Our God is Worthy of our Praises

Psalm 147

1 Praise the Lord.
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
    how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars
    and calls them each by name.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
    his understanding has no limit.
6 The Lord sustains the humble
    but casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;
    make music to our God on the harp.

Bending and Stretching

Bending and stretching are painful and uncomfortable but necessary for growth. God has been bending and stretching me lately for He has a good purpose.  I may not understand His ways, but I trust Him that He works out everything for my own good.  I may have been resisting to change, but now I welcome change, for I know that God is sovereign and I am in good hands.  God will take care of me and others who are close to me.

I trust God that He will put everything into its place in His proper time.  My God who is alive, powerful, unchanging, trustworthy, and all-knowing is orchestrating billion ways of circumstances and events to work out for my own good according to His plan.

All for Your glory, Lord God! This is all for Your glory alone!

[August 29, 2011]

Bring Out The Orchestra

Photo courtesy: exequy.wordpress.com

15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.- 2 Chronicles 20:15


17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.- 2 Chronicles 20:17-19

Love, Love, Love

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

- Mark 12:29-31

Top 1: Loving God with ALL your heart, with ALL your soul, and with ALL your mind, and with ALL your strength.

ALL means everything; not partial; as a whole; not conditional.

Heart.

Soul.

Mind.
Strength.

Top 2: Loving your neighbor as yourself. Loving others just as much as how you love yourself.

First, we should love God. Why? For when we love God, our love for others follow.  We cannot love others when we have not learned how to love God. Our relationship with God must be in tune before we can loe others just as we love ourselves.

Second, when we love, we should love all-out. When we love in partiality, we haven't loved at all.  It is not genuine love. God loves us all-out by giving His Son, Jesus, as a ransom for our sins  This is complete love.

Self-check: How have I loved God? Have I loved Him first? Have I loved Him with all my heart, my soul, my mind, and my strength? How have I shown love to my neighbor? Am I loving myself? Who do I consider my neighbor?

[PRAYER]

Father God, forgive me for failing in this area. Forgive me for not obeying what Jesus commanded.  Lord God, my heart faints; rescue my heart. Please give me a burning passion; a heart that loves You more than anything else.  In Jesus' name. Amen

[July 23, 2012]

It is Time

Photo courtesy: colindye.com

I will set aside

     personal issues.

I will rise above

     personal conflicts.

I will stretch out

     personal hurts.

I will go beyond

     personal struggles.

I will leave behind

     immaturity.

It is time...

    time to grow up.

Father God,

By Your grace alone will I be able to do these... to leave behind these baggage and to press on. Father God, I surrender! I give my control to You. I am no longer in control. And I need your peace and joy.  I need You, oh God. I need You!

[July 10, 2011]