Psalm 139 - 4 Sections

“’For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.’” John 6:40

“’My sheep hear My voice, and I know them and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is Greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.’” John 10:27-29

The book I’ve written about my life Psalm, Psalm 139 is far too large to share here and at this moment remains unpublished. Nevertheless, here are some highlights from a lifetime of studying this special song to our Father. First of all it is divided into four sections about how God:

- Knows you
- Surrounds you
- Has made you
- Tests you

Throughout the day, consider these four actions God takes in your life and just thank Him.

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Please pray for Paul as he works to help get my new laptop to work with the Internet connection. Continue to pray for Carla and her family, especially her Mom.

Inside Soap

“O that Thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God; depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. For they speak against Thee wickedly, and Thine enemies take Thy name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate Thee, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against Thee? I hate them with the utmost hatred; they have become my enemies.” Psalm 139:19-22

“Jesus said, ‘Are you still lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man;’” Matthew 15:16-20a

“’And why do you look at the speck that is in your bother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?’” Matthew 7:3

It is easy to see the “deficiencies” in others. Yet it is our hearts we must concentrate upon. A far darker region than we will ever explore for fear of what we might find there. Better to give it all to Him and let Him clean house.

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

Still Here

“How precious also are Thy thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am sill with Thee.” Psalm 139:17-18

“’My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.’” John 10:29

“’For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

God provided a way to bring His children to Him; the only way possible was through a perfect sacrifice that only the Son could provide. Jesus submitted to the Father so that you and I could have assurance of our eternal life now. And never because we are good enough.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

How Unique You Are !

“For thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from Thee when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” Psalm 139:13-16

“And we know that gGd causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

He knows what He is doing!

“And Jesus said to him, ‘If You can!’ All things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father cried out and began saying, ‘I do believe; help my unbelief.’” Mark 9:23-23

We just need to trust that He does and that He will bring the best to us through His amazing and mysterious design.

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Today is Good Friday, may that message pause your heart.

Title?

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 150

After over eight years of writing this devotion, sometimes I look back over the volumes of hard copies and wonder how each morning He has yet another lesson for me and one to share. I have learned so much over these years; a lot from your kind words of encouragement or suggestions. And every morning He has a new idea and inexhaustible material in His precious Word! I praise Him! I praise Him with my whole heart!

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: For those of you who so carefully follow the WDD, not one of you picked up on something I did in the last two weeks. We have ALMOST finished the devotional series through the Psalms. But I skipped my favourite. Does anyone know which one that is? So a new series will begin devoted only to that one Psalm.

Better than Healing the Body

“For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.” Psalm 149:4

“And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, ‘My son, your sins are forgiven.’ But there were some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ‘Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming, who can forgive sins but God alone?’ And immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, ‘Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? Which is easier to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven or to say, ‘Arise and take up your pallet and walk?’ But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’ – He said to the paralytic – ‘I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.’” Mark 2:3-11

The story of great friendship turns into a lesson about what is better – being healed in body or soul. At first Jesus did not heal the man’s physical infirmity, but forgave him his sins. That alone was enough for the Lord. He is more concerned for our hearts than for our circumstances. We worry about being under the circumstances, but throughout the Bible, the Father most often left a person in their circumstances and healed their attitude toward them. Hummm.

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Thank you for praying for Carla, who is safely back home now, and her family. Her mom is still weak and needs your prayers. Also pray for David and Adrian (continued recovery from ongoing health battles); Tim and Barb who I would like to visit this year; Bill who suddenly lost his job after seven years; and Hispa who needs to find balance in her life.

Who to Praise Who?

“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights! Praise Him all His angels; praise Him all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all stars of light! Praise Him, highest heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created. He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree which will not pass away. Praise the Lord from the earth, sea monsters and all depths; fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His Word; mountains and all hills; fruit trees and all cedars; beasts and all cattle; creeping things and winged fowl; kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth; both youth men and virgins; old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and heaven." Psalm 148:1-13

It is His world. He is all in all. He created all. He maintains all. He cares for all. He sent His Son, Jesus, so all could have an eternal future. He loves His children. How can you resist praising Him?

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Carla is scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning, God willing. Continue to pray for her family, her Mom and Paul (being super-dad); David and Adrian (continued recovery from ongoing health battles). Pray for Tim and Barb who I miss so much. And for Bill who suddenly lost his job after seven years.

His Storms

“He sends forth His command to the earth; His Word runs very swiftly. He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes. He casts forth His ice as fragments; who can before His cold? He sends forth His Word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow. He declares His Words to Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances to Israel “ Psalm 147:15-19

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

For those recently “doing battle” with weather (record snow falls, hurricanes, etc.,), sometimes if we look closely even the weather demonstrates, not only our Father’s omnipotence but also that there is a purpose in the storms and difficulties they bring into our lives (whether from the weather or from other situations). We just have to remember to thank Him and look for the lessons.

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Please pray for the last leg of Carla’s trip home. Continue to pray for her family, her Mom and Paul (being super-dad), David and Adrian (continued recovery from ongoing health battles). Pray for Tim and Barb who I miss so much. And for Bill who suddenly lost his job after seven years.

Protects & Supports

“Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God; who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord raises up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous; The Lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow; but He thwarts the way of the wicked.” Psalm 146:3-9

Four hundred family and friends gathered at the funeral to honour Carla’s father. This man came late to experience the Lord’s grace. He was never rich in worldly riches, but had a family held together by his Lord’s love. Now that family will be tied together even more closely by his memory -- the Lord will support his widow and those who still depended on him. Being in God’s family means you are blessed in ways you do not expect.

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Pray for Carla as she prepares to return home. Pray for her Mom and Paul (who has been carrying the weight of the family in her absence). Pray for David and Adrian who continue to recover from ongoing health battles. Pray for Tim and Barb who I miss so much. And for Bill who suddenly lost his job after seven years.

God's Open Hand

“Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. – The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. All Thy works shall five thanks to Thee, O Lord, and Thy godly sones shall bless Thee. – The Lord sustains all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to Thee, and Thou dust give them their food in due time. Thou dost open Thy hand, and dost satisfy the desire of every living thing.” Psalm 145:3, 8-10, 14-16

Think about God’s hand. Not just His hand in your life, but what He holds in His hand. Not just “the cattle on a thousand hills” (meaning the sum total of all wealth of the world), but all creatures, the earth, the universes (no matter how unsearchable or uncharted to scientists) and the heart and soul of every human being that ever breathes. His hand is THAT big.

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Carla called to say the Lord is working mightily through this loss. Her mother seems stronger yet still needs prayer. Pray for Carla as she prepares to return home. And pray for her Mom and Paul (who has been carrying the weight of the family in her absence). Pray for David and Adrian who continue to recover from ongoing health battles. Pray for Tim and Barb who I miss so much. And for Bill who suddenly lost his job after seven years.

So Little

“O Lord, what is man, that Thou dost take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that Thou dost think of him? Man is like a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow. Bow Thy heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, that they may smoke. Flash forth lightening and scatter them; send out Thine arrows and confuse them. Stretch forth Thy hand from on high. Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of aliens whose mouths speak deceit, and whose right hand is the right hand of falsehood.” Psalm 144:3-8

Sometimes others look to you to help them make decisions or to have you lead them. You may even start to believe you can do things very well. Yet, it is important to keep your life and efforts in perspective. God working in and through you produces the result He desires – that is His plan. Now all you must do is get out of His way and let Him take the throne of your life.

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Carla’s family has put their father to rest. Please keep praying for her and her family, especially her Mom. Pray also for David and Adrian who continue to recover from ongoing health battles. Pray for Tim and Barb who I miss so much. And pray for Bill who suddenly lost his job after seven years.

The Whisperer

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications! Answer me in Thy faithfulness, in Thy righteousness! And do not enter into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight, no man living is righteous. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in dark places like those who have long been dead. Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart is appalled within me. – Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails; do not hide Thy face from me, lest I become like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning for I trust in Thee; teach me the way in which I should walk;” Psalm 143:1-4, 7-8

Sometimes we face troubles and try to face them alone. We think about what we should do. We take this or that action. We ask for the wisdom of others. We change our direction in thinking or action in response. We cry or laugh at how things begin to go. We are disappointed or angry or depressed or simply overwhelmed by circumstances or people or opinion (ours or someone else’s). But God is just waiting for us to come to Him. It is the easy way He has left for us, but the hardest solution for us. Why? Because we have this drive toward “self-sufficiency” whispering in our ears: “He made you with the ability to fix this and expects you to handle it.” I wonder who is whispering?

“’For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” Genesis 3:5

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: The funeral for Carla’s father is this Friday. Pray for her and all her family, especially her Mom. Pray also for David and Adrian who continue to recover from ongoing health battles. Pray for Tim and Barb who I miss so much. And pray for Bill who suddenly lost his job after seven years.

Too Much !

“When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Thou didst know my path, in the way where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Look to the right and see; for there is no one who regards me; there is no escape for me; no one cares for my soul. I cried out to Thee, O Lord; I said, ‘Thou art my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. Give heed to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring my soul out of prison, so that I may give thanks to Thy name; the righteous will surround me, for Thou wilt deal bountifully with me.’” Psalm 142:3-7

One thing for sure -- when you know you’re overwhelmed by troubles -- when everyone seems far away, your Father has His arms around you in a protective and safe hug. His love is unfailing and the only thing we can actually depend upon in our darkest times. Lean on Him and rest now.

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Carla is home now. The funeral is Friday. Pray for her and all her family, especially her Mom. Pray also for David and Adrian who continue to recover from ongoing health battles. Pray for Tim and Barb who I miss so much.

Fragrance of Prayer

“O Lord, I call upon Thee; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to Thee! May my prayer be counted as incense before Thee; the lifting up on my hands as the evening offering. Set a guard, O Lord over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who do iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.” Psalm 141:1-4

“’Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. – And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.’” Matthew 6:1, 5

When we pray we talk to God and He listens – it’s that simple! I remember one evening in a training session for Evangelism Explosion. I had arrived fresh from a heated argument and was still steaming and was (“coincidentally”) assigned the task of staying behind with the study leader and praying for those who went out. I started my prayer with, “Father, You know I am angry right now and do not want to pray, but pray I must in obedience, guard what I say and work Your will for this time of evangelism.” I knew if I pretended everything was “all OK”, it would be hypocrisy and so did He. Sometimes we have to remember just who we are praying to!

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Carla is still traveling to Jamaica for her father’s funeral. Pray for her and all her family, especially her Mom. Continue to pray for David and Adrian who are recovering from ongoing health battles. Pray for Tim and Barb who I miss so much.

Rescue

“Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who devise evil things in their hearts; they continually stir up wars. They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; poison of a viper is under their lips. Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have proposed to trip up my feet. The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set snares for me. – I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor. Surely the righteous will give thanks to Thy name; the upright will dwell in Thy presence.” Psalm 140:1-5, 12-13

We don’t stand alone in this world – although sometimes it may feel that way. Yes, there are many dangers waiting for us in both physical and emotional journey we are taking, but the Lord preserves and rescues us out of them all – plus if we pay attention there are blessed lessons in all we wander through. We can thank Him that He is with us right now teaching us!

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Carla will be on a plane for about two lapsed days before she reaches Jamaica for her father’s funeral. Pray for her and all her family, especially her Mom. Continue to pray for David and Adrian who are recovering from ongoing health battles. Pray for Tim and Barb who I miss so much.

P B P G I N F W M Y !

“Thou I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me; Thou wilt stretch forth Thy hand against the wrath of my enemies. And Thy right hand will save me. The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; do not forsake the works of Thy hands.” Psalm 138:7-8

“—for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

The first time I attended the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts (now called Basic Life Concepts), it was held at Cobo Hall in Detroit Michigan and Bill Gothard conducted every session. Over 17,000 people packed the auditorium every day for 5.5 days! I had no reference for anything like it. And when all of us filed out; as a symbol of our graduation, we were given a little, white, pin-on button with blue letters on it: P B P G I N F W M Y*! I still have that pin and think what a privilege it is to be serving the Lord, who continues to work His will out in my life for His purposes even at this very moment!

Stay near God's Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Carla leaves for Jamaica today to be with her mom and family for her father’s funeral. Pray for all of them and for Carla as she travels to and through this. Continue to pray for David and Adrian with ongoing health battles. Pray for Tim and Barb who I miss so much.

PPS: * Please Be Patient, God Is Not Finished With Me Yet!