Unless the LORD Had Been My Help…

 17 Unless the LORD had been my help,

My soul would soon have settled in silence.

18 If I say, "My foot slips,"

Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up.

19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,

Your comforts delight my soul.—Psalm 94:17-19

Even if the multitude of my own anxieties never go away that’s okay because I am beginning to see how they benefit me.  

I so “get” verse 17…

Unless the LORD had been my help,

My soul would soon have settled in silence.

I remember when the Lord was NOT on my side. I remember when my heart was empty and my soul lost.  I remember how it felt to be truly alone and without help. I am so grateful that I will never feel that way again.

What a blessing it is now to know He is for me….to know that He is always with me…to know that whenever I am afraid, I can grab hold of my God with both hands and ask Him to take and perfect each and every one of my anxious cares.  As I do this, my pulse slows because I remember I am not the one making the decisions and I am not the one in control.  My times are in the hands of the One who planned out every one of my days for me. The eternal God has fixed every one of my steps.  My God has me surrounded with His love.  I can trust Him with each and every care because He cares for !me!  I can refocus my mind and heart on what is eternal.  My life is now hidden with Christ in God. When He appears, I will also appear with Him in glory. 

Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness;

He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.—Psalm 112:4

He will not be afraid of evil tidings;

His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.—Psalm 112:7

Stand back and see the salvation of the Lord.  The Lord is our defense and He is our Rock of Refuge. The Lord is our help and in the multitude of our anxieties within His comfort delights our soul.

  

Your Lovingkindness is Before My Eyes…

 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

For His mercy (lovingkindness) endures forever.(is everlasting)—Psalm 107:1

Whoever is wise will observe these things,

And they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.—Psalm 107:43

Verse 1 of Psalm 107 commands us to give thanks to the Lord.   It also tells us why.  For He is good and His lovingkindness is everlasting. The very last verse of Psalm 107 says that whoever is wise will observe these things and they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.  Most of this psalm is spent reviewing the variegated trials that come humanity’s way in the course of a lifetime while at the same time showing us how God assists us and supports us through each of these hardships and distresses.  What are we wise to observe as God does this?   His lovingkindness!   What a great thing to make a practice of observing as we navigate through the sorrow and tribulation that comes with life lived in this fallen world.  Trials can become opportunities to observe the Lord’s goodness and rightly understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.  How often during a trial does Satan try to confuse and discourage us with lies.  He whispers to us when we are scared telling us that we are alone without anyone to help.  But making a practice of “looking for and seeing” God’s merciful hand on our lives will serve to counter the lies and shore up our assurance as we become personally acquainted with it (His lovingkindness) in our own hearts and lives. Psalm 26:3 is so helpful here..

For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,

And I have walked in Your truth.

Keep God’s goodness before your eyes and His truth as a light to your path.  He has given us His Spirit to help us.  We are NOT alone.  

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”—John 14: 25-27 

Lifting My Soul to God…

 1 To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.

2 O my God, I trust in You;

Let me not be ashamed;

Let not my enemies triumph over me.

3 Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;

Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

4 Show me Your ways, O LORD;

Teach me Your paths.

5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my salvation;

On You I wait all the day.

6 Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,

For they are from of old.

7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;

According to Your mercy remember me,

For Your goodness' sake, O LORD.

8 Good and upright is the LORD;

Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.

9 The humble He guides in justice,

And the humble He teaches His way.

10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth,

To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

11 For Your name's sake, O LORD,

Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12 Who is the man that fears the LORD?

Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.

13 He himself shall dwell in prosperity,

And his descendants shall inherit the earth.

14 The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him,

And He will show them His covenant.

15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD,

For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,

For I am desolate and afflicted.

17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged;

Bring me out of my distresses!

18 Look on my affliction and my pain,

And forgive all my sins.

19 Consider my enemies, for they are many;

And they hate me with cruel hatred.

20 Keep my soul, and deliver me;

Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.

21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,

For I wait for You.

22 Redeem Israel, O God,

Out of all their troubles!—Psalm 25

When the troubles of my own heart enlarge, who will bring me out of my distresses?  What is the answer to my every care, my every weakness, my every trial, my every heartache, my every sorrow, my every problem, my every discontentment and my every longing?  Jesus…Jesus is the answer.  The secret of the wise counsel of the LORD is for those who fear Him.  

Oh Father, turn Yourself to me and have mercy on me!

I am so very thankful…

—that In Christ, I am forgiven

—that His tender mercies and lovingkindnesses are mine

—that as I walk humbly with Him, He teaches me His way

—that His mercies toward me are great and are from old.

—that He considers my troubles

—that He shows me His ways and teaches me His paths 

—that He guides me in His truth

—that He remembers me according to His mercy. 

Today, I, like David, will lift up my soul to my God.  Today my soul will recline, as Spurgeon has said, in the embrace of divine love. My strength is from Him. He, is He, who holds me up.  My eyes will be continually toward the Lord for He will bring my feet out of the net.  I will look to Him and be radiant…my face unashamed. 

Rest and Worship…

 3 'Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.—Leviticus 23:3

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” —Exodus 20:8-11

Don’t you love that our Lord doesn’t just ask us to rest, He commands us.  He knows what we need.  Resting is hard for me.  Even when I am injured.  It helps me then when my husband stops me from doing too much by reminding (okay, commanding) me to rest.  He doesn’t stop there, though.  He also loves me by bearing my burdens and in so doing he fulfills the law of Christ. Being cherished in this way never fails to bring tears of gratitude to my eyes.  Jesus does the same.  He is my God who perfects that which concerns me, performs all things for me and gives to me, His beloved, even as I sleep.  

Rest and worship are two of our sweetest blessings.  One day a week should be set aside especially for them.  We are never, however, to think that the law forbids us from doing works of love, kindness and necessity. Here we have full liberty. 

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.—Romans 13:8-10

Parting is a Sweet Sorrow in Him…

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

32 "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. 34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. 35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, 38 sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.—Acts 20:28-38

I just love Paul’s heart here toward “his” flock.  His concern was for their souls and his affection for the people God had placed in his care is obvious as we read this passage. In verse 32 he commends them to God and the word of His grace because HE IS ABLE to build them up and give them an inheritance among all the justified of God. Such a good thing for me to remember when I am anxious about my own loved ones...both believers and unbelievers.  I can pray for them and commend them to God’s care who loves them perfectly. 

Paul rightly reminds them in verse 28 that the Church belonged to God and was purchased with His blood. He desired his overseers to have God’s concerns and not their own for the church, recommending his own selfless example in this; but also tops that with the example of Jesus who said that it is “more blessed to give then to receive.”  Those words of Jesus are what hit my heart this morning.  Truly, my Jesus surrendered all and gave His all.  How much more do we become like Christ then, when we too surrender to the Spirit of God and follow His self-sacrificing ways with sincere hearts.  Oh to be a cheerful giver!  To trust God to care for my physical, emotional and spiritual needs and give freely of what I have been freely given without hope of getting in return.  

In verses 36-38 Paul does what each of us should do when we part company with other believers...pray together.  I am thankful for my husband, whose leadership has made this the standard in our house.  How comforting it is to be reminded that no matter where we go, God goes with us and that while we are gone His people are praying for us.  We are one in Christ and in that, we are NEVER separated.  

Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul…

 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.—Psalm 43:5

When my spirit begins to flag and darkness to gain its footing, these words of the Holy Spirit through David hearten and encourage my soul. Truly the LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me.

I am so thankful for God’s faithfulness. There has never been a time when I have cried out to my Him and not been comforted.  In Him, my consolations abound.   His merciful kindness toward me, His child, is from everlasting to everlasting.  I am precious in His sight.  

Beloved…Allow the light of His countenance to lift your spirit heavenward so you can once again emanate His glorious light toward those around you. The Lord our God gives us strength as we patiently pray through our trials…As we look to Him…as we wait upon Him…as we depend on His all-sufficient grace to meet our every need.  

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'—Jeremiah 33:3

Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.—2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the LORD,

The Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the weak,

And to those who have no might He increases strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall,

31 But those who wait on the LORD

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint. —Isaiah 40:28-31

The Command and the Promise…

 Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.—Psalm 31:24

My heart began to sink last night and my thoughts began to whirl with every kind of fear.  The fear of loss was at the top and the bottom of each one.   I knew I did not want to continue down this road.  I wanted to dwell in His present goodness thinking on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, virtuous and praiseworthy.  But so often when fear begins to take hold it interferes with the sound mind with which my God has blessed me.  It weakens my heart and corrupts my thinking.  I forget that I am not at the mercy of my thoughts.  I forget that God is my Helper and that by His precious Spirit within me, I can take my thoughts captive.  

I opened my Bible promise book and turned to the verses about fear. Psalm 31, verse 24 hit me in a way that it never has before.  First I saw the command:

Be of good courage…

Then I saw the promise:

And He shall strengthen your heart

As I read I could feel His Spirit lifting, strengthening and encouraging my heart.  It was supernatural…it was otherworldly. It definitely was not of me.  Before I even had time to cry out, He had answered me and made me bold with strength in my soul.  My heart was lightened and I was helped. 

Beloved…Place Your trust and your hope in the Lord and take courage!  Obey His commands and cry out to God in your fears, your trials and your distresses.  Plead His promises in prayer.  He is on your side and His banner over you is love. Power from on high will come and His strength will fill you.  

Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'—Isaiah 41:10

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.—John 14:27

For In Him We Live and Move and Have Our Being…

 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."

32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, "We will hear you again on this matter." 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.—Acts 17:22-33

I love this entire passage.  Every time I read it and go through some of the cross-reference verses my respect and admiration for Paul grows.  Truly, he was a master evangelizer who loved and desired very much to reach the people he ministered to with the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  My favorite verse is verse 28 where Paul quotes two Greek poets.

“for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'”

David Guzik says that “Paul did not quote these men because they were prophets or because all their teaching was of God. He quoted them because these specific words reflected a Biblical truth, and by using them he could build a bridge to his pagan audience.”

I am so glad he did...this verse from the time I first read it 25 years ago until now has ministered to me almost daily.  Such a precious truth.  I am in Christ. It is in Him that I live and move and have my being.  I am His offspring.  I am safe...my refuge is in Him who Paul said made the world and everything in it. He is my dwelling place.  I can only fall as far as His everlasting arms.

Blessed be the LORD my Rock,

My lovingkindness and my fortress,

My high tower and my deliverer,

My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,

Happy are the people who are in such a state;

Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!—Psalm 144:1;2;15

The Everlasting Arms…

 And underneath are the everlasting arms;—Deuteronomy 33:27b

As a believer, I am upheld through this life by the Everlasting God.  The arms of Him who never faints nor grows weary underpin me. There is no where I can flee from Him.  No matter where I am His goodness and mercy surround me. He has hedged me behind and before and has laid His hand upon me. His right hand holds me and leads me.  His love for me is unfailing. He will love me to the end..to perfection in Heaven. 

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me,"

Even the night shall be light about me;

When the darkness closes in and I begin to sink…He is my Light. 

When sin overwhelms my heart and weighs me down…He draws near…grace abounding.

When wave upon wave of grief washes over me like a tidal wave, His comforts delight my soul. 

When I am weak, my everlasting God gives me power

When I am without strength, His is mine

When I need wisdom, His understanding is unsearchable. 

When I feel as if everything is too much, He is my sufficiency. 

When I am weary, His Presence goes with me and gives me rest

When I am alone, He is my Emanuel, my God who is always with me. 

1 The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD

Forever.—Psalm 23