No Escape, No Worries - Psalm 139-143 Listen to Psalm 139-143
Insight Into Scripture
Good Morning! We are on our final two days of the Psalms. I hope that you have been making notes of your favorites.
The Psalm below is a prayer of King David when he was hiding in a cave. It is a Psalm of loneliness. While reading or listening, see if you can feel the discouragement of David.
Psalm 142
I cry aloud to the LORD;
I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.
I pour out my complaint before him;
before him I tell my trouble.
When my spirit grows faint within me,
it is you who know my way.
In the path where I walk
men have hidden a snare for me.
Look to my right and see;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
no one cares for my life.
I cry to you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living."
Listen to my cry,
for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.
Set me free from my prison,
that I may praise your name.
Then the righteous will gather about me
because of your goodness to me.
Listen to Psalm 142
Thought For the Day
I was reading Psalm 139, and the idea that the writer was trying to express would either be very comforting, or it could be very scary. Here are the verses that got me thinking:
1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
To the writer, there is no escape from the knowledge of GOD. GOD knows everything there is to know about him, even his words before they are spoken. He then goes onto to say that he tried to think about the majesty of this knowledge, but it goes beyond his human understanding. The writer understands that GOD KNOWS all, and he is OK with that fact. In fact the writer finishes with asking GOD to search him and reveal ANYTHING that GOD views offensive.
Do you have the same frame of mind? Are you OK with GOD knowing everything that is going on in your head and your heart? There is a big difference between a religion and a relationship. Most Christians today have a religion, and are not too sure about the relationship part.
Here might be a good analogy that might help you understand the concept of this. Imagine if your spouse, be it a husband or wife, or your parents, Imagine they knew everything that you thought and that was in your heart. To many, I am sure, that concept would scare them. If your spouse or parents were able to know your thoughts, I am sure that you would try very hard to keep your thoughts good and pure.
The same holds true to Christ, except He really does know all your thoughts. In fact, in our minds, anytime we put something before Christ, we make that item or thought an idol, which the Bible refers to as spiritual adultery. We all should be working on a more deeper relationship with Christ, which starts with being absolutely honest with GOD, and spending time in HIS word, which will lead us to being made more like Christ. Make sense? I hope you have a blessed day in Christ and deepen your relationship In Him! - Jim :)
Bible Trivia
What prophet went through an earthquake only to learn that GOD spoke in a gentle whisper?Hint: 1 Kings 19:11-13
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Thursday, July 19th Reading - Psalm 144-150
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Have a Blessed Wednesday!!
Bible Trivia:
ReplyDeleteWhat prophet went through an earthquake only to learn that GOD spoke in a gentle whisper?
ANSWER: Elijah
1 Kings 19:11-13
13. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
AGRANNY'S RAMBLINGS
There is much that can be said about this passage, but in placing several thoughts on paper I found one paragraph that says it well. It is in:
Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
The question God put, What doest thou here, Elijah? is a reproof. It concerns us often to ask whether we are in our place, and in the way of our duty. Am I where I should be? ......The wind, and earthquake, and fire, did not make him (Elijha) cover his face, but the still voice did. Gracious souls are more affected by the tender mercies of the Lord, than by his terrors. The mild voice of Him who speaks from the cross, or the mercy-seat, is accompanied with peculiar power in taking possession of the heart.
IN CHRIST
Ecc.3
Donna
MORE RAMBLINGS OF AGRANNY3
ReplyDeleteThat same small voice speaks to us today. Even at times, in advance of that small voice is thundering, quaking, fire and today we can see this through catastrophic events, THEN comes the small voice.
Then comes those times that just love. When that small voice just comes to you, as though at your back and whispering in your ear. These moments can come to you at anytime, watching a show, driving, in your sleep, and during prayer or reading the Word, really any anytime.
Now I have said all this cause I had one of those moments while RE-READING yes re-reading the TRIVIA vs. this morning. Now, though the Spirit spoke to me in a small voice I never take what is said as SMALL. First off, I knew when I was re-visiting the verses there was a reason so I kept asking what are you wantin me to see or learn.
OK I am going to share but before I do let me prepare you that this is not an earth shattering revelation but Him speaking into our life will be LIFE shattering.
I kept coming back to 1 King 19:9 then the whisper, Genesis 3:9. I go there, what did I find? Yes, God asking a question. This started me thinking what or was their simularities between the two HIDING! Then I have found myself searching for the many other places that God asked questions and cause of.
Now we know that there is no reason that God would have need to ask questions, For HE IS ALL KNOWING.
I am still studying and pondering on this topic and maybe someone else has some ideas as to God asking Questions. I came across where another person had thoughts on this same topic and wrote her thoughts. I am posting it alone in a few seconds.
IN CHRIST
Ecc.3
Donna
"???" or
ReplyDeleteWhy does God ask questions when He already knows the answers?
--Author: Patsy Clairmont--
God asked a lot of questions in Scripture. This intrigues me. He who has all the answers, asked. Did you ever wonder why?
For instance, the Lord called out to Adam and Eve after they had sinned and hidden from His presence,
"Where are you?"
Whenever I've read that portion of Scripture, I've wanted to tattle and call out, "They're hiding behind the blaming bush!"
The bush must really have been a dandy hiding place if our all-knowing, all-seeing God didn't have a clue to their whereabouts. I'm sure it was a big garden, but c'mon, we know God knew. So why did he ask?
The Lord questioned Eve in regard to her disobedience,
"What is this you have done?"
Do you actually think God was stumped? I wonder why He didn't just dangle in front of her guilt-ridden face a Polaroid snapshot of her and the enemy dining on fruit flambé'. Or run an instant replay of Adam's eating out of his wife's hand.
I notice God didn't stop asking questions in the garden, but continued throughout Scripture. Curious response from a sovereign God who cannot only tell us what we've done, but also expose the content of our thoughts and hearts.
Consider Hagar . . .
Hagar was in trouble. Death was knocking at her door, as well as at her young son's, when the angel of God called to her,
"What's the matter with you Hager?"
Isn't it rather obvious, especially for an overseer like an angel?
Hager and Ishmael were a couple of crispy critters after crawling in the scorching sun. The only moisture was the boy's tears, and they evaporated before they could drip off his face.
Maybe the angel was wearing shades or was momentarily blinded by the sizzling sun. But wait, something even stranger happened next. Before Hagar could give the angel an update on her ordeal, the angel mapped out her future, answering his own question.
I'm getting more confused. If the inquiring angel knew the answer, why did he ask?
Let's see, we have Eve in arrears while the enemy leers, and Ishmael in tears while Hagar sears. Boy, do I have questions.
The story of Elijah doesn't help. Elijah had a fiery faith until Jezebel doused his flames. Jez Fed-Exed Elijah her plan to snuff him out. Elijah's faith flickered, allowing fear to flame up, and he fled.
We find Elijah headed for high ground in an attempt to control his own destiny. He was pursued not by the enemy but by the questions of God.
"What are you doing here, Elijah?" the Lord probed. Not once but twice, He asked Elijah what He already knew.
Even in the midst of death, God asked questions. We find Ezekiel in a valley of death, meandering among the corpses. The voice of the Lord solicited what sounds like advice from Ezekiel when He asked,
"Can these bones live?"
Excuse me, but He who formed our skeletons from the dust of the earth and breathed into mankind the breath of life wasn't sure if the bones could live?
Perhaps He misplaced His recipe. Can you hear Him pondering, Was it one part dust to every three breaths, or three parts dust to every one breath?
I think not. I'm the one left pondering.
God sent us His Son, Jesus. The family connection is obvious, because Jesus, our Answer, came asking questions.
Like Father, Like Son.
The Lord asked impetuous Peter,
"Who do you say that I am?"
Still later He penetrated Peter's heart with the words,
"Do you love Me?"
Evidently the Lord thought Peter was hard of hearing, because He repeated Himself,
"Do you love Me?"
Twice I can see, but the Lord pushed Peter a third time.
"Do you love Me?"
This loving interrogation left Peter stumped. He responded as we might have,
"Lord, You know all things;
You know that I love You."
What I hear Peter saying is,
"Why are You asking when you know me better than I do?"
If we truly believe the Lord knows us, we must realize these questions have a purpose. And it certainly isn't that the
Lord is forgetful and needs us to remind Him.
Nor is He stuck and in need of our feeble insight.
I think He questions us so we might think - think through our choices, our responsibilities, and our beliefs.
Maybe, if we try to answer some of these questions in regard to our own lives, we will better understand their wisdom:
"Where are you?"
"What's the matter with you?"
"What are you doing here?"
"Who do you say that I am?"
"Do you love me?"
"Do you love me?"
"Do you love me?"
Well, what do you think?
--Author: Patsy Clairmont--
"Normal Is Just a Setting On Your Dryer"
Women Of Faith Christian Conference