Psalm 145 - Extol Him

I meditated on this entire Psalm this afternoon and it speaks so much the desires of my own heart toward the LORD our God. I want to speak of Him from generation to generation – to my children and their children – to show WHO HE IS – and what HE can do! He is the AWESOME and ALMIGHTY GOD – the GREAT I AM!

• Psalm 145

A psalm of praise. Of David.

1 I will exalt You, my God the King;

I will praise Your Name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise You

and extol Your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;

His greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation will commend your works to another;

they will tell of your mighty acts.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty,

and I will meditate on Your wonderful works.
6 They will tell of the power of Your awesome works,

and I will proclaim Your great deeds.
7 They will celebrate Your abundant goodness

and joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The LORD is good to all;

He has compassion on all He has made.
10 All you have made will praise You, O LORD;

Your saints will extol You.
11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom

and speak of Your might,
12 so that all men may know of Your mighty acts

and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and Your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is faithful to all His promises

and loving toward all He has made.
14 The LORD upholds all those who fall

and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to You,

and You give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open Your hand and satisfy

the desires of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways

and loving toward all He has made.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on Him,

to all who call on Him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;

He hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love Him,

but all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.

Let every creature praise His Holy Name

for ever and ever. [emphasis mine]

May we Praise and EXTOL His Name together - forever!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

Follow the Leader

Romans 8:1-8, 12-14

Life Through the Spirit

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. [emphasis mine]

This week in my MSP class we have been studying the Person of the Holy Spirit. So often as believers we do not draw upon the power source that God intends for us to use daily in our lives. The Holy Spirit is the leader and we need to willing follow His path for us each day. I ask you the same questions I have been asking myself this week. Who has the reigns of your life today? Are you following the leader (the Spirit) or are you trying to take control of your day today? I want a willing obedient heart to 'follow the leader' - my God - my Holy Spirit! Only He knows what is best for me each and every day.

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

Joseph - A Man of Emotion

After studying the book of Genesis (again), I came to the last few chapters earlier this week and was reminded by the LORD how much Joseph loved his God and trusted Him with his very life. He is a portrait of Christ. The thing that impressed me the most was how emotional he was. He "wept" a lot. If you look at the context he gets emotional when he realizes HOW God had been working in his life all those years. It's as though Joseph is in awe of God's working - and it causes him much emotion over and over.

• Genesis 45:1-2

Joseph Makes Himself Known

1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it.

• Genesis 49:22-26 [Jacob's blessing on Joseph]

22 "Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall.
23 With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility.
24 But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
25 because of your father's God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breast and womb.
26 Your father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

• Genesis 50:1, 15-17, 19-20
  
  1 Joseph threw himself upon his father and wept over him and kissed him.
  15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?" 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
• 19 But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

What a portrait of Christ! What forgiveness, emotion, compassion and mercy! Oh that God would continue to work and move in our individual lives the way he did in the life of Joseph.

Have you ever had moments when the LORD spoke through His Word to you and all you could do was respond in abandon emotion - face to the floor - nose hairs in the carpet? I have had a lot of those moments lately! Praise God He continues His purposes in my life - in spite of me!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

This City

Jeremiah 33:1-9

Promise of Restoration

1 While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time: 2 "This is what the LORD says, He who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is His Name: 3 'Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' 4 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword 5 in the fight with the Babylonians: 'They will be filled with the dead bodies of the men I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.
6 " 'Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal My people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. 7 I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. 8 I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against Me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me. 9 Then this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.' [emphasis mine]

Am I that city? Are you that city?... Ones who have been forgiven, redeemed and restored and now bring renown, JOY, praise and honor to the Name of our King Jesus?

I pray we ARE!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

Here a Grumble - There a Grumble!

After listening to several messages this weekend about being thankful to God it was interesting the scriptures that were shared and how much they apply to us today. I'm so glad that scripture is TIMELESS!

After God had delivered the Israelites from Egyptian slavery - it took only three days later for them to begin grumbling and complaining all over again. We probably grumble and complain about many things much more than we'd like to admit. Perhaps if we spent more days praising and being THANKFUL to God for who He is and what He does - we would spend less days grumbling.

Exodus 14:29-31

29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in Him and in Moses His servant.

Exodus 15:22-24

22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" [emphasis mine]

How often in our lives do we stand in AWE of the miracles that God performs daily on our behalf - and then five minutes later we complain about a simple provision that we KNOW He can and will provide?

Perhaps we need to take a little advice from Paul as he wrote to the church of the Colossians all about being thankful:

• Colossians 1:3 [Thanksgiving through PRAYER]

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you...

• Colossians 2:6 [the overflow of thankfulness]

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

• Colossians 3:12-17

12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. [emphasis mine]

Thank you for your inspiration from scripture, Pastor Jeff Conley and Dr. David Anderson.

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

Thanks to Our God!

Jeremiah 33 [selected verses]

Promise of Restoration [through Jesus Christ]

1 While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time: 2 "This is what the LORD says, He who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is His Name: 3 'Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

" 'Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal My people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. 7 I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. 8 I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against Me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me. 9 Then this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.'

10 "This is what the LORD says… there will be heard once more 11 the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying,
"Give thanks to the LORD Almighty,
for the LORD is good;
His love endures forever."

For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD.
14 " 'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.

15 " 'In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; He will do what is just and right in the land.
16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the Name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.'
17 For this is what the LORD says: 'David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel.
22 I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before Me as countless as the stars of the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.' "


In response to the gift of our salvation through Jesus Christ.

• Psalm 27:4
  
  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.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

Treasured Word

Get a little help from our friend Job... if he could believe God for God's best - how much more can we - who have the power source of Christ (His Holy Spirit) living within us?

• Job 23:10-12

10 But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
11 My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside.
12 I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread. [emphasis mine]

Do you and I treasure the words of God more than our daily intake of physical food?

• Romans 5:2b-5

And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. [emphasis mine]

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie