"I Look to the Mountains"

Dear Reader, I wrote the following last 14 December 2020 but didn't post it. I will follow up in the next few days with my thoughts from now, 10 months later.

"Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1

Dear Reader, 

My heart is filled with joy and anticipation! So much so, I could burst if it weren't all safely contained in this body. What a wonderful time to be alive! What amazing things will I see or hear today?

You may be sitting in your easy chair or at your desk, or somewhere else wondering what's so good about today? If you live in Central Texas like me you may be chilly and looking up at the dreary, cloudy sky feeling as forlorn as the woodsy animals must who are also cold, and gathering what food they can for their winter meals. 

What in the world is so good about today? There is an evil in the world that has taken over the airwaves and it seems all that is seen or heard is that covid won't go away for a long, long, time. People are getting sick, and some are dying. Businesses all around the world have closed, churches on all four corners of the earth are not fellowshipping because our governments are telling us we will be fined if we dare to try to feed our families, with grain or with Spirit. Here in the States our First Amendment rights have been taken away. We are not allowed to share our thoughts, and our freedom of speech, because tech giants are shutting the cyberspace down if we are not in agreement with them. Our freedom of religion has been taken away because 'experts' think that gathering together to worship our God will cause a super-spreader event. Of course, these 'experts' and government officials are surely not people who know or care to know the God of the universe. They just want control. If you'd like to steal, kill, or destroy (gee, isn't that exactly what the Bible says the devil comes for?) that's okay. Hundreds can gather to beat up old people or people whose apparel may not be to your liking. They can, and are encouraged by those in government office to do so. "Resist" they shout, inciting riots. I am amazed at the disrespect to the office of the President of the United States. Other elected officials forget that there is decorum and it is an honor to serve the country, its people, and the Constitution. Many of them have forgotten that we are not a socialist or communist nation. We founded this country on godly values. We are different from every other country because we kept God in our Constitution, our Bill of Rights, and our Declaration of Independence.

Then of course there is an election going on here in the United States. It's quite the spectacle, really. The media has declared the winner! The media! Not the states, but the media! This is all just too much to take for so many people here in the States. I know that there are similar problems all around the world. And yet, with all this, my heart is filled with joy and great anticipation. Why? Let me tell you.

So many people have fallen for the blatant lies and deception that fill our eyes and ears all day long. So many are putting all their faith in the Supreme Court, who seems to let them down with every decision they make about the election. Many see the end of the greatest nation on earth if the Democrats are declared the winner. Suicides and depression are prevalent all around the world.

But even with all this, there is something very important to remember. We generally see with our worldly eyes. We see the pain, the sorrow, the anger, and the hatred. We have bills to pay but no income to do that. Our children aren't allowed in schools in many places. We hear the shouts and disgusting comments being made by the media and elected officials. We easily fall into the trap of feeling helpless, and even worse, hopeless. But we must remember, even though sometimes we may feel that even God has given up on the USA because our sins are so great, He would never give up on us. He has promised to never leave nor forsake us. In our greatest times of trouble, what does He do? He saves if we call Him. When Peter took his eyes off Jesus as he was miraculously walking on the water, he saw the world, the waves, the impossibility of what he was doing. He saw through world-filled eyes, not Spirit-filled eyes. He lost sight of his Savior for even just a moment, and began the descent back into the dark waters of the earth. But he had the wherewithal to cry out, "Save me!" and a holy hand reached down and grabbed his and pulled him back up onto the surface of the sea. I'm sure Jesus put His arm around Peter and comforted him as they continued to walk on the water. 

This is exactly where so many of us, all around the world are. We have been traumatized by the constant bad news that is spewed at us all day long. We hear it at home, in the store waiting on line. It's everywhere. All bad and getting worse. My friends, just turn it off. The enemy always uses a megaphone, and our Savior speaks softly. President Trump or Joe Biden can't save this country from itself. The Supreme Court can't make it all better. We have forgotten that the Almighty is the one who raises kings and brings them down, not our votes. We have forgotten that Jesus carries the government on His shoulders, we don't. We are asked, "What can man do to me?" I guess quite a bit, but only Jesus can give us eternal life. Which will it be, go along with the mainstream even if it is against everything you believe in, or turn your eyes to the only One who can make it right?

I believe it is time to start looking with spiritual eyes and listen with spiritual ears. You won't want to miss what our Lord is saying in these times!

Psalm 20 (TPT)

 A Song of Trust

(For the end times, by King David)

“In your day of danger may the Lord answer and deliver you.

May the name of the God of Jacob set you safely on high!

May supernatural help be sent from his sanctuary.

May he support you from Zion’s fortress!

May he remember every gift you have given him

and celebrate every sacrifice of love you have shown him.

Pause in his presence

 

“May God give you every desire of your heart
and carry out your every plan as you go to battle.
When you succeed, we will celebrate and shout for joy.
Flags will fly when victory is yours!
Yes, God will answer your prayers and we will praise him!

 
“I know God gives me all that I ask for and brings victory
to his anointed king.
My deliverance cry will be heard in his holy heaven.
By his mighty hand miracles will manifest through his saving strength.
Some find their strength in their weapons and wisdom,
but my miracle deliverance can never be won by men.
 

 “Our boast is in the Lord our God,
who makes us strong and gives us victory!
Our enemies will not prevail; they will only collapse
and perish in defeat while we will rise up, full of courage.
Give victory to our king, O God!
The day we call on you, give us your answer!”
 

Dear Reader, like King David, we must keep in mind that our victory is in the Lord. He is fighting for us. When it all seems lost, remember, for those that have asked Jesus to be the Lord of their life, and recognize His death for us and His resurrection, there is beauty to even the worst ending. We will join Him in heaven and spend eternity with Him. But even while we are here on earth, we can feel Him, we can talk to Him, and we can cry to Him. When it all seems futile and lost, instead of giving in to the depression or anger, lift your eyes to heaven. Do you know that the Creator of everything in the universe is watching over you with so much love in His heart we can't even comprehend a speck of it? Yes, He really is! And He doesn't just sit on a really big throne throwing lightning bolts around; oh no, He is walking with you. He goes into battle with you. He will never, ever, not be there for you. There will be times when you may feel that way, believe me, I know, but just because it feels that way doesn't make it true. 

It's very easy right now to be afraid of our future when all around us we are losing our freedom and constitutional rights. But the evil that exists in high places will be brought down, and the righteous shall rise! There is much to look forward to, so keep your eyes open and see what God does. He is exposing the vile lies every day and calling out the wicked. He will not leave nor forsake His children. He is bringing the truth out, and the enemy (Satan) doesn't like it one bit. 

When it feels you just can't take it anymore, start praising God! Sing! Find a Christian song and sing along with it. When you are praising God you can't think about anything else. You actually forget yourself, which a moment ago was the most important thing. When we praise and worship our God, we humble ourselves and keep ourselves submissive to Him. That's where the beauty is. That's where the healing is. That's where hope has been hiding. Come back to Jesus, accept that He is in charge of it all, and His outcome is much different than what the wicked ones are trying to make happen. 

Tell Him thank You and that you love Him. It will make you feel better and it will make Him happy too. He loves to hear from us. 
 

Psalm 12 (TPT)

 Song For The New Day

"Help, Lord! Save us! For godly ones are swiftly disappearing.

Where are the dependable, principled ones?

They're a vanishing breed!

Everyone lies, everyone flatters, and everyone deceives.

Nothing but empty talk, smooth talk, and double-talk.

Where are the truthful?

"I know the Lord will not deal gently with people like that!

You will destroy every proud liar who says, "We lie all we want.

Our words are our weapons, and we won't be held accountable.

Who can stop us?"

May the Lord cut off their twisted tongues and seal their lying lips.

May they all be silenced--those who boast and brag with their 

high-minded talk doing whatever they want.

"But the Lord says, "Now I will arise! 

I will defend the poor, those who were plundered, oppressed, 

and the needy who groan for help.

I will arise to rescue and protect them!"

"For every word God speaks is sure and every promise pure.

His truth is tested, found to be flawless, and ever faithful.

It's as pure as silver refined seven times in a crucible of clay.

Lord, you will keep us forever safe, out of the reach of the wicked.

Even though they strut and prowl, tolerating and celebrating

what is worthless and vile, you will still lift up those who are yours!"

Dear Reader, in times such as these here in the United States, we must be steadfast and sure in our knowledge of God's love. The wicked will not win, Jesus already has. Let not your heart be troubled, keep it fixed on Jesus, for the peace you need is found in Him. Don't camp in the news of the world, the wicked are sure that their rules will prevail, but they forget Who can change any outcome in the blink of an eye. The wicked will soon be gone, and there will be freedom and joy throughout this great land. Keep praying, keep hoping, and keep believing! 

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31 NKJV)

Thoughts from Last Year (The Beginning of the Chaos)

Dear Reader, looking back on last year's writings, I found the following. A lot of what was true then is still true today, in that chaos and fear have found a place in these great United States.

Amid the fear and hysteria the media has globally caused, there is still peace and calm among those who see with spiritual eyes. Fear begets fear, so people are buying the stores out of necessities, not for a moment concerned about their neighbors or friends. It is a frenzy that is not helping matters. The devil loves to create chaos and rule with fear and worry. So many have fallen for the lie that if we don't buy everything now we will either starve or apparently die of germs. 

"Day by day the Lord watches the good deeds of the godly and He prepares for them His forever-reward. Even in a time of disaster He will watch over them, and they will always have more than enough no matter what happens." (Psalm 37: 18-19 TPT, A Song of Wisdom)

Don't be afraid. Don't worry about tomorrow, "for tomorrow will worry about its own things." (Matthew 6:34 NKJV). Start believing in miracles again! Look for them everywhere! Take notice of how much your pantry actually holds. What haven't you used that's sitting on the shelf? Find a new recipe for those noodles. Heat up that soup. Look through your freezer and find a forgotten meal. Discover the goodness of God! He won't forsake you. 

In Matthew 6:26, Jesus said, "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" Of course you are! You were made in His image! He loves you. He will sustain you. The stores will restock. Don't allow desperation to determine your life; instead, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)

Let God be God. Let Him take care of you today. He waits for you to release all these fears, worries, and despair into His care. He has already paid for your salvation with His life. Why would He fail you now? He wouldn't! "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." (Proverbs 3:6)

Go about your day trusting in God. He said He would protect you. He has given His angels charge over us, to keep us safe. Don't fight Him. Release it all, praise His holy name, and go forward with your day. Share what necessities you have with someone less fortunate. It truly is better to give than to receive. Count your blessings! I am praying for you.

16 March 2020

Psalm 23:2

 "He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters." 

Once again David extols God's virtues of protection, concern, and nurturing. When our lives are in turmoil, as so many are today, we may tend to get overwhelmed while feeling we have no control of our own lives anymore. We feel lied to, heartbroken, confused, and afraid. Evil is showing its ugly face everywhere we look these days. 

We must remember what verse 1 told you--the LORD is your Shepherd and you shall not want for anything. He has taken care of you since you were conceived, and He promised to never leave nor forsake you. We, ourselves must listen to His voice and do as He says. He sees the end of these problems in our lives when we can't. 

His love for us is so immense, so pure, so real, so tangible in fact, that we can feel Him if just let Him touch us. When we feel overwhelmed, we need to take a break and be still. Close our eyes, take a few deep breaths, inhale, exhale, be calm. Imagine walking with Jesus, you are on a meadow so green and beautiful. The air is clean and crisp, but not cold. He tells you a story as you walk and smiles as you see yourself in it. You stop where you can see the lake not far from you. It is so clean, so calm, there are butterflies all around the meadow flowers, and fish are jumping in the lake. The tall grasses bend slightly in the breeze and you take great pleasure in the company you are with. Here is your Shepherd, your Caretaker, your Confidant, your very life itself sitting with you and telling you stories of how much He loves you. 

The peace that overtakes you once again is welcomed by your heart, body, and soul. You relax completely and feel the worries of the world drift away. As long as you stay in the presence of the Lord, the enemy cannot touch you. What he does is of no consequence at the moment because you know in your heart that God has saved you many times from many things, and He isn't about to stop now. 

We may not have control over everything in our lives, but we do have control to choose how we respond to the world around us. We choose to sit and worry until we die, or to glorify God by telling someone else what He has done for us, and remind them that He is still on the throne of grace. When we are in that peace that surpasses all understanding, no devil can break in. When you are fixed on the Lord, nothing else matters, because He is the Answer to all your troubles. And remember the Holy Spirit that resides in us who are saved, He is always guiding and counseling us. We have to choose. Do we live for God or for the world? Personally, I like the meadow and still waters. Peace, perfect peace. It really is heaven on earth! What about you? Are you ready to 'let go and let God?' 

The Lord is the Shepherd of His People

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want;" Psalm 23:1 A Psalm of David

David calls God his 'Shepherd.' This must be said with such trust and love; after all, David himself was a shepherd. He tended his father's flock from a young age, even going back and forth from playing the harp for King Saul during his periods of insanity to feeding the flock. When King Saul was overcome with a distressing spirit, one of his servants approached him and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlahemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him".

David knew how to be a good shepherd. The youngest of eight brothers, it was his job to do so. Even at a young age he was defending the flock against wild animals and the sheep's wanderings. He killed both lion and bear and rescued his father's sheep. But only with God's help. He may have been wounded while fighting these wild animals, but God had His eye on him and His hand of protection over him.

Knowing very well the dangers and responsibilities of being a shepherd, David refers to God in this first verse of Psalm 23 as his Shepherd. He understands and takes comfort in knowing that there is nothing he should be in want of. His Shepherd knows his needs.

Our Holy Shepherd, Jesus, is that way as well. He was and is our Shepherd and we are His flock. He gladly puts Himself between us and the enemy. He protects us, even though He knew His blood would be shed. He makes sure that our needs are met. He keeps us as a flock together, He guides the one who loses their hope or faith back to the 99 who will walk and gather together with Him. We are fed and watered divinely through Him and His word. We should want for nothing else, what else is there that could possibly compare to eternal love? 

David adored God and God said that David was "the apple of My eye." They had an understanding and a deep love for one another. David always came to God first through good and bad times. We should too.  From David's mouth and from mine, I humbly declare, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want."

Have a blessed day, tomorrow we'll look at verse 2.

Forgiven

 Psalm 32 TPT

(A poem of insight and instruction, by King David*)

"How happy and fulfilled are those whose rebellion has been forgiven, 
those whose sins are covered by blood. 

How blessed and relieved are those who have confessed their corruption to God!

For he wipes their slates clean and removes hypocrisy from their hearts.

Before I confessed my sins, I kept it all inside;

my dishonesty devastated my inner life, causing my life to be filled with frustration, 

irrepressible anguish, and misery.

The pain never let up, for your hand of conviction was heavy on my heart.

My strength was sapped, my inner life dried up like a spiritual drought within my soul. 

Pause in his presence  

"Then I finally admitted to you all my sins, refusing to hide them any longer.

I said, "My life-giving God, I will openly acknowledge my evil actions."

And you forgave me! 

All at once the guilt of my sin washed away and all my pain disappeared!

Pause in his presence  

"This is what I've learned through it all: All believers should confess their sins to God;

do it every time God has uncovered you in the time of exposing.

For if you do this, when sudden storms of life overwhelm, you'll be kept safe.

Lord, you are my secret hiding place, protecting me from these troubles,

surrounding me with songs of gladness!

Your joyous shouts of rescue release my breakthrough.

Pause in his presence  

"I hear the Lord saying, "I will stay close to you, instructing 

and guiding you along the pathway for your life.

I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with my eyes as your guide.

So don't make it difficult; don't be stubborn when I take you where 

you've never been before. Don't make me tug you and pull you along. 

Just come with me!

"So my conclusion is this:

Many are the sorrows and frustrations of those who don't come clean with God.

But when you trust in the Lord for forgiveness, 

his wrap-around love will surround you.

So celebrate the goodness of God! He shows this kindness to everyone who is his.

Go ahead--shout for joy, all you upright ones who want to please him."

* From the footnotes in the Passion Translation: David wrote this psalm after he seduced the wife of his most loyal soldier, then had him killed to try to keep her pregnancy a secret. This sin with Bathsheba brought great disgrace to David, yet he finds complete forgiveness in God's mercy. The apostle Paul chose the first two verses of this psalm to support the important doctrine of salvation by grace through faith. This was St. Augustine's favorite psalm. He had it written on the wall near his bed before he died so he could meditate on it.

Dear Reader, how good is our God! Even with sins the like of what King David was guilty of, once we confess these sins to God in humility, he is merciful and forgiving. There isn't anything you could have done that he will not forgive if you humble yourself and ask, then repent. His grace is overwhelming, and his mercies, which are new every morning, will last forever. If you feel you would like to turn to Jesus, our Savior, the prayer for salvation is just a tab away, up above on the menu. Don't be afraid. Heaven awaits, eternity with our Lord and Father! God bless you today.

The Cry of the Oppressed (Psalm 10 TPT)

"Lord, you seem so far away when evil is near!

Why do you stand so far off as though you don't care?

Why have you hidden yourself when I need you the most?

The arrogant in their elitist pride persecute the poor and helpless.

May you pour out upon them the very evil they've planned against others!

How they brag and boast of their cravings, exalting the greedy.

They congratulate themselves as they despise you.

These arrogant ones, so smug and secure!

In their delusion the wicked boast, saying, 

"God doesn't care about what we do. There's nothing to worry about!

Our wealth will last a lifetime."

"So seemingly successful are they in their schemes,

prosperous in all their plans and scoffing at any restraint.

They boast that neither God nor men will bring them down.

They sneer at all their enemies, saying in their hearts,

"We'll have success in all we do and never have to face trouble"--

never realizing that they are speaking this in vain.

Their mouths spout out cursing, lies, and threats.

Only trouble and turmoil come from all their plans.

"beasts lurking in the shadows of the city

they crouch silently in ambush for the people to pass by.

Pouncing on the poor, they catch them in their snare

to murder their prey in secret as they plunder their helpless victims.

They crush the lowly as they fall beneath their brutal blows,

watching their victims collapse in defeat!

Then they say to themselves, 

"The Lofty One is not watching while we do this.

He doesn't even care! We can get away with it!"

"Now is the time to rise, Lord! Crush them once and for all!

Don't forget the forgotten and the helpless.

How dare the wicked think they'll escape judgment, 

believing that you would not call them to account for all their ways.

Don't let the wicked get away with their contempt of you!

Lord, I know you see all that they're doing, noting their each and every deed.

You know the trouble and turmoil they've caused.

Now punish them thoroughly for all that they've done!

"The poor and helpless ones trust in you, Lord,

for you are famous for being the helper of the fatherless.

I know you won't let them down.

Break the power of the wicked and all their strong-arm tactics.

Search them out and destroy them for the evil things they've done.

You, Lord, are King forever and ever!

You will see to it that all the nations perish from your land.

Lord, you know and understand all the hopes of the humble

and will hear their cries and comfort their heart, helping them all!

The orphans and the oppressed will be terrified no longer,

for you will bring them justice, and no one will trouble them."

Dear Reader, no matter what you are going through today, you must remember that there is Someone who is looking out for you, even if you can't feel it. There is Someone who loves you enough to have died for you, and would have if you were the only person on the earth. His name is Jesus. Be encouraged!