All posts by carol

The Glory of God – Psalm 19-pt.1

vs 1  God is Real.  He has manifested His presence in the universe to every creature through His work of Creation.  “Glory of God” – Only God could conceive of and impliment such a wondrous, complex, precious, and beautiful “machine” as Creation.  He demonstrates His Glory in His Creation.  Examine just one creature, animal or plant; consider one law of science or one molecule of water.

The Heavens” are plural – more than one.  Outer space shows God’s Glory in that only a magnificient King of the Universe could bring such a diverse and power-filled, terrifying structure onto existance.  Now ponder that it is so unsearchably vast that we cannot even comprehend its ends (good description of God!), and He continuously keeps it all operational and working together to keep Earth hanging here, a precisly positioned speck in this enormous big empty.

In God’s creation of Outer Space, God gives us a glimpse of Who He is.  In man’s “exploration” of space, there is so much we cannot begin to comprehend – just like our understanding of God.  We are impeded in our ability to go to what we want to see, and have to peer, squinting, through a telescope, to catch a glimpse of something we try to explain – just like God (only some try to “explain away” God.)  We have often misunderstood what we’ve discovered, and our findings led to erroneous conclusions that later and through further observation had to be amended, so we align with truth (at least we should do this.)  Space is “different” from Earth.  No need of air or water, no night or day, no up or down, sometimes no gravity, sometimes a whole lot!  Space operates on a plane very alien (sorry for the pun) to what we take for granted or know “to be real” on earth – just like God.  Space is so big and powerful that it is not affected by the things of Earth.  The fiercest storms, fires, wars, have no bearing and no effect to alter the operations of Space: it stays the same.  These earthly maladies affect God, but He stays the same, nothing can alter Him.

Space seemingly has no beginning or end -just like God (He is endless, not seemingly so.)  Just the truth that the Univers goes on forever should cause all who think to contemplate GOD.IMG_2726

Keep Psalm Part 8

vs. 15   You, Lord, promise to hear and answer my prayers and, most of all, to be with me in trouble!  WOW!  But it doesn’t stop there…You will ( a promise) also deliver and honour –->God’s way’s bring a good reputation and respect;  He gives the victory and leaves a good testimony for me while I glorify Him-Praise Jesus!

vs.  16  Long life – There are many Bible examples of people that followed God and “lived many days” before they “slept with their fathers”, but here God promises more than just staying alive; He says, “will I satisfy him”.  A long life of misery is no blessing!  You are so wonderful, Lord, You have brought to mind Psalm 68:19 – Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the GOD of our salvation, SELAH      Thank YOU – I will Selah today!

 

Keep Psalm, Read 91 began in April 2014.  Please look in the archives to read these posts2014-04-09 16.06.39 from the beginning.

Keep Psalm Part 7

vs. 11  Angels, not just one!  Lord, You’ve charged, or ordered, Your angels to keep me safe and guard all my ways – and they can see that ‘fowler’ that I cannot!  Thank You that my guardian angel isn’t a little gold-plated pin I have to attach to my clothing!

vs. 12  Your angels shall ( a promise) carry me and bear me up in their (more than one) arms to protect me from hurt. (Angels are big and strong, God,…so You are keeping me very safe because I know I’m not that heavy.)  They will even fight battles against the forces of evil, as they did to reach Daniel.  I know not to praise the angels directly because they, themselves in Your Word have objected to it, but I thank You, LORD, for devoting them to me!

vs. 13  Here, LORD, You get specific and name those I will gain victory over, and such beasts I have no hope of defeating alone, but my victory is another promise.  My adversaries are strong and terrifying – lions, a dragon, and a snake,  but Your promises are sure.

vs. 14  Now You, Lord, are speaking directly in the psalm.
What more afirmation of the promises given but that they are spoken directlyto the reader.

-To know You as Saviour puts me in the place of  promise.

-When I set my love upon You or focus my adoration and afections toward you I gain Your protection and help.

 

Keep Psalm Part 6

Vs. 10  No Evil,  – if I’m dwelling in God’s secret place – not even near me or my house.

This got me thinking back to when my family “blew  up”.  I was saved, but I know and God knows I was not ‘abiding’ in the secret place. -God was not responsible to me according to this promise.

However, the instant I ran to Him (fell on HIM , into His arms as a dead man) and hid hehind HIM – MY SHIELD, I can now clearly see Psalm 91 all over me!  I thank and praise You, Lord!!

Plus, He is so wise and wonderful – He does all He works out to bring me to the place where I’ll see what He’s trying to teach me.  In my case it was a big, deep, serious, error that I’d been living a lie on God, just as my husband had on me.  I was not really loving the Person, God.  He wasn’t real to me.  I wasn’t living for Him as I should have been from my heart.

When He saved my life that night-when I really prayed and felt and heard in my heart His voice-my relationship with Him changed forever.  That would never have happened if God had let me go on happy and stupid.  I’m so grateful!

Keep Psalm Part 5

vs. 8  You even tell me I have to see it!  But, You say ONLY with my eyes – I will not experience any of your judgement – that’s a promise.  I need to cling to it, knowing You’re in control and I will only see the wicked’s reward.  (I will not go through any part of their punishments of the tribulation.)

This also reminds me of the  fowler that tried to destroy me…who’s destruction I have not seen with my eyes yet – the whole wicked bunch.  They will not win,  You will save my darling from the lions and avenge me and glorify Yourself – I wait and trust You.  I know I can count on You and Your protection.

vs. 9  Because I have met the conditions to claim the awesome promise of vs. 1-2, and abide and dwell with the Most High and have Him as my refuge, there’s another promise given to me.

Not only to my own self,  but my household shall be under God’s protecting hand.  My Whole dwelling – His forcefield is extended!  I think of Rahab and her Gentile nationality, and her sinfil lifestyle, yet God made provision for her whole household.  In the New Testament, Lydia’s whole household was also saved.  Cornelias, John Mark, Mary and Martha, … God keeps his promises.  The punishment of the wicked will not come nigh thee.

2014-04-09 16.06.39

Joys of Spring

At this time of year, my garden gets all purple.  It’s one of my favorite seasons to be in the garden.  There are sprinkles of yellow here and there to make the purple, violet,  and lavender pop, and lots of variegated foliage to keep the eye moving and interested.20140527_073622

Keep Psalm Part 4

vs. 6  Not done with the scary stuff…and that’s the way it comes…waves of trials and turmoil; testings and troubles, wearing me down…ABBA FATHER!!!

This pestilence can walk, and sees in the darkness and is bent on my destruction – again in broad daylight (when I think I’m safe.) This is just a more specific and vivid description of the ugly villian You’ve conquered for me already in vs. 3!  I’ve nothing to fear – I’m abiding!  Help me to always be sensative to You and stay close.

vs. 7  Even Your rescue is scary, God.  I know You mean to assure me of my safety, that I will continue to stand even as ten thousand fall at my one side & ten thousand fall again on my other side (the wearisome, multiple attacks of satan), somehow, Lord, I don’t want to see this…I do fear this day…I trust You, and I am certain of my safety with You, but this scene is too awful.

I also know your judgement will come…I think of America…I think of those who reject Christ, and even the remorse of Christians, perhaps, who refused to abide with you.

I pray for these tens of thousands of fallen.  Help us to win them that still can be won.2014-04-09 16.06.39

Mother’s Day

from my mother's garden
from my mother’s garden
gift from a friend
gift from a friend
Mother's Day from my son
Mother’s Day from my son

I think of lilacs.

I have lilacs in my garden that came from my mother’s garden.  They lined the back border of  my mother’s yard, where I spent my favorite outside times, swinging up into those fragrant, lavender tresses as a child.

This year, I was especially surprised by a lilac that was given to me by a dear lady who gave me  a particularly beautiful, large flowered, lilac with a strong, heady aroma.  She was a mom for me through hardness of loosing several family members.  The special surprise was the blossoms this year-the first I have gotten-on my own bush since this dear lady has gone to be with the lord herself.

The best part, though, is the lilac that I have desired to own; the small leaved and demure flowered “Miss Kim” Korean lilac.  Don’t let it’s polite graces fool you-she has loads of sweet fragrance to match her sweet disposition.  Growing to 6-8 feet and liking a sunny spot, Miss Kim is a keeper, and that’s just what I’m going to do with the one my son gave ME for Mother’s Day! (Now I just have to get him to plant it.)

The Birds have Come to My Garden

The day before yesterday I was awakened while it was still very dark out by the familiar warbling song of my friend, the house wren.  He is a tiny, energetic, promiscuous bird with great lungs.  One of the few birds that will nest in a hanging birdhouse.  I was blessed with a ceramic one hanging here when I moved in.  We have had wrens every year that fill the garden with warbling song from morning till night.

Yesterday afternoon I heard a ruckus in the yard and  found several catbirds racing to and fro, playing tag and chase.  Two seem to be a pair and I expect to have a nest in my American cranberry bush viburnum again this year, which makes me very happy.  This large, tall shrub grows up and against my sunroom , allowing me front row seating to the musical performance catbirds can produce.  They are mimickers, and can copy other birds, or just sounds in general.  They are most famous for the wheezy call sounding like a cat, hence their name, but they do sing lots of different2014-05-01 07.44.45, pretty songs.

Cherry Tree

This tree in my backyard is a special delight to me. It is an ornamental cherry tree-it produces no fruit. At this time in the spring, it is glowing with blossom and you can hear the buzz of bees working in its branches from very far off.  My entire sunroom is redecorated by its new outfit!

I have several woody plants in the “prunus” family.  One real “Mars” cherry, which is semi-dwarf and self-polinating, a very large bunching cherry, which planted itself, and has a weeping habit, and lots of tiny fruits the birds love.  I also have  several Nanking cherries which are large shrubs with fruit for birds, and four American plum trees which are also not very tasty to me, but the birds and squirrels love them.

All of these plants flower wonderfully in spring and provide excellent food source for my certified backyard wildlife habitat. 2014-04-24 07.22.42