🫪Knowing🧠

 Knowing is not enough, we must apply.

Psalms 23:1 (KJV) The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

That small phrase “The LORD is” shows up 55 times alone in the book of Psalms. It’s mention   

166 times in the Bible, 150 in the Old Testament and 16 times in the New Testament. In those 166 times we are told who the Lord is. 

In  Exodus 9:27 (KJV) the LORD is righteous”

In  Exodus 15:2 (KJV) “The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation:” 

In  Numbers 14:9 (KJV) “the LORD is with us:”   

In  Luke 1:28 (KJV) “the Lord is with thee:”    

In  Luke 24:34 (KJV) “The Lord is risen indeed”     In  2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise”                

The Lord is a lot of things but here in Psalms 23 we read that the Lord is “my shepherd” If the Lord doesn’t become personal then He doesn’t become dependable. The Lord doesn’t become my Song, my Strength and my Salvation. He doesn't become my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer, my Shield, my Helper, my God. And He doesn’t become the one I can Trust on or in, because being personal means that you an I know who The Lord is. It’s impossible to know who someone is if you don’t spend time with them. My wife and I were separated for a long period of time when Uncle Sam decided to send me far away. We wrote letters and then my dad came up with this idea, cassette tapes. Those cassette tapes kept my mind from forgetting what my wife sounded like. You may say that I shouldn’t forget what her voice sounded like. A long period of separation can really mess with your mind. I may not have forgotten but it sure was good to hear her voice. Nothing could have taken the place when that plane landed in Atlanta that December night right before Christmas in 1971.  When I saw her with my eyes, my ears heard that voice I was so familiar with. What rejoicing, not only see her but our son also. Had I not taken time to communicate by letter and also listen to her voice would I have knew her? Imagine meeting someone you say you know but you haven’t talked to them, read their letters or heard their voice. That is why people hold up signs in airports with names on them because they have no idea who they are to pick up. If you say you know the Lord, then we should spend some time with Him, get to know Him so that when you get to Heaven you’ll know who Jesus is. 

1 John 5:20 (KJV) And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

🫪Where did You Go💨

 Where you are is all about understanding your current path.

No help, unheard, yet the cry is clear “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?.” Have we ever found ourselves saying those words? If not openly then maybe in silence. You know what I didn’t read? Were words of why me! We are reading of a day that will not come for 100’s of years. As Dr. M.R. Dehann wrote in one of his books when he said “we see Our Lord on every page in our Bible. Sometimes He is seen as a shadow moving across the pages, At other times He is seen standing behind the lattice and yet at other times He stands boldly upon the page.” Just take time and look for He is always there.  Here is one of those times our Lord is seen standing boldly upon the page. It was that awful day at Calvary. Pilate had Jesus whipped because the hatred of the people was so great. Instead of setting Jesus free the people would rather have a known criminal set free. So they did just that. John 19:1 (KJV) Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.

  The beating was so hard and the weight of the cross was so great another had to carry the cross. Here in Psalms 22 Jesus cries out, "My God, My God or Dad, Dad where are you? ”Why hast thou forsaken me?” Why? Because on that day Jesus was making payment for mine and your sin debt. Paul wrote of this payment in Romans chapter 6 verse 23 “For the wages of sin is death.” Here on that day on that cross Jesus paid our sin debt and God had to distance Himself from Jesus His Son. 

 Psalms 22:1 (KJV) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

We at times may feel and even ask God where are you. Job did Job 23:2 (KJV) Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

Job 23:3 (KJV) Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

We at times may distance ourselves from God but God never will distance Himself from His children. 

 Hebrews 13:5 (KJV) Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

On that day at Calvary God left His only Son and the darkness came as Jesus did what we should never have to do “my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” 

🪎Where Pure Gold is Cheap💸

The finest compliment you can pay a man is that his word was as good as gold. — Evel Knievel

David the King. David in the top place of leadership does something different than the leaders of today. We hear what they have done; I was poor but now because of my wise moves I’m well to do. Don’t break your arm patting yourself on the back. David the King said it well, and we should take what he said and how he said it to heart. 

Psalms 21:1 (KJV) The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

David said he shall joy in the LORD’s strength not his. In the LORD’s Salvation and how great he shall rejoice. 

Psalms 21:2 (KJV) Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.

The LORD has given David the King his heart’s desire. 

Count Your Blessings

 When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.    

 When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings, money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. 

I think that was what David the King was doing. It was the LORD that gave victory over the enemies. It was the LORD that gave salvation and it was the LORD that gave peace within. It was the LORD that answered prayer and it was the LORD that kept on giving.  David was no fool; he knew where his help came from, his blessing came from and he took time to thank the LORD for HIS goodness. When we are filled with discouragement, thinking all is lost. When we look around and see the prosperity of others, the wise financial decisions they made and we didn’t. We may lose heart if that’s all we see. Never forget what Christ has done and is doing in your life. Oh we may not see it clearly now but one day we will. I’m reminded of the movie The Wizard of Oz. At the end when the great Oz was seen for being what he really was. But he gave hope to the Scare Crow, the Tin Man and the Lion. When he said this phrase “but they have one thing you don’t.” So when this life looks bad and you get to thinking about what you don’t have. Stop and remind yourself, I have one thing many don’t  and that’s eternal life. Headed to a city where streets are paved with gold. Oh how cheap gold has become in our heavenly city that God paves the streets with it. Get your mind off the cheap things of this life a look further ahead to a place where death is disbanded.       

🤔Words I Learned🧐

 The Word of The Lord came!  

Is not this the word that we did tell thee?  

 Psalms 20:1 (KJV) The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;

Psalms 20:2 (KJV) Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;

The LORD hear thee

When: in the day of trouble

Purpose: Send thee help  

The Place:  from the sanctuary

Psalms 20:7 (KJV) Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

Some put their trust in the wrong thing. The wrong power, the wrong strength. The strength of the horse. The power of the chariot. But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

Now that’s interesting wording;  “we will remember.” There is no way on God's green earth anyone can remember if it never happened. Webster said to remember is “To have in the mind an idea which had been in the mind before, and which recurs to the mind without effort.”

When the Lord has done something in our past we remember what He has done, we haven’t forgotten. Just the other day I was driving and my mind was all over the place. I was agitated and I didn’t know why? A quick thought here, a quick thought there. I decided to pull into a small strip mall, I parked and turned the engine off. I then bowed my head and said a short prayer and pleaded for help. The Lord heard my prayer and my  agitation left. I have never forgotten the words of a preacher long ago “what He has done for others He will do for you.” Oh how true that is. Why is that?   Acts 10:34 (KJV) Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

God does not have more respect for one person than another. Oh where did I learn that? In the Sanctuary being around God's children. There was one man I learned so much from. James Smith, he has been in heaven for over 30 years. Oh but his words of wisdom still ring in my heart today. The words I learned in the sanctuary from the song leader. Going to the Sanctuary or Church has never been a waste of my time. Oh but I heard one say that all the preacher does is ask for money. You heard from one who doesn’t go to the Sanctuary much. Listen to those who attended on a regular basis and you won’t hear them say that.   

🕶️Sunglasses or Confession?🙏

 It’s during the moments of darkness that we need the Greater light to shine.

Have you ever had the sun get in your eyes that it made it hard for you to see? Without doubt I’m sure; you reach for your sunglasses to help and they do but the brightness of the sun is still there. Your sunglasses have made it better but not taken all the brightness away. We can put on the sunglasses of life. Hoping to take away the bright light God is trying to get to our soul. We may put on the glasses of alcohol, drugs, sex, anger, disbelief, ignorance or another pleasure dimming the light God is trying to reveal. Just like

heading east in the morning you are going to need sunglasses. Sunglasses dim the light but the glory of God is still going to be there making its way above the tree line and into your eyes.   

Psalms 19:1 (KJV) The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Wow God shows us His glory every morning then again at night we get to witness His knowledge. Psalms 19:2 (KJV) Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

Who gets to witness God’s glory? God has made His glory available to all. Psalms 19:3 (KJV) There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. The glory of God is seen all over this world. There is no language or part of God’s World that His light doesn’t cover. No matter where you are, the glory of God will shine on you today. 

Psalms 19:6 (KJV) His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

We can run but we can’t hide. For just as you and I will see and experience the sun. So does our Heavenly Father see you and I.   

2 Chronicles 16:9 (KJV) For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth,  

Think you are hiding from the Lord? Think again for you are not. Adam thought he was hiding from God but found out he wasn’t. Psalms 69:5 (KJV) O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.

Hiding doesn't help but confessing will.  

Romans 10:9 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Sunglasses or Confession? He already knows.    

👁️I Will😍

“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”

Psalms 18:1 (KJV) I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

I will" is a phrase used to express a firm intention, determination, promise, or voluntary consent to perform a future action. It functions as a modal auxiliary verb conveying strong volition or a decision made at the moment of speaking. Webster 1828 

Firm intention or promise Determination, firm intent Voluntary consent, no one’s making you do it. 

David said I will, I’m firm and I’m determined, no one has forced me to love you Lord. Lord my strength is in You. Lord you are my foundation (rock) Lord you are my place of safety (fortress)

Lord you are my (deliverer) Lord you are my protector (buckler) Lord you are my (salvation)

I promise, I am determined, I will voluntarily call on thee for you Lord will save me from mine enemies. Then the first enemy that David speaks of is death. Psalms 18:4 (KJV) The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

Is death an enemy? 1 Corinthians 15:26 (KJV) The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Every time you go see the doctor, take that pill, walk that mile, eat that healthy food you and I are fighting our enemy, death. The sorrows of “death” the the sorrows of “hell.” Psalms 18:5 (KJV) The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

Is not death ever before us? How about a place called hell? Does that ever cross our minds? Have you ever asked yourself, is there such a place? My pastor of many years ago used to say people have overcome the place called hell. Today high powered drugs have taken away the yells in the hospital hallways. The screams from those who were headed to that place called hell. He said now people quietly go there. Does the near afterlife stress anyone out enough of them to call upon the Lord? Psalms 18:6 (KJV) In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

Is that what many want the best of both worlds? Live here and get all you can get and right before your eyes close in death ask the Lord to save you? Oh what selfish thinking. What a lie straight from the enemy's lips. Most people don’t die healthy with a mind that would even consider such. Is there a place called Heaven? Is there a place called hell? What do you think? May I remind you that what you and I think has nothing to do with what’s real. One night sitting outside a house me and my family lived in. It had electricity and running water; if you needed or wanted water you ran out to the well and drew up a cool bucket of water. We had plenty of heat in the summer and our house was kept cool in the winter, on this night I went out and sat by the well. On that night I prayed and asked God I needed a better place to raise my family. I asked God to please help us. Not long afterwards I was able to buy a house on a piece of property in the city. The house was better than what we were living in for sure although it did need much work. Long story short God answered my prayer for sure. What I couldn’t see and didn’t know that God was giving me and my family much more than I asked for. In just a few years a man wanted to buy our home and offered us more that 25 times more than we gave. The blessing of that night sitting by the well as God answered my prayer is more than I can pen down. I have watched God answer many a prayer and open many doors. Is there a heaven? I haven’t seen it but I have felt it over the years. I know and understand that feelings will fail you. So I’m not going on my feelings alone. I have it written down, a promise from God our Heavenly Father. One day soon I’ll see it. Why do I say that? 

1 John 5:13 (KJV) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

If you don’t know. Could it be you don’t know the promises of what our Heaven Father has left for us in His Book called the Bible?

🫵RU LISTENING👂

“Silence is quietness but when silence is replaced by noise, what we would have heard has been left silent.”

Psalms 17:1 (KJV) Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

David starts off praying to his Heavenly Father saying “Hear” the word “Hear” is mentioned 57 times in the Psalms. David says “Hear” as he begins his prayer. Hear, O LORD, pay attention unto my cry, LORD give an ear to my prayer. Have you ever prayed, LORD are You listening to me for my heart is broken. Please give an ear to your child. I remember many years ago a Pastor said he could remember the prayers of moms and dads for their children during World War II. He said the altars were wet with tears as they prayed time after time so much that it stained the floor. Do you think that they may have said words such as these? O LORD please hear our prayers. Our son is in harm's way and his life is in danger of being lost. Please hear our prayer, protect our son. LORD in You do we place our trust. We read in the New Testament of one continuing to knock asking his friend for another friend that came at midnight. Not a good time to show up. What is interesting is this comes immediately after the disciples asked the Lord to teach them to pray. We find this in the book of Luke Chapter 11. We all should be knowledgeable about what we call the Lord’s Prayer. Luke 11:2 (KJV) And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

When things in our life show up unexpectedly we can and should pray and ask knocking at Heaven's Door. 🚪Luke 11:5 (KJV) And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

Luke 11:6 (KJV) For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

Luke 11:7 (KJV) And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

In other words NO! Unexceptable answer. So the asking continues. Luke 11:8 (KJV) I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity (Urgent Request) he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

Then the Lord said Luke 11:9 (KJV) And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Now can you see and understand something about praying or asking a friend? Hear my prayer, Lord give an ear, my heart is broken and I don’t understand why this has happened?