Psalm 4- Selah, Trust, Worship, Seek, Abound!

I’ve recently had to remind myself of the teaching in Psalm 4. I’m positive this will continue to be since I live in fallen world, filled with fallen creatures, humans. Have you ever wondered why God made certain people? Better yet if you truly believe scripture, as I fully do (2 Tim. 3:16), then you believe He “fearfully and wonderfully” made each person (Psalm 139:14). Wonderfully? Really…everyone? Are you sure about that? Yes everyone! But Psalm 4 doesn’t go into all of that. Instead it answers the question: what do I do when I become frustrated with others and their actions? How am I to respond when others are being just so… human?

1 “Answer me when I call, O God of my right! You gave me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.

^{“You gave me room” is past tense. The NIV says, “You give me” which is present tense and a statement of faith. ESV and NASB say “You have given” or “You have relieved” both acknowledge God’s provision in the past. I believe all are interesting to take into account. Because it is from remembering and acknowledging how God has provided in the past that our Faith grows, I found all translations useful. I also note David says God is gracious in simply hearing his prayer. He says nothing about God’s answer being grace, which it so is and He does ask for his prayer to be answered, but the focus is that it is grace just for the God of the universe to merely hear our prayers.}

2 How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame? How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah

^{I know this verse will speak to every one differently. I believe all can relate with David’s plead for others not to be concerned with “vain words.” You know that crap that just doesn’t matter and words that only tickle our ears. David is speaking to me, “SELAH” which means: WOAH, STOP and THINK or LISTEN! So I did and God showed me I am “you people.” I’ve have heard of eye candy but I know that my flesh enjoys ear candy too. Even now as I read the passage I have to stop and have the Holy Spirit show me what vain words I seek after in my life. What lies do I go after?}

3 But know that the LORD has set apart the faithful for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.

^{“Know.” Not just hear, not just listen, not just be aware, but KNOW that you are holy. What? I am holy? How is this so, does Romans 3 not make it very clear that I am far form holy? Yes it does. All mankind is depraved and void of anything good (Romans 3:10-18). But to be “holy” means to be “set apart” and the LORD has done this to the FIATHFUL. Why? For Himself. Simply put, God made those faithful to Him holy, for Himself to enjoy. (also see Matt 5:48 & 1 Peter 1:16)}

4 When you are disturbed, do not sin; ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Selah

^{So because we are “set apart” or holy, David gives us extremely valuable advise to remain so. Some translations, ESV and NKJV, say,  “when angry”, others such as NIV and NASB use “tremble”. I love both because I sometimes do find myself so angry I literally shake. I know you do to. Now how do we as humans become disturbed angry? More often than not it is going to involve another human being. Since we have contact with others, pretty much every moment of every day, we should know this scripture, which was written thousands of years ago, is going to very much still apply to us. What do we do? Well David tells us immediately what we are not to do, “DO NOT SIN.” Isn’t that great? He just says it so boldly and in your face and gets it out quick as a strong warning? But he continues with the how, “ponder” or THINK, it on your beds. Sleep on it if you will, but more so “BE SILENT.” In other words, Stop, Jessica! Don’t talk, Jessica! Don’t do, Jessica! Go think, go pray “Selah”…listen…!}

5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.

^{What are we to do while we are in the stop and listen, or Selah mode? “Trust in the Lord.” “How long will you seek vain words?” Oh how often I have gone to others who I know will take my side and tell me what I want to hear. I fail to offer my RIGHT sacrifice to the Lord. What is my right sacrifice? Romans 12:1 says it is to present my body “as a living sacrifices, holy (set apart) and acceptable to God.” That is my spiritual worship, some even add "true and proper" worship (NIV). Sounds a lot like "right sacrifices" doesn't it? But do I go and get on my face when I am angry? Do I enter into “spiritual worship”? Or do I seek those “vain words.” More so, do I “trust in the Lord?” Is He not in control? Does He not have a handle on the situation? Psalm 47:7-8 says that He is King over all the earth and over all the nations. More still, Christ is over all. Col. 1:16-17 shows that nothing was made outside of Christ and it is Christ who holds all things together. So Selah. Stop, think, and trust that God is, well…GOD!}

6 There are many who say, "O that we might see some good! Let the light of your face shine on us, O LORD!"

^{The term or idea of “good” or good things, or even goodness is interesting to me. What exactly is “good” I have no idea. But I do know I want it! I want it always to be associated with my life and everything in my life! Where does it come from? Psalm 16:2 says, “I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord, I have no good apart from You.’” So it comes from God. But “Light of Your face” what is that? The better question would be, “Who is that”? Col. 1:15 in reference to Jesus Christ, “He is the image of the invisible God.” John 8:12,”Again Jesus spoke to them, saying ‘I am the light of the world.’” If Christ is the image of the invisible God and light of the world, then I believe that David was asking for Christ, the Messiah, to shine on him during this disturbing time or time of frustration.}

^{Summing up, David acknowledges God’s past provision and asks for current grace. He questions his own actions and shortcomings and acknowledges where he stands though the work of God’s mighty hand as being holy/set apart. When angry, he Stops and thinks (Selah) before sinning, gets before the Lord in worship and puts his trust in God. And then asks for Christ to shine into his life, his situation. He seeks Christ!}

7 You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound.

8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O LORD, make me lie down in safety.

^{Verses 7 and 8 are what is to be expected if verses 1-6 are followed. I love that still David acknowledges who is going to do it, “You”/ GOD. And what will God do when we are disturbed/angry/ trembling, but we Selah, get on our face in worship, trusting in God, seeking Christ… He will “put gladness in my heart!” How awesome is that! This is the promise that God will turn my frown upside down. I will go from being disturbed to being glad!? And more so my gladness will abound and I will have peace! And O how I love the end of verse 8, “make me.” I know I need that sometimes. I need God to “make me “ just lie down. Just relax. Just stop. I thank Him for doing that. For making me!}

So Psalm 4, good stuff! And it is extremely valuable on pretty much a regular basis. It teaches when we are disturbed/angry to stop and ponder (Selah), seek Him in worship, trust Him and seek Christ. In doing so God will bring abounding goodness and peace.

O, Thank You God for Your Word and the understanding you bring through Your Holy Spirit!

Psalm 1- Be a Tree

Over the past few weeks of study in God’s word I have been in Psalms. Starting in chapter 1 about two weeks before my move to Mill Valley, it has continued since. I don’t know how long God will have me here, but going one by one has produced an extremely sweet and revealing time with the Lord. It has been completely fascinating and mind blowing to see how each one has been so timely and applicable to my life. I’m using the NRSV translation since that is just what I happen to have at the time that I began the book.

As I began the first chapter, I was in a time of preparation for my move. I knew that God was calling me to Mill Valley, the Bay area, and for the most part, San Francisco. Soooo basically God was calling me to probably the most unreached area of the country. A land where wickedness is not only tolerated but is, in a way, encouraged. I became concerned with how I was going to manage this change and influence on my own walk and in my work with non-believers. I did/do not wish to be tempted to fall into sin. Others in my life also had the same concern for me and while being prayed for, the Holy Spirit spoke a warning and direction for me to “Guard My Heart.” This provoked me to seek how He would help me keep my focus on Him, while being surround by all that would be out there for the enemy to use to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

soooo, Thus saith the Lord …

1 “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;

2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.”

Good and extremely positive adjectives are use to describe the life and attitude of those who choose God’s way and His commands. Words so positive that I dare you to find anyone in the world who would not want them said about their life. These ways do not include wickedness, sin, and scoffing (to mock or scorn). And how do we choose God’s way and His commands? How do we stay focused and know them? We meditate on them Day and Night. We focus on them, specifically. Wikipedia says meditation, “refers to any of a family of practices in which the practitioner trains his or her mind or self-induces a mode of consciousness in order to realize some benefit.” So basically purposefully committed focus!

3 “They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.”

As water nourishes trees, so the Word of God nourishes those planted in it. God’s commands yield fruit; this is not just an idea, it is a promise of God. God cannot, not keep His promises. God fulfilling His promises to us is His character and He does not/can not act outside His character. In taking note of God’s promises, we gain insight on God’s character and how He has said He will respond to us in our relationship with Him. Continuing… these trees, aka those that are planted in the Word (God’s commands), more so planted in Christ since Christ is the Word and Living (John 1:1-3 & John 4:13-14), will yield fruit, a promise with two conditions. First, and already stated, they are planted in the commands/Word of God and second, “in its season.” God has His own timing in place as to when that fruit will be yielded. This is an extremely encouraging promise that God is in control and will produce fruit but “in its season. “ Sadly you may not be there to see it. You may not still be in that person’s life that you have spent hours and hours talking to and on your knees for. Or that ministry that you have exhausted yourself in, well you may not see hundreds come to know Christ. But you being planted in God’s Word will produce fruit. I have seen this so in my own life. God has yielded fruit in me but not until it was just the right time for Him to do so. Until that time came, others planted in God’s commands and word surrounded me and remained faithful in believing God would yield the fruit of my life “in its season.” God's word nourishes us. It sustains us. Because of it we will no wither (another promise). And then BAM, the end of verse 3, how AWESOME a promise, "ALL they do, they prosper" Again I ask, who doesn't want that said about their life? No one!

Verses 3 and 4 are contrasted to one another. Verse 3 shows the good in delighting in the law of the Lord, and meditating on it day and night. Verse 4 gives insight to the life of those that do not.

4 “The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.”

The wicked are not like strongly rooted trees, instead they are easily moved like chaff, just by the blowing of the wind. This is what happens when Followers of Christ fail to know what the Word of God really says. When they fail to be truly rooted. They are easily deceived and can be moved with the slightest nudge.

5 “Therefore (because of verse 4) the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”

God watches over the righteous and it is by His watchful eye that they are made to be firm, promise!

From these passages we can gather 2 options for mankind:

God’s way (Law= or in our case the New Covenant through Christ Luke 22:20) or Way of the Wicked=everything else

Easier put… God’s way = Life… Way of the wicked = death (v.6b “but the way of the wicked will perish)

So be a tree, rooted in the Word and live a happy and delighted life and in ALL YOU DO PROSPER!

O, Thank You God for Your Word and understanding through Your Spirit!!!

Initial Thoughts

So I have always thought personal blogs to be a bit conceded and egocentric for everyday people like myself. Honestly, who wants to know my opinions or thoughts on anything? But then again if you really know me, you know I’m not one to shy away from freely giving either. However, I have come to see the beauty in blogs is that one does not have to read them if they do not wish. So if you do choose to read mine know that I am humbled by your choice to do so.

So this is my blog: Journey for Truth, for that is what I am on. My Creator has me on a unique and perfectly planned journey. He is teaching, revealing, and confirming His Truth to me along the way. I do not claim to be an expert on anything in and of myself. I’m prayerful and faithfully relying on the Holy Spirit to guide and bring understanding to what God has for me. I stand on the Word from 1 John 2:20-21. The Holy One has anointed me, and I have all knowledge. I know Truth and no lie comes from Truth. My prayer is for understanding and revelation to come as I abide in Christ and seek His face above all!

I intend to include thoughts and observations on what God is doing in my life and those around me. I will tell about His teaching and revelation in my personal quiet times and study. I plan to also include reflections on what I’m learning in classes and what I learn from others around me. And also just everyday sightings of God’s mighty hand in and around my world.

My hope is that this blog will encourage you to seek God in all aspects of your own life. No matter what God has you doing in life and regardless of the details, Christ is to be the focus for all (Col. 1:16-17). Expanding His Kingdom is the call we all have on our lives (Matt. 28:19-20, Acts 1:8).

My prayer for us as we set out on this Journey For Truth comes from Psalm 25:4-5:

 “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” (ESV)

Welcome…