"Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant?"
Psalm 50:16
Psalm 50:16
My Take Aways
Something Old:
Psalm 73: 21
"Then I realized that my heart is bitter and I was torn up inside."
I realized my heart is bitter when the wicked succeed. Ouch.
Something New:
- Psalm 50: 17-20
- Honor all His covenants
- Obey Him
- Accept His discipline
- Respect His authority
- Stand up against sin and injustice
- Don't sin in what I say, have integrity
- Don't gossip
Sounds simple, huh? Help us Lord to have meaning behind what we say and do. Let the desires of our heart be pleasing and acceptable to you. Help us to follow your statues no matter what.
Try to think about the success of the wicked and be remember their destiny and reflect Jesus to them through my words and actions.
26 Comments:
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{Oops, sorry, that deleted one was me. I forgot to check the box to receive e-mails so I reposted.}
Welcome back, Wendy! Looking forward to seeing the pictures. It looks so restful over there. Praise God for what He did over there through you.
I also love Psalm 73 especially the verses you mentioned you know the one that started with a bitter heart (v.21) and ended up with praising the Lord (v.28). This admonition to not worry about the why's and wherefore's of the wicked prospering is tied to what my Pastor preached tonight. Romans 8:28. We all know that one, right. He said if we are going through any trials right now: financial, health, wayward family members that the Holy Spirit whispers: "Hey, don't despair. You know how this is going to end, right?" We must rely on God's sovereignty. It's a blessing that we don't have to try to control the situation, God is working in the background and it will all be for our good and for His glory.
Praise our Lord!
May 17, 2010 12:32 AM
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Dear Wendy,
Thank you for your words today and welcome back to NC! For many years the women's group from my church in CA retreated in those same mountains. Truly a majestic place! Recently they changed their venue to Lake Tahoe. I haven't been able to join them there because I moved here, but it is also a really beautiful place to connect with God and His handiwork!
I have been absent the last 4 days because we took advantage of the Ascension weekend to go to Zermatt and the foot of the Matterhorn. We only glimpsed the snow-capped mountains soaring above 4000 meters, because of all the rain... :) Where is spring!
I also was struck by the same passages as you in Psalm 73. It did give me much food for thought. In my daily walk, as I go to work, as I meet my neighbors on the street or in the store, as I read stories about the wicked prospering, I ask God to guard my heart from being bitter and discouraged. I ask for His light and His peace to shine through me.
And He gives His "how" in Psalm 50- "Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God". This is my to do today.
Welcome back again! Hope you had a safe trip! Volcanic ash is once again disrupting air travel over here....
Happy Monday all!
Karen, Basel
Again PRAISE GOD! I got samples from Ryan today. Horray! Another day of victory. He held down his food again today. Although he tried to throw up once but nothing came up. He was so surprised. I know it's God's intervention by the power of prayers. Thank you all for your prayers. Please continue to pray for full recovery and also he can go back to school soon. He already missed so many days of school.
Wendy, welcome back. I will try to catch up on my reading.
Welcome back Wendy, and Karen!
Allie, praise the Lord is right. Continued prayers for Ryan and for you, dear Sister, as you share this wonderful testimony with us.
My nugget for today is:
Psalm 50: 14-15
"Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God
and keep the vows you made to the Most High
Then call on me when you are in trouble
and I will rescue you
and you will give me glory."
Prayers requested for my daughter and her fiance as they attempt to make the drive from Miami to Memphis in one fell swoop today. I am watching my words and NOT trying to change their grown up minds about this. God help me as I let this kite of mine fly with You holding the string!!
Peace and Gratitude,
Michelle in New England
Wendy, that area looks beautiful. Can't wait to see pics!
I pulled out the same verses as Wendy. I love when God lists exactly how we should be living! He doesn't ask for anything complicated, either - just trust Him and follow His ways and thank Him for it, and He'll rescue us from any trouble. We just make it look complicated.
I liked the two verses before that, as well. If we stay in constant communion and relationship wtih Him, one of Thanksgiving, we'll be trusting and close. It will be natural, then, not scary, to ask for help in times of trouble, and He will rescue us, at which point our praises will continue, and He'll receive His due glory. Why do we disrupt the natural order of things?
Sarah, the young teacher, had her memorial service yesterday. The choir director's is today at the church. He seemed to have such a wonderful, fancy life, but it turns out that he suffered from bipolar disorder and had trouble with his meds. Please keep his family and churc in your prayers today. This will be really difficult for many.
Happy that He's in control and I don't have to understand!
Amy
MONDAY
Welcome back Wendy…Your backdrop was a gift this morning! More pic’s? woowho!
Girls, I can’t tell you how many times I sit at my computer just cracking up! Catching up on yesterday posts… Michelle – you talking about poop, made me think when I was writing it down!!!! Seriously, I was thinking to myself, “I’m writing THIS down!” Mercy - if Dave got a hold of my journal. Bless his heart, he would ‘think’ I’ve really gone off the deep end! Smile, and I have…I’m deeply abiding in Him!
Sweet Allie, when you wrote, “I couldn’t carry this load all by myself,” God drew you to our group. God never meant for us to carry our load(s!) alone. We go to him first (I’m getting better about that, but, still need lots of practice)…then, he gives us “encouragers” along the way. Ladies, I’m a very private person and I can’t believe I have spent the majority of my life carrying my loads! If we don’t share our requests…then others’ don’t get to see God working. And, we miss out on shouting His praise with those around us!
Thank you Lord for what you have done with Ryan.
I’ve said this verse so many times, but it just keeps coming alive to me in new ways:
“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).
God so wants us to be around encouraging Believers. They walk along beside us, they help us from falling over, they point us back to God’s Truth, they keep us from listening to the enemy, and drifting away from God. And, they are there to sing God’s praises when He performs His mighty miracles!
G & P, as I’ve been praying for your father, oh, as hard as this is, I’ve been lead to pray for the young girl. Ouch. I’m saying, God, are you serious? You’ve got to be kidding!
Are you really telling me this? “Sweet daughter he tells me, I created her too. She is part of the overall plan that you do not know about. My love for her is deep. She has a story all of her own. I’m working on my plan, and all you have to do on earth is show your love.” The last thing I wanted to do was write this, but I’m afraid not to follow His voice.
Lord, your ways are not our ways. We do not begin to understand your plan, but we thank you that we are in your hands. You will not leave us or give us more than we can handle. Thank you that G&P is not alone. Lord, shower your love on her. Whisper secrets to her and hold on to her. May your presence, turn her tears into joy.
Thank you, dear Lord, that even in this situation, Your glory will shine for all to see. And, Lord, it is my hope, that if it is your will, that Mr. G&P grow closer to you throughout this situation. Please, draw him to your Bible. Open up the verses, like only you can do. Pursue him. Tug at him. Turn him upside down, in awe of You. Also, draw her daddy so close to you that he is blinded, in a good way by your brilliance. Make known any sin to him in your perfect time.
Well, this got rejected so will cut it in half!– will be right back! Lori
God, you are the only one great Physician that can heal Teeny. She’s weak, but you are strong. Bend down low, and ever so gently touch her with your powerful right arm. Heal her completely so she can shout praises for all to hear! Lord, we pray for your will to be done. Thank you for her son; may he take care of her every need and show loving compassion as he cares for her. May this man draw closer to you, dear Lord, as he observes Teeny.
My simple prayer is "God, I know in many, many ways I have been a thermometer, being easily influenced by "the temperature of the room". Would I can be truly a thermostat to change the conditions in the room for the better." Amen
Okay, twin, smile…your words are my words! “Thank you for all the ways you minister to [me] in this study/fellowship!Lord,” Thank you for this group of Spirit-filled ladies!
Dixie, I’m adding your desire to the rest of Jacque’s quote: Help me to bring peace and harmony in my home environment through me; may I be a working thermostat.
Praying Michelle, for the driving trek. Lifting up your request also, Amy.
So glad to see you back, Karen!
Will be back to post my treasure God opened up to me!
Hugs, Lori
Today I sit here in awe thanking the Lord, for opening up a line of His precious Word to
me. “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God” (50:14). These 5 simple words. How I wish I could explain my heart. Everything in this world already belongs to him. (12) He needs absolutely nothing from us because he already has everything. He is God! What does He tell us to offer up to him as our sacrifice? “thankfulness”
Time after time I’ve read, and heard people say, “praise and thank him all day long.” But. Really, how is this possible, I ask myself? That seems like an impossible task, really! But, yet – that is what he asks us to do. And, today the light bulb went off. What does he want from us? What can we sacrifice to him? When we thank him and when we praise him, we are giving him the glory! That, dear sisters is what He created us to do! Live, to give Him the Glory!!! When we are focusing on him, we are experiencing his presence. We are abiding in Him. We are walking along side him. We are in relationship with him. More and more, it’s becoming intimate. More and more He is revealing himself to me and I am knowing him more.
We are all busy, -too busy I am sure. So, how do we do this – I can’t tell you how often this has been on my mind. We converse with him throughout the day, by thanking him. When we wake up, we thank him for another day. When we have our quiet time, we thank him for our Bible. Dropping our kids off at school, we thank him for our car that he has provided us with, and for the moments we have w/ our children. Going to work, we thank him for our job. When we are around a difficult person -we thank him for this person, because we have to go to Him in order to show them grace. When doing laundry, we thank him for all of the clothes that he has given us. I could go on and on, but don’t you see how it becomes part of our nature, to do this naturally. He begins to transform our thoughts, bit by bit. We begin to give Him the Glory that He deserves all day long. In the big answered prayer requests, …and just as important, … in the little mundane things, as well.
Thank you dear Father for giving me words of thanksgiving and praise. As I started reading your Word, daily - You so lovingly put a desire in my heart to “know You.” As I began praying these two words each morning, you began revealing yourself to me in ways I can not explain. Thank you for your precious Word; it is alive! Don’t stop pursuing me. I want to know everything there is about you. As Brother Lawrence said so many years ago, “O Lord, enlarge the chambers of my heart that I may find room for Thy love. Sustain me by Thy power, lest the fire of Thy love consume me.” Lord, I love you. In your precious name, dear Jesus, I pray, Amen.
GIG – I love ya’ll too!
PS Wendy, I needed your lesson today, as the minute those above 5 words popped out, it's all I could think about! There was much richness yet...in the verses to come!
I noticed too, he repeated, the line that popped out to me, after the verses you spoke on today:
"But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me" (50:23).
Good Morning Sisters,
Missed you all last week as I was MIA from a SUPER busy week! All the prayer requests I know about I have lifted up. I know I missed alot not being on here much. Allie, PTL that your son is able to keep things down. I will have to go back and find the posts about what he is going through. I think Lori is so right about us carrying each others burdens AND when we do that we get to share in each other's victories. We get to share in His glory with our brothers and sisters. Our church is beginning a strong focus on small groups and small group Bible studies and yesterday this was one of their main points. We need other believers to do life with, those to come along beside us and help us carry the load. We have several devastating things going on in our church right now with a little boy dying of cancer and another little boy that was just killed by a car and he was only 4. It is in these times and just in every day life we need each other. This group is the same, even though we are spread over the miles, it is a small group as well.
Wendy, oh how I would LOVE to come see the Redwood forest! I studied alot about trees when I was in college and that is somewhere I would just love to visit. I can't wait to see pictures!
My nuggets were the same as what you all have posted already :) I really don't have too much to add. My desire is that I would desire the Lord more than anything else (Psalm 73:25). I was reading last night in a devotion by Women of Faith that someday we would all stand before God and give an account of our time, talents and how we used the resources God gave us. The wicked may seem like they are prospering now, but when it comes time to give an account, everything will come to nothing because it was all for self and not for God's purposes. I pray I will daily use what I have been given in service to Him and others. I am SOOO excited dear friends about the things God is laying in my lap for this year. Things at Will's school, things at my church. All things that I know He has gifted me to do and is leading me to do. I anticipate His glory!
You all have a very blessed day!
Love,
Brandee, TN
Just caught up on comments and posts since Thursday... Valley Christian in Dublin was my former neighbor when I lived in CA! I am sure they loved their time with you!(makes me kind of homesick...).
Lori, you encouraged me to make another prayer request; I am really stuggling finding a church home here. I know I am not supposed to give up meeting together, and while I love this blog, it is not what God had in mind for me and my husband in this regard. Please pray for us that we can find our place here; that we would be integrated and that our spiritually journey would continue in this place.
Thank you so much for your faithfulness!
Karen
Good morning all,
We seem to be on the same page in scripture. In Ps.50:23, God tells us giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors Him.
After all, God owns it all, what could He want or need? Nothing material wise, but our love, praise, and thanks is what pleases Him. So, verse 14 tells us to make thankfulness our sacrifice to God. How simple, but hard to remember to do.
These scriptures are golden nuggets to turn pink in my Bible. Heb.13:15 says,"By Him therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.
Have a wonderful Monday. My granddaughter is here, so I know I will.
Linda from Ark.
Good Monday morning my GIG! We are definitely thinking alike this today. Those 5 words were the ones that stood out to me too! I even had them circled from last year's read thru. "Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God"
How timely...my Sunday School lesson was that for my jr hi kids yesterday! To be thankful and say thanks, not only to God but to others. What a good reminder for me today that that is what God really wants from us. And like I told my students, the thing we are most thankful for is His loving us so much that He made a way for us to get to Heaven thru His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen to that!
I prayed 73:26 for Teeny this morning. "My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever". Blessings Teeny...I hope you are feeling some relief.
Yay for digested food Allie! God is wonderful. We thank Him for EVERYTHING!...
let's see how thankful we can be today GIG...and say it out loud to others!
Praising and Thanking Him today,
Morgen
Friends I just got back from my morning walk with a friend and I found out that the little boy I was telling you about that had cancer died last night. Please pray for this family. Their names are Farris, Robin Bibb (parents) and the sister's name is Lana. His name was Ethan and he is now free from pain and in heaven with Jesus, but this family has gone through a year and a half of watching this little boy go through so much. Thank you for your prayers on their behalf.
Good morning all,
Praying for all. May our Lord's love shine on each situation. As we watch God move in & about our lives let's give praise, honor & the happy dance(lol) to HIM.
Karen, my family & I lived in Munich, Germany for 4 years. I found that the International School (there should be one by you in Basel) was a wealth of info on what, where & how to do living in a foreign county. You don't need to have a child going to school to find out this info. The office will give you any & all activity of the school which outsiders can participate in. They can guide you to different churches & who has English services. Enjoy your adventure there. It is so beautiful. I have many happy memories of my time in Europe. May you be blessed in your time in Europe.
1)heard in a new way; Psalm 50:10, all the animals are GOD'S. HE know each & everyone by name!
God loves all. God is love. Wow simple but profound!
2)did not know; Psalm 73:16 why wick prosper? understand their destiny is death!
v23 YOU hold my hand!!
v26 my health my fail but YOU are my strength & is with me forever!
Don't worry about others & myself, God IS in control!
3)nugget; I need to remember to mind my own business! God will take care of everything not everything is for me to know!
Enjoy this day the Lord has made!
Blessings & Peace, Mary
Lori, thank you for praying for her, too, because Jesus is telling me to do the same. Last night after church two of the ladies from my bible study were there and we prayed also. One of them prayed for her and said may she realize that she needs Jesus and not an elderly guy for her security. It opened my eyes, yes, she is lost and looking at the wrong places to fill her need. And that is my prayer for her, too. She is a young mother and should spend her years raising her child not taking care of an elderly husband. I am searching my heart to see if I have bitterness towards her and all I can picture is a mother so desperate to make sure her child is provided for that she will do anything for him. How can I blame her? I'm a mother, too. (((HUGS))) to you for your compassion and wise words - especially on thankfulness.
Karen, praying that you find a home church over there. Here is the link for Calvary Chapel international fellowship finder. You can enter the areas that are close to you and maybe there will be something there.
http://www3.calvarychapel.com/find_a_church.cfm
Allie, praise God for another day of food intake (and output!) and may his healing continue.
Teeny, how are you today? Praying for you. I like the verse Morgen picked out for you and am borrowing it to pray for you as well.
Michelle - travel mercies for your daughter and soon-to-be SIL. I know how our mom's hearts worry. Yesterday my son went on a river rafting trip with his dorm - and he's not a very good swimmer. Did not hear from him by text or phone call from 9 - 5 and was getting worried. Finally at 5:40 I get one from him saying "I'm alive" and his earlier response did not go thru because of no signal. (Darn you, AT&T!)
Brandee, praying for Ethan's family. How heartbreaking. It seems to me that God is calling his little children home a lot more these days... May He surround them with angels to give them comfort and may they never forget that Ethan is now in his forever home. There will be a happy reunion someday.
Wendy, As I was thanking the Lord for your teaching it dawned on me. - Mercy, my sweet teacher - took time out of her trip, to connect with us! That just swells my heart! You have given so much of your time to all of us. You have know idea how much we have all learned through your daily teaching.
This morning as I was signing in, I did think, hmmm, I bet she has not posted yet! I was thinking about the time of your arrival in NC, and thinking no way, she'll be late today! Then, there was your smiling face as my screen opened up! Then. The volume did not work on the computer. I sat there thinking, no, not now. The boy's were asleep, Dave was at work. I was at a standstill, thinking this is not happening...then, instead of getting mad, I decided to head off on my walk a bit earlier...but, then God whispered to me, "your phone!" smile!!!! I almost leaped to get it! I turned it on, and watched you on my computer screen, and felt loved by God. That He would bring you into my life, that God would use you to bring scriptures alive to me. You, all the way across the nation! Don't tell me God's plans aren't perfect! Beyond what we can ever imagine! Bringing us all together like this!
Sister, you are doing a mighty job furthering His Kingdom. May you get some added rest today, and be richly blessed!
Please know today how thankful we all are because of you. Thank you Jesus for Wendy Pope!
Blessings, Lori
Good morning Ladies and Welcome back, Wendy. So thankful the Lord has brought you home safely and thankful for your teaching this morning. I always do my reading first before I listen to your vblog. Love the days when I pick up the same as you and today was not one of those days. So was very grateful to hear something I hadn't picked up on before. Thank you.
What I did underline was Ps. 50:14 & 23. Make thankfulness my sacrifice to God and how that truly honors him. Lori and some of the others summed it up better than what I could. I have been more aware of offering thanksgiving for simple things like Lori mentioned since I left my full time job and now only work part time. I have found such joy in spending time with Him now that I have more "free time". I had to laugh because I was thankful for my washer and dryer this morning. Smile.
Thankful for all your comments and I too am lifting all your requests before the Lord. I had to start a separte prayer journal for this study so I would be sure I remembered them all.
Truly thankful to God,
Kris
Greetings everyone! I'm a bit late for "the party" and am joining you for the first time today.
I've been following along for the past month or so and finally went back to the January archives to see where the readings were coming from and the three questions that I can journal about. I found the readings online and although I don't have The One Year Chronological Bible (NLT) version, I have the readings and usually use my NIV Study Bible.
My truth to apply to my life today is Psalm 73:28, "But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." I am thankful for my relationship with God, and for being near Him as I try to live out His will for me.
Hey, y'all! Looks like a lot of us are in that busy" May month mode!" We took Hubby's 8th grade Sunday school class (9 in all) hiking at Whitewater Falls right over the Nc state line on Saturday. Later that night we watched Louie Giglio's "Indescribable" DVD to pull it all together. He is such an awesome and amazing and REALLY BIG God! As I read the scriptures for today, Psalm 72 really jumped out at me. Everything....everything belongs to Him. "But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God." v. 23.
As we traversed the hills and took in breath-taking views, I did give Him thanks for all that he has done and continues to do. These Psalms show His strength and His power. Who are we to argue with the Lord?
Hugs,
susan
Guess my first comment is lost in space so here goes again.
Welcome home Wendy. Loved seeing the CA scenery!
To each of you who have prayed and sent words of encouragement, I thank you. I went to my PCP this mrning and he prescribed two additional meds. The cough med is great and the severe coughing is subsiding. Hopefully tonight I will be able to sleep. My heart is good, but have asmatic (sp)bronchitis. Return to him on Thursday for follow-up.
I am thanking the Lord for He is the great Physician. My sacrifice to honor His Holy Name.
Blessings as we enter this new week studying His Word.
Teeny in NC (currently at son's in VA)
Hi everyone,
Welcome Home Wendy, isnt it beautiful there in Mount Hermon? You looked so full of the Lord's joy in your smile Wendy.
I cannot possibly keep up with every post. But God always show me someone to pray for. Prayers Teeny for a complete healing of your coughing and good night rest each evening.
Lori- You are very encouraging and very wise too. Thank You for your post and open heart.
Here my Nuggets:
Ps50:14- Make Thankfulness your sacrifice to God.
I desire you more than anything else on this earth.
God is the strength of my heart he is mine forever.
All of you ladies are wonderful and I feel very blessed and honored to be studying the bible with you. Thank You Lord Jesus, Praise your Holy Name!
Welcome back, Wendy!
I guess despite the troubles my family has been thrown into over the last 3 years with my daughter's cancer. I have seen so many moms, dads and kids with cancer. Some have faith, some do not.
I always knew our true destiny is not here on Earth, that God may claim my daughter giving her eternal life. Life with Him not her mom and dad.
But, it never ceased to make me wonder why...
Why so many God fearing families lose their child. It is not fair ehen others who are atheistic live.
Psalm 73 tells me the answers.
This was the question I have wrestled with for the past 3 years. Finally, God lead me to this path and understanding!
Susie
Wisconsin
Lord God,
We Thank You and We Praise you for who you are! A wonderful, caring and compassionate Father to all. Father we hold up Susie's daughter to you right now and humbly ask for your healing spirit to come upon her. Father we know you turn All things around for good. As a survivor of cancer myself we know how you have used cancer survivors to encourage and help others during their struggle.I pray Susie continues to know you and lean on your strong right hand. May you encourage her Lord. May he give you and your family complete peace and his faithful love.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
A warm welcome to Cindy in PA...it's never too late to join this party! I too am so thankful for my relationship with God.
Lori: You have such a gift for sharing your heart. I echo your words to Wendy. Thank you dear Wendy for serving Jesus by serving us.
Good night all....prayers
Morgen
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