Category Archives: Psalm

Taste and See ~ John Piper

I’m reading along in Taste and See (Savoring The Supremacy of God in All of Life) 140 meditations by Piper and I wanted to share these verses that he references in meditation #18 titled How to Pray For The Soul (Yours Or Another’s) Praying in sync with the way God works ~

How to pray for your soul and others…

1. Psalm 119:36 ~

“Turn my heart toward your statutes and not towards selfish gain.”

2. Psalm 119:18 ~

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”

3. Ephesians 1:18 ~

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.”

4. Psalm 86:11 ~

“Teach me your way, O lord and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”

5. Psalm 90:14 ~

“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

6. Ephesians 3:16 ~

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.”

7. Colossians 1:10 ~

“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”

8. Mathew 6:9 ~

“This then is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven hallowed be your name”

Pray all this in Jesus’ name because of Romans 8:32 ~ “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things.”

Piper expounded on each of these but I’m just giving you the skeleton and letting you consider these verses in enriching your prayer life for yourself and others.

Blessings…

Ht: Lana G! for the photograph of my father praying.

Thankful Thursday ~ Post #500!!

I’ve been trying to be more disciplined these days and I have set out each morning to walk along the paths of my neighborhood. I’ve put on some “storing up for the winter” weight and because the prospects of eating less over the next month are miniscule I decided I needed to add activity to my day. This has been good and walking alone in the morning hours affords me time to talk with God and to try to memorize my verses for Bible Study. I was struck by all the beautiful paths that I have to walk in and it made me think and be thankful of the way God has led me along the one and only path to Him through His Son Jesus. I am so happy that my 500th post lands on Thankful Thursday. I am truly thankful for how God has led me on His path and that He continues to lead me. So take a walk with me and be thankful for how He leads us in this life we live…

Psalm 119: 105 ~ “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Psalm 25:4 ~ “Make me know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.

Psalm 16:11 ~ “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Proverbs 10:17 ~ “Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads other astray.”

 

Isaiah 30: 20-21 ~ “And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”

 

Proverbs 4:18 ~ “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”

Psalm 119:35 ~ “Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.”

Proverbs 3:5,6 ~ “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”

Psalm 121 ~

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever more.”

For more Thankful Thursday posts click here. Thank you Crystal for hosting…

Thankful Thursday ~ Psalm 19: 7-11

I am so thankful for God’s word and the power it has in a believer’s life…

Psalm 19: 7-11 (ESV)

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the  commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

I am also so thankful that the winds in Southern California have died way down and the firemen are able to get a better handle on controlling the remaining fires out here. Still praying for the thousands of displaced people and the heartache that losing everything brings, especially losing the place where you laid your head each night!

For more Thankful Thursday Posts head over to Crystal’s who is graciously hosting today…

John 14:6 ~ Psalm 19: 7-11 ~ The Power of God’s Word

John 14:6 (ESV) , Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Psalm 19: 7-11 (ESV),

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;

the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

The Word of God brings us back to who we are supposed to be.

It restores our soul. It makes us wise. It brings joy to our heart and it enlightens our eyes. Those are just a few of the amazing benefits of spending time in and meditating on God’s word.

If you don’t have a regular Bible reading choice for today may I suggest you read Psalm 19 and meditate on it throughout this week. You will be blessed…

Ht: Steve Larson E.V.Free Conejo Valley

Thankful Thursday ~

 

 

Psalm 79:13, “But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

Psalm 145:10, “All your works shall give thanks to you O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you!”

I Chronicles 16:8, “Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!”

I give thanks today to my LORD for saving me and for his work of sanctification in me and my family all these years. Our God is good and He has been so good to me. Thank you LORD!

To read more Thankful Thursday Posts to to Sting My Heart…

 

Thankful Thursday ~ Psalm 145: 1-10

  I am thankful for our great God the King and I’ll joyfully sing my praise to Him…

Psalm 145: 1-10 ~

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.

They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will extol you.

To see more Thankful Thursday Posts go to Sting My Heart.

Thankful Thursday ~ Psalm 100

  Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations.

I am praising and thanking God that I am experiencing His love and care by being with my children and closest friends these two weeks in Washington. I am basking in the goodness of it all! Praise God from whom all blessings flow…

To see more Thankful Thursday Posts head on over to Sting My Heart….

Thankful Thursday ~ Psalm 118

Thankful List from Psalm 118

I’m thankful that

God is good

His love endures forever

He answered me and set me free

He is on my side

He is my helper

I can take refuge in Him

He is my salvation

He has disciplined me

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118: 24

Now head on over to Sting My Heart to see more Thankful Thursday Posts…

Thankful Thursday ~ The Body of Christ

 

Psalm 27: 4-5 ~ One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

Today I am thankful for the churches that Dear and I have been a part of in our married life together…

(1974-1975) Grace Community Church, Panorama City, Ca. Although John MacArthur was teaching from the pulpit our most memorable teaching during our time here was in the College/Career class. We took a wonderful midweek college course that set us on a discipleship mindset in our Christian walk.

(1975-1984) Evangelical Free Church of Huntington Beach, Ca. Bob Thune was our pastor here. One of the milestone events that stands out was being discipled by the associate pastor Steve Hinrichs and the introduction of Fellowship Groups (Home-groups, cell groups, small groups) We were trained to lead a small group in a home and we’ve been part of some sort of small group ever since this time!

(1984-1988) Bible Fellowship Church in Ventura, Ca. Joe Albin was our pastor here. This is the church where we met our best friends for life Dave and Jody. Dave encouraged Dear to go back to school and become a Pharmacist. That set us on an interesting life changing path.

(1988-2006) Sunrise Christian Fellowship Church (Seattle, Edmonds),Wa. Bob Spiro was our pastor here. This is the church where we have spent the longest time so far. We value all the growth and learning we were afforded with this body of believers. We saw loving confrontation, forgiveness, reconciliation, friendship, hospitality, perseverance and healing, modeled in this body that has changed our lives forever.

(2006- ??) Evangelical Free Church Conejo Valley, Ca. Steve Larson is our pastor here. We are in a small group and have learned from the sermons. I have taken part in a weekly women’s Bible study. We are eager to see what God has in store for us as we continue to worship and grow with this new body of believers.

So on this Thankful Thursday I wanted to thank God for leading us and taking care of us in these wonderful church bodies!

Laurel is hosting Thankful Thursday this week so head on over to Laurel Wreath and read other Thankful posts.

Show & Tell Friday ~ Lincoln’s Devotional

I found this book at Goodwill this week.

The newly-found book of daily Scriptural messages and inspirational verse in which Abraham Lincoln signed his name – a book he used and cherished, revealing a faith you can share. This copy was copyrighted in 1957.

The devotional portion of this volume contains the entire text of “The Believer’s Daily Treasure; or , Texts of Scripture Arranged for Every Day in the Year,” published in 1852 by the Religious Tract Society of London, England. The material is reprinted as it appears in the copy of the book which Abraham Lincoln owned, and therefore contains the several inconsistencies and typographical errors found in the original edition.

This is a bit blurry

This plate of Lincoln and his Log Cabin was given to us by Dear’s grandmother Nettie. It is from Wayne City, Illinois.

I’m including the July 13th entry from the devotional with no corrections…

13

Communion with God 

 a Source of Joy

There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou has put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. Psalm iv. 6, 7.

Lord, what is life? if spent with thee,
In humble praise and prayer,
How long or short my life may be
I feel no anxious care:
though life depart, my joys shall last,
When life and all its joys are past.

For more Show & Tell Friday click on over to Kelli’s at There’s No Place Like Home…