Psalm 108 - With God, We Are Valiant!

Every week we have these projects I fall more and more in love with the Psalms. Mostly, as you've read previously, I love the simple statements that stand in stark contrast to the poetry surrounding them. Like this: Ps. 108:13 - With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes. 

As a songwriter, I like to spend time making lyrics "artsy"... I don't want my song to sound like everyone else's, nigh impossible I tell you. However, every time a song has been strictly from the Lord, which usually means it was written in about 5 mins, the lyrics are simple, to the point and deeply impactful. I love this. Only God can strip away all the needless things we think are necessary, in every part of life, and the result is something more beautiful and touching than 100 songs with "cool" or "unique" lyrics and rhythms. -- That was all introduction. *Deep Breath* :)

David really got it, ya know? He knew there was nothing in and of himself that could win this victory. His "mighty men" were truly mighty. David attributes their strength to Jesus. There's no other passage in scripture which talks about small numbers of men doing such incredible things. David's life is the very picture of God taking those who are little, especially in the eyes of men, and using them to do the things no one thought they could. David wasn't regarded by his father or family, yet he became the standard by which every future of Israel and even those of the world would be measured by. 
WITH GOD, WE ARE VALIANT! I wish there was a way to type out the feelings my heart has when thinking about this. Sometimes it simply is overwhelming. Yet, it's true... We've seen it over and over and we'll continue to see it as long as we're willing to lay everything down on the line and let Him guide us.

Only with God will you ever experience the adventure your heart longs for, the intimacy you were made for and the completion of the work you're destined for. Be encouraged!

Proverbs 3:11-12

The LORD disciplines those whom he loves.

Challenging? Yes! 

I've spent countless minutes pondering how I would discipline my children. My mother did a wonderful job in raising me (If I do say so myself); I only hope I can do half as well. But still I struggle with correction. My mom never yelled at me and I never saw her get truly angry with me, at least I don't remember it. When people today are angry or just upset with me, my instant reaction is usually to shut down emotionally and then I get a migraine and then I need to go sleep until I forget the trauma I just experienced. If not this, I usually end up bawling my eyes out in front of the person, leaving them confused as to why a 22 year old is crying because of something (correction) that is perfectly normal and necessary. 

Recently I had a really good friend talk to me about starting to change our working style which had to do with us spending less time together. My instant, fleshly reaction was to think he WANTED to spend less time with me, the rejection feelings took over and what happened? I shut up, looked down and didn't talk for a while. Then the Lord started to speak to me. He asked me why I was feeling this way when this friend had over and over again proved he liked hanging out with me and genuinely loved me as a friend. What came out of my mouth after that was this horrifically self-pityish remark. I said that I felt like God was punishing me for doing something wrong and that's why we had to hang out less. My friend then said some very wise-words: "God is moving us forward BECAUSE we've been doing a good job. He thinks we're ready for the next step." 

This event has replayed over and over in my head as I realized, especially in the area of being alone, that I believed it was a punishment every time the Lord asked me to do something I wasn't exactly excited about. Working through Proverbs this week, this verse really stuck out to me because here was man from 1,000BC who had found out the same wisdom as I was learning in real life. I realize now that if God didn't love me, He'd leave me where I'm at, in all of my brokenness. But no, He DOES love me and is willing to say or do things in my life that may cause me pain because He desires my growth. 

There's another passage: Proverbs 29:1 - "He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing." - I think this has got to be one of the saddest occurrences to God. He loves us so when we are going the wrong way, He tries to steer us back in the right direction. But how many times do we, in our pride, harden our hearts and refuse to receive the blessing God wishes to impart to us. The enemy wins and God is left without the one thing He desired: a relationship with His creation. 

It's so important that we are humble before God and others so that we can receive the blessings of correction and reproof. It's crucial that we recognize God's punishment is out of His love and His sovereign knowledge that a relationship with Him and righteousness are the things that will bring us true happiness. 

I encourage you, and myself, to spend some time in prayer and ask if there's anything God's been trying to tell you recently that you're simply too proud to hear. Don't miss out on what he has for you in this season. He wants so badly to have a more intimate relationship with you, that's why He corrects you. 

The White Tower

Proverbs 25:28 ESV "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." 

I was reading the entire book of Proverbs aloud today as preparation for our first week of 3rd Quarter. This verse, 25:28, stuck out to me the most. I know, it's not a Psalm. :) 

After finishing the book, I began journaling on the subject. I was burdened by this verse, reflecting on my own lack of self-control. Whether in eating, exercise or abstinence from sin, I felt as though this word-picture described me perfectly. I felt as though I was a city, robbed, left without walls. Left without defense, my city (my heart) was decimated by the enemy. 

Praying about this, I asked God what He thought. Immediately, I got a picture in my mind similar to the one I've shown here. Although, the city around the tower was broken down and smoke rose all around. The impression I got was that the tower was God, and He was at the center of my heart. Impenetrable and tall, it stood unaffected by the war that had taken place around it. I realized that all of the precious things from the city had also been gathered into the tower and were kept safe. 

While the city looked torn down, ruined and worthless, God had graciously protected all that I held dear. Even though the city had been broken down due to my own negligence,  the tower stood strong and unaffected. God showed me that, while He is in my heart, He is still separate. His strength is not affected by my sin and He, in all of His mercy and grace, provides safety for me in the times of my worst trouble caused by my own sin. How good and mighty is our God who provides a safe haven for us despite our rejection of Him. 

Truly understanding this grace will lead to a transformed life, a heart willing to be purified and brought through the fire so that the dross can be lifted out. We MUST realize the incredible significance of God's grace in our lives and allow this to impact us more deeply than it has before.

I really hope this blesses you today. Remember that no matter how decimated your life feels, whether due to your own sin or that of someone else, God IS a strong tower in the center of your heart. There is a high cost of entry into this tower but His Son has paid the cost for you to enter at anytime. There is a seal of this payment on your heart, the Holy Spirit, who bids you to come and find safety, rest and guidance in His shelter.

If you haven't accepted the payment Christ paid for your life, I encourage you to message me or find someone you know who knows Christ. Don't waste another minute searching for your own strength which has failed you time and time again and accept Christ... Allow this strong tower to be built in the center of your life. You will find love, strength, security and guidance that does not include your own strength. Then, you will glorify God, your very life will, because He has done something in you that neither you or anyone else could have ever done. 

Psalm 57 - The Shadow of Your Wings

This is going to be short... :)

Going into our 2nd Quarter break I'm excited but also nervous. God is calling me into deep intimacy with Him and I have this voice in my head that keeps saying, "Go off by yourself, get alone, go hide in a closet." Those of you who know me well know why I'm nervous. I don't particularly like time by myself... It's not a strength of mine. But, like I said, I'm also excited! I know that, while it may be tough, it's necessary if I wish to go to the levels of intimacy with my LORD and Savior that I so desire.

Psalm 57:1 ESV "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuges; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by." 

In Hebrew, "the shadow of your wings" refers to the flaps of a cloak or some type of covering garment. The picture we see here is a little child being sheltered from a storm inside their parent's big jacket, while the parent stands strong in the midst of the storm. All the child has to do is stay close to his/her parent and he won't feel the effects of the storm. For David, he was running from Saul when he wrote this. He had this great promise from God but now it seemed like the world was after him because of it. Don't we feel like this sometimes? We have the promise of eternal life from our Father, but from the moment we accept it, it seems as if the entire world is out to get us.

David calls us to cling close to our Father and stay within the shelter of His protection. Only He can stand strong in the midst of every storm, every trial and every heartache. What an incredible blessing it is for us, born sinners, to find grace and mercy in the eyes of our Savior. He doesn't then put us on a short leash and set us in a locked room so that we can never make a mistake again. He freely loves and His arms are open wide for us to have full and unhindered relationship with Him and He promises that when we seek Him and get close, He'll protect us from the storms. He may not take away the storms, for such is life in a world so set on rebelling against the God of the universe. Find rest, though, in His love. Go and find a quiet place, lock the door and let Him speak to you. Ask Him to quiet your thoughts and your heart. He so desires this intimacy with you! Don't wait another second to dive headfirst into the relationship He desires to have with you!

Ps 51 - Broken Bones Rejoice

Meditating on Ps. 51 this week, having finished 1st and 2nd Samuel last week, I'm very moved by the fact that this Psalm was even published. How many of us would write out our confessions to God, our cries for forgiveness for our greatest sins, and allow them to become public writings to be read aloud in congregations? One of my favorite lines is"let the bones that you have broken rejoice." David spoke to himself and told him to rejoice over the conviction the Lord had given to him and also the judgment Nathan had pronounced to him.

In the past few weeks, going through the Old Testament, I've really seen how God's judgment on his people is as much His grace and love as anything else. If He didn't allow them to see the consequences of their sin, didn't show them that they were doing something wrong, the people would have had no opportunity to repent. If God had done what we think would be loving, which is just to keep letting them sin and forgiving them without consequences, they would have walked further and further from God and their exile would have come much sooner.

I think David felt this way too. He realized that God's judgment on him opened his eyes to his sin and his reduced intimacy with God which he loved so much. David considered it God's grace when God was faithful to the words of warning He spoke if one should reject His law.

For us today, I think it's so easy for us to miss the consequences of our sin as they get lost in the mix of things we call 'normal'. God has forgiven us for our past, present and future sins, but we also bear the physical and spiritual consequences of these. I've prayed that God would open my eyes to how my sin affects me and those around me. He's shown me how my interaction with people changes drastically as I walk away from Him in sin and how this leads other people down mental paths they wouldn't have gone had my course of action been different. Today, we need a revelation of the impact of sin in our lives, even more so that our sin is covered by Christ's blood on the cross. As believers, we should see even more how sin impacts our lives, those around us and how it's affected the world in general.

Most of all, we need a revelation of the fear of God. We get lazy when times get good and, like David, we let our most foundational values slip leading to the most outrageous of sins we could have never imagined ourselves committing. It is God's grace that there are consequences to our sin because God knows that in relationship with Him we can live the best lives possible. If He was less loving, He'd let us do our own thing and never say a word about it.

Rejoicing in punishment sounds kind of insane... But, David had somethin' right. :)