Psalm 23 NLT
A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
He leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to His name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for You are close beside me.
Your rod and Your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD
forever.
Six short verses that are so full of knowledge. David wrote this Psalm in his later life as king but it so fondly and vividly recalls his boyhood as a shepherd. The Psalm so loving describes God's protection of His people, a protection David enjoyed and acknowledged throughout His life. It is a Psalm of tribute to God and praises Him for all He does for us.
Psalm 23 is probably the most loved, most memorized, most spoken Psalm of all time. It is calming, comforting, empowering and revitalizing. To give it the respect it deserves in one short study is impossible so over the next few days, let's take it apart thought by thought and look at it more completely. For now, just ponder it's words. Take them into your heart and savor them.
Blessings, Cecilia
Sunday, September 18, 2016
2 Corinthians 4 What about you, do people see Jesus in you?
7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So death works in us, but life in you.
Paul explains in this text our human design, struggling through life in frailty, more so while preaching the salvation though our Lord Jesus Christ, because they hated Him with the devil's burning passion. They crucified Him and wanted to blot out any remembrance of Him or anyone preaching of Him.
Matthew 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Paul was on a mission, to win all he could over to Jesus Christ!
They constantly sought to murder him but he tarried on, to bring eternal life to the dead and dying, "so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."
In simple terms, you become a mirror! People look at you and see Jesus.
What about you, do people see Jesus in you?
Blessings, David
Scripture blog; http://stanfordsancutaryscripturestudies.blogspot.com
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Getting into heaven is not about what you know but Who you know.
Matt4:17...“Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret
past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s
purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 19....“Follow
Me[as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the
same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.” 5:28
but I say to you that everyone who [so much as] looks at a woman with lust
for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 6:9...‘Our
Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.(AMP)
past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s
purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 19....“Follow
Me[as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the
same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.” 5:28
but I say to you that everyone who [so much as] looks at a woman with lust
for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 6:9...‘Our
Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.(AMP)
Have you ever had one of those days when you just need to read those
letters in RED? The words of Jesus, your Lord and Savior? Sometimes it may
be for rebuke, direction, comfort, peace, to cut you or heal you. Sometimes
I need to be reminded that my Father in heaven is to be Hallowed - to honor
as holy; consider sacred. Living in this world is not easy, and it seems to
be getting more and more challenging the more I want to be like Jesus, the
closer I get to heaven. Sin and temptation are everywhere. When I really
need times of refreshing, I get so easily distracted. I want, I desire to
be like Jesus. There is a difference between being a fan and a follower of
Christ. A fan may know about someone. A follower knows that person
intimately. Getting into heaven is not about what you know but Who you know.
Douglas
Praise The Lord. Psalm 22:22-31
Psalm 22 NLT
22 I will proclaim Your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise You among Your assembled people. 23 Praise the LORD, all you who fear Him! Honor Him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show Him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For He has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned His back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. 25 I will praise You in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship You. 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the LORD will praise Him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. 27 The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to Him. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him. 28 For royal power belongs to the LORD. He rules all the nations. 29 Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Bow before Him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust. 30 Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. 31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything He has done.
Here we see the results of the crucifixion. Jesus' name was spread throughout the world. People still gather to praise Him. God still heals. God still provides. He still protects. He is taught from generation to generation. We are still talking about Him.
I can see many times in my life where the Lord was there for me. Even when I didn't acknowledge Him as the provider, He was there providing. Even when I didn't acknowledge His protection, He was there protecting.
I know of a woman In desperate need. She has six children to care for, one is a newborn. Her water was shut off more than a week ago. The water company wants $1600.00 to turn it back on. This woman has no hope of accumulating that much money. It's hot where she lives. Not only is water needed for drinking and washing but for cooling too. On top of that, Child Protective Services is monitoring her "no water situation" as a reason of "neglect". She must be under tremendous stress.
I know the Lord will provide for her what she needs at exactly the time she needs it. Will you please join me in praying for her?
James 5:16b "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."
Lord, we lift this family up to You. You are the Great Provider. You know our needs before we speak them. Lord, bring the people into this family's life that can help them get the assistance needed to care and provide for them. Let Your Light shine through this situation. Strength their faith and relieve their stress. We ask this in Your Name Lord Jesus, Amen.
Blessings, Cecilia
22 I will proclaim Your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise You among Your assembled people. 23 Praise the LORD, all you who fear Him! Honor Him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show Him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For He has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned His back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. 25 I will praise You in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship You. 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the LORD will praise Him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. 27 The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to Him. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him. 28 For royal power belongs to the LORD. He rules all the nations. 29 Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Bow before Him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust. 30 Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. 31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything He has done.
Here we see the results of the crucifixion. Jesus' name was spread throughout the world. People still gather to praise Him. God still heals. God still provides. He still protects. He is taught from generation to generation. We are still talking about Him.
I can see many times in my life where the Lord was there for me. Even when I didn't acknowledge Him as the provider, He was there providing. Even when I didn't acknowledge His protection, He was there protecting.
I know of a woman In desperate need. She has six children to care for, one is a newborn. Her water was shut off more than a week ago. The water company wants $1600.00 to turn it back on. This woman has no hope of accumulating that much money. It's hot where she lives. Not only is water needed for drinking and washing but for cooling too. On top of that, Child Protective Services is monitoring her "no water situation" as a reason of "neglect". She must be under tremendous stress.
I know the Lord will provide for her what she needs at exactly the time she needs it. Will you please join me in praying for her?
James 5:16b "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."
Lord, we lift this family up to You. You are the Great Provider. You know our needs before we speak them. Lord, bring the people into this family's life that can help them get the assistance needed to care and provide for them. Let Your Light shine through this situation. Strength their faith and relieve their stress. We ask this in Your Name Lord Jesus, Amen.
Blessings, Cecilia
2 Corinthians 4 Are you reflective of His love?
Paul’s Apostolic Ministry
1Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, 2but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Did you notice verse 4?
"in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
Who or what is the god of this world?
I instinctively knew the answer but with a Bing search I found this:
"The phrase “god of this world” (or “god of this age”) indicates that Satan is the major influence on the ideals, opinions, goals, hopes and views of the majority of people. His influence also encompasses the world’s philosophies, education, and commerce. The thoughts, ideas, speculations and false religions of the world are under his control and have sprung from his lies and deceptions."
So what is Paul saying here? We are the bond servants of the Light of Jesus Christ who shines through us. Satan has blinded the minds of the "unbelieving" to the truth, the Light!
Let's reread verse 5:
"For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."
Yes, we are bond servants to the Most High. We were bought with a price, His blood! His Light, is the One who has shone in our hearts.
Then, how can we not be reflective of His love than shone on us?
Are you reflective of His love?
Blessings, David
Scripture blog; http://stanfordsancutaryscripturestudies.blogspot.com
Friday, September 16, 2016
Crucifixion. Psalm 22:14-21
Psalm 22 NLT
14 My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. 15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. 16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. 17 I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. 18 They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. 19 O LORD, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! 20 Save me from the sword; spare my precious life from these dogs. 21 Snatch me from the lion’s jaws and from the horns of these wild oxen.
Written some 900 years before Christ and several hundreds years before crucifixion was even heard of. A first person account of crucifixion. As described in the Gospels, My life poured out like water, my bones are out if joint, my heart is like wax, my strength is dried up, my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth, they have pierced my hands and feet, they divide my garments, throw dice for my clothing, save me from the sword......
The Author, David, had never suffered such persecution yet describes it so accurately here. God breathed? God inspired? Some say the Bible is just the writings of men. If it were, how could David have so accurately described what one of his descendants would go through some 900 years later?
2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right."
Interesting read on crucifixion:
http://www.thenazareneway.com/details_history_of_crucifixion.htm
Blessings, Cecilia
14 My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. 15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. 16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. 17 I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. 18 They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. 19 O LORD, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! 20 Save me from the sword; spare my precious life from these dogs. 21 Snatch me from the lion’s jaws and from the horns of these wild oxen.
Written some 900 years before Christ and several hundreds years before crucifixion was even heard of. A first person account of crucifixion. As described in the Gospels, My life poured out like water, my bones are out if joint, my heart is like wax, my strength is dried up, my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth, they have pierced my hands and feet, they divide my garments, throw dice for my clothing, save me from the sword......
The Author, David, had never suffered such persecution yet describes it so accurately here. God breathed? God inspired? Some say the Bible is just the writings of men. If it were, how could David have so accurately described what one of his descendants would go through some 900 years later?
2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right."
Interesting read on crucifixion:
http://www.thenazareneway.com/details_history_of_crucifixion.htm
Blessings, Cecilia
2 Corinthians 3 NASB Do others see Jesus in you?
4Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. 10For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. 11For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
12Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, 13and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. 14But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 15But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; 16but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
"but the Spirit gives life."
"How will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?"
When Moses was standing on holy ground in the presence of God his face became bright from Gods glory and he had to put a veil on to cover it so the sons of Israel wouldn't become frightened.
"for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted because it is removed in Christ."
15But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; 16but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
This bears repeating;
"17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit."
We have liberty over death in Christ, and we are being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit within us!
Behold you are a mirror, that is, when the world sees you they should see Jesus Himself.
Do others see Jesus in you?
Blessings, David
Scripture blog; http://stanfordsancutaryscripturestudies.blogspot.com
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