Always Praising

Song: The Stand, Hillsong United
Scripture: Psalm 34:1 (AMP)
I WILL bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

I sometimes wake up with words from different songs intermingled in my head, flowing from my heart in unspoken prayer or erupting from my lips. I think some part of me – my heart, my spirit, something – is always praising God.

I came to this conclusion a few years ago, when I was taking a sign language class in the evenings after work. One night, after the class, I had to go to the laundromat and wash a few loads of clothes. Once the clothes had been washed and were in the dryer, I was sitting, talking with my children when I noticed that my hands were moving, seemingly of their own volition. I watched for a moment, intrigued, not even having been aware of the movement, much less directing it. My hands were both up and open, and one hand would cross in front of me to touch its middle finger to the middle of the palm of the other then return to its position as the other hand reciprocated.

How could I not have noticed this? How long had this been going on? I really was disconcerted at first, wondering what was going on when it hit me: my hands were signing “Jesus.” As this realization dawned, my hands slowly lowered themselves to my lap and the thought that my “innermost being” was always praising God burst into my thoughts as light onto darkness. “Wow” was the only thing I could muster to think on my own, humbled by this revelation.

So now, when I’m aware that some part of me that is exclusively God’s is following love’s compulsion to worship, the rest of me gratefully tries to “get with the program” and reverently offer Him the praise that only He is due.

Psalm 150:6 (NKJV)
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!

John 1:12-14 (NKJV)
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word Becomes Flesh
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

1 Peter 1:22-25 (AMP)
22Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [Holy ] Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently from a pure heart.
23You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God.
24For all flesh (mankind) is like grass, and all its glory (honor) like [the] flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower drops off,
25But the Word of the Lord (divine instruction, the Gospel) endures forever. And this Word is the good news which was preached to you.

... and my journey with Him continues ...

Christ Our Example

Songs:
Draw Me Nearer (Crosby)
You Are Good, by Jeff Deyo

Scripture: Psalm 100 (King James Version)
1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

I was in my devotional time, and having just prayed “We are Your people, and the sheep of Your pasture,” I began singing:

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord…


I stopped when I sensed the Lord questioning me:

Do you know what you’re asking?

I was quiet. I thought of when it was requested of Jesus that James and John be allowed to sit on the right and left hand of Jesus in His glorious kingdom, and Jesus’ answer to them:

Mark 10:38 (NKJV)
But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

My mind went to another time when the Lord stopped me as I was singing to question my grasp of the words coming out of my mouth. I was in church, and we were singing some song about how much we love Jesus. I was really getting into the song, really feeling it, and sensed His query:

Do you really love Me?

"Yes, Lord,” I said.

Do you even know what love really is?

At that point I was quiet (like Job when he was questioned by God) and just sat down. I was led to 1 Corinthians 13:


The Greatest Gift
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

…and to John 14:

21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.


…reminding me that love wasn’t about a feeling, but about obedience, shown through actions.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Back in the present, I waited. Not sensing anything else right then, I read my God Calling devotional entry for today. One part of it struck me:

"He saved others. Himself He cannot save."

Lord, I believe that You could have saved Yourself
– that it was not beyond Your ability - but You chose not to.

John 12:27 (NKJV)
“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

It was either You or us, and You chose us.

John 15:16
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

I am reminded anew that You could not – by Your own choice - save Yourself, because You were saving us. You put us first. Because of Your love for the Father and Your obedience to Him…

John 14:31 (NKJV)
But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

John 10:17 (NKJV)
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.

Mark 14:36 (NKJV)
And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”


John 13:1
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

… and Your love for us, for me – You could not: You did not. Thank You, Lord.

Isaiah 55:8-13 (AMP)
8For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
10For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens, and return not there again, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
12For you shall go out [from the spiritual exile caused by sin and evil into the homeland] with joy and be led forth [by your Leader, the Lord Himself, and His word] with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name of renown, for an everlasting sign [of jubilant exaltation] and memorial [to His praise], which shall not be cut off.


Mark 10:45 (NKJV)
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."


John 11:49-52 (NIV)
49Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! 50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."
51He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.


Matthew 27:42 (AMP)
42He rescued others from death; Himself He cannot rescue from death. He is the King of Israel? Let Him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Him.


Romans 5:15 (NIV)
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

In writing this blog, I also thought about the Our Daily Bread devotionals for the past couple of days, and went online to look at them. I saw on the RBC home page part of the Been Thinking About blog. It mentioned that this is Yom Kippur, so I read what it was saying. The lessons of Jonah, love, sacrifice from all of this reminds me of the greatness of God’s love, grace and mercy – not just towards me, but towards everyone, even those I may not think should benefit from them. And my challenge, as He answers my prayer to “draw me nearer,” is to let that greatness live in and through me…

Philippians 2:1-11 (NKJV & AMP [v5])

Unity Through Humility
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

The Humbled and Exalted Christ

5Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

... and my journey with Him continues ...

Shadow and Light

Song: Everything, by Tim Hughes
Scripture: Amos 5:8 (New Century Version)
8 God is the one who made the star groups Pleiades and Orion;
he changes darkness into the morning light,
and the day into dark night.
He calls for the waters of the sea
to pour out on the earth.
The Lord is his name.

I’m not sure when, but at some point I wrote this:

Shadow and light,
As night into day
The Son bursts,
Wordlessly, powerfully
Into my heart
Golden radiance
Spreads into blue skies
Rays of hope
Shine through the clouds
A lone dove sails into the light
Metallic brilliance
Occupies its space
Temporarily
As the blinding light it reflects
Emerges
Pink skies give way
The clouds now appear
The searing brightness
Casting darkness from my life
Things look different in the light
Even if I’ve had my eyes closed
Confidence wells within my soul
Thank You for Your Presence
Tears well in my eyes
The beauty of it all
Piercing my soul.

1 Peter 2:9-10 (New King James Version)
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

... and my journey with Him continues ...

Love, Worship, Obedience, Service

Songs:
How Great is Our God, by Chris Tomlin
Glory to God Forever, by Steve Fee

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8 (NASB)
Isaiah's Vision
1In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3And one called out to another and said,

"Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,
The whole earth is full of His glory."

4And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. 5Then I said,

"Woe is me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."

6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7He touched my mouth with it and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven."

Isaiah's Commission

8Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!"


My lessons from the Lord which had focused on obedience have now transitioned to include the aspect of service. I woke up this morning and as a part of my morning devotions read a Sunday School lesson from Isaiah 6. Part of that lesson differentiated between the experience and the expression of worship. So even before I got to church I was thinking on obedience, on loving God, on being so enamored and so in awe of Him that total obedience, submission, surrender and availability is given to Him in and as service.

In church today, one of the songs was “How Great is Our God.” That song is very special to me; I think of that song with the Lord as “our song.” I first heard it at a church in Florida while I was visiting my sister and her husband. When I got back home to Atlanta, I didn’t hear it anywhere. I didn’t have ready access to the internet just then, so I was going crazy thinking about that song, wondering what it was (as I could only remember a portion of the words), who did it, etc. When I finally heard it on the radio, I just broke down crying. I wanted to run straight out and get it – to be able to hear it, get lost in it whenever I wanted - but felt that that was not what the Lord would have me do. When I asked Him why, I understood the answer to be – given with a playful smile – that I would just sit around listening to the song, crying, and would not do anything else that needed to be done. I could only laugh, affirming that truth (“True dat”) as I acquiesced. Since then, whenever I am “allowed” to hear that song, my heart rejoices in being able to share that praise, and I am filled with gratitude for my Lord’s thoughts toward me. But I digress…

Love. Worship. Obedience. Service. More of a revelation of the connection between these was brought to my understanding during a women’s conference I attended a few years ago, at which Minister Patricia Ashley was the speaker. Although you really should hear this story from her (admittedly, it loses a lot in my translation), she shared about a time of worship she had with the Lord where her love and zeal for Him were poured out in a declaration that whatever He wanted she would do. He responded with an instruction for her to prepare her husband’s favorite meal for him (for Him). That God would ask us to do something for Him by doing something for someone else…a novel concept in my mind at that time, though it shouldn’t have been. Jesus remarked on this in Matthew 25:31-46 (NKJV):

The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

I knew the story, but in connection with my ideas at that time of “doing good works” and not as an expression of worship. But during the time I was getting this lesson, the Lord had spoken into my spirit: “Worship is a lifestyle.” Then He took me to John 4:21-24 (NKJV):

21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

“Must worship.” “Those who worship Him must worship.” This was impressed, that if I am to truly worship, for me there is to be an element of compulsion stemming from the love. (2 Corinthians 5:14a: For the love of Christ compels us…) God knows all about me, including my limitations and weaknesses (Psalm 139.) He remembers that I am “just dust” (Psalm 103:14.) So once the choice is made to accept the invitation to be one who would worship Him, I must worship. There is no other option. And this worship which I give must be in/by/with/through “spirit and truth,” with obedience being a necessary part in my true worship just as it is integral in the expression of my true love. (1 John 5:3 This is love for God: to obey his commands.) Jesus said, in John 14 (NASB):

15"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. …
21"He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."
22Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?"
23Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
24"He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.

So to love, to worship, to obey, to serve – all part of my purpose.

Lord, thank You so much for Your faithfulness to work in me to will and to do Your good pleasure in accordance with Your divine will. Your patient longsuffering, Your humor, Your grace, Your mercy – all of the ways Your love is shown to me continues to humble me, and draw me closer to You. Thank You for loving me first, loving me best, loving me so that I would have something with which to love You back and share with others.

34But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together.
35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,
36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
37And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'
38"This is the great and foremost commandment.
39"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
40"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."
Matthew 22:34-40 (NASB)

... and my journey with Him continues ...

Not my way...

Song: Alpha and Omega, by Israel and New Breed

Scripture:
In the days of His flesh, He [Jesus] offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:7-10 (NASB)

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16 (NASB)

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

It seems to me that there is a redemptive power in, a perfection gained through suffering. This is not the way I would have it; this is just the way it seems to be. I admit that this is not even the way I would like for it to be – I don’t like pain. But I do acknowledge and understand that pain serves a purpose. Just ask anyone who doesn’t feel pain (or their loved ones) how important and beneficial sensitivity to pain can be.

Lord, for me this is such a hard thing to accept, an unpleasant lesson to learn...but I know that with You all things are possible. I praise You for the wisdom of Your ways. Help me, Lord, to bear my own pain more bravely, to trust You through the trials, to depend upon and tap into Your strength. Thank You that You care about how we all feel, and You share Your sensitivity to our pain with us, that we can sympathize and empathize with others, and comfort them in the same way You comfort us. You have not left us alone or comfortless…

Song: To Worship You I Live, by Israel and New Breed

Matthew 26:39
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (NKJV)

Mark 14:36
And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” (NKJV)

2 Corinthians 4:17-18
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (NKJV)

Job 23:10
But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. (NKJV)

... and my journey with Him continues ...

Good Thing or “God Thing”?

Song: Give Me Your Eyes, by Brandon Heath

Scripture:
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP)

A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9 (NKJV)

There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand. Proverbs 19:21 (NKJV)

Not much went as I had planned yesterday. There were a couple of places I thought I was to go, a few things I thought I was to do. But as I got ready to go those places and do those things, I had one of those interruptions where I knew that my plans had been altered by my Lord. He had spoken very clearly with me about this issue before – you know, one of those times where you are very starkly aware, as one of my friends says, that “He ain’t playing.” So I went somewhere else and did something else to be in as much compliance as I could with what I believed to be the will of the Lord.

Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional reminded me of yesterday’s events. (It is available online at http://rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/09/03/devotion.aspx.) It also made me think of how God uses the things we may consider “bad” – like changes or interruptions or difficulties - for His glory, and how the things we may consider “good” aren’t always what’s best by God’s design. The last sentence said, “Even when our journey in life is marked by confinement and limitations, we can be sure that the Lord will encourage others through us as we speak His Word and trust in Him.”

Immediately, I thought of Nick Vujicic, born without arms or legs. Later two other people came to mind - David Ring, who was born with cerebral palsy, and Joni Eareckson Tada, who had a diving accident which left her a quadriplegic. All three of these people – and many more besides – have lives “marked by confinement and limitations,” but encourage others as they speak and teach the Word of God. (Also, continuing from last Sunday’s message at church, they are examples of “making the most of your talents.”)

Again, I thought of how God sees things, from His eternal, omniscient perspective. Because of my change in plans, I had the opportunity to begin reading the Sunday School lesson for this coming Sunday from The New International Lesson Annual. The reading material at the beginning of the book spoke of Christian education as transformational, and I remembered how “transformation” was a theme with me this past Lenten season. I also thought yesterday’s blog, and my plea that the Lord would help me to see as He sees. Besides the Brandon Heath song, I thought of the words from the hymn “Open my eyes that I may see,” and the song “Open the eyes of my heart.”

Lord, how I thank You that You desire to cure my “blindness” – of my eyes, of my heart. Thank You that Jesus came and was anointed to do just that, secure recovery of sight for the blind, that those who do not see may see. Thank You for the revelation that only You can give. Thank You for helping me to see as You see.

Exodus 4:11
So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?

Psalm 146:8
The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous.

Isaiah 29:18
In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.

Isaiah 35:5
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Psalm 146 (New King James Version)
The Happiness of Those Whose Help Is the LORD
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 While I live I will praise the LORD;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

3 Do not put your trust in princes,
Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth;
In that very day his plans perish.

5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.

8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the strangers;
He relieves the fatherless and widow;
But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.

10 The LORD shall reign forever—
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.

Praise the LORD!

... and my journey with Him continues ...

Seeing as God sees - or not...

Song: I will lift my eyes, by Bebo Norman
Scripture:
Psalm 123:1
[ A song of ascents. ] I lift up my eyes to You, to You whose throne is in heaven.
Isaiah 40:26
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
Isaiah 51:6
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But My salvation will last forever, My righteousness will never fail.

At Briarlake Baptist Church, Pastor Tommy Ferrell is currently in a series entitled “Living Without Regrets.” This past Sunday, the topic was “Making the most of your talents.” There are “connection groups” which meet weekly to corporately discuss the sermon topic in more depth.

God used all of that to show me, remind me of something today – about Himself and about me. In 1 Samuel 16:7, God told the prophet Samuel (in part) that:
… the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. (AMP)
The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (NLT)
Man does not see what the LORD sees, for man sees what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart." (HCSB)
The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (NIV)

In Sunday’s sermon, one of the points of developing your talent was to “Do what you do well.” I was thinking about the times that I have judged what someone has done as being done well or not. Once, in a meeting, a woman came in to sing during a worship time at the beginning of the meeting. I did not think that she sang well at all, and was wondering why she was brought in for that, when the anointing of God hit me, and I was (as usual) reduced to tears. I realize now that her purpose and talent (and how “well” she accomplished / utilized them) were not what I had thought / seen / looked at / judged – which was only the singing. Her real purpose and talent was to usher in the Presence of God. (Yeah, I know – this also speaks to my views on and understanding of worship (John 4), but that is also evolving…another topic for another day.)

God’s Word tells us in Isaiah 55:9 that as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts.

Lord, truly Your goodness has brought me to repentance this day, and I am so grateful for Your correction in my life. Thank You for reminding me of how great You are, of how much You are, and for magnifying Yourself in my eyes, my heart, my life as You turn my heart, allowing me to focus for even this moment on You, Your majesty, Your greatness, Your faithfulness, Your love, Your mercy, Your grace. I am so humbled by Your Presence. Thank You for loving me so I could love You back…Help me to see as You see.


1 Corinthians 2:16
For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (NKJV)

Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (NKJV)

2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (NKJV)

1 Peter 4:1-2
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. (NKJV)

Philippians 2:5-11
The Humbled and Exalted Christ
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (NKJV)

... and my journey with Him continues ...