Verses 25/26 of 52!!!

The past two weeks, I have completed memorizing Psalm 4, by God's grace!! Here are the final verses:

Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:7-8

A few thoughts I've had about these verses:

   ~It is the Lord that puts true gladness in my heart. Rejoicing over something like the produce from a garden is temporal. The gladness Christ gives is Eternal!

   ~Safety is from the Lord - not man, government, guns, locked doors, etc. All of those will fail, but Jesus Christ never fails! There is security in His protection!!!

"Thou Shalt Not" and Our Thoughts

This was another article that I wrote for Rubies Like Ruth's study on thought-life.

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Have you ever applied the Ten Commandments directly to your thought-life? I have not . . . until the study on our thought-life set me to thinking.

1 - Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)

2 - Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. (Exodus 20:4)

What is foremost in our thoughts? Are our thoughts focused on God and pleasing Him? If not, what keeps our thoughts away from God? These thoughts could be “gods” or “idols” (graven images) that come between us and God.

3 - Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. (Exodus 20:7)

Many of us would never dare let a curse word out of our mouth (note: most curse words are derivatives of God’s Holy Name) but what about in our thoughts? Do we keep our thoughts pure from using ugly words?

4 - Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. (Exodus 20:8)

While listening to the sermon, do we let our thoughts wander? Do we go to church to learn of God, or simply use that “wasted” time to daydream? When we are home on Sunday, do we keep our thoughts pure, or on this “day off”, do we take a day off of guarding our thoughts?

5 - Honour thy father and thy mother. (Exodus 20:12)

It is easy to smile and act obedient to our parents, but what about our thoughts? Do we boil and rebel inside? Do we tear down our parents in our minds? Do we compare them to others’ parents? Do we grumble about our parents in our thoughts? Honor does not come from without, but from within.

6 - Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13)

While we may not physically commit murder, remember that 1 John 3:15 says, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer.” Are our thoughts full of love for others? Or do we mentally “kill” our family and friends?

7 - Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)

Jesus said, “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28 – note: this can apply to women lusting after men as well). Do we look at others with pure eyes? Or do we look to supply our minds with food for thought? Do we lust after (long for) young men and thereby commit adultery?

8 - Thou shalt not steal. (Exodus 20:15)

Is it possible that when we think prideful thoughts, we are stealing glory from God? Do we steal time from God when we allow our thoughts to wander idly about instead of using them for His honor and glory?

9 - Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. (Exodus 20:16)

Do we contrive ways to damage others’ reputation? Do we always “speak the truth” in our hearts about others, or do we allow our injured feelings to shade the truth in order to justify ourselves?

10 - Thou shalt not covet. (Exodus 20:17)

Do we greedily long for something that someone else has? Do we spend our time wishing or dreaming for things that are not?

As we view our thoughts in light of the Ten Commandments perhaps there are a few things to consider.

     - Where do I fail in obeying God’s Ten Commandments?

     - Where have I disobeyed and need to ask God’s forgiveness?

     - How can I change my thoughts to be more Christ-like?

Perhaps we do not think that we are in trouble of falling, but remember, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” (Mark 7:21-23 – emphasis added) The quote, “Our actions follow our thoughts,” is very true according to God’s Word. A person does not become a murderer overnight neither does one become a thief overnight. It begins within, when we fail to keep our thoughts in line with God’s laws.

It is so important to judge our thoughts in light of the Ten Commandments because, one day, God will judge us not only for our actions, but also for our thoughts.

Food For Daily Living - Conclusion

Originally shared with Ladies in Waiting magazine and Rubies Like Ruth

Conclusion

Have you “eaten” recently? Has God’s Word been your daily nourishment?

 “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)

Today, have you . . .
   ~Read God's Word?
   ~Meditated on God's Word?
   ~Studied God's Word?
   ~Memorized God's Word?

Verse 24 of 52!!

I continued my memory of Psalm 4 this week with verse 6:

There be many that say, Who will shew us any good?
LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

Food For Daily Living - Memorize

Originally shared with Ladies in Waiting magazine and Rubies Like Ruth

Memorize

 “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8)

God promised that if we memorize His Word, He will use it to help us in times of struggling.

 “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.” (Psalm 37:31)

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

By hiding God’s Word in our hearts, we are providing help for future struggles.

Hiding God’s Word also goes hand-in-hand with meditating on God’s Word. If we memorize a verse, we can often quote it during the day and think upon it.  

Having verses memorized also helps when teaching, witnessing, and sharing with others.  “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

. . . to be continued next week!

Verse 23 of 52!!!

This week, my verse was Psalm 4:5:

"Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord."

This verse has really spoken a lot to me in the past few days. 

The first phrase: "Offer the sacrifices of righteousness." When the word "sacrifice" comes up, my mind generally races to the Old Testament times of killing a lamb. However, a sacrifice is giving up - sometimes it could be as simple as giving up my self-perceived rights, giving up my time, or giving up my desires.

The second phrase, "And put your trust in the Lord." Over and over in God's Word the word "trust" appears. Where am I placing my trust? In things that change? In the vain help of man? Or am I truly placing my trust in Jesus Christ - looking to Him for my Refuge and present help in time of trouble?

Food For Daily Living - Study

Originally shared with Ladies in Waiting magazine and Rubies Like Ruth

Study

 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

Lack of study is prevalent in the church today. Many Christians take what they hear and do not go to God’s Word to “rightly divide the word of truth” or to “see whether these things be so” as the Bereans did (Acts 17:10-11). Because of their neglect to study, Christians often believe lies that satan slips into the church.

When confronted with a question about the resurrection, Jesus answered, “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29) Because of the Sadducees’ accepted belief and lack of studying God’s Word for themselves, they fell into the trap of believing a lie. We can do the same thing today if we take the teachings of man and just assume that they are truth. The result will be erring like the Sadducees. We must study for ourselves to see what truth it.

 . . . to be continued next week!

Verse 22 of 52!

This week, I continued Psalm 4:

Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Psalm 4:4