BIBLE PICK 'EMS - God...He Rules!

If you recall, these were my original thoughts about "Pick 'ems":

I know it probably isn't "spiritually PC" to randomly open the Bible and expect to find a meaningful verse – it opens the door to the whole "out of context" dilemma. (And...you might just find yourself in Leviticus!!) But, I decided that I wanted to do this, along with my regular reading through the Bible. The way I figured it, I wasn't *testing* God – in other words, "prove something to me, Lord" – I was *trusting* God – "show something to me, Lord." After all, don't we know that His Word is living, breathing, and powerful?!

So, I'm pickin' every day – letting you know what was going on with me that day – and then I'm going to sum up the *theme of the week* that I think God was impressing on my heart.

Hope you're as blessed as I've been!!

MONDAY - (renting the first U-haul truck for our big *move* up the hill - it's really gonna happen - scary!)  "I trust in the LORD for protection...the LORD is in his holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven."  (Psalm 11:1, 4)

TUESDAY - (trying to make tons of decisions)  "If my misery could be weighed and my troubles be put on the scales, they would outweigh all the sands of the sea...At least I can take comfort in this: Despite the pain, I have not denied the words of the Holy One."  (Job 6:2,10)

WEDNESDAY - (traveling a 4-hour round-trip up and back to the new house)  "But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, "You are my God !"  My future is in your hands...Let your favor shine on your servant."  (Psalm 31:14-16)

THURSDAY - (struggling to find internet for the new house - will it work out?) "How long, O LORD, must I call for help?...The LORD replied, 'Look around...look and be amazed!  For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it." 

(Habakkuk 1:2, 5)

FRIDAY - (under a lot of pressure - money issues)  "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.  Today's trouble is enough for today."  (Matthew 34:6)

SATURDAY - (the old house is emptying out, feeling sad)  "...God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land...He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give..."  (Genesis 50:24)

Well, the moving *saga* continues.  I have been plagued by time and money pressures, and the increasing reality that I am actually leaving this old, familiar home and place.  I've been frustrated with setbacks, and scared about the upcoming future.

But, God spoke plainly this week.  His message?  HE is still in control - HE is still on His throne.  And He continues to accompany me every step of this new journey.

He is there - He is the same God that has reigned forever!

What has God said to YOU this week?

"When in doubt, search God out!"

EPHESIANS - Praise the King!

I was so excited.

I had stayed up all night, camped out on the street, and it was just moments before the beginning of…

The Tournament of Roses Parade!

This is a beautiful parade that happens every year on January 1st. And it's quite a spectacle to watch on TV. But, let me tell you, being there in person is another thing entirely!

It's hard to explain the excitement of the people, the sounds and smells, the beauty of the floats with their myriad rainbows of colorful seeds and flowers. I stayed out with a group from church just once in college. But I'm so glad that I did. It was memorable…

I was reminded of that beautiful morning because today is Palm Sunday. The day of Jesus' triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem.

Picture yourself there – surrounded by people from all walks of life. It was the beginning of Holy Week, and the roads into Jerusalem were thronging with pilgrims. Can you hear the many voices of the crowd – murmuring or laughing, talking excitedly among themselves? Are you jostled along with the animals, stopping here and there for a bite to eat? Can you see and smell the surrounding countryside?

Can you imagine the anticipation in the crowd when they heard that Jesus – whom many believed was the long-awaited Messiah, the Promised One who would deliver their nation – was arriving in the Holy City?

"Where is He?"

"He's just up ahead."

"Is He coming this way?"

"YES!"

People scrambled for position (just like we did on that parade route) – trying to get the best vantage point to see – to see HIM!

He enters on a donkey – and people push and shove to throw their cloaks on the road ahead of Him. Palm branches are waved and strewn about in honor of the approaching King. Jesus was the center of the procession, and the people all around Him were shouting:

"Praise God for the Son of David!

Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!

Praise God in highest heaven!"

It's one thing to read about it in the Bible – being there in person must have been another thing entirely!

And then – less than one week later – Jesus was hanging on a criminal's cross.

Anticipation – then incredible, dashing hopelessness…

The anguished cry echoed in every heart – WHY?

Today's "Bible Pick 'Ems" sheds light – because it tells us what the Light of the World did on that day:

"You lived in this world without God, and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall that separated us…Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross…Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us." (Ephesians 2:12-14, 16, 18)

The Prince of Peace arrived that day – not the conquering king, but the Suffering Servant.

The One who brought hope to all the peoples of the earth.

The One who still does…

"Look, your king is coming to you.

He is righteous and victorious,

Yet he is humble, riding on a donkey…

His realm will stretch from sea to sea and…to the ends of the earth."

(Zechariah 9:9-10)

Bless the One who comes in the name of the LORD!!

What are your words of praise on this glorious Palm Sunday?

"When in doubt, search God out!"

PSALMS - God Is Still On His Throne

God is still on His throne.

Do you ever forget that?

I know I do sometimes. It's a crazy world out there, and it seems like it's getting crazier –evil is more evil, fear is more fearful, persecution is more persecuting…

Everything feels a little out of control.

I feel out of control.

Evidently, even if you're a man after God's own heart, you can feel this way.

Today's "Bible Pick 'Ems" was written by David (I will be sharing it in two parts):

"I trust in the LORD for protection.

So why do you say to me, 'Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!

The wicked are stringing their bows

and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.

They shoot from the shadows

at those whose hearts are right.

The foundations of law and order have collapsed.

What can the righteous do?'" (Psalms 11:1-3)

David was forced to flee for his life several times. Yes, he was God's anointed king – but that didn't spare him from injustice and hatred from others. This psalm may have been written when he was being hunted by Saul (1 Samuel

18-31), or during the days of Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 15-18).

In both instances, David did run away – but he didn't run as if all was lost.

In the first part of this psalm, David seems to be speaking to those who are advising him to run from his enemies. His advisors were focused on the frightening circumstances and crumbling foundations.

David was focused on God.

Hear his response:

"But the LORD is in his holy Temple;

the LORD still rules from heaven.

He watches everyone closely,

examining every person on earth…

The virtuous will see his face." (Psalms 11:4, 7)

David had faith – faith in a God whom he knew was greater than anything his enemies could bring against him.

David knew God was in control.

Still in His Temple – still ruling from Heaven.

Faith in God keeps us from losing hope – and it helps us resist fear.

God is not diminished by ANY turn of events.

NOTHING catches Him by surprise. NOTHING happens without His knowledge and His permission.

That, my friends, consoles me greatly.

It's true that this crazy old world is getting crazier. And believers will not be shielded from difficult circumstances. God's Word tells us that this will be so. But God's Word also tells us how to deal with it.

When the foundations are shaking and you want to run away and hide – run to God.

OK, the wicked might be stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They might be taking potshots at us from the shadows. Even the foundations of law and order might be collapsing (watched the news lately??)…

Fear not.

I have a feeling that God is still sitting on His throne – a throne that He told us we can approach BOLDLY!

"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."

(Hebrews 4:16)

God's rule provides stability in the midst of panic. And, because we trust Him, we can face our problems.

David knew it – and so can we.

God is still on His throne…

And we will see His face!

(Linked today with Charlotte and Ginger at Spiritual Sundays, and Peggy at Soaking On SONday. Please feel free to hop on over to my other blog during the week - Sharon Sharing God)

“When in doubt, search God out!”

PSALMS - Specks of Matter

My husband and I love to go camping in the desert.

And one of my favorite things to do is sit by the campfire and look at the sky.

It's fun to scan the sky at dusk, and try to find the first few *stars* that appear. Before you know it, the sky is FILLED with them – they are EVERYWHERE! You can even see the Milky Way – it looks like a wispy cloud that stretches from horizon to horizon.

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things to study and learn about was astronomy– it still is!

One of the amazing facts I learned about stars is this – the distances are mind-boggling!

Ready for our lesson? (Don't worry – there won't be a pop quiz!)

Besides the Sun, the nearest star to Earth is called Alpha Centauri. It lies 4.21 light years away from earth. That means if something could travel at the speed of light, which is 186,000 miles EVERY SECOND, it would take 4.21 years to reach this closest star.

Think of it this way – the spacecraft that holds the record for the fastest ever space travel would take a STAGGERING 19,000 years to reach this star!

So, needless to say, sitting under that beautiful canopy of stars in the desert is an absolutely spectacular, awe-inspiring experience.

And quite humbling, I might add.

Today's "Bible Pick 'Ems" is a perfect reminder:

"When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers – the moon and the stars you set in place – what are people that you should think about them, mere mortals that you should care for them?" (Psalm 8:3, 4)

You know, it's true.

Staring at the infinite majesty of the skies, it is easy to think that we are nothing to an Almighty God.

And yet, Psalm 147:4 makes this amazing statement: "[God] counts the stars and knows them by name."

In light of His awesome power, we seem so small and insignificant.

We seem like nothing more than "specks of matter."

And yet, our God DOES indeed think of us… more often than we can even know.

Listen to the words of Psalm 139:17, 18: "How precious are your thoughts about ME, O God. They CANNOT BE NUMBERED! I can’t even count them…"

Our God, the One who knows the stars by name, also knows my name, and YOUR name, each one of you.

And He thinks about us all the time.

We are "specks of matter"…that matter!

Yes, my friends, God not only THINKS about us – HE LOVES US!

Let these wonderful words from the book of Psalms wash over you:

"The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love…He does not punish us for our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as GREAT AS THE HEIGHT OF THE HEAVENS ABOVE EARTH…For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust…the love of the LORD remains FOREVER with those who love him."

Yes, looking at the stars in the desert sky gives me new insights about God. The work of His creation in the heavens is awe-inspiring, and it can make us feel insignificant.

However, the same God who paints the sky with stars, is also the One who came to die for us!

He gave His life for us – just because He LOVES us.

And you know what the best news is?

This love is ours FOREVER!

"NO power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, NOTHING in all creation will EVER be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord!" (Romans 8:39)

I will never look at the stars without thinking about God’s love, His FOREVER love.

And my hope for you today is this – that you will ALWAYS know His deep love within your own heart, and that you will draw closer to the majestic God of the heavens, the Master of the skies, the One who knows the stars by name…

…the "Living One who sees YOU" – and knows YOUR name.

(Linked today with Charlotte and Ginger at Spiritual Sundays, and Peggy at Soaking On SONday. Please feel free to hop on over to my other blog during the week - Sharon Sharing God)

"When in doubt, search God out!"