Eccl 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Rom 1:20-21
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-- his eternal power and divine nature-- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

God has “set eternity in the hearts of men” so that “men are without excuse”. There will be no excuses at the judgment.

Eccl 3:15
Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.

This verse is great confirmation of foreshadows in Scripture. God “calls back the past” to play out in the future.

Wise as he was, there was wisdom beyond Solomon’s grasp. He investigated and turned his mind to understand.

Solomon mentions the word "goad". A goad was an “instrument for guiding oxen, the long handle of which might be used as a formidable weapon. The instrument, still used in southern Europe and western Asia, consists of a rod about eight feet long, brought to a sharp point and sometimes cased with iron at the bigger end, to clear the plow of clay.
Figuratively to ‘kick against the goads’ was a proverbial expression for unavailing resistance to superior power.”
(from New Unger's Bible Dictionary)

Look at the context for the use of the word goad. It mentions “The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails-- given by one Shepherd.

My, my, did Solomon know about THE Shepherd? Did he know about THE Shepherd’s nails on the cross? Did he know about the collected sayings (God’s Word) and why they were written?

How often do we “kick against the goads” and rebel against God’s authority in our lives? If so...Ouch!

When Solomon wrote of the emptiness of pleasure and achievement, was he making excuses for all the “pleasures” he had indulged in?

In his wisdom it seems that Solomon was seeing that everything on earth is meaningless so he must be thinking there must be something more.

Praise God, we know there is something more – life everlasting.

One of the themes in the book of Ecclesiastes is that "without God, life is meaningless and empty".

Happiness is dependent on circumstances. True joy comes from God and brings contentment no matter what the circumstances. (see the website for Walking in the Word - Joy Parts 1 and 2.)

We don’t find meaning in life through money, pleasure, work, or popularity. Meaning in life comes from doing things that are part of God’s purpose for us.

To be in His will is the greatest place to be.

How do we know how to be in His will?
Simple - pray to Him, listen to Him, and read His Word!

Dear e-bible study participants,

For the blog on Tuesday, May 25, we wrote the following concerning, The Wife Of Noble Character, Proverbs 31:
"Did you notice what’s missing from her description? Read it again. Our thoughts on tomorrow’s blog."

Then we neglected to give you our thoughts. I could blame it on too much stuff going on at the end of the school year, but......anyway, here are our thoughts.

In the description of the Wife of Noble Character, Proverbs 31, her physical appearance is not mentioned. Beauty is mentioned as being fleeting. Her true beauty comes from her character, what's inside. What a great portrait of an ideal woman, ideal in God's eyes!

Thanks, Gay for keeping me on track!

Dear e-bible study participants,

For the blog on Tuesday, May 25, we wrote the following concerning, The Wife Of Noble Character, Proverbs 31:
"Did you notice what’s missing from her description? Read it again. Our thoughts on tomorrow’s blog."

Then we neglected to give you our thoughts. I could blame it on too much stuff going on at the end of the school year, but......anyway, here are our thoughts.

In the description of the Wife of Noble Character, Proverbs 31, her physical appearance is not mentioned. Beauty is mentioned as being fleeting. Her true beauty comes from her character, what's inside. What a great portrait of an ideal woman, ideal in God's eyes!

Thanks, Gay for keeping me on track!

Interesting that immediately after that marriage masterpiece of Song of Songs we have the entry for today of 1 Kings 11 which relates how far Solomon strayed for the commands of the Lord. His heart was not fully devoted to God because of his foreign wives. He built high places for three major gods. When in Jerusalem in the summer of 2005 we saw the place east of the city where Solomon built those high places – not too very far from the Mount of Olives.

There are three major gods listed in the 1 Kings 11 passage, Molech, Chemosh, and Ashtoreth. The worship of Molech was accompanied by the burning of children offered as sacrifice by their own parents. It's referred to in Scripture as "passing children through the fire."

Chemosh was thought to be a pagan god associated with the heavenly bodies and also was worshiped by the sacrifice of children as burnt offerings.

Ashtoreth was the ancient Syrian and Phoenician goddess of the moon, sexuality, sensual love, and fertility. In the Old Testament Ashtoreth is often associated with the worship of Baal.

No wonder “the LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel,”
And so God raised up adversaries against Solomon.

How is it with all of us? Are our hearts fully devoted to God?

Song of Songs – oh what poem – a masterpiece illustrating romance in marriage and passion in holiness. A lengthy book could be written on the practical applications of this poem. Here are a few insights.

Even though some of the words used in the poem may seem strange to us, it is the romance of words that can enhance any marriage.

When you love someone you are concerned for that person’s health, comfort, and safety.

Unresolved conflicts can ruin a relationship. Little problems (little foxes) can disturb or even destroy a relationship.

Partners in marriage should continually refresh each other (encouraging words, unexpected gifts, surprise phone calls, e-mails, or cards, etc.) Marriage should be a haven of refreshment because the rest of the world isn’t.

Romance keeps a marriage interesting. Maintain marriage daily.

Marriage grows and matures but not without problems. As time passes passion looses its spark. Conflicts and pressures creep in causing tenderness to wane. Intimacy can be renewed and regenerated if we take time to remember and talk about those first thrills.

In a healthy marriage spouses are also good friends.

Strive to make love of spouse a reflection of the perfect love that comes from God.

Tall order? Maybe so, but with two working together...and God in the center...

What a jewel hidden away in these little verses!!!

Prov 30:1-4
The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh-- an oracle: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal: "I am the most ignorant of men; I do not have a man's understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!

How wise Agur was! Even though he said he was the most ignorant of men. Yet he knew that the Holy One had a son. AMAZING!

Prov 31:8a
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
The unborn, perhaps?

The Wife of Noble Character

Prov 31:31
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
We shouldn’t seek praise, but when it comes accept it gracefully, but give God the glory.

Did you notice what’s missing from her description? Read it again. Our thoughts on tomorrow’s blog.

Prov 17:6a
Children's children are a crown to the aged,
For those of us who are grandparents, doesn’t this ring true?

Prov 16:31
Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.
Guess we can put away our hair coloring lotions and wear our gray hair with pride.

Prov 27:15
A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day;
What an image that is! I much prefer this one:
Prov 18:22
He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.

Prov 16:17
The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.
Prov 22:5
In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.

If we stay on the straight and narrow, the highway of the Lord, we will avoid the thorns and snares that would seek to entangle us when we are off the highway and all wound up in the ways of the world. Kinda reminds us of the post yesterday about walking in the "good way".

Prov 3:9-10
Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

What a great promise for us. If we honor God with our wealth we will benefit from His good promises. He doesn’t want our leftovers.

He wants our best.

After all He gave us His best!

Prov 16:11
Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.

God judges according to His standard. When we stand before the throne at the judgment, He will balance the scales. It will make no difference how much or how little our sins may be on our side of the scales; Jesus balances them by His shed blood. What an amazing Savior we have!

Prov 22:28
Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.

Ps 16:6
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

Praise God, He has set boundaries for us. To know where those boundaries are, we only need to go to the "ancient paths"

Jer 6:16
This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'

If only we would learn to walk in the "good way".

Prov 18:7
A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Matt 12:36
But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

We must be careful, not only in what we do but also in what we say. When we squeeze out toothpaste from the tube, it is almost impossible to put it back, so are our careless words. We may be able to apologize for those careless words, but we can’t put them back in our mouth.

Prov 17:28
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.
“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” Mark Twain.

Ponder this verse for the day.
Prov 16:24
Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Prov 20:25
It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows.
Too bad Jephthah didn’t have knowledge of this proverb when he made his rash promise.

Judg 11:31-32
whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering." Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands.
Judg 11:34-35
When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break."

The following proverb is a great companion piece to the admonition for parents in Deuteronomy. Prov 6:20-23
My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,

Deut 6:6-9
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Do we take to heart these Scriptures? Do we impress them on our children? Do we bind them on our heart? Do His words guide us? Are His words so much a part of our lives that they guide us even when we sleep?

Prov 12:25
An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

Often carrying a burden will weigh down a person. We have an obligation as Christians to cheer up that person. We can do this in many ways; a kind word, a telephone call, a card in the mail, an email message, a hug, a pat on the back, a favorite Bible verse, etc.

Is there someone you need to cheer up today?

Prov 3:9-10
Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

What a great promise for us. If we honor God with our wealth we will benefit from His good promises. He doesn’t want our leftovers.

He wants our best.

After all He gave us His best!

Prov 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

What a great plan God has for us. We learn from each other. Two strong believers together get better. Can't think of a better reason to be in Bible study with fellow believers.

What great promises for the righteous! Their roots are deep. They can weather the storms of life. In addition, our salvation secures our eternal home forever.

Prov 10:30a
The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land.

Prov 12:3
A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

Prov 12:7
Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.

Prov 12:12
The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.

Prov 10:25
When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.

Might be interesting sometime to do a study on “stand firm”.

Prov 22:17-18
Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.
If only we would have words of wisdom ready to witness to everyone we meet.

Prov 1:5-6
let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance--for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
Even though we are wise (which means we have salvation through Jesus - see yesterday's blog entry) we must continue to keep seeking after our understanding and knowledge of Him. We can do this through His Word.

Prov 10:27
The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
If we live our lives in awe of the Lord, we want to obey His commands. When we obey His commands, we are living wisely. As a result we will not abuse our bodies; we will eat properly, stay away from harmful substances, and get plenty of exercise and rest. This can result in living a longer and healthier life.

Prov 16:3
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
How about starting each day with these words, "Lord, here's today. What would you have me do?"

Prov 17:24
A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
Substitute "salvation through Jesus" in place of "wisdom". We keep Jesus in view. We keep our eyes on the prize. (1 Cor 9:24) We don't let our eyes wander to the left or to the right, but keep our focus on Him. (Deut 28:14)

Prov 24:3-4
By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
Again substitute "salvation through Jesus" in place of "wisdom".

1 Cor 3:11
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the foundation. We build on that foundation. We fill the rooms with rare and beautiful treasures by what kingdom work we do for Him.

1 Cor 3:12-15
If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

What rare and beautiful treasures have we, as Christians, filled the rooms with lately???

Oh Boy! Where to begin??? Proverbs 8 - even if you’ve read it before, we urge you to read it again!

Wisdom – “where the paths meet, she takes her stand.”

Many paths meet; truth and falsehood, evolution and creation, moral and immoral, righteousness and foolishness, godly living and worldly living, prudence and folly, bad decisions and good decisions, etc.

Wisdom is the distinguishing factor as to which path we take. Only wisdom that comes from God gives us the ability to judge which is the right path.

Wisdom is the first of God’s creation. It is with wisdom that everything was created. Seems as if wisdom and Jesus go hand in hand.

Prov 8:22-23
"The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began.

Prov 8:30-31
Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.

Prov 3:19
By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place;

Read Proverbs 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 9 substituting the following for wisdom.
Wisdom is "knowledge of Jesus as personal Lord and Savior (salvation, redemption)".

Here is our summary, substituting Jesus for wisdom: Jesus calls out. Jesus takes a stand. Jesus is more precious than rubies. Nothing can compare to Jesus. Jesus is the craftsman. Jesus will enter your heart. Jesus will save you from the ways of wicked men. Blessed is the man who finds Jesus. Jesus is a tree of life. By Jesus the Lord laid the earth’s foundations. Jesus calls aloud in the street. Get Jesus. Do not forsake Jesus. Jesus is supreme. AMEN and AMEN!

Now contrast wisdom and folly using Jesus in place of wisdom and Satan in place of folly. Paints quite a picture doesn't it?

Solomon was given much more than just a discerning heart. He was very familiar with a multitude of scientific information. He knew lots of "stuff".

Notice how many daily provisions were required for Solomon and his table. 30 head of cattle among many other things.

Many believe that the Queen of Sheba took back much more than just monetary gifts from King Solomon. A few months after her return she gave birth to a son.

2 Chr 9:12
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

When the ark of the covenant is moved to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the only things in it are the two tablets that Moses placed there. What happened to the jar of manna and Aaron’s staff?

2 Chr 6:18
"But will God really dwell on earth with men? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!

Solomon had to ask if God will really dwell on earth with men. Indeed will He?

This great God of the universe can’t be contained in the highest heavens, and yet He chooses to dwell within our hearts....Amazing!

When arranging for the building of the temple, Solomon conscripted laborers. He drafted three times the amount of labor he needed so that he could send them off to Lebanon in shifts. They would spend one month away and two months at home. Does this tell us the value Solomon placed on the family? It seems that Solomon wanted his workers happy and with their families as much as possible. I believe Solomon valued families. I heard this quote from Focus on the Family once, “The strength of a nation is in direct proportion to the strength of the family.”
How very true that is! Look what’s happening in our nation today. Is our family structure strong? Is our nation loosing face with the rest of the world? Hmmm…can we connect the dots here???

No hammer, chisel, or other tool was used at the temple site. No sound was to disturb the House of Prayer.

What about our places of worship now? Are there sounds within them that disturb God’s House of Prayer?

God’s Tent of Meeting…is this the original tent that Moses made in the desert? If so it is 400+ years old. Did the people replace the worn out parts or did God take care of the tent pieces like He took care of their clothes and sandals so that they didn’t wear out?

Isn’t it amazing that Solomon could have asked for anything and yet he only asked for discernment in order to govern the people? And equally amazing that God gave him riches and honor in addition to the wisdom, even though Solomon didn’t ask for that.

BUT…even MORE amazing than that, He has promised to give us this wisdom as well.

James 1:5-6
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

There is a caveat attached however to this wisdom. We must believe and not doubt!

Asked God for wisdom lately?

David’s son Adonijah (one of the sons born to him in Hebron) attempts to take over as king. When his attempted coup is thwarted and Adonijah’s supporters leave him, Adonijah “took hold of the horns of the altar”.
Was he seeking the Lord’s protection by holding on to the corners of the altar?

In David’s last words to his son Solomon, he tells him to destroy his enemies in order to secure peace for Solomon’s kingdom. He also mentions a man named Barzillia who was faithful to him. While he may have mentioned others that are not recorded here, it seems as if this man is highly rewarded for his faithfulness to the king.

Will we be highly rewarded for our faithfulness to THE King?

Psalms 42 and 45 gives us a prophetic look at the King of Kings as he rides victoriously. Psalm 42 also gives us a glimpse of the bride of Christ in the eternal kingdom.

Ps 110:1
The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."
In this verse we again have two different words for Lord. LORD refers to God the Father while Lord refers to God the Son. Substituting God and Jesus, the verse would read this way.
"God says to Jesus: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.""
Jesus Himself quoted this verse in Matt 22:42-45.

Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees. They acknowledged that the Messiah would be the son of David (Jesus was from the lineage of David). Jesus quoted this verse to show them that He was a son of David and also the Son of God as Messiah. Mark records that the crowd listened to Him with delight. It seems that the crowd understood what the Pharisees refused to understand. Could it be that they accepted Jesus' words with the faith of little children and the Pharisees carried around too much theological "baggage"?

Friends, take a good look at Psalm 22!

Ps 22:1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
These same words were spoken by Jesus from the cross.

Mark 15:34
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Jesus is telling us to look at Psalm 22! It reads like an eyewitness account of the crucifixion. Look at what is being said in the Old Testament psalm and what is recorded in the New Testament gospel accounts. Quite a match!

“All who see me mock me; they hurl insults…”
They mocked and insulted Jesus.

Mark 15:29-32
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!" In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Luke 23:36-37
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."

Ps 22:14-15
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.

John 19:28
28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."

Ps 22:16
16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.

John 19:24
24 "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did.

Ps 22:17-18
17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.

John 19:36-37
36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken,"
37 and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."

Ps 22:24
For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
God may have turned His back on the sin that Jesus bore, but He did not forsake Jesus.

Ps 22:30-31
Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn-- for he has done it.

What an encouragement to us! Tell future generations about the Lord, proclaim His righteousness! Have we done that today?

Very intriguing – Psalm 130

Ps 130:1-8
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

The Hebrew word for the word LORD (all caps) is Yehovah (God, the Father) and the word Lord (only capital L) is Adonay (God, the Son). The writer is calling to God the Father, but it is God the Son who interacts. The soul waits for redemption through God the Son. Read this again and place the Father and Son where they belong in place of the words LORD or Lord and see if it gives a deeper meaning. Also remember God the Son is the “word”.

“Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.”
Boy are we getting hammered lately concerning our careless words.

“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”
Oh that we would truly have a real thirst for the living God. It seems as if Amos gave us a prophecy for our world today – a world where there is a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.

Amos 8:11
"The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land-- not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.
Does this sound like our world today?

“I will set before my eyes no vile thing.”
This would help keep us pure in a sinful world. Remember we can’t unsee, unhear, or unsay anything.

“Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord.”
Great response to those who say that during their youth they strayed from God. David is asking that God not remember his sins and rebellious ways, but to remember him. He is asking for a separation of himself from his sins. Hate the sin. Love the sinner.

“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”
In the Old Testament times sins were only covered by the sacrifices they offered. Jesus removes sin and cleanses the conscience.

“I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ – and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
Not only did God forgive the sin, He cleansed David’s conscience.

Have I (Patti) ever told you that my very favorite psalm is Psalm 139?

Take time out of your day today to read it. If you’ve read it already, read it again…slowly and out loud.

No other comments from us are necessary.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:”
David prayed for this peace. There was a brief time of peace during his son Solomon’s reign, but the only time there will be peace in the earthly Jerusalem will be during the Millennium. Then of course later there will be a New Jerusalem with perfect peace.

“Peace be within you.” This is available to all who have the indwellment of the Holy Spirit. “Peace” according to Hebrew Word Pictures is “to destroy the authority that causes chaos”. In other words, to have peace within ourselves, we must destroy any and all authority that Satan may have in our lives.

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!”
Living in unity with brothers and sisters in Christ does not mean we will all agree on everything but we have unity in purpose, unity in Jesus Christ.

Psalm 135 gives a description of idols. Those who worship idols are just like the idols themselves…blind, deaf, and lifeless. Those who worship the Lord then must be just the opposite…eyes open and seeing, ears listening and understanding, and with an abundant life that never ends.

Psalm 119, the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. At the beginning of each section is a Hebrew word, and a Hebrew letter. This psalm is written as an acrostic poem using the Hebrew alphabet.

“How can a young man keep his way pure?”
How can we stay pure in a filthy environment?
“By living according to your word.”
We can read God’s word, stay connected in fellowship with other believers, and get involved in ministry but how can we keep from being polluted by the world? Just read the rest of Psalm 119, it spells it out perfectly!

Under Teth, Yodh and Lamedh in Psalm 119 the word affliction is mentioned several times. It seems as if “affliction” is a good thing if it gets our attention. Just ask Phil!

“To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless.”
Often we try to put God in a box and limit His power and ability. That word “boundless” means ‘in any and every direction”. He is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. There is no need to try to limit Him. It can’t be done!

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Do we as Christians perceive His words as sweet, even those words that convict and rebuke us?

“…he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”
Thank goodness for that!

“…as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
As we told our second grader Sunday School class many years ago, “God throws them into the sea of forgetfulness.”

Pay close attention to Psalm 104. The psalmist changes pronouns back and forth from “you” to “he”. Hmmm…

So many praises in these psalms. We give thanks to God. It becomes praise when we tell others.

Psalm 114 relates that the sea fled (Red Sea) and the Jordan River turned back. The mountains and hills skipping and the earth trembling…sounds like an earthquake.

“Rise up, O Judge of the earth;”
Who is the judge of the earth? (John 5:22, Gen. 18:25)

“Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord,”
Like a loving parent disciplines a child, so the Lord disciplines us. (Heb 12:11)

“When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your love, O Lord supported me.”
When we feel ourselves slipping out of fellowship with the Father, we should tell Him!
Anybody out there been “slipping” lately???