My choice is you, God, first and only.
      And now I find I'm your choice!
   You set me up with a house and yard.
      And then you made me your heir!

Psalm 16:5

The Message

I am Staying

"You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."

Isaiah 26:3

I read this verse, among other, this week as I was reading through my Daily Light passages.
There are many ways to read through God's Word, this is one of my favorites.
Far too often my mind is stayed on the worries of the world. Are my kids safe? Do I have to get up today and get moving? Will the snow ever stop? My Savior continues to remind me to keep my heart, mind and soul stayed firmly on him and the precious Word of God.
Today I am making it my goal to rest my mind on the Word of God,upholding and sustaining me so I may have perfect peace.

Stayed=to rest on (something, as a foundation or base) for support. Dictionary.com

Hebrew for stayed

1) to lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, lean upon
2) to support, uphold, sustain
b) (Niphal) to support or brace oneself
c) (Piel) to sustain, refresh, revive



Focus

A re-written post from a couple of years ago.

Do I see my life with a single focus and the cross of Christ being that focus?

"...find the God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated passion of your life, and find your way to say it and live for it and die for it. And you will make a difference that lasts. You will not waste your life." 
John Piper-- Don't Waste Your Life

"For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."
1 Corinthians 2:2

The example I follow in this is of course Jesus Christ, but also my dad, who wasn't a pastor or theologian and may not have said this in so many words, but did this in the example of his life, right up until the day he walked into eternity. For those of you who are new to my posts, you can read about my dad on 9-3 and 10-7. He preached Christ with his life.


Another of God's gracious gifts to me has been the example of a godly husband. If I had to explain him to you I would use the quote by John Piper quoted earlier in this post. Over the years he always has had his Bible open always wanting to know God and what God has to say about anything and everything. He is God-centered and Bible saturated. 
Thanking God for the people he puts in my life.

Too much water

As I approach the second anniversary of beginning my blog I was looking back to previous posts. This was an early post, done in October of 2008. I am repeating it here to remind myself of 'why' I blog and to keep my life centered and grounded in the precious Word of God. The only way to know Him.

The goal of my blog is to communicate to you that I want to "know Christ" and make him the supreme center of everything I do in every season of life. This year I believe the Lord has been showing me more of himself, or it could be that God now has my undivided attention, through His Word. You won't see me stray far from that goal. I want to know him and His Word, so you will see a lot about that topic. I was recently thinking about being waterlogged, can't tell you why. It means to be so filled or soaked with water that the object that is waterlogged becomes too heavy or hard to manage; saturated. Can you be Bible-logged?(probably not a word!) Am I so saturated with God's Word that I am overflowing with it? Hmmmmm.(10-2008)

I want to be able to say with the Psalmist:

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

Psalm 73:25

God's Word and my Mouth

My daily reading has recently taken me through the book of Ecclesiastes. As I have read through this verse by verse, I am reminded that I have never done a Bible Study on this book. The following verses were quite convicting a few days ago:

"Be not rash with your mouth, not let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words."

5:2-3

"Let not your mouth lead you into sin,,,"

5:6

At the same time I was reading the gospel of Matthew regarding what is in our hearts comes out in what we speak. OUCH!! Enough for one day. More on this tomorrow when I will fill you in on how God is using His Word in my life. 

God's Gems

[5 ] But the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loved you. [6 ] You shall not seek their peace or their prosperity all your days forever.

 (Deuteronomy 23:5-6 ESV)

As I continue to read through the Bible this year using the reading plan in the back of my English Standard Version, I am continually amazed at the verses or passages that leap off the page. Whenever I begin to read or study I pray asking God to open His Word to my heart and mind. I guess I shouldn't be surprised when God answers those prayers.

I don't have any commentary to add to these verses, I am in awe every time I am reminded how much God loves me.

Happy Wednesday.

God Sees-God Knows

I am convinced more and more each day as I read God's Word, the only way to go through the Bible is with a daily reading plan. In years past I have used devotionals, or Our Daily Bread, or a plan I make up on my own. But the day in day out reading is working for me. The plan I use is found in the back of my English Standard Version Study Bible. There are 2 sections from the Old Testament, a psalm and a section from the New Testament. Not many days pass that God is not opening the eyes of my heart to Who He is. Yesterday it was:

"God saw the people of Israel-and God knew."
Exodus 2:25

I took time to check some cross references found in Exodus 3:7,16; 4:31; Nehemiah9:9; Psalm 106:44.

It is reassuring and sometimes convicting that God sees and God knows. In times of blessing, in dark nights of the soul, times when I am ashamed He sees my wicked heart. 

But because of the precious blood of my Savior Jesus, I am covered in his righteousness, I am forgiven, I am taken care of, I am loved. God sees-God knows but sees me through Jesus. 

Rejoice and worship:

"And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshipped."

Exodus 4:31

God Has a Purpose

I finished reading Genesis this week and was struck by Joseph weeping at the end of Chapter 50. After burying his father, he returns to Egypt with his brothers. Joseph's brothers are worried that Joseph will now exact the revenge on them who hated him so much as a young boy, they threw him in a well, sold him into slavery and told his father animals had eaten him. Nice guys.
Now that Jacob is dead they have this to say:

So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, 'Your father gave this command before he died, Say to Joseph, please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you. And now please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.' Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

Genesis 50:17

Joseph, over the years, has become a man who loves God, following Him in all His ways. He tells his brothers to not fear. The evil they meant against him was used by God for good. He promises to provide for them and their families.

You can find the entire drama unfold in Genesis 35-50 which teaches us that God can transform any evil into good, God is the ultimate ruler over all and uses everything for his glory and our ultimate good.

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,

in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

Great are the works of the Lord,

studied by all who delight in them.

Full of splendor and majesty is his work,

and his righteousness endures forever.

Psalm 111:1-3

God Delights in Me

I called to the Lord in distress;

the Lord answered me

and put me in a spacious

place.

The Lord is for me;

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

With the Lord for me as

my helper,

I will look in triumph on those who hate me.

It is better to take refuge

in the Lord

than to trust in nobles.

Psalm 118:5-9

I read this yesterday morning getting ready to teach Sunday School on the book of JOB. We are at a point in our study that Job has had about enough and his friends continue to be no help. As I read this passage I thought of Job and myself as I've found myself in distressful circumstances, although nothing like Job.

Whatver the circumstance I find myself in today, my ultimate trust is in God. I have no words to explain the security and peace that gives me. To know that God is on my side, he is my helper, the Lord is for me.

All too often I forget how much God loves me through His Son, my Savior. There is no room for despair when He has rescued me because He delights in me and you.

Letting his delight in me sink in.

"Though the fig tree does not bud

and there is no fruit

on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep

in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will triumph

in the Lord;

I will rejoice in the God

of my salvation!

Yahweh my lord

is my strength;

He makes my feet like those

of a deer

and enables me to walk

on mountain heights."

Habakkuk 3:18-19

Though the economy should not rebound or 
healthcare be revamped,

though there is only bread, milk and cereal in the house and not

much extra cash in the bank account,

though the kids have left the nest and are spreading their wings,

though chronic pain or serious illness be my daily cross,

or a loved one taken before I was ready,
or my spouse watches sports all weekend;


will I choose to rejoice, will I acknowledge God is my strength?

Will I triumph because Yahweh is my Lord?

God's Will

"I pray that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power."

Colossians 1:9-11

Ever wondered what God's will is for your life? Here are a few answers:

• be filled with the knowledge of God
• be filled with wisdom and spiritual understanding
• walk worthy of the Lord
• be fruitful in every good work
• increase in the knowledge of God

How? All by knowing God and His Word.

"God doesn't want religious duty. He doesn't want a distracted, half-hearted "fine, I'll read a chapter...now are You happy?" attitude. God wants His Word to be a delight to us, so much so that we meditate on it day and night."
Francis Chan-Crazy Love

"He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
Psalm 1:3

Yes, I'm a broken record when it comes to God's Word, there is no other way to know God who wants to have an intimate relationship through His Son, Jesus.

No desire for His Word? Ask God to make His Words like

'honey dripping from the honeycomb."
Psalm 19:7-11

"You have put more joy
in my heart
than they have when their grain
and new wine abound.
I will both lie down and sleep
in peace,
for You alone, Lord, make me
live in safety."
Psalm 4:7-8

These are several scriptures I pray for myself that help me focus on God and His Word. The daily intake of His Word is something I discipline myself to do along with asking God to:

"Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from Your law"

Psalm 119:18

help me to see that

"Your testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors"

Psalm 119:24

Asking God to

"Incline my heart to His testimonies and not to dishonest gain."

Psalm 119:36

Wanting to be able to say with the psalmist

"O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day."

Psalm 119:97

I like the following definition of discipline taken from www.dictionary.com

"activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training:"

Discipline is not a bad thing but an activity or exercise that helps us improve something, this something being reading, meditating, memorizing God's Word on a daily basis. I want to know God better that is a good thing. How else can I know and love Him apart from His Word?

A great book on the disciplines of the Christian life is by Donald Whitney, you can find it here.

A proverb for athletes who seem to be in the news this week with less than role model behavior:

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."
Proverbs 15:1
(ESV)

And for me when talking to my husband and children.

A Few Goals

Over thirty years ago God found me before I even knew Him, He called and saved me by His grace through the blood of Jesus Christ.

"For we know that things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son...And those whom He predestined, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified."
Romans 8:28-30

Since then I've read, studied, meditated and memorized God's precious Word. I have found this is the only Book that has the answers. It has helped me to find my focus and goals for this life. Recently I've been able to narrow down particular goals:

To love my Lord with all my heart, mind and soul-Matthew 22:37

To walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God-Colossians 1:10

To fulfill Titus 2:3-5 so God's message will not be slandered.

To glorify God in whatever I do-1 Corinthians 10:31

"Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:12

"When Solomon was old, his wives seduced him to follow other gods. His heart was not completely with the Lord his God as his father David's heart had been.
1 Kings 11:4

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:21

Do I want God and a "bunch of other stuff like money, activities, favorite sports teams, addictions, or too many commitments?" or is God enough?

"The greatest good on this earth is God. Period. God's one goal for us is HIMSELF."

(Quotes taken from Crazy Love by Francis Chan)

"I lift my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven. Like a servant's eyes on His master's hand, like a servant girl's eyes on her mistress's hand, so our eyes are on the Lord our God until He shows us favor."
Psalm 123:1-2

Fed and blessed by an awesome God in worship today. Thanking God for a place of worship and the freedom to do so.

"Oh the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgements and untraceable His ways!...
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever . Amen"
Romans 11:33, 36

A Gem in the Middle of Daniel

I've been reading in Daniel and found a gem in the middle of the book:

"Then the one with human likeness touched me again and strengthened me, He said, Don't be afraid, you who are treasured by God. Peace to you; be very strong."
Daniel 10:18-19

I would suggest reading these verses in the context of the chapter or read the book of Daniel, it isn't very long.

What a love note to us that we are treasured by God.