Don't Be Silly

“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.” Psalm 31:2

It is the testimony of David that we can be confident in the promises of GOD.  He has shared with us in this Psalm his trials and heartache and yet in the end all is well, because he trusted GOD. “Be of good courage”

I may not completely understand why I have to go through some of the things I do. I may not understand the timing of GOD.  But I stay confident, GOD will most certainly answer. Looking back on my life as David did I see the movement of GOD in it.  Our resistance to the path GOD has chosen for us only complicates what time we have.  GOD is self-restrained by His promises to bring you through everything you face.  Isn’t it silly to fight Him while His only intention is to help? “he shall strengthen your heart”

Oh the marvelous place in life the believer has!  Such benefits we have in CHRIST.  Nothing can be compared to what we enjoy in the LORD.  Even when we resist He is there watching over us, guiding us through the path He has chosen for us.  Thank you JESUS for Your forgiveness when we cry like babies not understanding You are only looking out for us.  Help our unbelief! “all ye that hope in the LORD.”

When the wind blows and waves are high,

My heart may begin to faint.

But rest assured oh friend of mine,

There is joy in knowing I’m a saint.

For there’s not a thing that passes my way,

That my GOD is not aware of.

So let the winds blow and the waves go high.

God will carry me through by His love.

“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3 

Two Rewards

“O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.” Psalm 31:23

The previous verses of this Psalm express the troubles and benefits one may have during their life.  I speak of those that rely on GOD, His Saints.  The proud have their own reward.  For every trial or trouble the believer has GOD gives the answer and leads them from the “Valley of the shadow of death, to “Still waters”. “O love the LORD, all ye his saints:”.

Although at times things seem bleak as if there is no hope, hope is always alive in CHRIST.  He remains with us, He never leaves nor forsakes us.  We are born from above and indwelled with the HOLY SPIRIT.  He is our Comforter who lives in us and guides us through everything we face.  Is there anything too hard for GOD?  I think the hardest thing for GOD to do is to get us to understand if we would just allow Him to have control instead of trying to do things ourselves how much better things would be. “for the LORD preserveth the faithful”

Just as GOD rewards His people He has a reward for the proud.  Both are rewarded to the full length.  GOD doesn’t cut corners or go half way, He gives what is due according to our actions. It seems to me David is giving testimony here of the goodness of GOD to all those that trust and rely on Him and a plea to the proud or wicked to turn to Him. “and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.”

Oh love the LORD, all you saints. 

His love for you is real.

None other can care as much.

Oh in CHRIST make your appeal.

Oh He has never let you down.

Or left you on your own.

He reaches out to you today

And He will guide you home.

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” John 14:16-17

Don't Pray and Faint

“For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.” Psalm 31:22

I dare not try to speak of the thoughts of David when he wrote this, but I can for my own.  I think sometimes we put people like David and other great Saints of GOD in a much higher place then they are meant to be.  They are our examples and encouragement.  They were imperfect people living like ourselves, by faith. While we are here in this world we will always have to deal with the flesh.  We will always have to deal with doubt and fear.  Haste is the enemy of the saint!  Sometimes we just need to stop and take a breath, gather our thoughts on the promises of GOD, understand who He is, and wait. “For I said in my haste”

Too often we pray and faint.  I know this sounds like a foolish statement but that is exactly what we do.  One minute we reach out to GOD the next minute we are asking, where is He or what can be holding Him up?  We wonder if our lives aren’t living up to GOD’s expectations of us. We think GOD must not understand our situation while at the same time we claim He knows all. “I am cut off from before thine eyes:”

Oh listen my friend and be thankful for the, “nevertheless”!  Nevertheless, no matter how we are feeling, GOD not only hears, but He is also acting on our request.  Faith without patience is not faith at all.  Faith is braided with trust!  Today if you are waiting on answers here is something to consider. GOD is beyond time, time has no effect on Him at all.  Because of this His answer is always in the now.  In the moment we speak or is even brew in our hearts the request, it is answered.  “nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.”

I asked of GOD and it was done,

But waiting was a little hard.

O foolish me, I lacked in trust,

I gave GOD so little regard.

GOD always does what He has said

No matter the way we feel.

When by faith we know He heard,

His answer will be so real.

“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1

A Strong City

Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. Psalm 31:21

I acknowledge GOD was under no obligation to free me from my wicked self, to forgive me of my many sins.  I acknowledge GOD profoundly saved me and placed me where I didn’t deserve, in the shelter of His arms, under the cover of His wing in the midst of His sheepfold. “Blessed be the LORD” 

I acknowledge I broke every part of the law GOD had put before me.  I rebelled and shook my fist in His face, I made lying accusations about Him.  I mocked Him with cruel words of disrespect.  And what did He do to me for being such a fool? “he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness”

GOD sent His SON who knew no sin, to be sin for me. To make me righteous!  How could this be?  “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Psalm 40:12.  CHRIST JESUS took me from my Sodom and my Gomorra and placed me in His Sheepfold where He alone is The Door.  This is my, “Strong City”

God placed me in a place so sure.

Where I was safe and I was secure.

Surrounded by His presence there.

Full of content and no despair.

Blessed be the Lord, 

My power and my peace.

Precious Lord Jesus,

With love not to cease.

Kept in His sheepfold, I was to remain.

Oh my soul, what a peaceful domain.

Far from the wolf and the tempters claw.

Where peace was found and love I saw.

Blessed be the Lord, 

My power and my peace.

Precious Lord Jesus,

With love not to cease.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

“Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:7-10

The Inner Sanctum

“Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.” Psalm 31:20

It is much better to be in GODs Inner Sanctum than to be in the house of disarray. Why would the person with any kind of understanding continue on their own fighting battles that will in the end be lost?  Why would man choose the darkness of this world when the FATHER of Light promises His sanctuary of safety and peace?  “Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence” 

The answer to the above questions are answered in what the LORD is hiding us from. “The pride of man” It is mans pride that haunts and hounds the believer.  Pride is a rabid dog that has one purpose. To destroy anything in its way.  Mans pride will turn on you in a heartbeat.  His once soothing words will be turned to foaming.  He can’t pull you into his way of thinking so he’ll try his best to ruin you with his viscous speech and contempt of GODs Word! “thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.”

I have faced the darkness this world has to offer and found it full of disappointments.  It promises peace but brings hardship and hate.  It’s painted in pastel colors.  It has enough beauty to convince some but fades quickly.  Oh please hear this preacher, GODs Inner Sanctum is in full color, color like you have never seen before.  Brilliant colors! Each color has a song, each color has a message of hope and peace for the soul. 

There is only one way to enter GODs Inner Sanctum.  You won’t get in by trying to do good, go to church, read your bible or even giving to the poor.  All these thing are good to do but they will not act as a key to the door.  You can’t sneak in or even break your way in.  ONLY JESUS has the authority to let you in, He is the DOOR!  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31

There is a place of peace so pure.

Where there is no worry far nor near.

A place where troubles disappear.

The soul refreshed and is secure.

No other place like this can be found.

Its beautiful peace is so profound.

The Light of Christ shines around.

The believers hopes are there unbound.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

The Other Side of The Story

“Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” Psalm 31:19

After David’s description of all the problems he is facing he now gives us the other side of the story, the much better side. “Oh how great is thy goodness”, side.

The vaults of this world can not contain the wealth of goodness, GOD has laid up for those that trust and rely on Him.  For every problem GOD has a cure.  His treasure of goodness overflows with answers for His children. “which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee;”

There is a thought written through scripture, if you take a stand for GOD, He will take a stand for you. While so many faint in their sorrow there is never a reason one should.  Turn from the sorrow of your heart and reach out to JESUS.  JESUS will reach into the treasury of His goodness and give you the other side of the story. “thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!”

When held down by the troubles we face.

Take not to worry, but trust in His grace.

He’ll open wide the treasure of His love.

And pull from within and send by a dove.

Just the right answer He sends to His own.

By the strike of the scepter from His throne.

No one can hinder this goodness GOD gives.

By trusting our SAVIOR each one of us lives.

“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” Acts 17:26-28

Oh Shut Up!

“Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.” Psalm 31:18 

If my grandmother was here and heard me say “Shut Up” I would be in deep trouble.  For sure there would be a bar of soap close by.  To grandma these words were the same as cursing and I suppose they are.  They do however express the intense anger we feel when others lie about us in a scornful way.  David put it the right way when he turned to the LORD and said, “Let the lying lips be put to silence;”

There was a day not long ago when the life the Christian lived was admired.  Sorry to say, no longer is it looked at in the same way.  The respect of the world is not what we should be after.  It is GOD we are here to please not anyone else, not even ourselves.  Sometimes we are deserving of harsh comments because of the way we are living our lives before the world but when it comes simply out of hate for what we stand for it is hard to live with. They,“speak grievous things”

They like to use scripture to antagonize us. They twist the Word of GOD to say things which are built out of half truths. This is not new but has been here from the beginning.  Satan used it in the Garden and Caiaphas did also when JESUS was charged.  Hardly a day goes by that I don’t see people taking Scripture out of context and use it for their own benefit. They do this, “proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.”

Oh the words which the wicked speak,

Bringing our hearts, to a boiling peak.

Harmful things that cause us to cry.

Never understanding the reason why.

Is this from where they get their joy

In hurting others that they destroy?

Their desire is to entomb us deep

With tormented hearts as we sleep.

Here is what I will say to all my foes.

All your lying words will be exposed.

All you’ve said to cause me this pain

Through Christ my Lord I’ll sustain. 

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22