Category: Reflections

My reflections on various topics

Choose Ye This Day

“16 The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land.
17 You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.”

Bible Study Tools Bible Versions NIV Psalm 10:16-18
Psalm 10:16-18 (New International Version)View In My Bible

I must always choose one of these statements: “God is now here”; or “God is nowhere.”
That will determine whether I trust God or not in any situation.
I choose “God is now here.”

If ….then….

I have been reading a book, Miraculous Movements, by Jerry Trousdale, about God’s work among Muslims in very high percentage Muslim areas.

He said they teach the participants to ask themselves a question during the Discovery Bible Studies which they use in discipleship, “If this is truly from God, then what must change in my life?” Therefore, for this month of September, 2013, I do not plan to comment on Scripture as I post it on
Facebook, apart from posting that question along with the Scripture. This month, I hope to regularly share the impact of the posted Scriptures in my life through my blog, Passage to Higher Ground. I want the reader to let God impact them with the Scripture before they read of God’s impact on me through the Scripture.
Today’s selections are Psalm 1:1-4; Proverbs 1:1-6, and Joel 2:28-34:

Bible Study Tools Bible Versions NAS Psalm 1:1-4
Psalm 1:1-4 (New American Standard)View In My Bible

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.
“1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers !
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither ; And in whatever he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.”

Wow, what awesome blessings God bestows on those who follow Him, delight in His law, and meditate on his law and grace day and night! I have noticed these blessings when I think about God’s Word through the day and obey Him. I must continually do so.

I Will Pour Out My Spirit

Bible Study Tools Bible Versions MSG Joel 2:28
(The Message)View In My Bible

“28 “And that’s just the beginning: After that – “I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters. Your old men will dream, your young men will see visions.”

I must continually trust the Holy Spirit to fill, control, and empower my life if I want to see God’s perfect will accomplished through me.

Does Knowledge Come From Fear?

Bible Study Tools Bible Versions NAS Proverbs 1:7

7″The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Bible Study Tools Bible Versions MSG Proverbs 1:7

7 “Start with God – the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.”

If I am not being being stupid, then every day, all day, all the time, I will submit to God to learn and to do His will. (He loves me so much He will never mislead me or tell me to do the impossible without His power.)

It is good to give thanks…

 
 
This morning I read and was blessed again by Psalm 92.  (Verses 12-16 are similar to Psalm 1:3 and Jeremiah 17:7-8.

1 “It is good R2932 to give thanks to the LORD And to sing R2933 praises to Your name, O Most High; 2 To declare R2934 Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness R2935 by F999 night, 3 With F1000 the ten-stringed R2936 lute and with F1000 the harp, R2937 With F1000 resounding music upon F1001 the lyre. R2938 4 For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what F1002 You have R2939 done, I will sing R2940 for joy at the works R2941 of Your hands. 5 How great R2942 are Your works, O LORD! Your thoughts F1003 R2943 are very deep. R2944 6 A senseless R2945 man has no knowledge, Nor does a stupid R2946 man understand this: 7 That when the wicked sprouted R2947 up like grass And all who R2948 did iniquity flourished, It {was only} that they might be destroyed R2949 forevermore. 8 But You, O LORD, are on R2950 high forever. 9 For, behold, Your enemies, O LORD, For, behold, Your R2951 enemies will perish; All who do iniquity will be scattered. R2952 10 But You have exalted my horn R2953 like {that of} the wild ox; I have been F1004 anointed R2954 with fresh oil. 11 And my eye has looked R2955 {exultantly} upon my F1005 foes, My ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me. 12 The righteous R2956 man will flourish F1006 like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar R2957 in Lebanon. 13 Planted R2958 in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in R2959 the courts of our God. 14 They will still yield F1007 R2960 fruit in old age; They shall be full F1008 of sap and very green, 15 To declare F1009 that the R2961 LORD is upright; {He is} my rock, R2962 and there is no R2963 unrighteousness in Him.”  [Psalm 92:1-16, NAS, from http://bible1.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi.  (The superscript numbers are Bible study helps which take you to related references from the Holman Study Bible if you “right click. on them on the crosswalk website.)]

  
For a joyful time of praise, sing most of the first four verses to the tune of “The Fiddler on the Roof” and repeat verses one and two at the end.“1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; 2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night, 3 With the ten-stringed flute and with the harp, With resounding music upon the lyre. 4 For You, O LORD, have made me glad… (Repeat)1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High.2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night..” Today is the five year anniversary of my father’s promotion into glorious eternal life with God our Father.  I rejoiced last night as I sang some of his favorite hymns and I rejoiced again today as we sang “How Great Thou Art” in church.  On Father’s Day, 2001, I asked Dad if he remembered the particular day on which he trusted Christ to forgive his sins, take control of his life, and received an eternal new life as a free gift from our Heavenly Father.  He said he did not remember the exact day, but that it was when I was quite small, because he was carrying me in his arms.  That decision was made in the Nebraska rural school near where Open Door, the “Little White Church ‘Mong the Pines,’ was founded at about that time by a group of farmers and ranchers led by an American Sunday School Union missionary.  We attended that church all of my life in Nebraska and Dad and Mom attended it all the years they lived on our farm about seven miles away from it.  Dad’s decision made a definite impact on our family’s life because Mom was the only Christian in our immediate family until then.  Since then, both of my sisters, my brother, myself and all of our children have ade professions of faith in Christ.  Most of our mature children who have married have married Christian spouses as well.  We know we are each a long way from perfect. We also know we have found forgiveness for our sins and strength and faith to trust Christ at all times, although each and all of us often fail to trust our wonderful Savior in numerous ways and still fall into sin.  “Hallelujah!  What a Savior who can take a poor lost sinner, lift him from the miry clay, and set him free.”  is the first line of one those hymns we used to sing at Open Door Church and have often sung since then.  
 

 

Veterans Day–Are we on the Lord’s side?

This morning I read Psalms 56-60 in the New American Standard and the King James Version.  These chapters are very encouraging to believers who are feeling attacked physically, emotionally, and/or spritually.  This passage shows how David’s prayers and meditations took him from the depths of despair, asking God to expose and defeat his enemies.  God raised him to resolute and finally joyful praise as David trusted God for help.  (The complete passage is from the KJV and printed in red.  I inserted a comment in one passage which is in blue print.  The entire text is available to anyone with with internet access from www.crosswalk.com, where very good translations and study helps are also accessible.)  

I remember a story about Abraham Lincoln being asked about whether he thought God was on the side of the Union states during the civil war.  He replied that he was little concerned about on whose side God was.  He was most concerned that he and the Union were on God’s side.  We need to pray that our country’s leaders as well as our countrymen are concerned and certain that we are on God’s side.  The battle is the Lord’s.  He will fight for us in all areas as we are on God’s side.  (Psalm 37:4) 

Lamentations is a great example of how God loves his people.  Even though they reject Him and go their own way, He will restore a remnant.

Ezekiel chapters 3 and 18 showed me our responsibility as Christ’s ambassadors to warn the wicked so they may repent and be saved.  I am far from caring for them as God does.  I owe a debt to them to tell them of God’s mercy.  Please pray with me to come closer to seeing all the world as God sees it and does not want anyone to perish, but made it possible and desires that all people will come to repentance.   

56:1 “Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. 2 Mine enemies F166 would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. 3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. 5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. 7 Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.

8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? 9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. 10 In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word. 11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. 13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?”

57:1 “Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. 2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. 3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. 4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. 5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. 6 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.

7 My heart is fixed, F167 O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. 8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. 9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. 10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. 11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.”  (Someone has written a melody to which verses 9-11 can be sung.  Perhaps someone could post the key notes of the melody if someone would like them.  I am blessed by singing scripture with a melody.  It “keeps me singing all day long.”) 

 58:1  “Do ye  indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? 2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth. 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. 4 Their poison is like the poison F168 of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; 5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming F169 never so wisely.

6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. 7 Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces. 8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun. 9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath. 10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. 11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward F170 for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.”

59:1 “Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. 3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD. 4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help F171 me, and behold. 5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. 6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?

8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. 9 Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence. F172 10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies. F173 11 Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield. 12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. 13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah. 14 And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 15 Let them wander up and down for meat, F174 and grudge if they be not satisfied. 16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. 17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.

60:1 “O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again. 2 Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh. 3 Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. 4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. 5 That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.

6 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. 7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; 8 Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph F175 thou because of me. 9 Who will bring me into the strong F176 city? who will lead me into Edom? 10 Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies? 11 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. F177 12 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

FOOTNOTES:
F166: enemies: Heb. observers
F167: fixed: or, prepared
F168: like the poison: Heb. according to the likeness, etc
F169: charming…: or, be the charmer never so cunning
F170: a reward…: Heb. fruit of the, etc
F171: help: Heb. meet
F172: defence: Heb. high place
F173: enemies: Heb. observers
F174: for meat: Heb. to eat
F175: triumph…: or, triumph thou over me: (by an irony)
F176: strong…: Heb. city of strength?
F177: help of man: Heb. salvation, etc

October 1, 2007 Reflections

The verses that were especially meaningful to me in my reading this morning are listed below. Some are better understood in the context in which they were written, so the main verses are italicized and the context is plain text. The first two passages speak of wisdom for living. The third passage could well be a prophecy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. ” Psalm 1:1-2, NIV

“1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; 3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; 4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young– 5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance– 6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Proverb 1:1-7 (NIV)

“5 In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it– one from the house of David– one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.” Isaiah 16:5, (NIV)
Father, as I delight in You, your love, and your law, I thankYou and praise you that Jesus is my Savior and will soon reign over the entire earth. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me faith to trust in Jesus as the only one who could substitute his death and resurrection for me and pay the penalty for sin for me so I can live for eternity with you.

Make me faithful to share this good news with others. Amen.

General Purpose of This Blog

It has been a while since I have written anything on my blog. I have had great ambitions but did not take the time to complete them. During the silence or dead space, my goals have enlarged. I want to show scriptures, prayers, meditations, studies, books, sermons, web links and other items which have helped me and I believe will specifically help others, such as families, husbands and wives, military personnel, teachers, and students. Those categories of help for people are not yet fully developed, but I will work on them. I anticipate I could spend the rest of my life developing them and still only show an infinitesmal amount of God’s wisdom and counsel for us. In the meantime, most posts will be in reflections until the other categories are set up.