. (Hebrews 3:4)
• Gospel, a victory announcement, is our fuel and motivation. (Romans 1-3)
• Unrighteous and self-righteousness are both sins,
• Gospel is a spoken message. (Romans 10:13)
• If I abide, He will reside. (John 15)
• It's never too dark for God's light to penetrate. (No one is ever beyond His reach.)
• Jesus changes everything. (Hebrews)
• Mercy matters! (Luke 6:36)
• Worship follows belief. (John 9:38)

MEIDTATION, combined with scripture, MATTERS---it's a refreshing pause!

CHOOSE: REFLECTING ON GOD'S WORD

I just love it when I am praying scripture for others and God show's me hidden jewels.

Such was the case with this week's prayers for Uganda folks from Psalm 19 as I chose to "refresh" my recollections as I began reflecting on God's word. 

For me, refreshing during my times of meditation can come when reading God's word from a translation other than the translation I had been using at that moment. Thus ESV was starting point but NIV held the new treasures. 

NIV Marginalia. 

There in my ragged NIV (think much loved and much used) were NOTES!

Perfect notes for wordsmiths!

God reveals Himself through nature (v.1-6) and scripture. In verses 7-9 there are:

6 synonyms, 6 adjectives & 6 results for scripture revelation.

Synonyms: 

Law. Statutes. Precepts. Commands. Fear of the Lord. Ordinances.

Adjectives:

perfect. trustworthy. right. radiant. pure. sure.

Results:

reviving the soul,making wise the simple,giving joy to the heart,giving light to the eye,  enduring forever, 

altogether righteous (as theses decrees come together in making decisions for human situations.

The law of the Lord is perfect,

     reviving (refreshing, NIV 2011) the soul.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,

    making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right,

    giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are radiant,

    giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is pure,

    enduring forever.

The ordinances (decrees NIV, 2011) of the Lord are sure, (firm, NIV, 2011)

 and altogether righteous.

10) God's words....They are more precious than gold,  than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb......in keeping them is great reward! (Psalm 19:10-11, NIV, 1996---emphasis is the blogger's)

God's word in and of itself is "refreshing" in any translation. (NIV, 2011)

Knowing God for me comes when reflecting on His word. It's my best daily choice.

Marginalia---The more we (I) know God, the more (my) life should reflect Him. (Tim Lundy)

Choose to Muse

It's "Meditating Monday" so today I "choose to muse "on "joy."  Psalm 119:111 describes joy as residing in one's heart.
What prompts joy in one's heart?

While "musing" through different translations of the same verse, I listed all the translations for statutes.

God's Word----laws----testimonies----decrees----written instructions----prized possession

The psalmist sees the statutes (God's written law (truth and directions from His word) as the source of His joy. I had to ask myself, "What's the source of my joy?"

A fave verse that came to mind was Jeremiah 15:16. 

Hm-m-m eating could be the musing that results in joy and delight in my own heart!

I need to "choose to muse" beyond Mondays, for a continual feast of joy!

"tea-lightful" : a Re-Brew

Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;
For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16, NASB)

Many things in life bring delight to us. Time with loved ones. A vacation in the mountains or at the beach. A field of yellow daffodils on the first day of spring.

In our family, food often brings delight. Even many vacation stops are planned around unusual restaurants.
Delightful food. Yummy food---which often varies with our age. A waffle bowl of ice cream for the grands. A cuppa for me. Peanut butter and jelly for the grands. Benedictine for me.

One of the bench marks of Christian maturity, is a hunger for God's word. A thirst that only His words can satisfy. Scripture meditation delights my soul.....as does being called by His name--Christian.

What are you eating lately? (ea-TEA-ng, as Corey said)
For me, noshing on God's Word is "tea-lightful."

"Mo-TEA-vating" : a Re-Brew, of sorts

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV)

"Meditating Mondays" were a part of this blog for years. A verse was given. Observations and interpretations were shared. Application was usually left up to readers. Last week's blog entry about the mo-TEA-vators in one's life, emphasized the value of the application aspect of Scripture meditation.

Motivating Mondays. "Mo-TEA-vating." Sounds good if it means putting hands and feet to the life lessons God is teaching through meditating on His word. Encouraging and exhorting others with God's truths, as one interacts with those whom God puts in his/her path, is application, at it's most practical. Why is motivating others with encouragement and exhortation so important? God's word answers that.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:13)

Mo-TEA-vating cuppa---filled to the brim with encouragement and exhortation and served to others. Lots of others.

God's love being poured out into our hearts (Romans 5:5) should be all the mo-TEA-vation that one needs........to pour His love out to others.

"scru-TEA-ny"

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way. (Psalm 139: 23-24, NASB)

Scrutiny requires that one looks within. A spiritual check-up.  A look at the heart. Vital signs. A motive check. 

The problem with scrutinizing one's spiritual life is the limitation of one's  own humanity. A great frailty in most folks is the inability to see one's own faults.
It's God who can penetrate the recesses of our hearts---those "desperately wicked areas." (Jeremiah 17:9) 

One must be willing to ask God to do the search. To probe and dig deep. "Down where our unspoken thoughts swell and unstated  motives hide." (Living the Psalms, p. 282)
Such searching by God of one's inner most being could be so-o-o painful. Why would one want to do that? Could truth revealed by the Great Physician change one's actions?
The result is an awareness of anything that brings pain to God or to others. Deep hurts. Knowing....and then changing, with God's help, allows one to walk in the everlasting way....a path of righteousness, and to bring others along with her.

Something to think about during my "Tea with Thee" time....as I sip a cuppa scru-TEA-ny from my most transparent teacup.

"tenaci-TEA"

Be still,  and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10, KJV)

Holding on can be hard, especially if it requires waiting. Tenacity is needed. Waiting to see what God will do. 

Disappointment occurred today when news was received that my "local" grandson did not get accepted to the campus school at the university. His assigned school has been taken over by the state and is in an unsafe area of town which adds great concern to the disappointment.
Though his mom had been diligent in doing all the "right" things, too many other variables seemed to over-ride her dream.
Too many others parents were employed at the university.
Too many others "grandfathered in" as siblings.
Too many others lived a "tad" closer to the school itself.

Regardless of the reasons for the outcome, it wasn't the news any of us wanted to hear.  

Oswald Chambers 2/22 entry in "My Utmost for His Highest" was a reminder that when hopes are disappointed, it isn't the end of a matter. Because thou has kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation...(Revelation 3:10) reminds us to NOT fall into the temptation to worry or to rush to "fix-it" in our own strength.
Waiting is required. Waiting with absolute certainty that God is sovereign. Waiting with scripture verses in our minds rather than fretting and being unduly upset. We need to "take heart" and not let our anxious thoughts multiply within us. (Psalm 94:19)

Great hope is shown by the psalmist in Psalm 27---a hope rooted in God's goodness. A hope that is patient, waiting on Him. A hope that gives strength to our tenacity.

For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble. (Psalm 27:5)

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.  (Psalm 27:14)

Spiritual tenacity is needed. A big cuppa tenaci-TEA! 

SABBATH SNAPSHOT: securi-TEA

Part of security measures at church have all of us signing in during the weekdays. The downside of that is that we live in a volatile world that requires such.
The upside is Debbie P. She "mans" the desk with her smiling face and upbeat personality. She's also the friendly voice one usually encounters when calling our church.

For me, she's also a wealth of needed info and a font of "you have to read" recommendations. Last week, she went beyond the suggestion level and loaned me the recommended book, a book of meditations on God and trouble. Taken from verses of Psalm 27, pointing to many "nuggets of wisdom that could only have come from the mouth of the Divine." (Tripp, p.17)
What a gracious act of transparency to share one's book with all it's notes and underlines.

Allow me to share some of my own notes & questions from A SHELTER in the time OF STORM by Paul David Tripp:

• The trip to where God is taking us is not an event; it's a process. (p. 58)
• God has not coated us with situational Teflon, protecting us from the disappointments and hurts of a world gone bad. (P. 69)
• Spiritual muscles---When God asks you to wait, do you think he has forgotten you or do you consider it as a time to grow in your faith? (p. 88)
• Spiritual muscles---Does waiting allow doubt, anger, discouragement, and envy to destroy your motivation to grow in faith? (p. 89)
• Someday. Is "someday" a statement of hope or just fatalistic resignation? "Someday" is what I wish would happen, but....deep down don't really think it will. (p. 90)
• Don't confuse the goodness of the Lord with the assumption that He will give you what you set your heart on. 

So many of our questions and encounters are answered from Psalm 27, as Tripp shows us the psalmist's understanding of God's Presence throughout the psalm.

Now, I just need to find a way to share this book with my Cherkasy friends who are experiencing turbulent times in "their" Ukraine, where their "adversaries are breathing out violence." (Psalm 27:12) Fear surrounds them. Schools are closed for Katya's kids. Businesses are shuttered. There is no food in the markets but there is blood in the streets. Oksana asks for prayer for her nation. Lisa's own brother, along with his friends, was prayerfully protected during a recent uprising. Masha has been a part of the occupation of Maidan (Independence) Square in Kiev since November. All of these are beautiful women I know and introduced on my 7/8/12 Ukraine Beauty blog entry. I pray Psalm 27:7 for them and the "Mercy Prayer." (Tripp, p. 60-61) and continue to encourage them to "Hope in God in a world that is broken." (Tripp, p.7) This book is full of hope.

If you love Psalm 27 as much as I do, this is definitely a book for you.

Like a Shepherd...

12/3/13 The Lord is my shepherd.....what comfort that brings. (Psalm 23:1)

Tender. Loving. Caring. Guiding. Nourishing. Think on those godly attributes as you meditate on Isaiah 40:11......

Messiah Calligraphic Word Pictures, Timothy R. Botts , p.39

Like a shepherd, God will tend the flock;
    he will gather lambs in his arms
    and lift them onto his lap.
    He will gently guide the nursing ewes. 

....and be thankful

ETERNAL HOPE

11/18/13 Life is full of struggles. There are many kinds of struggles.

What can one say to one in the midst of a struggle? 

Hope is the answer. Hope for a better tomorrow. 

Hope promotes the desire for a positive future, regardless of the circumstances of the day.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:5) 

 That hope is eternal. Eternity with the One who is our “Hope!”

Pick your Version

10/28/13 Meditating on scripture can bring a depth of understanding. Sometimes just reading a different translation of the same verse or passage can shed new light.

This weeks meditation came from my Atlanta friend, Katherine, who said she was praying this verse, Psalm 143:8, for me. What a blessing. What a verse. What a wealth of legitimate translations. /what a blessing to pass on as I have prayed this for others who are facing decisions and desiring God's good and perfect will in their choices. 

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. (NIV)

Each morning let me learn more about your love because I trust you.
I come to you in prayer, asking for your guidance. (CEV)

Hurry with your answer, God!
    I’m nearly at the end of my rope.
Don’t turn away; don’t ignore me!
    That would be certain death.
If you wake me each morning with the sound of your loving voice,
    I’ll go to sleep each night trusting in you.
Point out the road I must travel;
    I’m all ears, all eyes before you.
Save me from my enemies, God—
    you’re my only hope!
Teach me how to live to please you,
    because you’re my God.
Lead me by your blessed Spirit
    into cleared and level pastureland. (Message, in context)

Pick your version and allow God to show you the truth He has just for you.

"FLOURISH!"

9/23/13 Yesterday's sermon given by a young (40-ish) preacher from Houston, TX, who grew up in our church, inspired me to "flourish" during this season of life----not to languish as I age. 

Notes: 

• Flourishing is all about God. 
• Abundant life receives its vitality from union with Him. 
• We can't do life on our own. 
• Strength and energy from the Lord are there for the "long haul." (My words, not his) 
• Flourishing benefits and blesses others. 

So-o-o-o this Monday's theme for meditation is "flourish." Along with Psalm 1:3 and Psalm 92:12-14, Jeremiah 17:7-8 shows us what flourishing looks like---bearing fruit would benefit and bless others. 

"Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

For my Ukrainian girls---

7 Благословенний той муж, що покладається на Господа, що Господь то надія його!

8 І він буде, як дерево те, над водою посаджене, що над потоком пускає коріння своє, і не боїться, як прийде спекота, і його листя зелене, і в році посухи не буде журитись, і не перестане приносити плоду!

Let's flourish together.

True Meditation

11/19/12 Returning from the mission trip to India, Hickman E. said that MANY in India worship in spirit but NOT in truth. There are many gods, hundreds, if not thousands, of personal gods in the faiths of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Islam, etc. The sacred cow came to my mind.

Christianity calls one to worship One True God and to worship in "Spirit and in Truth."

For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."(John 4:24)

So how does one find truth. John 14: 6 gives that answer. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  Meditate on that "truth."

Pondering a Psalm

6/18/12  My meditation focus this year has been in the Psalms. It has not been daily, more like 5 a month. Psalm 37, my "fret not" psalm, is a long-time favorite---knowing that the Lord orders my steps along life's way. Along that way, it is He who holds my hand. Today’s meditation is on just one verse from that psalm. This verse was shared with me yesterday along with snippets of meditation from Through the Psalms with Derek Prince. It was sent by Aggie, a blog reader and missionary in France. I loved the encouraging note she sent with it:

As I took time in the Word this morning, Psalm 92 (one of today's Scripture readings in the liturgical calendar) is obviously for you, and I am praying it all over you now, and for the upcoming trip. YES, TRUST is the word.  Psalm 37:5, Commit - trust - and God will do the rest. 

It looks like Psalm 92 might follow as well because it addresses some of my concerns about my "last minute" (leave in 2 days) upcoming mission trip to the Ukraine. She understands my fears that my aging might affect my energy as well as present a few other difficulties.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do it: (Psalm 37:5, NASB)

The first two parts are mine. The third is God's. I "choose" to commit my way unto the Lord. (My way in any situation, need, or problem.) Next, I trust in Him. I love the idea gleaned from Derek Prince: Committing is my act; trust is my attitude; the action is God's, who will "bring it to pass." (KJV). (Prince, p. 68)

How blessed to "ponder a psalm" that was prayed "all over me" before I got out of bed, by a woman whom I have never even met. But God...........

"His Way" for Meditation

6/11/12 The Red Sea Rules---a great little read with BIG truths. Today, Jamie S. recommended it to me during a summer refreshment book study. I bought it on the way home. I’ve already read most of it, but will read it again and again I’m sure. As our leader, Margie Andrews commented, “Everytime I find a great book, I want everyone to read it.” I so understand what she is saying.

Nestled in this book are also some gems of scripture that are worthy of meditation. Verses that remind one that God’s way is the only way through all the difficulties that life can seemingly throw our way. His way might be refuge or His way might be deliverance.

When you pray, keep alert and be thankful. Be sure to pray that God will make a way. (Colossians 4:2-3)

Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. (Psalm 50:15)

FIRST LOVE

6/4/12  A recent Pinterest You-Tube showed 5+ minutes of 60 lip-syncing friends and dancers helping a young man propose to his girlfriend in a BIG way. It was showy, sweet and entertaining. It’s gotten lots of hits. But….the real question for the young couple would be, “After the “hype” of the proposal, The BIG wedding and honeymoon to follow, what path will your marriage take?”

The “Big” productions will be over and the marriage will settle down to the ordinary, the mundane, the “day-to-day-ness of loving another person.” (Mead p, 17) Will they continue to be there for each other---listening, caring and “doing well by doing good” for their spouse? I suspect they will be wanting an “abiding in the trenches” kind of intimate love, not the You-Tube love song version that the entire world has seen.

Similarly, new Christians can ask themselves the same questions. Accepting Jesus as Savior, becoming the “bride of Christ” and receiving God’s grace can be a “heady” experience. But….as the years pass and the “hoopla” and exhilaration wane, it will take discipline and commitment to still be spending time in His Presence, being alone with Him, listening to Him, obeying His commands and loving Him well.  If not, the “slide away” can begin, excuses can take over and fellowship with the Beloved One loses its intensity. But God….will remind them of their faithlessness just as he did in the time of the prophets as He spoke to His people through Ezekiel.

31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. (Ezekiel 33:31-32)

What does a Christian gather from meditating on this? God wants us, not our words, or our bits and pieces of time thrown His way to appease our guilty consciences. He wants undivided devotion that He might remain our first Love.

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (Revelation 2:4)

As Carol Mead so eloquently expressed in Practically Holy, God doesn’t care about BIG events, “God wants to speak of our Beloved”…….that we might not forget our First Love!

Remembering

5/28/12  Memorial Day---my first without my favorite vet, Daddy.

 Listening and Doing--- After we sit and listen during times of scripture meditation, we should rise and act accordingly.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20, NIV)

Interestingly enough, this morning's Commercial Appeal included James 1:20 in the King James version as it's "Today's Bible Verse". For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Scripture worth remembering on Memorial Day 2012.

Meditations from the Psalter

5/21/12 Bonhoeffer calls Psalms, the prayer book of the Bible but the Hebrew title also means hymns. Either term, prayer or hymn, has a purpose in worship. Embedded within some of the psalms is another word which can aid one in meditation. Selah.  

“Selah” [celah], when used in a psalm invites the reader to pause and to reflect. A synonym for meditation."Selah Psalms" teaches that “Selah” means we should pause to carefully examine, measure, and value what has been said. (http://www.harvestime.org/Psalms/Selah.pdf) Sounds like our “Meditation Monday” practice to me.

Whether it’s a passage from the Psalms or another book in the Bible, it is good practice to measure the truth encountered. Read. Pause. Measure your thoughts with the whole truth of Scripture---for all truth from God has been given for our meditation, our reflection, and our application. So….one wants to get it right.

Bonhoeffer quotes Luther on the advantage of a “Selah” interlude in the psalms, “…for they demand  a quiet and restful soul, which can grasp and hold to that which the Holy Spirit there presents and offers” (Psalms the Prayer book of the Bible, p. 23) Practice meditating today under that guidance.

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.

 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.  Selah

God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. (Psalm 57:1-3)

Today my meditation, from the psalter, turned to prayers for many on my "list" who are suffering from the calamaties caused by cancer---young and old alike.