PSALM 4-Give me rest from my trouble! Show me your Favor

I am loving the videos on these Psalms. This video is long and you need to watch it so that you can read the psalm but so worth it. The song playing is an old hymn and so puts your mind in the right perspective. Take the time to watch, read and listen. You will be blessed today!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTCcVI8Mm-I

 

 

Psalm 4

For the director of music. A psalm of David to be played on stringed instruments.

 ¹ My faithful God,
      answer me when I call out to you.
   Give me rest from my trouble.
      Show me your favor. Hear my prayer.
 ² How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
      How long will you love what will certainly fail you?
      How long will you pray to statues of gods?
                         Selah

 ³ Remember that the Lord has set his faithful people apart for himself.
      The Lord will hear me when I call out to him.
 ⁴ When you are angry, do not sin.
      When you are in bed,
      look deep down inside you and be silent.
                         Selah

 ⁵ Offer sacrifices to the Lord in the right way.
      Trust in him.
 ⁶ Many are asking, "Who can show us anything good?"
      Lord, let us see your face smiling on us with favor.
 ⁷ You have filled my heart with great joy.
      It is greater than the joy of people who have lots of grain and fresh wine.
 ⁸ I will lie down and sleep in peace.
      Lord, you alone keep me safe.

Alice Dancing Under the Gallows 106 Years Old

Pray that our God is known by Alice. What a special lady. Please watch. It is 12 minutes long but well worth the time.  Praise God for this example of love and forgiveness!

Learn How to Dance in the Rain!

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass....it's about learning how to dance in the rain." -Unknown

Joseph is our example for the quote above. Joseph was faced with many situations where he could have waited and stewed and got upset with the world. I think because we know the end of the story we forget that while Joseph was going through all of the situations he did not know what was coming up! Imagine if he did know that once he was out of one trial, right around the corner as he was doing what whe was supposed to do, there would be another trail. He could have complained about his brothers, his boss, his people and on and on. We never see that in his trials he complains or blames. Could you see him in the middle of the desert walking with a group of foreigners as the clouds roll in and begin to open up with a rainstorm. He is hot, dirty, with a bunch of strangers and what does he do? He dances, dances in the rain! (that is my imagination, no proof of that in the Bible. But if there was a rainstorm I bet Joseph made the best of it!)

Read the end of the story below. Joseph not only was mistreated by many, he showed genuine love.for his brothers who mistreated him. He Had forgiveness in his heart and was filled with joy to see them again. It is a refreshing passage. Enjoy!

Genesis 45:5-15

⁵ But don't be upset. And don't be angry with yourselves because you sold me here. God sent me ahead of you to save many lives.
 ⁶ "For two years now, there hasn't been enough food in the land. And for the next five years, people won't be plowing or gathering crops. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to keep some of you alive on earth. He sent me here to save your lives by an act of mighty power.
 ⁸ "So then, it wasn't you who sent me here. It was God. He made me like a father to Pharaoh. He made me master of Pharaoh's whole house. He made me ruler of the whole land of Egypt.
 ⁹ "Now hurry back to my father. Say to him, 'Your son Joseph says, "God has made me master of the whole land of Egypt. Come down to me. Don't waste any time. ¹⁰ You will live in the area of Goshen. You, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you have will be near me. ¹¹ There I will provide everything you need.
   " ' "Five years without enough food are still coming. If you don't come down here, you and your family and everyone who belongs to you will lose everything." '
 ¹² "Brothers, you can see for yourselves that it's really I, Joseph, speaking to you. My brother Benjamin can see it too.
 ¹³ "Tell my father about all of the honor that has been given to me in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly."
 ¹⁴ Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and sobbed. Benjamin also hugged him and sobbed. ¹⁵ Joseph kissed all of his brothers and sobbed over them. After that, his brothers talked with him.

Edwin Markham

 "We have committed the Golden Rule to memory;

let us now commit it to life."-Edwin Markham

Since this is a blog...I can put in a little unrelated comment this morning. As I went to plug in my computer I saw the beautiful black shape of a huge spider. I am still getting grossed out by it! I did kill it with bug spray. Not sure if it was the chemical or the drowning that killed it but I have disposed of the thing. Ich! If he was outside no problem....inside is MY territory. Bye bye big arachnid.

OK, now  the devotional on forgiveness. Hope this doesn't apply to bugs or I am in deep trouble.

We have heard about treating others as we would want to be treated since we were children. Why is it that we must always be reminded of this fact even while we are adults. When does or will it sink in? I think old people finally come to realize this because they don't seem to let things bother them much. We need to absorb that. Think what the world would be like if we were the majority on this matter! Gosh, the world would just be a different place! But, no, we need to be right....give that up for a day. Let everyone else be right. What will it matter? One day...just do it...if it works, make it two days...maybe every Wednesday should be "I Admit It, You are Right Day"  Somebody please call Hallmark! Read the passage below, it is a familiar one so don't just skim through it. Read it contemplate on it and by all means live it! (I am talking to myself here too)

Matthew 18:21-36

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.^[g]
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold^[h] was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
    “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
   “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.^[i] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
   “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
   “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
   “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
   “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Just do it! I know some folks are finding it hard to comment...not sure why but fb me or email daybydaywlinda@gmail.com if you have any comments, quotes, ideas, suggestions or real life examples! Hope to hear from you soon. Now, GO FORGIVE SOMEONE! Today is "You are Right Day"

Plato-"A Work Well Begun is Half Ended"

"A work well begun is half-ended." Plato

As the saying goes perhaps what is stated is true. The hardest part of doing something is getting it started. For me though, starting is the easy part. It is the keeping it going and ending it part that I find hard.

This blog is a great example. I love writing it. I can sit here and write 1, 2 or 3 at a time sometimes. But the days where I run out of momentum it is a struggle to keep it going. Starting is easy but ending does not always work out right.

In God's Word, one of my favorite verses comes from Philippians 1:6 " being confident of this that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

This quote starts out with the fact that we as believers can be confident of the words that follow. "He", (God) who began a good work (you) will carry it (God will carry it) until it is completed." No where in the verse does it say He leaves you to finish it on your own. He is therefore with you until the end and He is working on getting it all complete. He knows the outcome. Have confidence that whatever you are doing right now, even if you don't seem to understand where or why you are where you are....He knows, He cares and He has it all under control.

So Plato, a work well begun is half ended if you choose to look at it that way. But I say, a work well begun is in God's plan and if it is given it's full time, God will bless it.

Imagine if Plato was correct and God's work of a sunrise was the best of the day...it is beautiful but sometimes falls short of the blessings during the day,  the sun set or the prayers fulfilled in the night.

Pass this blog on to a friend. They might need the encouragement. You never know!

Are You Ready for Some Football?3

It is better to have respect for the Lord and have little than to be rich and have trouble. Proverbs 15:16

A few years ago there was an Atlanta Falcons player that had great wealth and fame. He was well known, well liked and played exceptionally well. He had a great treasure! But then, because he did not fear the Lord, he did some things that were not acceptable. He eventually lost his job, lost his reputation and created a lot of turmoil. How much better would it have been if he had honored God? Remember that wealth does not necessarily bring happiness.

Psalm 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AECyKry2kQ

Wow! This song in the video not only follows the psalm in word but really helps bring the meaning. It ministered  to me...let the Word of God minister to you this morning.

A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom. 

 ¹Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.  

²Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.  

³But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.  

⁴I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

⁵I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.

⁶I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.  

⁷Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

⁸Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah