Seeking God in Today's World

08/30/2021

Don't Falter, Look to the Psalter
Hide me away O' Lord
Psalm 27- No fear in the LORD

We all have things we fear, sometimes those fears are warranted, but often they are not, yet we fear things from bugs, public speaking, to even dying. Some of our fears are due to our life experiences, and sometimes due to our current situation. But all throughout the word of God, he calls on us not to fear the things of this world, and don't have anxiety over things, but put your trust in Him alone and cast your fears and your burdens upon Him.

David, who at this point of his life, has great trust in the LORD, and and places his confidence in who the LORD is and what the LORD has accomplished, and not in the worries of the conflicts of the world around him. With this confidence he can assuredly say what he says in the first two verses where he poses these hypothetical questions.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
David's confidence in the LORD as his light, his salvation, and his stronghold, trumps any fear and gives him no reason to be afraid of even death.

Jeremiah 17:7- But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.

One of those blessings is not living a life of fear, but a life that is hidden with God.

David in this Psalm highlights some of the results of confidence in God triumphing over fear, mainly that he can seek and stay in the presence of God and Gaze upon His beauty, knowing even when the day of trouble comes, God is the best shelter.

One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
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 inquire[c] in his temple.5 For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.6 And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

Don't Falter, This is the confidence we have in Christ today, Look to the Psalter and know that confidence in God triumphs over fear, and has many blessings.

Artist: Keith Lancaster & The Acappella CompanyAlbum: Awesome GodChristian & GospelLyrics:Hide me away, O Lord (Hide me away, O Lord)Hide me away, O Lord (Hi...

08/26/2021

Don't Falter, Look to the Psalter
The LORD is my Shepard
Psalm 23 - The LORD Sustains

David in the Psalm is looking back fondly on his days as a shepherd, and was not ashamed of his former occupation. Even as a king David knew his humble beginnings, and how God has helped him grow and mature over the years. While in our lives we all have things and occupations that we can fondly look back on, but we should also be seeking maturity, but not just any maturity, maturity in the LORD.

David realized with God he lacked nothing, that God has supplied all his needs and then some. Often we have desires, and we want things, from an early age on we want this or that shiny new item. David has matured, and his reliance was squarely on God, and God being his sustainer.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness[b]
for his name's sake.

We see here that when one clears their head of the distractions of wanting this or that and relying on God to sustain your needs, one grows in maturity, one grows in closeness to God. Green pastures would mean a good water source was nearby, they didn't have today's technology, and what David is saying is like the tree planted near water, there is always good nourishment, and the tree is constantly being restored and staying healthy. Instead of self desires, and now because you are close to God, He guides your path and for his name's sake.

God is the Shepard, and God is leading David on paths of righteousness. In the NT Jesus is called the Good Shepherd, It’s remarkable that the LORD would call Himself our shepherd. “In Israel, as in other ancient societies, a shepherd’s work was considered the lowest of all works. If a family needed a shepherd, it was always the youngest son, like David, who got this unpleasant assignment and we should be in great awe that the God of the universe has stooped to take just such care of you and me as a shepherd takes care of his sheep.

And as one allows God to guide their steps, His mercy and goodness allows us to dwell with him as we seek to abide with Him.

6 Surely goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
forever.

Don't Falter and try to be your own leader over all, but seek God and His righteousness to be your shepherd, Look to the the Psalter and see how much God cares for us that He would upon the role of shepherd.

Matthew 6:33- But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

08/17/2021

Don't Falter, Look to the Psalter
Integrity and the presence of God

1 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.

Here the Psalmist begins to answer the opening question(s): who truly gets to experience God’s presence? It is a simple yet realistic answer: people of moral integrity.

While those who seek an emotional experience may experience His presence for a limited time, it is those with moral integrity, those with day to day faithfulness and obedience who find themselves consistently in God's presence.

You might think, isn’t this perfectionism and performance? Hasn’t Jesus made believers morally perfect in the Father’s eyes by his death and resurrection? Yes, Jesus has qualified for His presence those who have placed their faith in Him. But persistence in sin still disqualifies us from deep, abiding fellowship with Him.

Jesus calls us to be "in the world" and not of the world. So if we aren't ruled by Satan and sin anymore, that's great, but we still live here! Yeah. Not so great. But Jesus has given us freedom from that evil, remember? We may be physically present ("in the world"), but we don't have to be a part of its values ("of the world"; John 17:14-16). We're set apart to seek to live a holy, righteous life.

Don't Falter, if we desire to draw closer to God, and to be in His presence, we must seek to live a life of integrity and not be ensnared by the ways and pleasures of the world.

The writer of the book of Hebrews puts it this way: Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Look to the Psalter and it's invaluable wisdom on walking with God with blameless and with integrity. Fixing our eyes on Jesus!

08/12/2021

Don't Falter, look to the Psalter
Psalm 9 - Give all Thanks to God in all situations

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

You ever had that friend or family member that you did something for that really helped them out and you felt that you had gone out of your way for them; and after all is said and done they kinda sorta say thanks, we'd say "half heartedly." We feel hurt when we receive that kind of thanks, this is even far greater truth when we look at all that God has done, he deserves, as David says in this Psalm, " Give thanks to the LORD with my WHOLE heart."

Another Good reminder David gives the reader is that it is important, and helpful, to recount all the wonderful things God has done for us. When the time of storms comes in your life, you'll be in the habit of recounting all that God has done, like the memories of all those amazing moments of a child growing up that you later recount. David does this perfectly in the Psalm and it leads him back to praising God.

13 Be gracious to me, O Lord!
See my affliction from those who hate me,
O you who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 that I may recount all your praises,
that in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may rejoice in your salvation.

David shows confidence in who God is and his righteous judgement. This kind of confidence gives one peace, knowing that God is in control, even when bad things are happening all around.

7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for justice,
8 and he judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with uprightness.

Don't Falter, recount all that wonderful things that God has done, in nature, in your life, and throughout history since the dawn of creation. Look to the Psalter and find great examples of knowing who is in control, and who instills true confidence and hope.

08/05/2021

Don't Falter, Look to the Psalter Psalm 2 -
The First Royal Psalm
Who is the King of your life ?

1 Why do the nations conspire[a]
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.
”4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”

Psalm 2 is the first example in the Psalter of the category of psalms known as “royal psalms”—compositions primarily concerned with the human kings of Judah who understood themselves to be uniquely authorized and empowered as Yahweh’s adopted sons.
Since the “kings” and “rulers” of the earth do not acknowledge Yahweh, they have no allegiance to him and are depicted here as fomenting rebellion to cast off his overlordship.

The scenario as described assumes the nations and peoples who have been subject to God's rule want to cast off their chains.
While God allows the kings, rulers, and leaders, to choose who they serve, he laughs and scoffs because God is firmly in control and enthroned in heaven. So while they may see God's rule as chains and restrictions, and limitations to their freedoms, they are forgetting God's grace, mercy, and benefits, providing their needs.

We see this in today's society, where more and more independence and freedom of will is glorified. We look to moments like in the movie Braveheart and the cry, "for Freedom." Leaders, societies, and individuals crown themselves kings of their territory, their lives.

But we fail to recognize that God remains in control of all, and even sent His son to show us where true freedom is found. True freedom is found not in the "self" but in the person, "Christ." God is in full control, and we can choose to fight that control or submit, and only through submission do we experience true freedom.

So instead of Faltering, and trying to be your own "king," look to the the Psalter and see that the true King, who is full of grace, mercy, and love, is in full control and is enthroned in Heaven.

Who is the king of your life?

08/04/2021

Don't Falter, look the the Psalter - Day 1
Opening the doors to the Psalms

The Psalms are a great place for Godly wisdom and encouragement for good days and especially days of trouble. The complete collection of the 150 Psalms is called the Psalter. The Psalms are poetic wisdom that seeks to speak to the heart, and sometimes the psalmist (writer) gives you a glimpse into their deep emotions, and through the ups and downs as they cry out to God, giving their troubles to God, and praising Him for being a God that hears and understands.

Psalm 1 and 2 are sometimes called the double doors to the Psalms, the open the doors to wisdom the lies ahead. Psalm one echoes what the Proverbs strive to teach about seeking Godly wisdom.

1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

A tree planted near water has all the nourishment it needs to produce good fruit. Now consider your soul as that tree, where would you want it planted, in the middle of the desert, or near the streams of water. When you draw near to God and His wisdom & God's law, you are being nourished by the source, a source that will sustain you.

One thing that I've learned about the Psalms is not to wait til the day of trouble to seek out the Psalms wisdom for comfort, but to be in them whenever possible, so that those Psalms are stored in your heart, and in the day of trouble you know the exact Psalm to look to.

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalms are great for all times, but when you start to lose strength or momentum (Falter), a great place for God's words of comfort and encouragement is the Psalter.

07/31/2021

Proverb a Day to Mold the Clay
Humility and eternal reward

Proverbs 22:4 - The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor, and life.

I'm sure everyone can remember a time in life, especially when they were a child, when they considered what would make them successful adults. Money, a good job, a good spouse, 2.5 children, a pet, and a house with a white picket fence seemed to be the answer when I was growing up. Nevermind how one has 2.5 children, but what is the reward one is seeking, and is there a greater reward than what we are often told are the rewards of a successful life?

Yes, and that reward starts with the price God was willing to pay to show His love for each and every one of us.

John 3:16-17 - “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Then realize where the real treasures are stored that lead to eternal reward

19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Desire the real reward - Psalm 19:9-11

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.

Humble ourselves and seek God and realize he supplies our needs

Matthew 6:31-33 -So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

God commands us to cultivate humility. “Humble yourselves (I Peter 5:6, James 4:10),” before God by accepting His Word and Providence without grumbling, and before other people by putting their interests above your own (Philippians 2:1-5).

Coupled with humility is the fear of the Lord. The proud forget God, do not call on Him for help and forgiveness, and refuse to give Him thanks. The humble know they rely on Him even for breath itself.

The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is “riches and honor and life,” the things God promised Abraham when He called him, and Solomon after he asked for wisdom. It’s what Jesus promised Peter, who asked Him what he would get for having left everything to follow Him:

Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life (Mark 10:29-30).

There are great rewards in this life for humility and fear of the Lord.

06/23/2021

Proverb a Day to Mold the Clay Remove the Dross
Proverb 25:4-54 Remove the dross from the silver,
and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
5 remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,
and his throne will be established through righteousness.

If you've ever watched or taken part in antiques or furniture restoration, it's amazing. The process sometimes takes many days and a lot of muscle power. After hours of dedication and removing imperfections, scuffs, and just layers of dross from something old and useless to something that is beautiful, and a marvel to look at.
Silver goes through its own process to become the lustry silver that catches our eyes. Through heat and chemicals residue, and other metal impurities are removed. This process takes several days, but turns something of lesser value into something of greater value.

Like the removal of the wicked officials, who were not carrying out justice for them with good and pure intentions. Even if the king wanted his kingdom to be about justice and mercy, if he has wicked officials that won't happen. We see that often in our own gov't and even work environments.

What about on a more personal level? Does God call us to something better. To be like the king that wants to establish something better, a kingdom of greater value because it seeks to do what is right, and gets rid of anything that will hinder the good or cause wickedness.

This is sometimes difficult for us, sometimes we need the help of others and God to help us remove those things that hinders us, to remove years of hurts, imperfections, selfishness, and seek those things that are good and pure. This may mean closing doors on relationships, bad habits, and sometimes things that we may find pleasure in, but they are holding us back.

God wants to refine us, and even though the process may be difficult at times, God says he will be with us Peter states this in 1 Peter 1:6-7. Our refining process brings about something more precious than gold.

"Now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold, which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

While the Lord is like a refiner's fire, refining us into great value. Remember that God is with us in the process, and while there may be some pain (no pain-no gain), God wants to give us an imperishable crown.

1 Cor. 9:25- Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

06/02/2021

Proverb a Day to Mold the Clay
Spiritual Health Matters!

Proverbs 16:24
Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Many of us seek to be healthy, and I'm trying my best to stay healthy as well. Over the years I've learned that diet is just as important as exercise.

But I have also learned that physical health is only part of a complex web of staying healthy. Emotional and mental health are important as well. The one segment of health that is sometimes given the least attention is our spiritual health. Spiritual repair and restoration is greatly needed, especially when you look to eternity.

Solomon who was considered the wisest man to ever live spoke of the importance of feeding our spirit man. These proverbs that is said to be written down by Solomon are calling us to pay attention and value our spiritual health by gaining wisdom and understanding.

The word of God is food for our souls. Its life-giving promises are found to be sweet like honey when consumed. They also give us a firm foundation for which we can build our lives upon. The word of God has the power to overcome and heal our terminal disease of sin that ravages our body and spirit. It gives us hope and direction as a light shining into the darkness.

The apostle Paul states- 1 Timothy 4:8 – “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

Jesus States, that when it comes to fear, make sure you have your soul secured as well..Matthew 10:28

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
It is is also important to make sure you have the right spiritual doctor.

Jesus says:
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.

1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

John 10:9
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

Paul Affirms -
Acts 4:12
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Jesus has become our spiritual doctor and is the only one who can cure and secure our eternal place in heaven.

05/22/2021

Proverb a Day to Mold the Clay
Are you seeking or searching

Proverbs - 11:27 Whoever seeks good finds favor,
but evil comes to one who searches for it.

I once was at my favorite camp, and it was reported that in the woods of those camp was an animal that some had spotted, part of me had an urge to go searching...A friend of mine who was lifeguarding that day says to me, "Vernnnnnn..what are you doing? I told him I'm looking for the fisher...and he responds, " Is that a good idea??. So I gave up my search, it was probably for the better....but this is true with life in general...are we seeking good or searching for things that will harm us?

This could also be seen in how we look at others. Are you one who looks quick to search out the negative of somone, " there must be some dirt on this person," or someone who seeks out the good in others? It can be easy to focus on the negative in people and point out their flaws to make ourselves feel like we are better than them. That’s something anyone can do. Anyone can focus on the negative in someone. It takes a humble mind to think of the good in others most of the time. It is so much healthier for our minds and our hearts to be positive.

The best we can seek is God and when we do seek Him, he responds with love and compassion.

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

By seeking God, He gives you peace, love, forgiveness, hope, strength, and so much more.

1 Chronicles 16:11
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:7-8
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

In seeking God, you find his favor -
Lamentations 3:25 -The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

Matthew 6:33 - But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Are you seeking or searching?