Category: Psalms

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24/7/365

I have to tell you; I love finding God in every day occurrences.

I can find Him in the grocery store, in traffic, at a noisy NASCAR race, in the still quiet of the morning. I can find Him while holding David’s hand in prayer, in conversation with friends, in spontaneous outbursts from my grandchildren. I can even find God in a Hallmark movie or in the commercials that come in between shows on television.

That’s where I found the Lord speak to me yesterday. I had one of those sentimental movies playing on television while I sat knitting a Christmas stocking. I wasn’t really paying much attention to the movie, it was the commercial that gained my attention.

I don’t remember what item was being prompted but the dialogue said something like this, “it’s the gift that keeps on giving all year through”. I looked up and said out loud, “that’s God love! It’s the 24/7, 365 gift. That’ll preach.”

I told Dave, “I have tomorrow’s blog title”. 24/7/365

Today I will share with you some of those 24/7/365 verses that mean so much to me.

“The Lord came to us from far away, saying, “I have loved you with a love that lasts forever. So I have helped you come to Me with loving-kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 NLV

“When the rain-bow is in the cloud, I will look upon it to remember the agreement that will last forever between God and every living thing of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the special thing to see because of the agreement I have made between Me and all flesh upon the earth.” Genesis 9:16-17 NLV

“Go into His gates giving thanks and into His holy place with praise. Give thanks to Him. Honor His name. 5 For the Lord is good. His loving-kindness lasts forever. And He is faithful to all people and to all their children-to-come.” Psalm 100:4-5 NLV

“For to us a Child will be born. To us a Son will be given. And the rule of the nations will be on His shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Teacher, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NLV

“Trust in the Lord forever. For the Lord God is a Rock that lasts forever.” Isaiah 26:4 NLV

“Those whom the Lord has paid for and set free will return. They will come to Zion with singing. Joy that lasts forever will crown their heads. They will be glad and full of joy. Sorrow and sad voices will be gone.” Isaiah 35:10 NLV

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God’s Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever.” John 3:16 NLV

“We give honor and thanks to the King Who lives forever. He is the One Who never dies and Who is never seen. He is the One Who knows all things. He is the only God. Let it be so.” I Timothy 1:7 NLV

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:13 NLT

There you have it. Love, promises, strength, joy, loving-kindness or mercy, Father, King and life – all of these gifts are from our Eternal Father and all of these gifts are eternal – 24/7/365. God’s gifts to us!

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Worth the Wait

The countdown has started. How many days until Christmas? Come December 1, Advent Calendars will be placed in millions of homes reminding young and old that we’re “one day” closer.

The question is do we wait well. More often than not, the answer is probably no.

As children we waited on Christmas morning; it brought excitement, anticipation and an almost sleepless night.

As women we wait expectantly for 9months, 40 weeks – for the birth of a child. Each week, each month there’s a new joy of expectancy; even when we are the only ones who know we are pregnant, we’re excitedly awaiting the due date.

Then there’s the joy of planning a wedding – deciding on the right dress, the flowers, the venue, the food – registering for gifts, planning the honeymoon – you get the picture – although it’s in the future, there’s joy in the planning and waiting.

For the guys, there’s that first hunting trip of the season, getting the tag, the food, scouting the right spot, the thrill of the hunt, buck fever; or it could be the High School State Football Championship – the weekly games, the playoffs and finally the championship game.

Perhaps it’s the promotion at work, graduation from college or trade school, moving out and getting your own place or retirement. New adventures, new expectations, new experiences are all things we wait for.

It would be silly to think that any of these things could be accomplished without preparation, without the passage of time. Looking at the goal and preparing yourself each step along the way is what makes the end result so successful – so rewarding, so joyful.

Then why is it so hard to wait on the Lord?

Many times, have I heard someone get upset because they are having to wait for an answer to prayer, I will include myself in that. Nowadays we live in an instant, microwave, IM world. Some things are just worth waiting on.

Waiting on the Lord is trusting His timing – His perfect plan.

“Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. 14 Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14

Let me encourage you with this; as your waiting on the Lord, prepare yourself to receive His blessings. Don’t be discouraged instead let your anticipation build and don’t grumble. Wait patiently!

“I patiently waited, Lord, for you to hear my prayer. You listened 2 and pulled me from a lonely pit full of mud and mire. You let me stand on a rock with my feet firm, 3 and you gave me a new song, a song of praise to you. Many will see this, and they will honor and trust you, the Lord God.” Psalm 40:1-3 CEV

Don’t get discouraged. Wait on the Lord. It will be worth every second!

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Carrying the Load

This morning a wonderful memory popped up in my quiet time.

Years ago, 25 or more, we went to visit Kim and Austin in Hawaii. One of our day excursions was a trip to Diamond Head. If you’ve never been, it’s quite the hike and beautiful once you reach the top. Very historic too.

We were four adults, one teenager and two kiddos under the age of five. AJ was being carried in a backpack and Ali started the trek under her own power. As the hike continued, we were all feeling the burn but none as much as Ali. When she could go no further Dave picked her up and carried her the rest of the way.

When we got to the top we heard her say, “I’m so tired”. We laughed because Dave and Austin were too.

That’s the memory that came to mind as I read these verses this morning.

“Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
    For each day he carries us in his arms. Interlude
20 Our God is a God who saves!
    The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.” Psalm 68:19-20 NLT

Each day HE carries us in His arms!

Think of yesterday, did you have a sense of being carried? Had you said to yourself “I just can’t go on”? Maybe it was an emotional exhaustion, or it could have been physical burnout. Spiritual weariness with exhaust the body and emotions.

Did you sense an ungirding of inner strength – did you feel carried along? The Father is there to assist us in every situation.

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'” Matthew 11:27-29 NLT

King David described it as being overwhelmed.

“O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! 2 From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, 3 for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.” Psalm 61:1-3 NLT

The writer of Hebrews tells us we can find help whenever we need it.

“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT

I am so thankful that the Father cares about me and carries me through all of life’s struggles. I just have so much to be thankful for, how about you?

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A Family Favorite

Are you like me? The Thanksgiving menu is posted to the refrigerator door. You’ve looked at the list and double checked the pantry for all the ingredients. It’s down to crunch time. The turkey is thawing, the potatoes are waiting to be peeled, the dressing/stuffing will be mixed tomorrow night and the pies are ready.

Yep! It’s all but done. On that list of things that need to be made are the family favorites.

This morning I was reading Psalm 145, as I always do. I read through it quickly, as if to check it off the list and move on, when I was impressed with stop and read it again. That’s when I felt the Lord minister to my heart that this is one of His family favorites, so I read it again – savored it and tried to enjoy it to the fullest.

“I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! and I’ll bless your name into eternity. 2 I’ll bless you every day, and keep it up from now to eternity.

3 God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to his greatness.

4 Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts. 5 Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking; I compose songs on your wonders.

6 Your marvelous doings are headline news; I could write a book full of the details of your greatness.

7 The fame of your goodness spreads across the country; your righteousness is on everyone’s lips.

8 God is all mercy and grace— not quick to anger, is rich in love.

9 God is good to one and all; everything he does is soaked through with grace.

10-11 Creation and creatures applaud you, God; your holy people bless you. They talk about the glories of your rule, they exclaim over your splendor,

12 Letting the world know of your power for good, the lavish splendor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; you never get voted out of office. God always does what he says, and is gracious in everything he does.

14 God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.

15 All eyes are on you, expectant; you give them their meals on time. 16 Generous to a fault, you lavish your favor on all creatures.

17 Everything God does is right—  the trademark on all his works is love.

18 God’s there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it.

19 He does what’s best for those who fear him— hears them call out, and saves them.

20 God sticks by all who love him, but it’s all over for those who don’t.

21 My mouth is filled with God’s praise.  Let everything living bless him, bless his holy name from now to eternity!” Psalm 145 MSG

Now you may want to read that again because I’m sure you will find something in these verses that will become a favorite. Maybe it’s the fact that God is all mercy and grace or that He is good to everyone. How about the part that says He picks us up when we fall or that He is never voted out of office? Perhaps it’s the part that says He is generous to a fault and He listens when we pray.

God’s word is like a good meal; it contains all our favorites including dessert. The goodness of the Lord never ceases.

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Breathtaking Awe

A few nights ago, the neighbors gathered in the streets to see this beautiful Arizona sunset!

You all know how I love my sunrises and sunsets. As I was standing there, taking it all in Gail said, “God did that”! He sure did – He painted the sky with the deepest golden hues – beautiful.

This morning I waiting to see the sunrise. The skyline is cloudy gray but that’s ok too. The last couple of days we have enjoyed much-needed rain. The desert is feeling refreshed.

I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude for the breath I have in my lungs – clean, fresh air. Breath to praise such an awesome and almighty God but more than that – breath to talk with my loving heavenly Father and to thank Him for all He does.

Loving family, good health, a secure home, the beauty of his creation, the stillness and the peace I feel in His presence each day and the dear friends He has added to my life.

Yesterday I asked you to make a thankfulness list. I hope you did. This morning I’m asking you to follow King David’s example and enter into praise.

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in His holy place! Praise Him in the heavens of His power! 2 Praise Him for His great works! Praise Him for all His greatness!

3 Praise Him with the sound of a horn. Praise Him with harps. 4 Praise Him with timbrels and dancing. Praise Him with strings and horns. 5 Praise Him with loud sounds. Praise Him with loud and clear sounds. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 150 NLV

Do you have breath? If you do, praise the Lord!

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Thirsty & Thankful

There’s something to be said for life experience.

I am grateful for the years I have been blessed with; as a child we moved regularly because of my dad’s job. My middle and high school years were spent in my hometown of Yuma and my married life started in the desert and brought me back here. The in between years took us to California, Washington, Idaho and Montana.

So many memories and experiences to draw from. This morning’s Bible reading was just such a moment.

“As the deer desires rivers of water, so my soul desires You, O God. 2 My soul is thirsty for God, for the living God. When will I come and meet with God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’…8 The Lord will send His loving-kindness in the day. And His song will be with me in the night, a prayer to the God of my life…11 Why are you sad, O my soul? Why have you become troubled within me? Hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my help and my God.” Psalm 42 NLV

Many times, I have seen the deer come to the water during the hot summer months. Most often they come at night or early morning. The darkness is a protection from predators, or so it seems. But when the sun is hot, and the desert is dry they will come in the daylight.

Thirsty and desperate they come! Thirsty and desperate we come!

In our moments of crises, we come. A near fatal accident, the end of a marriage, indebtedness, illness, physical weakness, danger – they all draw us to a place of seeking God. I know you’ve probably heard the expression “there are no atheist in foxholes”.

Why do we wait to come to God? Why do we do “all we can, so we better pray”? That’s what the disciples did when they were in the storm on the sea. Why do we wait for the heat of our situation to draw us to the Father?

How much better is it to be a sheep instead of a deer?

“The Lord is my Shepherd. I will have everything I need. 2 He lets me rest in fields of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. 3 He makes me strong again.” Psalm 23:1-3 NLV

When we have a sheep’s mindset we follow; we don’t try to handle life on our own. We trust the Shepherd. We start our day following Him and end it resting in His protection.

Yesterday I had a neighbor, and a friend, tell me “I start each day by saying ‘Lord be with me today and help me be with You'”. We know He has promised to never leave us but sometimes we leave Him.

We have the promise of His loving-kindness throughout the day and His soothing song in the night. How good it is to know that when we are thirsty He is there. I’m so thankful for His presence!

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Stuck in the Mud

When we lived in Montana our home was out in the country on a dirt road. To be more specific, the composition of the road was more of a clay base than a dirt base. When it rained, things got sticky.

I used to walk that road most every day, even the rainy ones. On those days I needed to watch where I stepped, keeping my feet on drier ground. It was not uncommon to break through the upper layer, sinking into the mud. On more than one occasion I had my shoe pulled right off my foot. Now, I find it humorous but then, I was not amused.

Have you ever had an experience where you were stuck in the mud? Maybe you weren’t literally stuck but possibly, figuratively stuck.

Stuck in a job that’s not meant for you; stuck in an association that isn’t healthy? I have good news.

“ I did not give up waiting for the Lord. And He turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up out of the hole of danger, out of the mud and clay. He set my feet on a rock, making my feet sure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and will put their trust in the Lord.

4 How happy is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud or to the followers of lies. 5 O Lord my God, many are the great works You have done, and Your thoughts toward us. No one can compare with You! If I were to speak and tell of them, there would be too many to number.

6 You have not wanted gifts given on the altar in worship. You have opened my ears. You have not wanted burnt gifts or gifts to cover sins. 7 Then I said, “Look, I have come. It is written about me in the book. 8 I am happy to do Your will, O my God. Your Law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the good news about what is right and good in the big meeting with many people. You know I will not close my lips, O Lord. 10 I have not hidden what is right and good with You in my heart. I have spoken about how faithful You are and about Your saving power. I have not hidden Your loving-kindness and Your truth from the big meeting.

11 O Lord, You will not keep Your loving-pity from me. Your loving-kindness and Your truth will always keep me safe.” Psalm 40:1-11 NLVs

As I read these verses this morning, my mind went to those times of being physically, literally, emotionally and spiritually stuck. Stuck in worry and anger, stuck in a job where dishonesty and deception were the norm, stuck in a defeated life spiritually.

Did you notice the last line in verse eleven? “Your loving-kindness…will always keep me safe”. The hesed of God, his loving-kindness is our safety.

I am so grateful that God in His love pulled me out of the mud and set my feet on the Rock of His Word.

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Never Far Away

This morning I was reading in Acts. The chapter I was in, told of Paul traveling to Athens and Corinth and teaching the Greeks.

It reminded me of our time in Greece. There were small chapels everywhere. Sometimes they were only half a mile apart. When we would walk the streets there would be a chapel in the center of the city square, one at the harbor only a few hundred yards away, one on the top of a small hill and then there were prayer chapels sandwiched in between the shops.

Always, there was a reminder of the presence of God. That IS my favorite memory from the Greek islands.

“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

7 Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land. 8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:6-8 NLT

So much to be grateful for! “Don’t be afraid – He will neither fail you nor abandon you”!

Have you ever felt abandoned? Lost and afraid? It’s a sinking feeling; almost a hopelessness. Our heavenly Father never wants us to experience that kind of desperation.

“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. 3 You see me when travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do…I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! 8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. 9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, 10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” Psalm 139:1-10 NLT

There is no place we will ever go or ever be that our loving, heavenly Father doesn’t go with us.

Jonah was in the belly of a fish; the three Hebrew children were in a fiery furnace, Paul was lost in the sea, the thief was hanging on the cross, the woman was in an adulterous affair and David was facing a giant. All the time, God was there.

We used to sing a song that went something like this: “The place where I worship is the wide, open spaces built by the hand of the Lord. The trees of the forest are like pipes of an organ and the breeze plays an amen chord…”

Like our friends in Greece, we need to take time to worship God no matter where we are.

In a hospital room, a court room, an empty home, a crowded office or a bustling interstate, God is there.

Anywhere we go can become a place of worship if we open our hearts and praise the One who has promised to never leave us alone or abandon us!

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In The Storm

The wind decided to blow, ALL NIGHT! When you live in an RV you hear the wind, at times it sounded like a freight train moving rapidly alongside the 5th wheel. I’m so glad for the shelter of my home.

Peter and the disciples were in a storm on the sea. Jesus was exhausted and fell asleep “in the back of the boat”. The waves grew larger and as they crashed against the bow, the boat began to fill with water. Jesus still slept.

Finally, in desperation the disciples woke Him with a startling cry.

“A very bad wind came up on the lake. The waves were coming over the sides and into the boat, and it was almost full of water. 38 Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The followers went and woke him. They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!” Mark 4:37-38 ERV

Don’t you care – aren’t you worried, don’t you love us?

Here’s the answer: Jesus didn’t have a care about the situation; no, He wasn’t worried but yes, He loved them dearly. So He stood, and said:

“ Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm.” vs 39

Have you ever had the same reaction as the disciples? Lord, don’t you care? I can’t pay my rent this month, the doctor said cancer, my child has left home and I don’t know where they are, my loved one is dying. Don’t you care?

“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” I Peter 5:7 CEV

God isn’t weighted down with worry but He definitely cares for you!

Jesus was right where He needed to be, He was resting in the peace of God.

“You can go to God Most High to hide. You can go to God All-Powerful for protection.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my place of safety, my fortress. My God, I trust in you.” Psalm 91:1-2 ERV

The disciples did the right thing. In their worry, they ran for shelter, shelter was found in the presence and protection of the Father.

Is the wind howling and are the waves crashing in around you today? Run to the Father. Be grateful – there is always shelter from the storm!

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No Expiration

Maintaining a grateful and thankful heart is proof that the Holy Spirit is working in us. Knowing that God has blessed us with our talents and natural abilities, our strengths, our health, our relationships and our finances keeps gratitude fresh.

Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father and as we thank Him for these things we are kept from self-centeredness and the idea that we have things because we are so darn special.

The Apostle Paul warns us of the attitudes that will surface as we come to the “last days” – it certainly sounds like it could come from any newspaper or police blotter across the nation.

“Remember this: There are some terrible times coming in the last days. 2 People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud and boast about themselves. They will abuse others with insults. They will not obey their parents. They will be ungrateful and against all that is pleasing to God. 3 They will have no love for others and will refuse to forgive anyone. They will talk about others to hurt them and will have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.” II Timothy 3:1-3 ERV

Has gratitude expired? Has thankfulness become like a jug of milk that has sat in the refrigerator for too long?

There are expiration dates on warranties, coupons, credit cards, canned goods. However, there are some things that never expire. There is no expiration date on God’s mercy!

Whew!

I know that I don’t mess up as much as I once did but still there are screw ups, failures, and downright disobedience. It is so comforting to know that His mercy endures forever.

“The Lord is our God, and he has given us light! Start the celebration! March with palm branches all the way to the altar. 28 The Lord is my God! I will praise him and tell him how thankful I am. 29 Tell the Lord how thankful you are, because he is kind and always merciful.” Psalm 118:27-29 CEV

In this chapter we find the phrase “because he is kind and always merciful” five times or as it says in the King James version “his mercy endureth forever”.

No expiration dates. Mercy is the act of forgiving or restoring when we’ve done nothing to deserve it. God has every right to judge us harshly for the things we’ve done, and He doesn’t! Now that’s a lot to be thankful for.

I hope you will read the rest of this chapter in its’ entirety. It’s a wonderful chapter of praise but before I close this morning I will add these few verses from the beginning of the chapter.

“Let every true worshiper of the Lord shout, ‘God is always merciful!’ 5 When I was really hurting, I prayed to the Lord. He answered my prayer, and took my worries away. 6 The Lord is on my side, and I am not afraid of what others can do to me. 7 With the Lord on my side, I will defeat all of my hateful enemies. 8 It is better to trust the Lord for protection than to trust anyone else, 9 including strong leaders.” Psalms 118:4-9 CEV

God is always merciful. Don’t let your gratitude expired.

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