Friday Nov. 25^th

God’s abundant favor!

Read Psalm 65-Psalm 139 1-18

I wonder how do you view your life before the Lord?                                                                                  Do you see each day as a day to serve the Lord with joy?                                                                            Do you know that He has a plan for your life and will help you to live it?

We are chosen! He knit us together in our mother’s wombs. He is intimately acquainted with us.  When I am feeling down or unworthy, I remember that I am not here by chance and that I am fearfully and wonderfully made by Almighty God.  He chose me to live at this particular time and place.  His goodness satisfies my soul and there is plenty enough for all.  It is always ready and we cannot put a price tag on it. It is only through faith and prayer and being in constant communication with Him.  He is where we find our comfort, and happiness.

You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. ¹⁷ This I command you, that you love one another. John 15:16-17

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. Ephesians 1:3-4

We are blessed!   Throughout my day I can see the Lord’s blessings on me and I praise Him!  Even through the hard days I can see His blessings.  I love the chorus of this song Count your blessings:

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. James 1:17

We are filled with good things!  He is the fountain of life and He is always with us.  We have a hope and a future.  He is coming again!

Do you realize that you are chosen?                                                                                                        Are you counting your blessing every day?                                                                                              Do you know your future?

Father, You chose us and You knit us together in our mother’s womb.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made.  You delight in us and we can see your blessings over us each day of our lives.  Even when the days are tough You are still with us and we may not see what You are doing immediately but we can rest assured that You are working all things together for our good.  Help us to stop and acknowledge You and praise You for Your provisions for us and that You never leave us nor forsake us.  We rejoice in knowing that You are coming again and we will spend eternity with You.  Amen!

Lyn

As we begin reading today’s Psalm we find David crying out to God to preserve him from fear!  His enemies were plotting his destruction. He knew from long ago that no one would make them stop, but His Faithful God whom He trusted!t So David’s only weapon was PRAYER!

Yes, like David finally declared: “The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him; All the upright in heart will glory and offer praise.” (64:10)

Let’s pray:

Heavenly Father: Thank you that we can run to you as soon as the hurting words like arrows come against us, for You are our Shelter! May we recognize that these hurtful arrows come from our enemy who has come to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). May we be always ready with Your Armor (Eph. 6:10-18) and ready to shoot back with Your Words of Truth and Power, knowing that You are by our side! May we always rejoice in Your mighty deeds and glorify Your Name for You are Faithful! In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen!!            

Blessings,

Mari

Our Reading: Psalm 63, also Proverbs 20:28 & John 10:30

Today, I want to talk about a spiritual checkup.  Just like we take time to go to the doctor to get an assessment of our physical well-being and determine areas that need attending to, we also need to do spiritual checkups and make sure our spiritual well being is healthy. The number one question to ask yourself is: Who or what is at the top of my life priority list right now? Where do I put my time, my efforts, my thoughts, my energy? What or whom do I pursue? If God is not your top answer then perhaps you have become spiritually complacent. This is not a healthy place to be. “Complacency is the deadly enemy of spiritual progress. The contented soul is the stagnant soul.”- Aiden Wilson Tozer

We must not be content to just stay where we are spiritually. I remember many years ago, my husband and I were working with a Christian counselor on our marriage relationship. Our marriage had been in such failure that divorce papers had actually been drawn up. He asked how things had been going for the past few weeks and I said “ok. Not really any worse but not really much better. Just ok”. I thought that was a good sign, but he told me that “if a relationship is not growing and thriving and moving forward, then it essentially is dying and it’s just a matter of time before it withers away”. That got my attention and changed how I attended to and assessed the health of my marriage. It also changed my view on my spiritual relationship with God. My relationships can not grow if they stay the same. It’s about pursuing connection and understanding. 

In Psalm 63, David gives us an example of why he had such a strong spiritual walk with the Lord. He pursued this relationship with passion and definitely made God number one at the top of his priority list. He was not content to be complacent. 

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”  Psalm‬ ‭63‬:‭1‬ ‭

Is that how you seek God? Is He the very essence of your survival? In a desert land without water, what good would any material possession be if you couldn’t quench your thirst? How much help could friends or family provide if they had no water to offer? You might survive a few days without water but death would certainly be inevitable. Spiritually we are in a desert of death without God’s living water to quench our thirst. 

Fortunately, God seeks to meet our need in the spiritual deserts and wilderness. He wants to be our caregiver and to have us rely on Him for our every need.

“"He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭10‬ ‭

God has always wanted to help us and provided deliverance for us. He knows our needs and He is the only One who offers us hope.

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭19‬ ‭

He wants to strengthen us and He wants us to be spiritually thriving and effective. It’s about being in a relationship where He guides and teaches us. It’s a growing relationship, not a stagnant one. 

“And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭11‬ ‭

He is looking for those who are thirsty and seeking Him. Is that you?

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭13‬ ‭

“And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”  Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭6‬ ‭

Reflection:

As you read Psalm 63, what stands out to you as keys to David’s passionate pursuit of God? 

Reflect upon the following hymn and search your heart to see if this is your true desire as well. For today, may this also serve as our closing prayer.

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after Thee
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee

You’re my Friend and You are my Brother
Even though You are a King
I love You more than any other
So much more than anything

I want You more than gold or silver
Only You can satisfy
You alone are the real joy-giver
And the apple of my eye.

Chorus:

You alone are my Strength, my Shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee.

As The Deer Panteth for the Water Martin Nystrom, 1984