Celestial VALET service?

Main Scripture: Psalm 4

1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
         You have relieved me in my distress; 
         Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. 
         
 ² How long, O you sons of men,
         Will you turn my glory to shame? 
         How long will you love worthlessness 
         And seek falsehood?  Selah  
 ³ But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly;
         The LORD will hear when I call to Him. (Psalm. 4:1-3 NKJV)

Delight yourself also in the LORD,
         And He shall give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4 NKJV) 

So much to glean from this short Psalm! It’s so full of raw emotion. Indeed, it fills my heart with PURE joy just to read or listen to it. I am like a kid in a candy store. Don’t know which “candy” (Truth) to muse over. Let me listen to it again … and again. The Holy Spirit will pinpoint one or two truths He wants me to meditate on today.

Like David, I too have the unwavering assurance that God hears me when I call to Him. He has answered countless prayers of mine, ranging from small, and medium, to big requests. The small requests have seemed insignificant to some, but not to God. He can effortlessly keep the universe running smoothly from His seated position in heaven, while at the same time helping me find a parking space downtown, in answer to my simple prayer to Him. After all, He’s God Almighty, isn’t He? Is it too difficult for Him to orchestrate the timing of a space to become free, just as I expectantly come driving along? Of course not! 

It is in His nature to care for His children, to meet their needs, to grant them their desires as they delight themselves in Him. What’s more, His answering our prayers in the seemingly insignificant things of life, gives us assurance that certainly He’ll come through for us in the bigger things as well.

Yeah, let’s put our trust firmly in the Lord, for He WILL answer when we call to Him. Every time! And BTW, “No” sometimes is the BEST answer to many a request......and “NO”, He is definitely not our valet, He simply delights in blessing us in the BIG as well as the little things in life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOhFfSFK7TQ&feature=related

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A (devalued) PENNY for your thoughts

Main Scripture: Luke 2:1-21

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2: 1-7 NKJV)

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV)     

The romantic picture some of us have in our minds of the events surrounding Jesus’ birth could not be further from the truth. Only after giving it some serious thought and doing a study of related scripture and historic accounts, can one begin to appreciate the hardship, inconvenience, bewilderment, etc., involved in the +- 70 mile trek up a mountain of +- 2654 ft. on foot or on a donkey (The Bible does not specify which of the two), by a young girl in the last period of her pregnancy, led by a man she had recently been betrothed to! All because an angel had visited both and had announced to them that Mary would become the mother of the long-awaited Messiah.

While the honor, joy and wonder of this announcement must have been overwhelming for them, the ramifications of their obedience, no doubt, would include gossip, speculation, condemnation, etc. on the part of others. No, it was not easy for them to do the will of God, not by a long shot. However, it would prove to be the single most important, history-affecting decision they would ever make in their lives!

Read Hebrews chapter 11 to further understand that God’s will for some may very well include suffering, even physical death through persecution. So the next time you pray “Thy will be done in my life as it is in heaven”, know that it may very well NOT be what you have in mind.

Hardship in life, even persecution, while right smack in the center of the will of God, is more to be desired than wealth, prestige, etc., outside the will of God, because in the former is where lasting peace and perduring happiness is found.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-M_u5m5ylA

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How DEEP and prolonged is your "OH"?

Main Scripture: 1 Chronicles 4

⁹ Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested. (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)

“Hear my cry, Oh God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”(Psalm 61:1-2 KJV)

In today’s main Scripture reading we find that Jabez’ mother actually named him “PAIN” in the Hebrew language! Her reason for stigmatizing this poor child like this was that she had borne him in pain! Duh!!! Aren’t all babies borne this way? Has any woman in the course of history ever borne a child in pleasure, gleefully doing her “breathing” as she pushed the baby out of the constricted birth canal? Maybe her pain was an emotional one. She may have had a complicated delivery, perhaps a breech birth? Who knows? But why take out her subconscious anger at God, or at the prevailing circumstances on the innocent, little baby? After all, God was the One who had increased the woman’s pain in childbearing, as a result of her disobedience in the Garden of Eden, remember? What I am trying to say here is that the baby is no way at fault.

Talk about having three strikes against you from birth, not to mention his childhood and adolescent years, with numerous instances of “Hey Pain, pass me the sugar, please. … Pain, get ready for bed! …. Pain, wipe that smile off your face”. How his name, really and truly must have caused him PAIN. as he was growing up! But there came a time, when Pain decided he had had enough and prayed that God would remove the restriction his name had had on him all of his life. He wanted out of that confining box! Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me; and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.

How deep and prolonged is your “OH God”? Does it come from way down in your belly? A quick mental prayer won’t do it. Some situations call for prayer AND fasting; confession of sin to each other; forgiveness of others, of self.

In James 5:16 we read: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (NLT)

God answers heartfelt prayers / groanings that come from deep within us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJdSxd74GBk&feature=related

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KNOCK, KNOCK, Who's there???

Main Scripture: Genesis 4

³ And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. ⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. ⁶ So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? ⁷ If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” (Gen. 4:3-7)

In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.         (1 John 3:10)

While the little joke/game of “Knock, knock, Who’s there?” may be fun to play, especially when creative responses are thought up, it is quite a different story when the answer to the question is “SIN” and really unnerving, even frightening if it is ready to pounce on you!

In Genesis 4 we read how Cain willfully disobeys God’s directives concerning offerings to Him. Abel, on the other hand, is shown to obey God implicitly, consequently receiving God’s total approval and acceptance of his offering. Cain’s response to God’s subsequent pronouncement on both offerings was an irrational display of anger and jealousy. With infinite grace and mercy, God proceeds to, not only point out to Cain where he had gone wrong, but also show him a way out of his predicament.

Did Cain take the wise counsel God gave him? Did he repent of his attitude and consequently do well? No, no and no! Sadly, he willfully continued the downward spiral into more and more sin. The sin that was crouching at his door, had finally pounced on him, just as God had predicted. Anger (at God) and jealousy (of his brother) took root in him and produced the fruit of coldblooded murder. Lord, help us …  Notice the progressive nature of unconfessed sin in Cain’s life: Anger à Jealousy à murder à deceit à callousness …… SIN was enthroned and ruling uncontested! Again I say, “Lord, help us”…

Willful disobedience to any of God’s commands will harden our hearts to the point of such callousness, that murder, whether in thought, word or deed, may very well be the first step of many in the downward, out-of-control spiraling of our lives. KNOCK, KNOCK, Who’s there?  Hopefully, the Lord Jesus Christ, because He says:

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelations 3:20 NKJV)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJQUwiY_614&feature=related

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STILLNESS and INTIMACY

Main Scripture: Luke 1:57-80    

⁵⁹ So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. ⁶⁰ His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.” ⁶¹ But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” ⁶² So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called. ⁶³ And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled. ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. (Luke 1:59-64)

“Be still, and KNOW that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 ESV)

There is nothing like quietness/stillness to sharpen our awareness of and communication with God! In the wee hours of the morning, when everyone is asleep and all you can hear is perhaps the barking of a dog way off in the distance or a rooster crowing in your neighbor’s yard (strangely enough, those noises seem to accentuate the stillness ….), that’s when God has a way of allowing you to experience Him in a very intimate way. It’s hard to describe those moments. The intensity and reality are such that tears come unbidden to the eyes. You know without the shadow of a doubt that you are communicating with GOD. Of course, one can communicate with Him at any time of the day or night. It’s just that distractions often inhibit this. Phone-calls, visitors, interaction with family-members/housemates/colleagues, TV, Radio, Internet, traffic noises, work, play, etc., etc., all tend to get in the way of any meaningful, sustained interaction with the Almighty.

So, what were the nine months Zacharias was deaf and mute like for him? I can only imagine them being months of intense, silent, deep communication between Him and God, with minimal distraction.

Once he got his hearing and voice back, being filled with the Holy Spirit, he just burst out in praise to God and begins to prophecy. “All things did work together for good for him”, even his discipline of not being able to speak (or hear - His neighbors used some sort of sign language with him)

His “Benedictus”, like Mary’s “Magnificat” reveals ample knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures, including the promise of the coming of the Messiah.

Discipline is good for us in more ways than one. Our attitude toward it, determines its outcome in our lives, whether it will be  beneficial or not.

“In returning and rest you shall be saved; 
      In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” 
      But you would not, (Isaiah 30:15)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C01lLxEo3xM&feature=related

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SLEEPING within the FIERY wall

Main Scripture: Psalm 3

I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people  who have set themselves against me all around.       (Psalm 3:5-6 ESV)

How worried do you think the baby in the picture is, as it blissfully sleeps, with its father dotingly watching over it? Hm ...

In Psalm 3 we read of King David’s confidence in God’s sustaining protection from his taunting enemies, despite the disparity in numbers. To further compound matters, his son Absalom was leading the insurrection! This confidence was no doubt rooted in his past favorable experiences with God in this respect. Hm ... The unwarranted and relentless pursuit of him by King Saul and his army comes to mind. Did God deliver him then? Of course! Had God changed in the meantime?  NADA whatsoever! Were the circumstances different now? Absolutely! Now his own flesh and blood was bent on killing him!  This would definitely qualify as an “acceptable” cause for insomnia as he agonized over this treason.

Sleeping in peace amidst dire circumstances portrays a walking by faith rather than by sight. It’s reminiscent of Daniel in the lion’s den and of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the blazing, fiery furnace. They certainly were not alone when tested. God’s protection of them caused them to come out of these tests completely unharmed. Nothing short of the miraculous, to be sure. The questions bear repeating, “Has God changed over the years? Has His power diminished somewhat because of use, perhaps?” Hm ... God not only is a shield around, above and under us (Ps. 139:5; Deuteronomy 33:27), He can also be a wall of fire around us.

And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst. (Zechariah 2:5 ESV)

If God be for us, who can be against us? So sleep, sleep in peach and rest, don’t be afraid of the darkness. All’s well for over the land and the sea. God’s keeping the night watch for you and for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ6Hnl2BMno

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FEET of clay, heart of FLESH

Main Scripture: 1 Chronicles 3 

 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ OF THIS MAN’S OFFSPRING God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. (Acts 13:22-23 ESV)

Another genealogy, this time it's David, the King of Israel's genealogy. The names of seven wives, 19 sons and 1 daughter are mentioned in 1 Chronicles 3. An eighth wife is mentioned in 1 Samuel 19. The number and names of his concubines (mistresses) and their children are not mentioned.

So it is safe to say that David had many children with many women. Hm ...

If that were not a big enough "flaw" to find in him, there is the troubling account of his affair with Bathsheba, Uriah's wife. David had plotted an elaborate scheme to pin the pregnancy which had come about from his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, on her husband. But the latter was one loyal soldier who refused to go home and be with his wife, while his fellow- soldiers were still at war. When this failed, David instructed that Uriah be placed in the heat of the battle so he would die at the hand of the enemy.

Based on the aforegoing, how can God still call David "a man after His own heart?" Hm ..... A study of David’s life, particularly of the Psalms will shed light on the HEART of the matter. The condition of his heart determined why he was so special to GOD’s heart. He obeyed the Lord with ALL his heart (Ps. 119:34); He praised the Lord with ALL his heart (Ps. 9:1); His heart was FILLED with the joy of the Lord (Ps. 4:7); ... and many other verses that show his heart’s overriding passion for God. He was truly repentant of his sin with Bathsheba (Ps 51, Ps 25:11). God showed him grace and confirmed that indeed he was a man after His heart:

(Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up A SON TO SUCCEED HIM and by making Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. 1 Kings 15:4-5 NIV)

It’s a fact, we ALL have feet of clay; yet we too can find grace and a special place in God’s heart, if our hearts’ overwhelming passion is God Himself.

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Wanted: MEN who will step up to the plate!

Main Scripture: Genesis 3 (part 3)

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

He said, “............ Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” (Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 3:11; Genesis 3:9 ESV    ) 

Regarding the man:

Notice to whom the command was given and who was called to account first. It is my understanding that both "man" and "you" in verse 9 are singular in Hebrew. Adam was given a leadership role in taking care of God's creation, including the protection and guidance of his wife Eve. He failed miserably. Shouldn't he have assumed his God-given responsibility and have put the devil and Eve, for that matter, in "their places"? Something like:

"Eve, querida, I'll handle this, thank you".

"Talking serpent, you address ME if you want to know what God has said. I am the one Yahweh directly gave the command to. Here's exactly what God said:

“You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

It's possible, that this would have been enough to silence Satan. In such a scenario, had the latter persisted with the outright lie he told Eve, then Adam, like the second Adam in the wilderness, could have continued refuting each lie or half-truth with what God had actually said.

Today, whether we are male or female, young or old, our only defense against the lies of the enemy is to counter them with the TRUTH of God's Word.

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Who do you believe, a PROVEN friend or a total stranger?

Main Scripture: Genesis 3 (part 2)

And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result (1 Timothy 2:14)


Regarding the woman:

Why did the devil address her and not Adam, seeing that they were there together? Was it his intention to appeal to her ego, her sense of self-importance?

Was she so flattered by being singled out that she failed to see the crafty twist of words even in Satan's first question? Did she subconsciously notice it, but brush it off in her eagerness to answer him? God had NOT told them that they could not eat of ANY of the trees in the garden! Does the phrasing of this question predispose her to mistrust God? Should a bell of warning have gone off in her mind right then and there? Hm .....

While she does repeat God's original command, she adds to it "neither shall you touch it". .... Why did she feel the need to supplement what God had so plainly said? Hm ....

The ground is fertile now for Satan to move in for the kill, the blatant lie, the direct contradiction to what God had said, "You shall NOT surely die!!!" .... and to thrust the lethal weapon even further into their minds, he gives a so-called motive why God had forbidden them from eating that particular fruit, i.e. "a petty clinging of God to His Godliness, not willing to share this part of being like Him, knowing good and evil with His creatures”. Hm .....

Upon closer inspection of the fruit, Eve covets it, believes she has a RIGHT to it, eats it in direct disobedience to God's command and tempts her husband to participate in her sin, thus stepping out of the role God had created her for, namely to be a helpmeet for Adam. She had now become Satan's ally in destroying her husband. What a tragedy!!!

Lord, help us, as women, to understand the scope of influence we have in our husbands’ AND consequently our sons’ and daughters’ lives .... influence for good or for evil.

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Did SNAKES at one time have feet?

Main Scripture: Genesis 3 (Part 1)

Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock  and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. (Genesis 3:13-14 ESV)

Regarding the serpent:


- He was the craftiest among the beasts of the field that the Lord God had made;


- He was able to speak to humans;


- He cast doubt on what God had said;


- He bold facedly contradicted what God had said;


- He accused God of short-changing humans;


- Was blamed of deception;


- Was cursed by God more than any livestock and above all beasts.


- Was condemned to crawl on its belly and eat dust all the days of its life;


- Enmity was put between it and the woman, between it and the woman's offspring;


- The woman's offspring would bruise its head at a future time;


- It in turn would bruise the woman's offspring's heel.

From Revelation we know that the serpent that deceived Eve is the devil, Satan (Revelation 12:9; 20:2) See also 2 Corinthians 11:3. Has he changed over the years in his basic modus operandus? Not one iota. He has other, more modern tools at his disposal, but he will always contradict God, cast doubt on what God has said; accuse God of withholding stuff from us, etc.

While my main focus should always be on submitting to the Truth, it behooves me also to be alert and aware of the wiles and snares of my number 1 enemy.

Submitting to God, resisting the devil will always cause him to FLEE from me. (James 4:7)

 That's a promise from God's Word

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