Psalm 1

                                                 

                Psalm 1

Have you ever wished you could get away with things like the world does? Like they seem to get away with everything they do wrong, whereas I end up with a seething conscience if I even think wrong. Don't ever be ungrateful for your conscience. It is a great gift that God has given you...dont waste it!!  Psalm 1 talks about a man who is righteous. 

 He doesn't look to the sinner for counsel, he doesn't look to them as friends. A righteous man doesn't agree with all the scoffers. Instead a righteous man delights in the law of God, and he meditates on it at all time. He is like a tree next to streams, he gives fruit in his season, and he doesn't wither. He prospers in everything he does. The Lord knows the way of this man!! 

There is something more that I see in this man, and that is that he uses his conscience for good. He sharpened his conscience by meditating on God's holy word. And he listened to his conscience. Have you ever had your conscience start to niggle you when you did something not right, or started to do something not right? And when you started to feel it, you ignored it thinking to yourself: It's not really wrong cause everyone else is doing it. 

Or you may of been under lots of pressure and you did something the easy way to save time, but it wasn't necessarily the right way, and that amazing conscience started to poke you, but you said to yourself: I don't have time to do it the right way. Besides, it's not like I'm the only one who does it. 

Well my friend, I have news for you!! God is not interested in knowing if everyone else is doing it right. He only wants you to do right. He sees everything you do, so don't think you're the only one who knows. He sees everything that you do!! 

Psalm 4:3 says,                                                                                                                                        "But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him."      Wow!! What a promise!!! The Lord hears us, but he has also set apart the Godly, the righteous, for himself!!! 

So the next time you are tempted to blow that conscience candle out when you are doing wrong, stop and remember about the righteous man, and that God sets apart the godly for himself!! 

Oh God, help me to keep my conscience sharpened!! Help me to listen to it when it stabs my heart!!

Be still and know

 “Be still and know that I am your God. In quietness and trust you shall find your strength!”

That’s part of a song that I’ve been listening to. All too often I find myself so busy that I don’t have time to be still before God. And then I find myself weak, afraid, and broken. God asks me to be still before him and know that he is God. But being still is not something I like doing. I like seeing action. I like being busy. I do not like being still. My life is full of action and music. I love music and I usually have that playing. So quite often I find myself soo busy that I have no time to be still and quiet. Another thing I find rather hard to accept is that he is God. He is the author and finisher of my faith. He has everything under control. He loves me and is up to something good in my life. He is the champion of the impossible. He loves me and wants to have communion with me. But I’m too busy to stop and talk, and all too often I put things in the too hard basket thinking: “that one is too hard for God, I’ll get back to it later and try sort it out.” Huh!!! Now you know what I think of myself. 

But the more I think if it, the more I realise how wrong I am. He, of all people, knew what it was like to be busy. He was busy healing the sick, raising the dead, forgiving sins, calming storms, and talking to Pharisees and Scribes. (That’s only a few) Yet even tho he was busy, he never lost focus, and he always found time to be quiet and still before his father. 

All too often I lose focus. I “flit about” (as my mum says) and never have time for what’s really important. It all of a sudden becomes all about me and what I want. I forget to take time to be still before God and listen for his voice. 

Oh Father, help me to stop being busy with things that have no eternal value, and to start taking time to be quiet and still before you. 

“So here I am, here I am! Like a child with its mother, quiet and still.” 

A Beautiful Day

                                                

                                              A Beautiful Day!! 

It is quite embarrassing when I think of all the times I've missed out on seeing something beautiful because I'm so busy looking at something ugly!! 

Right now I am on our deck and my view is so beautiful!! Over and over visitors have commented on how beautiful our view is. But so often I fail to see it!! I have lived here for 18 years, and have just gotten used to the view! I've never really realised how beautiful it was cause I have grown up with it. But as I was sitting here I couldn't help but notice the Pink, Orange and Purple flower borders, with a blanket of Green and Blue beyond it. The turkeys were making a pecking noise, a fly buzzed about while the puppy's whine could be heard around the house. The smell is absolutely amazing!! Its warm with an occasional cool breeze.  But not every day it is like this. This region is known for the amount of rain it gets. We like to say, if its not raining then its either gonna rain, or it has just rained! So when it rains, I wouldn't exactly call it pretty. But if we didn't have the rain, then we wouldnt get the color!! And the color is so beautiful! 

Our lives are the same. We so often neglect to see the beautiful things cause we are around them all the time. Beautiful things like Family and Friends. We expect them to be there all the time cause they are a part of life. And then when they're gone we realize how special and beautiful they really are. 

Don't waste your time looking at what is ugly. Instead use your time thanking God for the beautiful things he has given you. 

But just like it must rain for the grass and flowers to grow, then so must it rain in our life too so that our eyes can become clearer to what should be the most valuable thing in our life. 

Psalm 118:24 says: This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  

Give thanks today, regardless of whether its raining or not. Look around at the many blessings in your life and rejoice in it. For God has made it, and has given it to you to enjoy!! 

Behold our God

1)Who has held the oceans in his hands?
Who has numbered every grain of sand?
Kings and nations tremble at his voice
All creation rises to rejoice

Behold our God, seated on his throne
Come, let us adore him
Behold our king, nothing can compare
Come, let us adore him

2)Who has given counsel to the Lord?
Who can question any of his words?
Who can teach the one who knows all things?
Who can fathom all his wondrous deeds?

3)Who has felt the nails upon his hands?
Bearing all the guilt of sinful man
God eternal, humbled to the grave
Jesus, Savior, risen now to reign

I have been replaying this song over and over again on my phone the past couple of weeks. The second verse of that song has really convicted my heart cause its so me all over. I sometimes forget myself and say to God "Jesus, I know you are working this out for my good, but how about I give you some advice here." or "Jesus, didn't you know that you could have done this differently, and to be honest, you did this part of the puzzle all wrong." 

When I say these things, do you know what I am forgetting? I am forgetting that this same Jesus who is putting together my puzzle is the same Jesus that had nails pounded into his body by cruel men. This same Jesus took my cloak of guilt and shame that I should be wearing, and placed it on himself so I could come before God's throne forgiven and set free. This same Jesus was humbled by being put into a grave. Yet he didn't stay in the grave, but rose triumphantly from the grave so I could be washed and sanctified!!!! 

Do you ever question God? Do you ever think you know better? Well, what better time than Easter time to remember what God has done for us! And when you have remembered what he has done for you, then ask yourself if you really are in a position to question the Almighty and All-powerful Jesus.