Feeling Tired

Exodus 17:12 (New International Version)

¹² When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

Yea, I feel tired. Not physically, more spiritually speaking. Interesting that Moses looked to his close friends to help him when he felt tired.

Maybe I should do that... ;)


New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

In your anger...

1 Psalm 4:4 (New International Version):

In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.

2 Psalm 4:4 (New International Version):

When you are angry, do not sin.
Think about these things quietly
as you go to bed.

Interesting... So maybe that is the secret to not sinning when you are angry? I happen to be great at opening my mouth in my anger. Seems like I've been working on that for years and years. Usually when I going to bed, or already in bed, I've already forgotten half the day.

But I wonder if he's talking about waiting before responding here. I have learned to write an e-mail in anger and then save it as a draft and read it an hour later, or the next day. Usually I end up re-writing it with much more tact. I think that's what he's talking about here. Any time I'm angry, I should do my best to wait before giving an answer in anger, or acting in anger. Give it a day, ponder on it, and see if I still come to the same conclusion.

Apparently, it's not just me. I find it extremely easy to sin when I'm angry... and apparently, David did as well..

1 New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

2 New Century Version (NCV)

The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Blessed is the man ...

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.

It's really sad... I feel sometimes like I've forgotten all about God's word and the act of meditating on it. I remember I used to write down a verse or thought each day from my quiet time each morning while reading the bible so I could think about it later during the day.

It's been a very long time since I've done anything like that. I think I'll do that today... memorize Psalm 1:2...

But his delight

is the law of the Lord,

and on his law

he meditates day and night.

* 1,2

New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

The Seeker

Those who know your name will trust in you,

for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 9:10

New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Interesting...

Makes me wonder how often I really seek him, or whether I really know him. What does it really mean to seek him? Probably a little more than hide-n-seek I would think.

Seeking as for a hidden treasure? As in Raiders of the Lost Ark perhaps?

The point is, however, that's he's never forsaken anyone that did seek.

A little inspiration... and hope... :)

Hating Sin... Day 2

Psalm 36:2*

For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.

30 Days at the foot of the cross... Day 2

It's such an interesting verse... flattering myself to much to hate my sin. 'I'm not really that bad...'. I suppose that's what he means. He goes on to say:

he commits himself to a sinful course
and does not reject what is wrong.

I can't even say I'm not guilty of that. Knowing something wrong, but knowing I'm planning on doing it anyway, or allowing it to happen. At what point do I run out of grace?

Hebrews 10:26-27*

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

This is definitly not something I want - nor want to even think about. But is it really something I can afford not to think about? Day 2 asks very poignent questions that cut deep to the roots, and beg me to evaluate where I truly stand...

* New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

A Call to God

Psalm 55:16

But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.

New International Version (NIV)

---

I don't call out to God near enough. I wonder why I don't feel close to him, or don't understand why I'm not sure where he's leading me - maybe it all comes down to this:

Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.

Psalm 55:17 (NIV)

It's not enough to watch the day's go by, and expect to be in tune with God. Just like any relationships, it takes time spent together. Sometimes it's amazing how I can forget, or rather, ignore this...

Am I still seeking?

It's a question I must keep asking, as the longer I'm around, the easier it is for me to forget. Long has passed since the early college days of hours reading my bible and time spent in prayer. Long quiet nights and morning spent just with God, or with a few other brothers and God.

I get flashbacks here and there, glimpses of possible renewal, but always it goes back to the fog of indifference.

That's now how to become Gideon... it's just the quickest path to fading away.

If we've changed before, we can do it again...

' God looks down from heaven
on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.'

Psalm 53:2

New International Version (NIV)

Finding the right response

A fool shows his annoyance at once,
but a prudent man overlooks an insult. *

Rings way to close to home for me. How do you deal with these issues every day? Work is one of the places I constantly struggle with having the right response to something I disagree with, especially if it's the second or third time I've had to deal with the same issue.

Of course, King Solomon had an answer that explains why you never send that e-mail right after you wrote it; why you wait and ponder before you answer; why you think twice before making a brash comment in a meeting. Because you want to be prudent, and not be a fool.

Something I think I'll be working on the rest of my life.... :)

* Proverbs 12:16 ( New International Version )

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

friends -the good, the bad, and the ugly

He who covers over an offense promotes love,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

- Proverbs 17:9

New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

I was able to hang out with Peirre Newsome last night. He reminded me how important friends are, especially when it comes to keeping strong spiritually over the years. As the proverb says, it's so easy to ruin a relationship over little things, and yet it only takes one to decide to 'cover an offense'.

So many (including me at times) have gotten bitter because of both little and big offenses commited by different people, many of them old friends. I believe the only way to make it to the end with your friends at your side is to practice that proverb. No matter how great your friend is, at some point, they will commit a terrible offense against you - after all, they are only human. The question is, how will we respond... :)

that old time religion

Whatever happend to those zealous college students I went to school with? That was the definition of 'Old Time Religion' as far as I'm concerned. I'm not sure exactly what happend...we grew up, I guess.

I think we still have those fires in our hearts. We still love God, we still love the fellowship, and though we might not admit it, I think we still love the commitment. I think what we can fail to realize is that commitment is a matter of the heart, not just the body.

' Although he did not remove the high places, Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life. ' - Kings 15:14

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Asa could have done more... and yet God saw that his heart was fully committed, and that's what God looks at. I suppose that's why we need to gaurd our hearts above a things, because in the end, I want God to be able to say the same about me as he did about Asa - commited to the Lord all his life....

i can only imagine...

I was listening to 105.3 this morning and that song came on. It is interesting to think about what it might be like to meet God face to face. A little scary, a little exciting... who knows?

I always thought it was a little dorky when people would say they 'felt' God's presence, or felt God move... always seemed a little to non-scientific for me. I suppose though, I enjoy praying in the early morning before the hustle and bustle of city life starts up, or when it's snowing, or when I'm out in the woods... because I 'feel' closer to God. It's quiet, it's just me, maybe this is what they are talking about?

I suppose I hope it will be like that when I meet God. Peaceful; maybe on a mountain top, or a trail through the woods, quite and serene - just walking with God. That's how I picture Enoch being taken up -

"Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away."

Genesis 5:24 (New International Version)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

crouching at your door...

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." - Genesis 4:7

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

It seems so easy to go back to old ways. For me, it's even easier after I've made a commitment to really change something. That really seems to be the ideal time for the powers of darkness to get a good hold. The more I look back at times that I've repeated sins I've thought that I've conquered, the more I realize they happen after big decisions or turning points I've made.

Not surprising that I had troubles last night and this morning keeping my thoughts spiritual - even failed to have my quiet time this morning - the day after I decided I was going to turn it all around :(

Hopefully I'll be watching a little more for what's crouching at my door tomorrow...