"I have taken refuge in the Lord. How can you say to me, "Escape to the mountain like a bird! For look, the wicked string the bow; they put the arrow on the bowstring to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes watch; He examines everyone. The Lord examines the righteous and the wicked. He hates the lover of violence. He will rain burning coals and sulfur on the wicked. a scorching wind will be their portion. For the Lord is righteous; He loves righteous deeds. The upright will see His face.
There are so many things to be scared of in this world. It has sped its way down an entirely corrupt path and it shows no sure sign of ever turning around. And we have two choices. . .run or fight behind God. We can't forget about God's power. . .Is God more powerful than those wicked aiming arrows at the upright? Is God more powerful than the things that aims its arrow at our own face, threatening to put us at death's door? The obvious and ONLY answer is YES!! YES HE IS! We can take refuge in God and throw our worries away. He is the ultimate protector of all!
At Passion we are fighting for a cause against human trafficking. The stuff we have learned about this global issue is phenomenal, disturbing, and horrible and really blows me away. And we are committing to fighting against traffickers and for the 27 million slaves in the world today. We take refuge in God and allow him to destroy the wicked. If God says he is going to do something. . .He is going to do it. He has proven that since the beginning of time. And those who choose to stand and fight with God and profess His name and love other people the way God loves, then we will be choosing eternity with God. And I feel like putting ourselves into dark and dangerous places and taking risks as big as some of these is so worth it!
Wednesday, January 4
Tuesday, January 3
PSALM 10
1 LORD,[a][b] why do You stand so far away?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
2 In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue the afflicted;
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
2 In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue the afflicted;
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
3 For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings;
the one who is greedy curses[c] and despises the LORD.
4 In all his scheming,
the wicked arrogantly thinks:[d]
“There is no accountability,
since God does not exist.”
5 His ways are always secure;[e]
Your lofty judgments are beyond his sight;
he scoffs at all his adversaries.
6 He says to himself, “I will never be moved—
from generation to generation without calamity.”
7 Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth;
trouble and malice are under his tongue.
8 He waits in ambush near the villages;
he kills the innocent in secret places.
His eyes are on the lookout for the helpless;
9 he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket.
He lurks in order to seize the afflicted;
he seizes the afflicted and drags him in his net.
10 So he is oppressed and beaten down;
the helpless fall because of his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten;
He hides His face and will never see.”
the one who is greedy curses[c] and despises the LORD.
4 In all his scheming,
the wicked arrogantly thinks:[d]
“There is no accountability,
since God does not exist.”
5 His ways are always secure;[e]
Your lofty judgments are beyond his sight;
he scoffs at all his adversaries.
6 He says to himself, “I will never be moved—
from generation to generation without calamity.”
7 Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth;
trouble and malice are under his tongue.
8 He waits in ambush near the villages;
he kills the innocent in secret places.
His eyes are on the lookout for the helpless;
9 he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket.
He lurks in order to seize the afflicted;
he seizes the afflicted and drags him in his net.
10 So he is oppressed and beaten down;
the helpless fall because of his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten;
He hides His face and will never see.”
12 Rise up, LORD God! Lift up Your hand.
Do not forget the afflicted.
13 Why has the wicked person despised God?
He says to himself, “You will not demand an account.”
14 But You Yourself have seen trouble and grief,
observing it in order to take the matter into Your hands.
The helpless entrusts himself to You;
You are a helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil person;
call his wickedness into account
until nothing remains of it.[f]
Do not forget the afflicted.
13 Why has the wicked person despised God?
He says to himself, “You will not demand an account.”
14 But You Yourself have seen trouble and grief,
observing it in order to take the matter into Your hands.
The helpless entrusts himself to You;
You are a helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil person;
call his wickedness into account
until nothing remains of it.[f]
16 The LORD is King forever and ever;
the nations will perish from His land.
17 LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;[g]
You will strengthen their hearts.
You will listen carefully,
18 doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed
so that men of the earth may terrify them no more.
We all go through times where we feel like God isn't hearing us. We feel disconnected from Him and may feel like he has left us. But of course we know that with God that is never the case!! He hears our cries! He knows our hearts! He feels our pain! He sees our struggles!! He isn't not ignoring them! He is carrying out His plan for our lives and enduring those things may possibly be what it takes to get to where God wants us to be. I have kind of struggles lately with being consistent. I feel like I don't have as strong of a passion for Him like I used to. I wish it were more consistent.
I am currently in Atlanta at Passion 2012 and night #1 was amazing :) and I get to do it ALL day for the next 2 days and half the day on Thursday. I can already tell this will be one of the best weeks of my life :) I am so thankful for this opportunity!!! I pray I do not feel disconnected or apart from God while I am here. It's entirely too easy to lose focus and to drift away. I just pray that God will reign over me and my thoughts and will help me to learn and really understand everything he wants me to! He knows what I need to hear and I can't wait to hear it and try my best to apply it and live it out or share it whichever it is!! Can't wait for what the rest of this week has coming up!!!!
the nations will perish from His land.
17 LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;[g]
You will strengthen their hearts.
You will listen carefully,
18 doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed
so that men of the earth may terrify them no more.
We all go through times where we feel like God isn't hearing us. We feel disconnected from Him and may feel like he has left us. But of course we know that with God that is never the case!! He hears our cries! He knows our hearts! He feels our pain! He sees our struggles!! He isn't not ignoring them! He is carrying out His plan for our lives and enduring those things may possibly be what it takes to get to where God wants us to be. I have kind of struggles lately with being consistent. I feel like I don't have as strong of a passion for Him like I used to. I wish it were more consistent.
I am currently in Atlanta at Passion 2012 and night #1 was amazing :) and I get to do it ALL day for the next 2 days and half the day on Thursday. I can already tell this will be one of the best weeks of my life :) I am so thankful for this opportunity!!! I pray I do not feel disconnected or apart from God while I am here. It's entirely too easy to lose focus and to drift away. I just pray that God will reign over me and my thoughts and will help me to learn and really understand everything he wants me to! He knows what I need to hear and I can't wait to hear it and try my best to apply it and live it out or share it whichever it is!! Can't wait for what the rest of this week has coming up!!!!
Sunday, January 1
PSALM 9
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!! 2012!!!!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will declare all Your wonderful works. I will rejoice and boast about You; I will sing about Your name Most High. When my enemies retreat, they stumble and perish before You. For You have upheld my just cause; You are seated on Your throne as a righteous judge. You have rebuked the nations; You have destroyed the wicked; You have erased their name forever and ever. The enemy has come to eternal ruin; You have uprooted the cities, and the very memory of them has perished. But the Lord sits enthroned forever; He has established His throne for judgement. He judges the world with righteousness; H executes judgement on the peoples with fairness. The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You because You have not abandoned those who seek You, Lord. Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the peoples; For the One who seeks an accounting for bloodshed remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the afflicted. Be gracious to me, Lord; consider my affliction at the hands of those who hate me. Lift me up from the gates of death, so that I may declare all Your praises. I will rejoice in Your salvation within the gates of Daughter Zion. The nations have fallen into the pit they made; their foot is caught in the net they have concealed. The Lord has revealed Himself; He has executed justice, striking down the wicked by the work of their hands. The wicked will return to Sheol-all the nations the forget God. For the oppressed will not always be forgotten; the hope of the afflicted will not perish forever. Rise up, Lord! Do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your presence. Put terror in them Lord; let the nations know they are only men."
I feel like the last part of chapter 9 describes a lot of where our nation is today. As a whole we have lost God. In this New Year I pray this prayer. I pray that God will be remembered. It's so comforting to see men like Tim Tebow who entirely use their fame and talent for the glory of God. It's my goal to be more open about my relationship with Him and to share more about it. I want to grow wiser in the Word, I feel like that would really benefit me as a Bible Study leader, to know more about God's Word would help me teach it better. I pray that we as a nation will become more humble and that all of God's children will come together humble ourselves and go out spread the word and sere others wherever we are!!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will declare all Your wonderful works. I will rejoice and boast about You; I will sing about Your name Most High. When my enemies retreat, they stumble and perish before You. For You have upheld my just cause; You are seated on Your throne as a righteous judge. You have rebuked the nations; You have destroyed the wicked; You have erased their name forever and ever. The enemy has come to eternal ruin; You have uprooted the cities, and the very memory of them has perished. But the Lord sits enthroned forever; He has established His throne for judgement. He judges the world with righteousness; H executes judgement on the peoples with fairness. The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You because You have not abandoned those who seek You, Lord. Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the peoples; For the One who seeks an accounting for bloodshed remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the afflicted. Be gracious to me, Lord; consider my affliction at the hands of those who hate me. Lift me up from the gates of death, so that I may declare all Your praises. I will rejoice in Your salvation within the gates of Daughter Zion. The nations have fallen into the pit they made; their foot is caught in the net they have concealed. The Lord has revealed Himself; He has executed justice, striking down the wicked by the work of their hands. The wicked will return to Sheol-all the nations the forget God. For the oppressed will not always be forgotten; the hope of the afflicted will not perish forever. Rise up, Lord! Do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your presence. Put terror in them Lord; let the nations know they are only men."
I feel like the last part of chapter 9 describes a lot of where our nation is today. As a whole we have lost God. In this New Year I pray this prayer. I pray that God will be remembered. It's so comforting to see men like Tim Tebow who entirely use their fame and talent for the glory of God. It's my goal to be more open about my relationship with Him and to share more about it. I want to grow wiser in the Word, I feel like that would really benefit me as a Bible Study leader, to know more about God's Word would help me teach it better. I pray that we as a nation will become more humble and that all of God's children will come together humble ourselves and go out spread the word and sere others wherever we are!!
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