When I’m in a really bad state and one or sometimes even all of my chronic conditions flare-up at once, it’s overwhelming, which is the best word I can come up with, but doesn’t begin to describe it. During these times I often go to Psalm 139:13-16. God knew when he created me that I would have these problems. God has my days planned out. God knows how he will glorify himself. God knows how he will work it out for good, not only for me, but for many involved. God isn’t a clean-up man, he has a plan.

I love this recent quote from a woman who has a partial limb on her right side:

I believe with every fiber of my being that I was no accident. God did not look away, drop a thread, and fail to go back and fix a flaw as he was forming me. “Wonderful are [His] works and my soul knows it very well.” God labored over my creation. He had a plan before he started the process. My difference was deliberate. I rest in the knowledge that God created me exactly as I am for His purposes. We don’t always, or even usually, know why things are the way they are, but there is such hope and peace in knowing the care with which we were created.

–Pondering Psalm 139 (A post from my wife Ashley)

Early in the article she writes, “I am not, in fact, a victim at all. I was formed this way.” I have come to believe this too. Suffering from pain, anxiety, depression, terrible sleep, doesn’t make me a victim. Nothing that I know of happened to cause any of this. Nor was it fate or bad luck or being unfortunate or any of those things either. It isn’t for lack of trying or lack of faith or prayer or not finding just the right cure (as if there was one for all of those things). I don’t like original sin and the fall, the way this suffering and refining (1 Peter 1:7) and conforming (Romans 8:29) thing works. I do love knowing God (John 17:3) and the hope of heaven (Phil 3:20), and of course the end result, when this will seem like nothing (Romans 8:18). That’s not much help now, but I submit to it by faith.

Exodus 4:11
The LORD asked him, “Who gave humans their mouths? Who makes humans unable to talk or hear? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? It is I, the LORD!

Lamentations 3:37-38
Who was it who spoke and it came into being? It was the Lord who gave the order. 38 Both good and bad come from the mouth of the Most High God.

Psalm 139:13-18 HCSB
For it was You who created my inward parts;
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You
because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.
Your works are wonderful,
and I know [this] very well.
15 My bones were not hidden from You
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all [my] days were written in Your book and planned
before a single one of them began.

17 God, how difficult Your thoughts are
for me [to comprehend];
how vast their sum is!

18 If I counted them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand;
when I wake up, I am still with You.

This site has been going down for the last two to three days each month because of going over bandwidth. So I will be switching hosts. I don’t want to say who the current one is because I love them and have used them for 15 years. But they have a bandwidth limit of 50GB while most others are “unlimited” (kind of). Hard to believe this blog is going over, especially since I removed almost all of my other stuff like my old photography blog and web design stuff. I think I will go with HostGator or Bluehost. If anyone feels there are others that are better for the price, let me know.

Since I haven’t put anything up in a while I’ll give you a little Scripture.

Isaiah 32:17
“And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.”
via Joni Eareckson Tada – A Verse for Pain

Matthew 6:33-34
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Don’t you love how it all fits together?

We measure Scripture’s story by ours. The attitude the psalm [Psalm 1] commends involves delighting in Yhwh’s teaching—especially (we might add) when its story seems irrelevant or it takes a different stance from us. That is the moment when studying Scripture becomes interesting, significant, and important. We then delight in it. The way that delight expresses itself is by *talking about it day and night–in other words, ceaselessly.

John Goldingay, Psalms 1-41, pg 84, referring to Psalm 1

I will say this without trying to sound prideful of myself but I can boast about what God has done (Jeremiah 9:24). Often, parts of the Old Testament can be difficult to get through. Most people don’t read most of it. Last year when I read through the Old Testament I had an attitude of marvel at the fact that I was reading the inspired words of the living, all powerful, holy God who created the heavens and the earth, and me. All of the words are from Him! I didn’t care if it was a list of genealogy (which commentators can help us see the value of), or repetition, or whatever. I was fascinated with it all and of course the God who had it written down for us and is always speaking through it.

I’ve always liked/loved reading the Bible. But this is a new level that God has brought me to. And to me it’s obvious that this is only something God could have brought about, compared to how I used to view the Old Testament. Not that I loathed parts of it or anything, I just wasn’t thrilled with all of it. I would hope that everyone who doesn’t yet delight in God’s words, teachings, commands, and even conviction of sin (which is God speaking directly to us as an individual–a bonus, just as a revelation or light going off when thinking on or reading Scripture), will pray that they would. This is God’s will. It may be there from the start (oh blessed ones), or take weeks, months, years or decades. But if you pray for it, want it and read the whole Bible regularly, it will happen. Now may be a good time to think about reading the whole Bible if you haven’t.

Goldingay’s translation of Psalm 1:2:

Rather, his pleasure lies in Yhwh’s teaching:
he talks about his teaching day and night.

I’ve been realizing that when the Psalmists write about meditating on God’s laws, especially in Psalm 119, they aren’t always referring to formal, ‘sit down and concentrate with your notebook’ meditation. That’s great of course, but I think their main intention is thinking about God’s words all day. Goldingay says that this means something we talk to ourselves about, sometimes out loud, thus his translation above, which is usually rendered in other translations “on his law he meditates day and night”. God’s Word Translation (GW), interestingly renders it “reflects on his teachings day and night”. I don’t think it needs to be as formal as many of us have been taught.

Psalm 119:97 GW
Oh, how I love your teachings! They are in my thoughts all day long.

It would be impossible to sit down and meditate on God’s teachings all day long everyday, which is what my literal mindedness used to believe. But just like praying ceaselessly (1 Thessalonians 5:17), it’s something we can do every chance we get, as opposed to 100% of the time. This only comes about when it’s something we love and care about and when we spend time reading or listening to something that gives us something we want to think and pray about.

Psalm 86:11 GW
Teach me your way, O LORD, so that I may live in your truth. Focus my heart on fearing you.

Thank you to the vegetable growing pastor down under for this commentary.

I was reading James 4 and was re-convicted. I’ve been convicted a lot lately about how negatively I say some things about people or say things I don’t need to say or say or thing things where pride has been creeping in (more than usual I guess). I was amazed at James 4. Can you imagine if every Christian who interacted with people quite a bit each day either in real life or online would read this every morning? I know it would make a difference. Kumbaya my friends.

James 4:2-4 GW
You’re determined to have things, but you can’t get what you want. You quarrel and fight. You don’t have the things you want, because you don’t pray for them. 3 When you pray for things, you don’t get them because you want them for the wrong reason-for your own pleasure. 4 You unfaithful people! Don’t you know that love for this evil world is hatred toward God? Whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God.

We want to be wise but how many people pray for it (Prov 2:1-6)? We want to understand the Bible but how many people pray for it and set out to achieve it? We want to be widely influential and get a new (but not used) car and clothes that make us look higher class but is this what God wants? How confusing it must be to be a new Christian in this (Western, where this blogger’s perspective is) society, pray for things and not get them and not know what they really need and some stay stuck there. I wonder how materialistic I am and have no idea. Not that I’m wringing my hands over it (but I mourn regarding the things written above, James 4:9; Matt 5:4), but I pray that I’ll love what God loves and hate what God hates.

What a great chapter.

If you haven’t read through the Old Testament and for any reason find it difficult, consider this plan which will take you through it in two years. It’s vitally important to read the whole letter that God has written for us.

Old Testament

I prefer to read it in a relatively short amount of time as far as reading through it for familiarity. Knowing how few Christians read the Bible daily, I can only imagine how few have read through the Old Testament. I hope this may help some people out.

I’m more amazed and get more out of it every time I read it.

• Speaking The Truth In Love
• Philemon :6
• Jeremiah 29:11 – the comments are better than the post
• Psalm 23 …your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

I was going to do a post on ‘speaking the truth in love’ and saw that I already did one a few years ago. Good thing I noticed. So I rounded up some other ones that deal with interpretation of single verses. I still sometimes have to remind myself to look at the context, which can/should be quite broad sometimes.

The NIV says, “Be still and know that I am God” which has led some to believe this verse is about quiet, contemplative prayer.

It’s more likely in this verse that God is telling us to be quiet and quit fretting about all that’s going on in the world (easier said than done) and know that God is the ruler and will be glorified and exalted in all that is happening. So important in difficult times.

Spurgeon says in his Treasury of David:

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Hold off your hands, ye enemies! Sit down and wait in patience, ye believers! Acknowledge that Jehovah is God, ye who feel the terrors of his wrath! Adore him, and him only, ye who partake in the protections of his grace. Since none can worthily proclaim his nature, let “expressive silence muse his praise.” The boasts of the ungodly and the timorous forebodings of the saints should certainly be hushed by a sight of what the Lord has done in past ages.

I love the term timorous forebodings, which is what we hear and read about a lot these days (and apparently in Spurgeon’s day too!) when there are so many books, sermons by spurious pastors and articles on ‘headline prophecy’ (trying to match current events with Bible prophecy), the impending doom that is always being predicted, etc. Not that impending doom isn’t upon us, we just can’t predict it, or anything else that may or may not happen.

I bring this up mainly because I read this in my two favorite translations and like how they put it:

Psalm 46:10 GW
Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God.
I rule the nations. I rule the earth.

Psalm 46:10 REB
‘Let be then; learn that I am God,
exalted in the nations, exalted in the earth.’

Read the whole Psalm to see the context. The idea of the beginning of this single verse needs to be balanced with others and not misunderstood to the other extreme of course.

If any Hebrew geeks or anyone else want to chime in, feel free.

Luke 12:29-34 GW
“Don’t concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things. 30 Everyone in the world is concerned about these things, but your Father knows you need them. 31 Rather, be concerned about his kingdom. Then these things will be provided for you.

32 Don’t be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 “Sell your material possessions, and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves wallets that don’t wear out! Make a treasure for yourselves in heaven that never loses its value! In heaven thieves and moths can’t get close enough to destroy your treasure.

34 Your heart will be where your treasure is.

Psalm 1:1-3 NIV
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

I’ve often wondered about “whatever he does prospers”. I always thought it to be a general truth like a Proverb and not a hard and fast rule or promise that comes about 100% of the time.

For friends who may be interested in one thing I’ve been doing lately–As part of my concentration on the Old Testament, I’m going through all of the OT verses and passages I have memorized (too many single verses!) and reading them in context again. I also look things up in a commentary if I feel a need. Since I don’t have a lot of newer (which isn’t necessarily better of course) OT commentaries in book form, I often go to e-Sword, where there are plenty of commentary modules of dead people that are out of copyright. One of the ones I especially like is Spurgeon’s Treasury of David which is on the Psalms. (The one in e-Sword doesn’t contain additional quotes that Spurgeon compiled for each verse in addition to his own commentary.)

So after my update on what I’ve been doing, here is an interesting quote from Spurgeon on the last part of Psalm 1:3 :

“And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Blessed is the man who hath such a promise as this. But we must not always estimate the fulfilment of a promise by our own eye-sight. How often, my brethren, if we judge by feeble sense, may we come to the mournful conclusion of Jacob, “All these things are against me!” For though we know our interest in the promise, yet are we so tried and troubled, that sight sees the very reverse of what that promise foretells. But to the eye of faith this word is sure, and by it we perceive that our works are prospered, even when everything seems to go against us. It is not outward prosperity which the Christian most desires and values; it is soul prosperity which he longs for. We often, like Jehoshaphat, make ships to go to Tarshish for gold, but they are broken at Ezion-geber; but even here there is a true prospering, for it is often for the soul’s health that we should be poor, bereaved, and persecuted. Our worst things are often our best things. As there is a curse wrapped up in the wicked man’s mercies, so there is a blessing concealed in the righteous man’s crosses, losses, and sorrows. The trials of the saint are a divine husbandry, by which he grows and brings forth abundant fruit.

Even though the word prosper may have changed somewhat in meaning over time, we westerners still think dangerously temporal and materialistic. Too dangerous for our spiritual health.

Always strive to have an imbalance in your heart where the desire to love outdistances the desire to be loved: “This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another.” (1 John 3:11, 16)

–Ed Welch, Running Scared: Fear, Worry & the God of Rest

Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

This is the most comprehensive page of information I’ve ever seen. It’s more than most people would want to read, but you can read what may be of interest to you or come up with some materials for others you may be ministering to.

Memorizing His Word

Here are a couple of highlights that I strongly agree with.

I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture…No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified.

–Dr. Chuck Swindoll, Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994, p. 61) [so good they mentioned it twice]

One note of caution – Be careful when memorizing single verses that you do not “wrench” them out of their context, lest you give the passage a meaning (and an interpretation) God never intended. Always examine the context surrounding the verse you are memorizing or even better memorize larger sections of Scripture, including chapters or even entire books.

Memorizing His Word

What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we set for ourselves in life? To know God. What is ‘eternal life’ that Jesus gives? Knowledge of God. ‘This is eternal life; that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent’ (John 17:3). What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, more delight and contentment than anything else? Knowledge of God. ‘Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me’ (Jer. 9:23f.).

In these few sentences we have said a great deal. Our point is one to which every Christian heart will warm, though the person whose religion is merely formal will not be moved by it. (And by this very fact his unregenerate state may be known.)

…

For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?

–J.I. Packer, Knowing God (Chapter 3–page numbers vary in different editions)

This certainly is a great deal! And yet it’s so simple. We find God in the Bible and through His works of the Holy Spirit, which always agree with the Bible. No amount of programs or fancy explanations can do the work of the Cross and the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 1:17-18) And nothing outside of the Bible will help us know God. Those who have no interest in the Bible really have no interest in God, which right now grieves me more than you can know.

After a lifetime of studying the Bible, it is simple realism, not mock humility, to acknowledge that we are still paddling in the shallows of revealed truth.

–Edward Donnelly, Biblical Teaching on the Doctrines of Heaven and Hell

HT: Challies.com

God opens our eyes to see the wonderful things in His teachings. The Psalmist has worked to learn and obey God’s law’s. (Memorization is a given.) It’s God that does the teaching. The Psalmist wants to keep learning. God will keep teaching. A joyful lifelong cycle.

I love this Psalm more every time I read it.

Psalm 119:18 GW
Uncover my eyes
so that I may see the miraculous things in your teachings.

Psalm 119:11-13 NET
In my heart I store up your words,
so I might not sin against you.
12 You deserve praise, O LORD!
Teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I proclaim
all the regulations you have revealed.

Psalm 119:33 GW
Teach me, O LORD, how to live by your laws,
and I will obey them to the end.

Psalm 119:60 GW
Without any hesitation
I hurry to obey your commandments.

Psalm 119:64 GW
Your mercy, O LORD, fills the earth.
Teach me your laws.

Psalm 119:111 GW
Your written instructions are mine forever.
They are the joy of my heart.

We cannot ignore the Bible and at the same time honor Jesus Christ.

–Warren Wiersbe, Let’s Go!: The Epistle to the Hebrews for Twenty-First Century Christians

From the blog post Christ Speaks to Us – Are We Gonna Listen? By Douglas K. Adu-Boahen at Wired for Truth
Thanks Douglas

People understandably want to hear from God. Some mystics will be quiet before God and expect to hear Him speak. But as many people have said, if you want to hear from God, open up your Bible and read it! Sometimes God will give you a revelation–something you haven’t noticed before. Other times you’ll read what you’ve read before and not seem to get anything new from it. But it’s still the living God of the universe, who created everything, including you (Psalm 139:13-16) that you are “hearing” by reading. If you expect God to make decisions for you, especially through Scripture, you may be disappointed. (See God’s Will – Do Whatever You Want) We need to honor Scripture and not expect it to be what it isn’t. The more we read it and know what God’s will is, the easier it will be for us to make decisions, though there will always be the especially difficult ones. If we expect to just go to it when we need it as a Magic 8-Ball, we are dishonoring it and God will not honor that.

A former pastor said, “Before my head hits the pillow, my nose is in the book.” (Not necessarily at night, but to make sure everyday) I’ve lived by that for 2-3 years now. I wish I would have consistently for the last 25.

The name of the Lord should be held in great reverence and should never be mentioned without praise and thanksgiving, which are a certain kind of worship and divine service.

–Marthin Luther, First Lectures on Galatians

Galatians 1:5 NLT
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

Matthew 6:9 NLT
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

You may be at a loss to know why He does no more to deliver you from some sin, or why He does not make you more successful in your efforts to aid others, or why, while He so liberally prospers you in one part of your condition, you get so much less in another that is far nearer your heart; but God does what He will with His own, and if you do not find in one point the whole blessing and prosperity you think should flow from such a mediator as you have, you may only conclude that what is lacking there, will elsewhere be found more wisely bestowed. And is it not a perpetual encouragement to us that God does not merely crown what nature has successfully begun, that it is not the likely and the naturally good that are most blessed, but that God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty ; and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are?

–Marcus Dods, The Book of Genesis, pg 424 approx., as quoted in Creation and Blessing by Alan Ross, pg. 695

Genesis 48:17-22 NRSV
When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father! Since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will invoke blessings, saying, ‘God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your ancestors. 22 I now give to you one portion more than to your brothers, the portion that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”

1 Corinthians 1:27-31 NRSV
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Psalm 34:8-14 TNIV
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed are those who take refuge in him.
9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

Psalm 147:10-11
His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the power of human legs;
11 the Lord delights in those
who fear him,
who put their hope
in his unfailing love.

Lamentations 3:25
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

Nahum 1:7
The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble;
he cares for those who take refuge in him.

See the context for the second two which isn’t as pleasant sounding as they are by themselves but I think they still stand.

Psalm 144:3-4 HCSB
LORD, what is man, that You care for him,
the son of man, that You think of him?
4 Man is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.

Daniel 4:35
All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does what He wants with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can hold back His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?”

Psalm 103:13-14
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
14 For He knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.

Matthew 6:9b
Our Father in heaven

Matthew 7:11
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

New to me:
The Lexham English Bible

Available in:

• Logos Bible Software (2.04 MB)
• Plain Text – TXT (1.5 MB)
• Extensible Markup Language – XML (2.1 MB)
• Electronic Publication – EPUB (641 KB)
• The SWORD Project version (608 KB)
• CROSS (2 MB)

and online at Biblia.com

Comparison Chart – you may need to scroll down

I’m not an expert in what I’m writing about in this post. Please forgive any mistakes in the details.

Most people seem to use Strong’s Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicon if they want to look up some definitions in the original languages, which isn’t very helpful for definitions because the lexicon (dictionary), is very brief. The current lexicon that most modern commentators would use is the BDAG, which costs about $150, although there is an abridged version for about $80 which may be adequate for lay people.

But there are in-between resources, one of them called Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions for the Hebrew. As with Strong’s, these can be found to be used free in e-Sword and some other Bible software.

I rarely use these and find it much more helpful to look at 6-8 different translations and see what they did with it. If there are diversions, it can be helpful to try to find out why, or just to see which words or phrases the translation committees chose.

If one would want to look up some definitions and see the range of words that might be used, Thayer’s may be a better choice if you’re looking for a free resource.

Also see:
How NOT To Use Strong’s Concordance
How NOT To Use Strong’s Concordance – Part 2
How To Properly Use Strong’s Concordance
Strong’s Concordance – A Good Example