Let God Directs your path

Psalm 8

Lead me in the right path, O Lord,
or my enemies will conquer me.
Make your way plain for me to follow.

This is my prayer, God, “Lead me in the right path!” Your path is clearly laid out in Scripture, how I should live, what values I should place as gems in my heart, and how to decide and live out the different decisions I must face daily: how I should treat my friends, how I should respond to misunderstanding or insults, how I should respond to rejection, how I should respond to people who say mean things or treat me poorly; how I should receive truth from people rather than fighting them; how I should lay down my rights to serve others; how I should use my time and energies not to indulge my desires but to build Your church; how I should treasure people over things; and that I can have the spiritual eyes to see the responsibilities given me not as burden or mere duty, but as tremendous privilege and joy.

Lord, I ask you to lead me in the right path because the consequence of not living according to Your Word is that “my enemies will conquer me.” The enemies are my sinful nature, my old desires, my natural comfort-seeking, entertainment-seeking, self-preserving heart. This is the old self which I am daily trying to put off (cf. Eph 4). Lord, please lead me in the right path, and let your way be plain to me to follow. Help me to be well-grounded in Scripture, because Your word makes it plain, makes it clear for me how to follow You no matter what decisions or struggles I may have (cf. Psalm 119:105, Psalm 19:7-8).

Healing in your Words

Assurance of Answered Prayer- Psalm 4

Assurance of Answered Prayer

Key Verse: But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him. (Psalm 4:3)

We can identify with the desperation and plea of the psalmist in the opening verses. Sometimes we feel rejected or maybe are conscious of having made a mistake. Having offended someone, we feel the reproach of a strained relationship. We are out of sorts with God—that sweet fellowship and sense of His presence has vanished—and we plead with Him to answer our prayer, be gracious to us, and relieve our distress.

The contrast is made clear in characterizing one who succumbs to worldly and ungodly attitudes and behavior and what one does who is walking a godly life in the righteousness of the Father. One who is out of fellowship with the Father is attracted to worthless things—values of the world, materialism and entertainment that appeals to baser instincts and passions. Such a person is deceived and misleads others in his example and influence. We recognize our need for God’s help. It is not because we are deserving but because of His righteousness that we can expect Him to answer when we call; it is on the basis of His grace that He hears our prayer.

Verse 3 is a beautiful reminder that if we live a godly life, it is because God has chosen us and set us apart; it is not for our blessing but for His glory. Why does the godly person have assurance the Lord hears when he calls? It is because we belong to Him and walk in fellowship with Him. Life becomes communion with God in which the Father responds to our pleading and manifests Himself to us in an outpouring of grace.

The person set apart for the Lord is to do four things to maintain that relationship:

• Tremble and do not sin; the fear of the Lord should be a deterrent from sin.

• Meditate and think about the Lord and godly things in times when we are still, while lying in bed or perhaps waiting in a line or stalled in traffic.

• Offer the sacrifices of righteousness; do what is good—“What would Jesus do?”

• Trust in the Lord. Walk in faith, confident that God is leading and enabling us.

The result of being a godly person who walks with God in doing these things is that God is consistently revealing Himself to us and through us. He is “lift[ing] up the light of [His] countenance upon us” (v. 6). He puts gladness in our heart, a joy that abounds like the farmer who reaps a prosperous crop beyond all expectations. And we can sleep in peace and dwell in safety. There is no distress, problem, or threat that infringes on our security.

Prayer: Lord, there is no goodness at all in me; any element of holiness and godliness comes from You. You have demonstrated grace and mercy in setting me apart from worldly things, but never let me forget it is for Your glory. I encounter so many conflicts and temptations in my mind, but You give a blessed peace and joy in abundance because I rest in You and You alone.

He will not let you stumble-Psalms 3

Psalms 3

Psalms 3 says, “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.  Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing isupon thy people. Selah.”

       

Every day has 24 hours. In every day there are the hours of light and hours of darkness. Life is like this. There will be times of darkness and times of great light. Sometimes the forces of evil will assault you and sometimes the worst assaults will be those who are closest to you turning against you. It happened to King David and it may happen to you. 

In such situations of great distress the world is going to say to you just what it says in Psalms 3:2, “Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.” The way to handle such a situation is the same way King David handled things when his own family turned against him: keep trusting in Jesus. When bad things happen to you and people try to tell you God is not helping you, or that God is punishing you, what you need to do is remember the promises of God. Jesus said, “I will never leave thee, or forsake thee.” Jesus also said in the Gospel of John 14:16-18, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. There will always be comfort found in Jesus even in the face of your own family seeking to kill you. King David’s son sought to kill him, and the world said to him that God had abandoned him, and the response of David is given in verse 3. It says, “But thou, O LORD, fyou are my shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.”

       

There are three important points to this verse. The first is that God is your shield. A shield protects from attack. We live in a violent world, and you are going to be attacked. There are robbers, murderers, and rapists. There are wars and gangs and even senseless violence. But God will protect you from all of these things. God is your shield. King David was cast down from his position of power as ruler of a country sought by armies of men and forced to hide in caves, but he understood that even in such situations God was his shield. No one can harm you physically unless God allows it to happen because God is your shield. 

God watches over you. Psalm 1

God watches over you.

Psalms, like Proverbs, is a book of wisdom, it is in the bible to teach us about the Lord and his Word. The Psalms were written to praise, worship, and confess to God through poetry. The bible is timeless. The wisdom in Psalms was true when David, Asaph, Solomon and others wrote them, and it is true today. Many of the Worship hymns sung on Sunday mornings in churches are rooted in Psalms.

God watches over you. He looks every step that you take and guides you under his care.

-v. 6 gives us a promise that the Lord watches over the righteous. No one is righteous except through him. (Romans 3:19-31 in context) Rom 3:22-23 "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." He is promising that those who obey him, have faith in him, and desire to draw near to him will be made righteous in him. God's promise here does not say that nothing bad will happen to his people, believing that is foolhardy. But God's will is always in his peoples best interests. Take the book of Philippians, which Paul wrote from prison. Philippians 4:19, "My God will meet all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus" It amazes me that Paul, in prison, has so much faith in the Will of God that he is content wherever God has him, even in a cold, dank prison. I pray that God would give me faith like Pauls and I praise him that he is working in my life to accomplish the good work that he started.

Jehovah Rohi-He cares for you

Jehovah Rohi

Jehovah Rohi means the “Jehovah, my Shepherd” Ps.23:1  The people of God have One that guides them through life and shows them which path to take, One that leads them. If you are searching for direction in your life you need to go to Jehovah Rohi. He wants you to know His will for you personally.

Rohi means “to feed”.  It is first used in Gen 37:2 when Joseph fed the flock with his brothers.  Joseph told Pharaoh that his family were shepherds. Gen. 47:3,4 Both Joseph and David are men that started as shepherds and became national leader.

Rohi also indicates “the relationship between the prince and his people. 2Sam 5:2  and “the relationship between the a priest or prophet and his people”. Jer 3:15  It is used in regards to feeding judgement Ez 34:16 A beautiful translation of rohi is “companion” or “friend”.  This expresses the idea of sharing life and food, my sustenance.  We share the very life of Jesus. Col 3:3,4  Moses experience this relationship. Exodus 33:11 God desires that relationship with you.

When you see the Lord as your Shepherd remember all that involves: He will lead you, feed you, bring judgement. He is your close and intimate companion and friend. The highest aspect of this relationship is that He lead you to life through his sacrifice for you and from there to an intimate personal sharing of the bread of life, for He is the Word made flesh. He leads you away from the danger of sin.

Is 40:10-11 He leads in a way that is a loving example for us to follow toward others. What an awesome combination of strength and tenderness! True shepherds draw the sheep together and care for the wounded. They drive off the wolves that try to wound and divide the flock. Genesis 49:24  Strength and gentleness are perfectly displayed in Jesus who is Jehovah Rohi.

Jn 10:11 ‘Good’ here can also mean appealing.  Jesus in us makes us irresistible to the sheep. They see the Good Shepherd shining through. Ez 34:11,12,14-16  People are looking for someone to gently but firmly lead them, feed them, be a friend to them. Jesus is all that and more. He is a Shepherd that can relate because He is also the Lamb of God. He understands what this life is like from living as a sheep in the sheepfold of mankind. That is one avenue of his mercy. Mercy is the Greek word ‘checed’ which means to climb inside someone’s skin and look out of his eyes, hear out of his ears, and feel what he feels. Who could better be a Shepherd than One who had been a sheep?

Jn 10:10,11,14  Rev 7:15-17 Hebrews 13:20,21 1Pt 2:25, 5:4 

Jehovah Shalom- Peace be with you

Jehovah Shalom

The Lord Our Peace  In the fast paced world we live in where we have to swim with the sharks, peace is certainly not a description you would apply to our society.  We break minutes up into sixty parts and aim for maximum use of each one.  The world’s demands and our County’s drive for efficient use of time seem to spur us on into an ever increasing frenzy.  In all that hurry and stress the person who lives in Jehovah Shalom sticks out like an oasis.  Sometimes shalom is translated whole, or well, and that is certainly a part of living in peace. We have the cure for this fast paced stress filled society, Jehovah Shalom.

In Judges chapter six we meet a man named Gideon.  Joshua had died 200 years earlier and Israel had no central government. The Word says “Every man did what was right in his own eyes.”  Gideon certainly did not see himself as a leader.  The Midianites used their new secret weapon, the camel, to subjugate Israel.  Because Israel had forgotten God and turned to the idol worship of their neighbors God allowed this enemy to come against them.  But in Judges 6:6 the people called out to Jehovah to rescue them.  God called Gideon to lead the people to victory.  He told Gideon, “Surely I will be with you and you shall smite the Midianites as one man.”   Jesus within us gives us strength and ability that is way beyond our own.

When the angel of the Lord (Jesus) came to Gideon in Judges 6:11 Gideon’s sacrifice was consumed. Gideon knew he had seen God and thought he would die. The angel answered him in verses 23,24.  Gideon built an altar and called it Jehovah Shalom. God prepared Gideon for war by becoming his peace. Peace does not come from outward circumstances, it comes from who God is inside you.  If you grasp that you can live a life of peace. The vast army of the Midianites didn’t drive out his peace once He confirmed that Jehovah Shalom was indeed with him. Is He with you?

Phil 4:6-7 Note carefully what God’s path to peace is: First don’t worry, go to God with your concerns. Then with thanks tell him what you need.  With thanks, indicates you know him as a Father who desires to and is able to meet all your needs.  Then Shalom (blessing, wholeness, peace), that is beyond reasoning, comprehension, understanding, will guard or protect your heart (desires and emotions) and mind (thought life) in Christ Jesus (the Anointed Salvation of Jehovah)   We should commit that to memory.

Is 9:6 Jesus is the Prince of Peace. If you’re in touch with his presence in your life you are in touch with peace. He has made peace between God and us by his payment (another translation for shalom) for our sins.  Jer 29:11 is possible because He stands forever before the Father with the sign of payment, the scars of the nails, so that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Shalom also means perfect. I can’t think of a better description for my Savior. Jerusalem, Jesus’ city means “city of peace” or “possession of peace”.

Is 66:12  God wants us to have peace like a river, that reaches out and brings his peaceful presence to those we come in contact with.  It never runs out or runs dry.  It takes two to fight but only one to bring peace. Mt.5:9 The peacemakers are called Sons of God.

The Greek word for peace is “eirene” which means to live life at its best.

When Christ was born the angels sang Lk 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Peace himself had come to earth.  After his resurrection his first words to the disciples were, “Peace be unto you.”  Col 3:15 His peace should rule our hearts. He paid a great price so that it could. We go against his sacrificial work when we don’t allow it to. Is 26:3 When our mind is fixed on Him and who He is to us we have peace. It is our choice as to where we will set our thoughts and yield our emotions. Ro 8:6 says to be spiritually minded is live and peace.

One of the greatest pictures of peace to me is Psalm 23. Lying in green pastures by still waters is where He leads us. Even walking through the valley of the shadow of death, He is with us. We can have peace even there. Peace is not circumstances but the relationship and presence of the Prince of Peace in the middle of the worst situation. Jn 6:17-21 See the waves and the wind?  Is Jesus bouncing up and down out there?  I don’t think so. Where ever Jesus is there is peace. Let Jehovah Shalom in your boat!

Are you allowing Jehovah Shalom to reign over the situations of your life? If not determine now that you will let Him into each of those areas.

Jn 14:27,28, Nu 6:24-26, Mt 11:28,29, Ps 119:165

Jehovah Ropha-Believe in a God who heals

Jehovah Ropha

 In Exodus 15 the Lord told Moses that He was Jehovah Ropha, the Lord who heals. Read the account in Exodus 15: 22f. The pillar of fire or cloud had led around the Children of Israel for several days after the Red Sea crossing. They had not been wandering aimlessly.  But for three days they found no water.  For this many people and animals the hardship must have been very intense. Were they in God’s will?  Will God lead you into difficult struggles?

In Gen 20 Abraham prayed for a king who was then healed as well as his household, so Abraham knew God as the healer.  Moses knew Jehovah Ropha, the Lord his health- see Deut.34:7 He knew Jehovah Ropha when he prayed for his sister Miriam. Numbers 12:9-15. David knew Jehovah Ropha – Psalm 103:1-3. Do you remember the story of Hezekiah? The prophet Isaiah was sent to tell him he would die of his illness. Hezekiah did not have an heir and so he cried out to the Lord for more time. Isaiah was sent back to tell him he was granted 15 more years. 

Is He the same God today? Heb 13:8  Of course. Jim Weingartner could tell us He is the same God that heals today.  Jesus told us we are to lay our hands on the sick and pray for them.

Jesus wants to heal us from the disease of sin, the pains of life, and physical afflictions. Lk 4:18,19 In Is 53 it says the Lord carries our griefs and our sorrows. We don’t need to hang onto them, but we do need to cast them on his shoulders. If He is willing to bear them so we don’t have to, why should we not give them to him?  When Jesus was on the cross he was offered myrrh which would have deadened the pain, but He refused. He went all the way, carried all the pain, bore every sorrow for us. Don’t let it be in vain. “With his stripes we are healed.”

In the Song of Songs Jesus is compared to a bundle of myrrh. Myrrh was used as a dried plant or ground to powder and added to oil, sacrifices, incense, or put in clothes to add a nice fragrance. SoS 1:13 says “A bundle of myrrh is my well beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.”  He isn’t just a drop of oil or a pinch of this herb but a whole bundle for every illness in your life. Remember El Shaddai? More than enough! His presence in the difficulty brings his own fragrance. Remember the men cast into the fiery furnace.  They had to be asked to come out because Jesus was there with them.  The Scripture says they came out without the smell of smoke. They had been with Jesus.

Stop for a second and think of your difficulty.  Is there the smell of smoke, still complaining and telling others what a tough time you had?  Bring Jehovah Ropha into the situation and that smell will change to his own sweet fragrance.

Jer 8:22  Gilead means praise.  The answer to the question is YES, there is healing balm in praise.  When by faith we thank God even for being with us in the difficulty, his presence brings a sweetness of grace to come through without the smell of smoke.

Jer 30:17, Is 30:26, Mt 4:23   

Jehovah Nissi- You will Not lose-You are call to be victorious in everything

Jehovah Nissi

http://daddybloggers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Victory.jpg

 This revelation of who God is to us is found in Exodus 17:15.  Jehovah Nissi means Jehovah our Banner.  The crisis that lead to the revelation was only a few weeks after the Children of Israel had left Egypt.  They had seen the plagues, the pillar of fire and cloud that led them, the parting of the Red Sea, Moses struck the rock which provided water, and manna was their food.  It seems that we are so flesh encrusted that we must constantly be reminded of who God is and what He means to us. 

Now they are about to encounter a new experience, warfare.  The Amalekites were a descendant of Esau. Amalek was Esau’s grandson. You would of thought their cousins would have been sympathetic, but instead they were a terrible foe.  The Amalekites would pick off the week and feeble from the end of the procession. God had waited to deliver Israel until the sins of the Nations they were to conquer were full.  You may remember that later in Israel’s history King Saul was told to wipe out every single Amalekite and their animals too.  He spared some of them and their animals and Samuel announced that God had torn the Kingship from him. Later an Amalekite bragged to David that he had dealt the death blow to Saul. What a lesson! The things that God warns us to destroy from our lives are our worst enemies.  He tells us that because they are vicious and will destroy us if we allow them to continue.

When Israel faced the Amalekites they had never fought in battle. A man named Joshua (Jehovah is our salvation, the same as Jesus in the NT) led Israel’s troops. EXODUS 17:11-13 Moses went to a height overlooking the battle and held the rod of God (Elohim) up in the air. As long as he held it up Israel was winning, but as his arms grew tired and came down the battle turned against Israel. This was the same rod that was held over the Red Sea, the same rod that was used for so many miraculous plagues, the same rod God anointed for use when Moses was commissioned at the burning bush.  It was a sign of God’s presence with them.

When you think of banner you may think of a flag, but this Hebrew word actually means ______________ or ensign, to glisten, a standard, or a miracle.  As Moses held the rod which was probably adorned with some glistening object the people could see, they had confidence. When his arms tired, did they say, “Come on Moses, buck up, do your job”? No, they assisted him. Hur and Aaron held his arms. We need to support our leaders as they hold forth the Word of God to give us direction and hope that God is with us.  When they are tired and weary we have a tendency to ridicule instead of stand beside.  That is only to our detriment. What can you do to encourage your leaders when they look tired?  

EXODUS 17:14-16  Jehovah Nissi is the Lord our victory. When He is lifted high and our eyes are on him we are victorious over sin in our lives 1Jn 5:4. In the Song of Songs we also learn that the banner over us is Love. His ultimate display of love was on a pole dying for our sins. John 3:14 – Numbers 21:7-9  That is our ultimate banner – the cross.  It is under this banner that all our foes are defeated.  We can look at our flesh and the world and Satan and then turn our heads up and look at the cross. He is our Jehovah Nissi! Feeling like the enemy is winning? Look up at our banner!

Is 11:1,10  His banner is Victory! When I march through life under that banner, I win!

 1Co 15:57, 2Co 2:14, Ro 8:31,37 2Tim 2:3,  Eph 6:11-17

El Shaddai-He is all sufficiency

Names of God -  El Shaddai

 

The name El Shaddai first appears in Gen. 17:1-2 Remember  El is the God of power and might.  Shaddai comes from the word ‘field’, and is also translated ‘breast’. It means provision and abundance.  Ending in ai makes it plural possessive just as Adonai.  We could translate it ‘He who is all sufficient’.  God is more than enough to meet all your needs in any situation. Look at the impossible need in this first revelation of the name.

Abraham was 99 and Sarah 89. If the promise was children, could the need be any bigger? Apply it to us. It looks like Cornet will not happen, is God our all sufficiency as we grow?  And how about personally?  Is there something in your life you don’t see any Godly solution to?  Your God is EL SHADDAI.

Abraham’s son Isaac knew El Shaddai. Gen. 28:1-3  And God revealed himself to Jacob as El Shaddai.Gen 35:9-11  The word Almighty always relates to blessings and multiplication of body, soul and spirit. When Jesus said He came to give us life abundantly He was speaking as El Shaddai. 

Moses knew God as the Almighty. Psalm 91:1  In that verse ‘to dwell’ means to stake a claim.  Imagine staking a claim under the God who is more than enough to meet our needs – El Shaddai.

El Shaddai is used 48 times in our Bibles, and 30 of them are in Job. No wonder God revealed himself to Job and doubled his possessions.  His accuser friends kept telling him he must have done something bad, but Job just keeps calling God ‘more than enough’. You can’t do that in the face of such adversity unless you really mean it. 

Naomi left Israel in time of famine and went to live in Moab. Her husband died there. Perhaps she would not have left if she knew God was all sufficient. Her sons broke the Law of God and married Moabite women.  The sons died. One of her daughter in laws returned to Israel with her.  When people saw Naomi they couldn’t believe she had aged so. She asked to be called Mara, for the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me.  It sounds like a complaint, but really she is saying, “I’ve been through tough times but God is more than enough in my situation. Almighty God can turn around my situation.”  And He did!

The woman who lost her children became a grandmother through Ruth who bore the grandfather of King David.

El Shaddai pours out his mercy in abundance, but He also can pour out his wrath in abundance when man is unrepentant. Rev 16:7,14 and 19:15.  It is up to you which side of his abundance you receive.  The repentant trusting soul stakes a claim under his shadow and receives the abundance of his mercy.  El Shaddai, what a name to stake a claim under.

Some scriptures that relate the all- sufficiency of God. Eph 3:19-21, Gen 48:4, Jn 15:2,16

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