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10-09-2008, 07:30 PM
Take Refuge in Him
"Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge." Psalm 16:1
God is the one we should run to when we are in danger or struggling with anything in life. With Him we are safe and secure. So often in life we seek solace elsewhere. When will we learn that it is to Him we must run? David learned this lesson; that is why he is called a man after God's own heart. David was meek and teachable. David had a close relationship with God. He knew where to turn when he was in trouble. When he wandered away from God, he made bad choices. Just look at the mess he made of his life with Bathsheba and Uriah. He had allowed sin to come between him and his God. But just one word from the prophet and his repentance was instantaneous. There were no excuses, no justifying his actions, just repentance and a drawing close to God once again. David learned through his experiences that it was important to stay close to God. There is sweet solace and comfort in living close to God. It keeps us from doing things our own way, it keeps us in communion with our Father and it keeps us safe. When we find ourselves in trouble, we should instantly run with all our might to God, but better yet we should make our abode with Him. If we abide with God and take our refuge in Him, we dwell in a safe place. When we stay in communion with our Father, there will be no need to run to Him, we will be there with Him already. When hard experiences come into our life, we will have a safe place to fall; into the arms of a Father who loves us intensely. Let us take our refuge in God. Let us live in a safe place and dwell with the Father who loves us.
Father, we ask for forgiveness for wandering from you. We are thankful that we can run to you when we are in trouble, but Father we long to dwell with you, to make you our refuge, our safe place. We desire to live in your presence so that nothing that comes into our lives will throw us for a loop. We will have the assurance from you that all is well, for we will be living in your house forevermore. Amen Quiet Waters
-----
BLAMELESS?
I will sing of your love and justice.
I will praise you, Lord, with songs.
I will be careful to live a blameless life �
when will you come to my aid?
I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.
I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.
I hate all crooked dealings;
I will have nothing to do with them.
I will reject perverse ideas
and stay away from every evil.
I will not tolerate people
who slander their neighbors.
I will not endure conceit and pride.
I will keep a protective eye on the godly,
so they may dwell with me in safety.
Only those who are above reproach
will be allowed to serve me.
I will not allow deceivers to serve me,
and liars will not be allowed to enter my presence.
My daily task will be to ferret out criminals
and free the city of the Lord from their grip.
Psalm 101
Oh, David, what a man! Without a doubt in this Psalm we clearly see the desire of David's heart. It has been a while since I have been able to spend basking in His Presence like I once did when He gave me instructions for the ministry. Yet, He showed me that He had planted a reservoir of wisdom deep within me from which I could draw. He also reminded me that Solomon was full of wisdom, but he fell away in his relationship with the Lord. (If this was four years ago we would be thinking "flip-flop," remember Kerry?) He just wanted me to stay firmly planted in His will, but to know that without our usual time together I could drift away.
God doesn't play games. He leaves that to the master of deceit. God is simply teaching me that He is in control. He will be in control, and as the scripture He gave me teaches: "Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. (Psalm 37:3-5)" I believe that!
Father, I confess that, like so many other people, it is easy to get my eyes off of you and start walking according to the flesh when hard times hit. I thank You for Your rod of discipline that keeps me from venturing too far off the path that You have chosen for me to walk. Help us all to keep our eyes on Jesus and off of what is right for other people. I commit my way to You! Help me remember that I am to blame when I take my eyes off of You and start focusing on the ways of the world. Oh, Lord, we pray for this election. We pray that You will guide the people to make good choices. The Well
-----
What you sow is what you will harvest
As a man sows, so shall he reap.
Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
What you do unto others is what will be done unto you.
If you give good things to others, others will give good in return.
Life is like unto a canyon that echoes back to you what you express outwardly.
Blessings shall be returned for blessings and curses for curses.
Love begets love and hate begets hate.
Anger stirs up strife while a gentle answer brings peace.
Do unto others what you would want others to do unto you, because they will return what you do to them tenfold.
Everything you do towards others is multiplied back to you both on earth and in Heaven.
What you echo on earth shall echo in Heaven.
This is the law and the prophets.
What you sow is what you will harvest.
©10/10/2001 Jim Welch
-----
Devotional For Dieters
October 10
James 5:13
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Bill kept telling June to ask God for help. June couldn't quite bring herself to do it. Prayer was for weaklings. Only people who couldn't handle life prayed. June would rather struggle by on her own than rely on a crutch. False pride is a sad affliction. People who feel that they are strong enough to handle every situation of life only fool themselves. Everyone is weak at some point in her life. The truly strong person is the one who acknowledges her weakness and has the wisdom to turn to God for help.
Today's thought: More time in prayer means less time to eat!
-----
SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
“…We find that our thinking will, as time passes, be more and more on the plane of inspiration.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 87
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2
For what it's worth: My mind obsessed on alcohol-related matters for so many years that it was nearly impossible to focus on anything else. So, even long after sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, I felt incapable of the prayer and meditation required in Step Eleven. My sponsor got be started with a “please help me” and a “thank you” prayer. That was the simple beginning of a slow, patient, but rewarding journey into a period of time each new day spent with my Heavenly Father. And we always leave the door of the rest of the day open for many more brief moments together. It is nothing even closely related to the meditation of the saintly, but it certainly has transformed the mind, heart and soul of this once worthless drunk!
God bless you!
Joe W.
"Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge." Psalm 16:1
God is the one we should run to when we are in danger or struggling with anything in life. With Him we are safe and secure. So often in life we seek solace elsewhere. When will we learn that it is to Him we must run? David learned this lesson; that is why he is called a man after God's own heart. David was meek and teachable. David had a close relationship with God. He knew where to turn when he was in trouble. When he wandered away from God, he made bad choices. Just look at the mess he made of his life with Bathsheba and Uriah. He had allowed sin to come between him and his God. But just one word from the prophet and his repentance was instantaneous. There were no excuses, no justifying his actions, just repentance and a drawing close to God once again. David learned through his experiences that it was important to stay close to God. There is sweet solace and comfort in living close to God. It keeps us from doing things our own way, it keeps us in communion with our Father and it keeps us safe. When we find ourselves in trouble, we should instantly run with all our might to God, but better yet we should make our abode with Him. If we abide with God and take our refuge in Him, we dwell in a safe place. When we stay in communion with our Father, there will be no need to run to Him, we will be there with Him already. When hard experiences come into our life, we will have a safe place to fall; into the arms of a Father who loves us intensely. Let us take our refuge in God. Let us live in a safe place and dwell with the Father who loves us.
Father, we ask for forgiveness for wandering from you. We are thankful that we can run to you when we are in trouble, but Father we long to dwell with you, to make you our refuge, our safe place. We desire to live in your presence so that nothing that comes into our lives will throw us for a loop. We will have the assurance from you that all is well, for we will be living in your house forevermore. Amen Quiet Waters
-----
BLAMELESS?
I will sing of your love and justice.
I will praise you, Lord, with songs.
I will be careful to live a blameless life �
when will you come to my aid?
I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.
I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.
I hate all crooked dealings;
I will have nothing to do with them.
I will reject perverse ideas
and stay away from every evil.
I will not tolerate people
who slander their neighbors.
I will not endure conceit and pride.
I will keep a protective eye on the godly,
so they may dwell with me in safety.
Only those who are above reproach
will be allowed to serve me.
I will not allow deceivers to serve me,
and liars will not be allowed to enter my presence.
My daily task will be to ferret out criminals
and free the city of the Lord from their grip.
Psalm 101
Oh, David, what a man! Without a doubt in this Psalm we clearly see the desire of David's heart. It has been a while since I have been able to spend basking in His Presence like I once did when He gave me instructions for the ministry. Yet, He showed me that He had planted a reservoir of wisdom deep within me from which I could draw. He also reminded me that Solomon was full of wisdom, but he fell away in his relationship with the Lord. (If this was four years ago we would be thinking "flip-flop," remember Kerry?) He just wanted me to stay firmly planted in His will, but to know that without our usual time together I could drift away.
God doesn't play games. He leaves that to the master of deceit. God is simply teaching me that He is in control. He will be in control, and as the scripture He gave me teaches: "Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. (Psalm 37:3-5)" I believe that!
Father, I confess that, like so many other people, it is easy to get my eyes off of you and start walking according to the flesh when hard times hit. I thank You for Your rod of discipline that keeps me from venturing too far off the path that You have chosen for me to walk. Help us all to keep our eyes on Jesus and off of what is right for other people. I commit my way to You! Help me remember that I am to blame when I take my eyes off of You and start focusing on the ways of the world. Oh, Lord, we pray for this election. We pray that You will guide the people to make good choices. The Well
-----
What you sow is what you will harvest
As a man sows, so shall he reap.
Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
What you do unto others is what will be done unto you.
If you give good things to others, others will give good in return.
Life is like unto a canyon that echoes back to you what you express outwardly.
Blessings shall be returned for blessings and curses for curses.
Love begets love and hate begets hate.
Anger stirs up strife while a gentle answer brings peace.
Do unto others what you would want others to do unto you, because they will return what you do to them tenfold.
Everything you do towards others is multiplied back to you both on earth and in Heaven.
What you echo on earth shall echo in Heaven.
This is the law and the prophets.
What you sow is what you will harvest.
©10/10/2001 Jim Welch
-----
Devotional For Dieters
October 10
James 5:13
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Bill kept telling June to ask God for help. June couldn't quite bring herself to do it. Prayer was for weaklings. Only people who couldn't handle life prayed. June would rather struggle by on her own than rely on a crutch. False pride is a sad affliction. People who feel that they are strong enough to handle every situation of life only fool themselves. Everyone is weak at some point in her life. The truly strong person is the one who acknowledges her weakness and has the wisdom to turn to God for help.
Today's thought: More time in prayer means less time to eat!
-----
SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
“…We find that our thinking will, as time passes, be more and more on the plane of inspiration.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 87
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2
For what it's worth: My mind obsessed on alcohol-related matters for so many years that it was nearly impossible to focus on anything else. So, even long after sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, I felt incapable of the prayer and meditation required in Step Eleven. My sponsor got be started with a “please help me” and a “thank you” prayer. That was the simple beginning of a slow, patient, but rewarding journey into a period of time each new day spent with my Heavenly Father. And we always leave the door of the rest of the day open for many more brief moments together. It is nothing even closely related to the meditation of the saintly, but it certainly has transformed the mind, heart and soul of this once worthless drunk!
God bless you!
Joe W.