A Rainbow of Words

Thoughts From Within

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Meditating day and night

Tonight our stove wasn't working so I was cooking meat in a rather interesting little contraption that wasn't cooking very fast at all. So while I stood there waiting for it to heat I started to read one of my books from the library. At one point the character was speaking of God's Word and meditating on it day and night and it kind of reminded me of my lack of reading the Bible every morning. I was so good at it for two years. Then EXCEL happened. I still read it every morning like I was supposed to. But afterwards, when I went home, it was as if everything BEFORE EXCEL had left me. I couldn't remember to do it. I struggled with it off and on for months until about August and then I was starting to get back into it. For whatever reason I went for three months doing it pretty well and then slacked off more. It went off and on until STEP when I did really good and was faithful at my devotions, even BEFORE my leader required us all to do it in the same room with her since some were having difficulties remembering to do their quiet time. It was frustrating me because I felt like my devotions was a personal thing that was being violated by a "one-disobeys-and-all-get-punished" sort of democracy. Now it's September, STEP ended the end of June, and I find myself lacking in discipline to read the Word every morning. Having to get up early enough to read the Bible and then get dressed in time to get to work in time every morning became so difficult that I was flaky at best. I'm not proud of myself. Every time I get to reading the Word I find myself asking God's forgiveness for my slackfulness. Too, there's the fact that I've read the Bible through in year and then since in those two years I read every New Testament book from Romans to Jude like six times. I wasn't interested in going through the genealogy and repetitious stories with conflicting stories found in Matthew through John, and Acts was a bunch of history that I simply wasn't interested in reading six times. I was looking for God to speak to me through Paul's letters and Peter's but had read them so many times that I felt like I couldn't get anything else from it. I felt like I was stalling in my walk with God, anyway, I wasn't going anywhere. I hadn't enough time to read more than three chapters at a time and I felt like I was cheating God anyway by reading so little. One saved as long as I have been and raised in the church I've been priviliged to be raised in should be reading books a day! But time... About three weeks ago I laid in my sister's bed (which is underneath mine) and rememorized part of Psalm 119 and I was able to do some more this week, but not to the extent that I would like to say I have. When at EXCEL I made it to verse 128 but now I can hardly get to verse 32! So here I was cooking supper and reading this fictional book. When I read this portion of meditating day and night, I put the book down and found my Bible. I started in Psalm 1 and I read through chapter 5 amidst interruptions and intermissions. But I feel like the Lord spoke to me even still. So I'm going to type out the chapters here.

Psalm 1
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Now, I want to know why the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment. I guess I had this picture that the judgment seat was where all went, ungoldy and godly alike, and it was publicly determined (God already knew, in other words, it was just revealed to others) who was covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ and who wasn't, but now that I think about it, if you're an unbeliever, you go straight to hell. The judgment seat...that's a study for another time. Remind me later.
The first verse, though, speaks a lot! How careful we must be that we not associate ourselves closely with unbelievers. Here in Psalm 1:1 and in 2 Corinthians 6:14, "Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" First the Bible talks of how we will be blessed if we do not walk with nonbelievers and the other one just tells us not to.

Psalm 2
Why do the heathen rage, and th epeople imagine a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled bu ta little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Psalm 3
Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter of mine head.
I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that set themselves against me round about.
Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

So often in the midst of trials and "persecutions", satan tries to get you to believe that God isn't there, that He's not watching, He's not listening to my prayers, He doesn't care. But the Lord IS my shield and He is faithful to uplift and encourage me in the hardest of times.

Psalm 4
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.
There be many that say, Who will shew us any good: Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
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 5
Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.
Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name b joyful in thee.
For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Well, that's all I have time for now. I hope this has touched you in some way.

Slid down the rainbow at 5:44 PM

1 Comments:

At September 8, 2008 at 12:54 PM, TexasPrincess88 said…

HEY Girl! Im on here to know.....www.mytexaslife88@blogspot.com
I love your lay out!!

Joanna