785.) Psalms 95 and 96

Psalm 95 (New International Version)

Today marks three years of DWELLING in the Word!  We planned to have gone through the Bible; we have completed only about three-fourths.  But we have had over 1.2 million views, with people seeing DWELLING from 176 nations!  Our top six countries (meaning there we have our largest numbers of readers) are the USA, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Philippines, Australia, and India.

If you find this ministry helpful and meaningful, please consider praying for and donating to DWELLING.

¹ Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
² Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.

³ For the LORD is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
⁴ In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
⁵ The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.

⁶ Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
⁷ for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.

The world is so full
of a number of things,
I think we should all
be as happy as kings.

–Robert Louis Stevenson

Today, if only you would hear his voice,
⁸ “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,
as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,
⁹ where your ancestors tested me;
they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
¹⁰ For forty years I was angry with that generation;
I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,
and they have not known my ways.’
¹¹ So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’”

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Music:

To celebrate our anniversary today, I am bringing you two lovely songs, one for each psalm.  Here is Psalm 95, put to music by the Sons of Korah, an Australian folk band.

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Psalm 96 (New International Version)

¹ Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
² Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
³ Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

⁴ For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
⁵ For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
⁶ Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

⁷ Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
⁸ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
⁹ Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
¹⁰ Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.

He rules the world with truth and grace
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love.

–Isaac Watts

¹¹ Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
¹² Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
¹³ Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

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Music:

Kairos: A Consort of Singers, a vocal ensemble located in West Park, NY, performs Psalm 96, “Chantez a Dieu, chanson nouvelle” (Sing to the Lord a New Song) by 16th century Dutch composer Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. Recorded at Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, NY in June, 2009.

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New International Version (NIV)   Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Images courtesy of:

Psalm 95:1.   http://oneyearbibleimages.com/psalm95_1.jpg

three birthday candles.  http://blog.art21.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/3-birthday-candles.jpg

Psalm 96:2.   http://pjoedy.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/psalm-96.jpg

770.) Psalms 93 and 94

Psalm 93 (The Message)

^1-2 God is King, robed and ruling,
God is robed and surging with strength.
And yes, the world is firm, immovable,
Your throne ever firm—you’re Eternal!

^3-4 Sea storms are up, God,
Sea storms wild and roaring,
Sea storms with thunderous breakers.
Stronger than wild sea storms,
Mightier than sea-storm breakers,
Mighty God rules from High Heaven.

One of my favorite sea poems — for all of us water people!

Sea Fever
by John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way, where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

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⁵ What you say goes—it always has.
“Beauty” and “Holy” mark your palace rule,
God, to the very end of time.

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Psalm 94 (The Message)

^1-2 God, put an end to evil;
avenging God, show your colors!
Judge of the earth, take your stand;
throw the book at the arrogant.

^3-4 God, the wicked get away with murder—
how long will you let this go on?
They brag and boast
and crow about their crimes!

^5-7 They walk all over your people, God,
exploit and abuse your precious people.
They take out anyone who gets in their way;
if they can’t use them, they kill them.
They think, “God isn’t looking,
Jacob’s God is out to lunch.”

^8-11 Well, think again, you idiots,
fools—how long before you get smart?
Do you think Ear-Maker doesn’t hear,
Eye-Shaper doesn’t see?
Do you think the trainer of nations doesn’t correct,
the teacher of Adam doesn’t know?
God knows, all right—
knows your stupidity,
sees your shallowness.

Yes, yes, I thoroughly agree!  Way too many people are stupid and shallow!  (Strain to pat self on back.)   

(Reconsider.)

Lord, you know that often I am stupid and shallow.  Help me grow wiser in your truth and kinder in my dealings with others.

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^12-15 How blessed the man you train, God,
the woman you instruct in your Word,
Providing a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil,

Where is your “circle of quiet”? 

According to these verses, it is where you are studying the Word of God and praying.  Jesus often got up early and went to a remote place to pray to his Father.  Susanna Wesley, mother of 19 children, found her circle by throwing her apron over her head; the children knew she was praying and waited until she came out.  My mother had devotions early every morning at the kitchen table, reading Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening.   I hope that DWELLING provides a circle of quiet for my readers.

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while a jail is being built for the wicked.
God will never walk away from his people,
never desert his precious people.
Rest assured that justice is on its way
and every good heart put right.

.
^16-19 Who stood up for me against the wicked?
Who took my side against evil workers?
If God hadn’t been there for me,
I never would have made it.
The minute I said, “I’m slipping, I’m falling,”
your love, God, took hold and held me fast.
When I was upset and beside myself,
you calmed me down and cheered me up.

Psalm 94:19 (Good News Translation)

Whenever I am anxious and worried,
      you comfort me and make me glad.

Here are some of God’s  “comforts” for us:

Psalm 46:1-3 (New International Version)

God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
   and the mountains quake with their surging.

John 16:33 (New International Version)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

2 Corinthians 1:5 (English Standard Version)

For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

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^20-23 Can Misrule have anything in common with you?
Can Troublemaker pretend to be on your side?
They ganged up on good people,
plotted behind the backs of the innocent.
But God became my hideout,
God was my high mountain retreat,
Then boomeranged their evil back on them:
for their evil ways he wiped them out,
our God cleaned them out for good.

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Music:

Be it the frightening power of nature, or the success of the wicked, we as believers need have no fears — we are safe in God’s arms.  “Safe”  by Phil Wickham.

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Simple Secrets of the Kingdom
Study 11 – Daily a New Creation

Every person needs to live under God’s grace in Jesus. To do this requires a transfer from living under the law. Only under grace are we free to yield control of our behavior to God. Under law sin still controls. People who live under the law are not free because sin still rules them. Under grace, God is in control. This study helps you to see whether you are living under law or under grace.  Click here for AUDIO or VIDEO.

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The Message (MSG)    Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Images courtesy of:

Psalm 93:4.  http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jfhVstlveRw/TZksNSbUNsI/AAAAAAAAAVY/M5B8VJh9cV8/s1600/PSALM+93a.jpg

sailing.  http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e8UnOo2PQhY/TGkk8-mgukI/AAAAAAAAAmM/0M7i_EwOgfI/s1600/Catamaran+Sailing+Wp+TW.png

Psalm 94:18.   http://www.salfordelimchurch.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Presentation1.jpg

stupid people.   http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-51kYRK9Elf0/TyXo8XH2yeI/AAAAAAAAEgk/bmMXe1VSxDQ/s320/StupidPeopleLarge.jpg

A Circle of Quiet.   http://i.neoseeker.com/boxshots/Qm9va3MvRmFudGFzeQ==/a_circle_of_quiet_frontcover_large_bLNMm63Q1MGOGRF.jpg

Psalm 94:19.  http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iya8sVbHrEw/TihHMPcH0mI/AAAAAAAAAPY/-aprPqVyylM/s1600/gods-comfort-psalm-94-19.jpg

769.) Psalm 92

Psalm 92 (New Living Translation)

A psalm. A song to be sung on the Sabbath Day.

¹ It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to the Most High.

He sings “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation.”

² It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
your faithfulness in the evening,
³ accompanied by the ten-stringed harp
and the melody of the lyre.

It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
 . . . accompanied by the ten-fingered head shampoo
and the melody of the splashing shower water.

I do love hearing my husband belt out hymns in the shower in the morning!

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⁴ You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!
I sing for joy because of what you have done.
⁵ O Lord, what great works you do!

He sings “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”

And how deep are your thoughts.
⁶ Only a simpleton would not know,
and only a fool would not understand this:
⁷ Though the wicked sprout like weeds
and evildoers flourish,
they will be destroyed forever.

⁸ But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever.

He sings “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken.”

⁹ Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish;
all evildoers will be scattered.
¹⁰ But you have made me as strong as a wild ox.
You have anointed me with the finest oil.

He sings “Spirit of God, Descend upon my Heart.”

¹¹ My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents.
¹² But the godly will flourish like palm trees
and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.

Palm trees have a long and illustrious history in the Holy Land. Reaching up to 100 feet tall, the trees have been harvested for thousands of years for their fruit.  Then we remember the use of palm branches by the multitudes who escorted Jesus to Jerusalem (John 12:13), and also in the vision of the “great multitude, which no man could number …. standing before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands” (Revelation 7:9).

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¹³ For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house.
They flourish in the courts of our God.
¹⁴ Even in old age they will still produce fruit;
they will remain vital and green.

He sings “Amazing Grace.”

¹⁵ They will declare, “The Lord is just!
He is my rock!
There is no evil in him!”

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Music:

As per our opening picture — a violinist playing a medley of hymns.  (I know — you were hoping to hear my husband singing in the shower!)

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New Living Translation (NLT)   Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Images courtesy of:

violin player.   http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XDIJpKHDyMU/T3kQ3TMWVlI/AAAAAAAAGj4/3YOA6VaXvl0/s1600/psalm+92_1-4.jpg

shower.  http://images.askmen.com/fashion/keywords/1256769053_male-hygiene_1004313.jpg

palm tree.   http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/6839/1414606941051563516S600x600Q85.jpg

768.) Psalm 91

Psalm 91 (New International Version)

Assurance of God’s Protection

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

from This Day with the Master,
by Dennis F. Kinlaw

MY DREAD AND MY SECURITY

In Old Testament times, Yahweh alone was to be feared.  He had neither rival nor competitor.  He alone was humanity’s ultimate concern, and he held humanity’s ultimate destiny.  In the temple, in the home, or out in the field, Yahweh was the only answer to the problems the ancient Israelites faced.  He was to be their dread and their security.  Fear of him was the beginning of wisdom.

Yahweh alone was God, and there was no savior beside him.  Perfect peace was found by keeping one’s mind stayed on him.  This was not an easy religion, and it was dramatically different from the other ancient religions, in which people believed in magic, fate, and capricious gods.  Old Testament faith pulled away all the normal crutches provided by society and insisted that a person must stand by faith in Yahweh alone, depending on him in all circumstances.

In our day of swaying values and relative “truths,” when the world pressures all Christians to accept some other help besides God, we need to remember that the God of the Old Testament is still our God.  Jesus Christ reflects his Father’s nature and puts the same demands on us that he placed on the Israelites; he insists that we be a striking contrast to the culture around us, which would have us be conformed to its own image.  Society will offer a thousand crutches on which to lean, but each one will fail and will ultimately be destructive if we turn to it for security rather than to God himself.

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³ Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

“The misery of the poor I had many occasions to be an eyewitness of, and sometimes also of the charitable assistance that some pious people daily gave to such, sending them relief and supplies both of food, physic, and other help as they found they wanted… Some pious ladies were transported with zeal in so good a work, and so confident in the protection of Providence in discharge of the great duty of charity, that they went about in person distributing alms to the poor, and even visiting poor families, though sick and infected, in their very houses, appointing nurses to attend those that wanted attending, and ordering apothecaries and surgeons… giving their blessing to the poor in substantial relief to them, as well as hearty prayers for them. I will not undertake to say, as some do, that none of those charitable people were suffered to fall under the calamity itself; but this I may say, that I never knew anyone of them that came to any ill, which I mention for the encouragement of others in case of the like distress, and, doubtless, if they that give to the poor lend to the Lord, and he will repay them, those that hazard their lives to give to the poor, and to comfort and assist the poor in such misery as this, may hope to be protected in the work.”

–from A Journal of the Plague Year, by Daniel Defoe, 1722

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⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

The devil quotes Scripture, too!

Luke 4:9-12 (New International Version)

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.  For it is written:

   “‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

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¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

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Music:

Sonicflood sings “Psalm 91.”

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New International Version (NIV)   Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Images courtesy of:

refuge.  http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F28gV0GgMKw/T3e7RzIsFZI/AAAAAAAAGjg/R6Cf4fAZx2o/s1600/psalm+91_4.jpg

crutches.   http://baileysmedicalsupplies.com/images/cache/Quick-Change_Crutches_-_Junior.600.jpg

the plague.   http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oVOwqV6nyv0/S8Cv73YHPZI/AAAAAAAAAaw/5DJNN2skMpI/s400/The+Plague.jpg

Satan tempting Christ.   http://hilldaleworship.blogspot.com/2012/03/150-days-of-psalms-psalm-91.html

733.) Psalm 90

Psalm 90 (King James Version)

“Psalm 90 is one of the most magisterial of the psalms.”
–Walter Brueggemann

¹Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

²Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

³Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

⁴For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

2 Peter 3:8-9 (English Standard Version)

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

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⁵Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

⁶In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

Psalm 90 has long been used at funerals and burials.

There was a young lady from Guam,
Who said, “Now the sea is so calm,
I will swim, for a lark.”
But she met with a shark –
Let us now sing the ninetieth psalm.

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⁷For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

⁸Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

⁹For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

“A tale that is told.” That rings a bell. I wonder if Shakespeare didn’t have Psalm 90 in front of him as he wrote Macbeth’s soliloquy (Act V, scene v):

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more; it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”

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¹⁰The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

¹¹Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

¹²So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

from Whispers of His Power,
by Amy Carmichael

Some time ago I was given two big pieces of soap, and I use both every day.  For a while I saw very little difference in either, but gradually I saw that both were just a little less.  Of course one can’t at the same time both give and keep, and soap is always giving.  Every time you use it, it gives you something of itself, so naturally it becomes less and less.

Did you ever think of life as a piece of soap?  Every day, hour, minute, it is giving you something of itself.  Soon it will have given all, and then there won’t be any more of it here.  When we are young we think things will go on just as they are forever.  But they don’t.

Next time you use your soap, will you think of the little prayer in Psalm 90:12?

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¹³Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

¹⁴O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

¹⁵Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

It was my father who taught me to say, as soon as I awakened in the morning, “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.”  And it was my mother who often said, “Today is the best day of my life.”  When I questioned her once for saying it so often, she explained, “But today is the only day I have.  Yesterday is gone, and who knows about tomorrow?”  My parents were both children of the Depression.  They had to be terribly frugal most of their lives.  Death and disappointment were frequent visitors in their experiences.  But they lived out the verses above, in that they were glad even in the days that included affliction.

If you are basing your joy on your circumstances, on your present situation, on sunny breezes and the comfortable situation you inhabit, then following this command day in and day out will not be easy.  But if you are satisfied with God’s mercy, if you do not forget the joy of Christ risen! — then you will find, even in the dark days, the glory of the Lord present in your heart.

May God help us to put our confidence and our joy in Christ, who alone is worthy of all our praise!

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¹⁶Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.

¹⁷And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

So our situation is not finally defined by dust and grass, but by the One who makes us at home safely.

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Music:

The hymn “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”  was written by Isaac Watts in 1719, a paraphrase of Psalm 90.  It is sung here by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.  The choral piece is sandwiched between two partial keyboard pieces using the tune, St. Anne.  If you feel cheated at the end and want to hear all of J. S. Bach’s beautiful Fugue in E-Flat (St. Anne) BWV 552, go to youtube and you can listen to a wide variety of renditions; I recommend it!

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Simple Secrets of the Kingdom
Study 24 — Judgment Day, the Resurrection to Life

God’s new people are saved by grace and not by being right or doing the right things.  But we want to do good things!   This is because a living faith produces good works, just like a fruit tree produces fruit.   So what does it mean to do what is right?  And will God judge us on our actions?  Listen to today’s study for clarity on this question.  Click here for AUDIO or  VIDEO.

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King James Version (KJV)   Public Domain

Images courtesy of:

Psalm 90:1-2.   http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34yldQ8YwLI/S9-1nCJ_R0I/AAAAAAAABRY/O8z6w8NINGU/s640/Psalm+90+1+2.jpg

clock.  http://thejourneyfortruth.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/clock.gif

burial.  http://www.texasfuneralminister.com/files/9513/1155/1052/Funeral-Pictures.jpg

Macbeth.   http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/shakespeare/60secondshakespeare/images/star/macbeth.jpg

washing with soap.  http://www.heartlandscience.org/future/images/bar%20of%20soap.jpg

Fruit of the Spirit.   http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u62/ParkcrestHSM/blogg/FruitoftheSpirit02JoyTitle.jpg

727.) Psalm 89

Psalm 89 (Contemporary English Version)

(A special psalm by Ethan the Ezrahite.)

The LORD’s Agreement with David

¹Our LORD, I will sing

of your love forever.

Everyone yet to be born

will hear me praise

your faithfulness.

²I will tell them,

“God’s love

can always be trusted,

and his faithfulness lasts

as long as the heavens.”

³You said, “David, my servant,

is my chosen one,

and this is the agreement

I made with him:

⁴David, one of your descendants

will always be king.”

⁵Our LORD, let the heavens

now praise your miracles,

and let all of your angels

praise your faithfulness.

⁶None who live in the heavens

can compare with you.

⁷You are the most fearsome

of all who live in heaven;

all the others fear

and greatly honor you.

⁸You are LORD God All-Powerful!

No one is as loving

and faithful as you are.

⁹You rule the roaring sea

and calm its waves.

Mark 4:39    (English Standard Version)

And he said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

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¹⁰You crushed the monster Rahab,

and with your powerful arm

you scattered your enemies.

¹¹The heavens and the earth

belong to you.

And so does the world

with all its people

because you created them

¹²and everything else.

Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon

gladly praise you.

Wheat fields below Mount Tabor. Photograph by Ferrell Jenkins.

¹³You are strong and mighty!

¹⁴Your kingdom is ruled

by justice and fairness

with love and faithfulness

leading the way.

¹⁵Our LORD, you bless those

who join in the festival

and walk in the brightness

of your presence.

¹⁶We are happy all day

because of you,

and your saving power

brings honor to us.

¹⁷Your own glorious power

makes us strong,

and because of your kindness,

our strength increases.

¹⁸Our LORD and our King,

the Holy One of Israel,

you are truly our shield.

¹⁹In a vision, you once said

to your faithful followers:

“I have helped a mighty hero.

I chose him from my people

and made him famous.

²⁰David, my servant, is the one

I chose to be king,

²¹and I will always be there

to help and strengthen him.

²²“No enemy will outsmart David,

and he won’t be defeated

by any hateful people.

²³I will strike down and crush

his troublesome enemies.

²⁴He will always be able

to depend on my love,

and I will make him strong

with my own power.

²⁵I will let him rule the lands

across the rivers and seas.

²⁶He will say to me,

`You are my Father

and my God,

as well as the mighty rock

where I am safe.’

²⁷“I have chosen David

as my first-born son,

and he will be the ruler

of all kings on earth.

²⁸My love for him will last,

and my agreement with him

will never be broken.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (New International Version)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

_________________________

²⁹“One of David’s descendants

will always be king,

and his family will rule

until the sky disappears.

³⁰Suppose some of his children

should reject my Law

and refuse my instructions.

³¹Or suppose they should disobey

all of my teachings.

³²Then I will correct

and punish them

because of their sins.

³³But I will always love David

and faithfully keep all

of my promises to him.

³⁴“I won’t break my agreement

or go back on my word.

³⁵I have sworn once and for all

by my own holy name,

and I won’t lie to David.

³⁶His family will always rule.

I will let his kingdom last

as long as the sun ³⁷and moon

appear in the sky.”

³⁸You are now angry, God,

and you have turned your back

on your chosen king.

³⁹You broke off your agreement

with your servant, the king,

and you completely destroyed

his kingdom.

⁴⁰The walls of his city

have been broken through,

and every fortress

now lies in ruin.

from Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption,
by Laura Hillenbrand

I have just finished reading this book, and it moved me.  In the passage that follows, the war between Japan and the USA has just ended, and the American POWs are beginning their journey home.

From the top of Japan to the bottom, trains packed with POWs snaked toward Yokohama.  Men pressed their faces to the windows to catch their first glimpse of what all those B-29s had done.  Once-grand cities were now flat, black stains, their only recognizable feature a gridwork of burned roads, passing nothing, leading nowhere.

At the first sight of the destruction of their enemy, the POWs cheered.  But after the first city there was another, then another, city after city razed, the survivors drifting about like specters, picking through the rubble.  The cheering died away.  On Louie’s train, the silence came as they passed through Tokyo.  A week after Louis had left Omori (one of the POW camps where Louie had stayed), sixteen square miles of Tokyo, and tens of thousands of souls, had been immolated by B-29s.

A few of the trains slipped past Hiroshima.  Virtually every POW believed that the destruction of that city had saved them from execution.  John Falconer, a survivor of the Bataan Death March, looked out as Hiroshima neared.  “First there were trees,” he told historian Donald Knox.  “Then the leaves were missing.  As you got closer, branches were missing  Closer still, the trunks were gone and then, as you got in the middle, there was nothing.  Nothing!  It was beautiful.  I know it’s not right to say it was beautiful, because it really wasn’t.  But I realized this was what had ended the war.”

_________________________

⁴¹All who pass by

take what they want,

and nations everywhere

joke about the king.

⁴²You made his enemies powerful

and let them celebrate.

⁴³But you forced him to retreat

because you did not fight

on his side.

⁴⁴You took his crown and threw his throne

in the dirt.

⁴⁵You made an old man of him

and put him to shame.

⁴⁶How much longer, LORD?

Will you hide forever?

How long will your anger

keep burning like fire?

⁴⁷Remember, life is short!

For all who know me and my fondness for high heels . . .

_________________________

Why did you empty our lives

of all meaning?

⁴⁸No one can escape the power

of death and the grave.

We can get pretty busy in our lives and not think about God’s great mercy.  It’s very easy, especially if we live a comfortable life, to take God for granted. The Psalmist gives us the formidable words of verse 48:  What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?

It is a good thing to declare the mercies of God and His faithfulness to us, but in doing so we must still remember that each of us will see death. The only hope of being delivered from the power of the grave is through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Jesus, for death-defying, life-giving grace!

_________________________

⁴⁹Our Lord, where is the love

you have always shown

and that you promised

so faithfully to David?

⁵⁰Remember your servant, Lord!

People make jokes about me,

and I suffer many insults.

⁵¹I am your chosen one,

but your enemies chase

and make fun of me.

⁵²Our LORD, we praise you

forever. Amen and amen.

_________________________

Music:

“Never Gonna Stop” praising You, Lord!  A kinda funky number by Tommy Walker.

_________________________

Contemporary English Version (CEV)   Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

Images courtesy of:

Forever like the moon.  http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2550/3851263368_6b7d045c3a.jpg

covenant.   http://wallpaper4god.com/wallpapers/psalm-8934_2798_1024x768.jpg

“Peace, Be Still,”  by He Qi.   http://www.heqigallery.com/gallery/gallery2/images/7-PeaceBeStill.jpg

*Jenkins.  http://bibleworld.com/travel-blog/MountTabor_wheat_fjenkins_050110_205c.jpg

Psalm 89:15.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6xN_m6ePYo

David and Goliath.  http://www.lutheran-mapleplain.org/images/david%20&%20goliath%20-%209-29-10.jpg

Keep calm and trust God.  http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_liigsxu1uK1qby6rio1_500.png

candy hearts.    http://www.rockindeals4you.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/candyhearts.jpg

“forever as the moon.”    http://www.cogbrethren.org/Psalm_89_37.png

Hiroshima aftermath.  http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/afc310803e.jpg

Buy the shoes.   http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UXG-J0mLCdE/Ti4K6FngZVI/AAAAAAAAAz4/D94P93ZUO_Q/s320/life+is+short+pillow+pic+2+edited.jpg

cemetery in Dallas.  http://69.39.232.84/~ecofrien/dallasuptownguide.com/Cemetery.jpg

726.) Psalm 88

Psalm 88 (The Message)

A Korah Prayer of Heman

^1-9 God, you’re my last chance of the day.
I spend the night on my knees before you.
Put me on your salvation agenda;
take notes on the trouble I’m in.

The psalmist is overwhelmed with his troubles, unable to find relief, pouring out his heart to God.  There is no happy ending here, no answer.  Yet even in such a comfortless situation, he prays.  God has promised never to leave us or forsake us, to carry us through the floods and fires.  So let us not dishonor the Lord by saying he doesn’t care, or he has forgotten us.  Christ’s death on the cross is irrevocable proof that God loves us dearly and will lay down his life to save us, even — perhaps especially — when we are caught in our darkness.

I’ve had my fill of trouble;
I’m camped on the edge of hell.
I’m written off as a lost cause,
one more statistic, a hopeless case.
Abandoned as already dead,
one more body in a stack of corpses,
And not so much as a gravestone—
I’m a black hole in oblivion.
You’ve dropped me into a bottomless pit,
sunk me in a pitch-black abyss.
I’m battered senseless by your rage,
relentlessly pounded by your waves of anger.
You turned my friends against me,
made me horrible to them.
I’m caught in a maze and can’t find my way out,
blinded by tears of pain and frustration.

^9-12 I call to you, God; all day I call.
I wring my hands, I plead for help.
Are the dead a live audience for your miracles?
Do ghosts ever join the choirs that praise you?
Does your love make any difference in a graveyard?
Is your faithful presence noticed in the corridors of hell?
Are your marvelous wonders ever seen in the dark,
your righteous ways noticed in the Land of No Memory?

^13-18 I’m standing my ground, God, shouting for help,
at my prayers every morning, on my knees each daybreak.
Why, God, do you turn a deaf ear?
Why do you make yourself scarce?
For as long as I remember I’ve been hurting;
I’ve taken the worst you can hand out, and I’ve had it.
Your wildfire anger has blazed through my life;
I’m bleeding, black-and-blue.
You’ve attacked me fiercely from every side,
raining down blows till I’m nearly dead.
You made lover and neighbor alike dump me;
the only friend I have left is Darkness.

“But the pleas here used were peculiarly suited to Christ. And we are not to think that the holy Jesus suffered for us only at Gethsemane and on Calvary. His whole life was labour and sorrow; he was afflicted as never man was, from his youth up. He was prepared for that death of which he tasted through life. No man could share in the sufferings by which other men were to be redeemed. All forsook him, and fled. Oftentimes, blessed Jesus, do we forsake thee; but do not forsake us, O take not thy Holy Spirit from us.”

–Matthew Henry

_________________________

Music:

Neville Peter was born in St. Thomas in 1971, and before he was one he was diagnosed with glaucoma; he was completely blind by age 12.  A musical child, he sang and played piano, eventually going to the University of Miami for a degree in Studio Music and Vocal Jazz.  He worked with Gladys Knight and other big names in jazz, pop, reggae, and R&B.  Then one New Year’s Eve at a party in South Beach, he decided he had seen what the world had to offer and he did not find it appealing.  He turned all his talents over to the Lord.  Now he has written over 100 Gospel songs and performed at the White House.  His two favorite Bible verses are Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” and Isaiah 42:16, “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them. I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”  His greatest joy, he says, is to use his music to introduce people to the Savior and to show them how to get ready for His soon return.

I think you will enjoy his rendition of “Near the Cross.”

_________________________

The Message (MSG)   Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Images courtesy of:

Psalm 88:1-2.   http://www.4catholiceducators.com/graphics/Psalm88_1-2.jpg

Jesus on the cross in darkness.  http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LNbfdOEF5TE/TgPj0cUH4SI/AAAAAAAAAag/v3yoTF0ppIg/s1600/jesus-christ-cross-0204.jpg

710.) Psalms 86 and 87

Psalm 86 (New Living Translation)

A prayer of David.

¹ Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer;

. . . and then David gives his reasons why he is counting on God to answer:

answer me, for I need your help.

–because of my great need,

² Protect me, for I am devoted to you.
Save me, for I serve you and trust you.
You are my God.

–because I am connected to you,

³ Be merciful to me, O Lord,
for I am calling on you constantly.
⁴ Give me happiness, O Lord,
for I give myself to you.

–because I continue to cry to you,

⁵ O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,
so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.

–because you are a gracious God,

⁶ Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord;
hear my urgent cry.
⁷ I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble,
and you will answer me.

–because you, God, are utterly dependable.

⁸ No pagan god is like you, O Lord.
None can do what you do!
⁹ All the nations you made
will come and bow before you, Lord;
they will praise your holy name.
¹⁰ For you are great and perform wonderful deeds.
You alone are God.

from This Day with the Master,
by Dennis F. Kinlaw

A TRUE PERSPECTIVE

Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord.  — Psalm 86:8

Most of us turn to prayer in order to solve a problem.  Our troubles become the motivating force behind our prayers.  If we were the people we ought to be, we would pray whether we had problems or not.  One of the beautiful things about God and about human life is that he does not leave us long without problems.  He sees to it that we have difficulties, and he works at ordering our situation so we are not trouble free.  This helps us to stay in relation to him.

(from Rebecca:  There’s a thought you don’t often hear taught!  Do you agree with Kinlaw?  God is of course the giver of every good gift; can troubles and difficulties be good gifts?  Do you have examples of such from your own life?  Would you like to share them with us?  “Reply” below!)

In Psalm 86 David prays to God in great distress because his very life is in danger.  The reader senses David’s panic and desperation in verses 1-7, and then there is a psychological shift in verse 8.  All of a sudden David’s eyes turn away from his problem and become fixed on God himself.  When David enters into the presence of God, he forgets the men who are hunting for him.

When a person spends enough time in the presence of God, problems begin to fade into the background and God’s greatness begins to loom large.  This psalm is a classic picture of the way the most serious and intense problems melt away in the presence of Almighty God, before whom they seem insignificant.  As David faces God, he gets the true perspective on reality.  His problems diminish and God’s glory increases.

_________________________

¹¹ Teach me your ways, O Lord,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may honor you.
¹² With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
I will give glory to your name forever,
¹³ for your love for me is very great.
You have rescued me from the depths of death.

¹⁴ O God, insolent people rise up against me;
a violent gang is trying to kill me.
You mean nothing to them.
¹⁵ But you, O Lord,

“What a contrast! We get away from the hectorings and blusterings of proud but puny men to the glory and goodness of the Lord.”

– Charles Haddon Spurgeon

are a God of compassion and mercy,
slow to get angry
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
¹⁶ Look down and have mercy on me.
Give your strength to your servant;
save me, the son of your servant.
¹⁷ Send me a sign of your favor.
Then those who hate me will be put to shame,
for you, O Lord, help and comfort me.

_________________________

The city of Jerusalem -- Temple Mount in front, new city in back, looking west from the Mount of Olives.

Psalm 87 (New Living Translation)

A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

¹ On the holy mountain
stands the city founded by the Lord.
² He loves the city of Jerusalem
more than any other city in Israel.
³ O city of God,
what glorious things are said of you!
Interlude

_________________________

Music:

The music for the hymn “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken” was written by Franz Joseph Haydn, the words by John Newton.  The music does not begin until 19 seconds in, so be patient!

_________________________

⁴ I will count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me—
also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia.
They have all become citizens of Jerusalem!
⁵ Regarding Jerusalem it will be said,
“Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship there.”
And the Most High will personally bless this city.
⁶ When the Lord registers the nations, he will say,
“They have all become citizens of Jerusalem.”
Interlude

⁷ The people will play flutes and sing,
“The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!”

_________________________

Simple Secrets of the Kingdom
Study 12 — Keeping on Being a Christian

Coming to know Christ as our Lord changes us from living by our power to living by the power of God.  This is described in Paul’s letters as a change from “under law” to “under grace.”  In order to remain under grace we must renew our minds, which happens only as we turn to the Lord daily.  Today’s lesson  helps us understand how this can happen for us. Click here for AUDIO or VIDEO.

_________________________

New Living Translation (NLT)    Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Images courtesy of:

“Teach me your way, O Lord . . .”    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-2faWDbgiqo/TF3yxgQtLDI/AAAAAAAACt0/1UF_MMDHq38/s1600/Psalm+86.jpg

perspective drawing.    http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/4100/4145/perspective_2_lg.gif

Jerusalem.   http://www.jerusalemhousing.com/UserFiles/1306345-View_of_Old_City_from_Mt_Of_Olives-Jerusalem.jpg

709.) Psalm 85

"Psalm 85" by John August Swanson. Click on the picture to see it larger. And as you read, refer back to this to see how many details and verses the artist has included!

Psalm 85 (New International Version)

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

To my readers who receive their DWELLINGs via email:
Once you open the email, click on the top line, the number and text of the the day (today’s is “709.) Psalm 85″).  That will take you to the DWELLING home site.  You can read the blog more easily, you can hear the music, you can make comments — it’s a good thing!  Enjoy!

¹ You, LORD, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
² You forgave the iniquity of your people
and covered all their sins.
³ You set aside all your wrath
and turned from your fierce anger.

Thank you, God, for forgiving me and covering all my sin.  Such lovingkindness!

⁴ Restore us again, God our Savior,
and put away your displeasure toward us.
⁵ Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
⁶ Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
⁷ Show us your unfailing love, LORD,
and grant us your salvation.

.

⁸ I will listen to what God the LORD says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me peace that does not depend on circumstances but on your eternally true promises.

⁹ Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.

¹⁰ Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
¹¹ Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.

Thank you, Jesus, for showing us in real life what love and faithfulness and righteousness truly are.

¹² The LORD will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
.

¹³ Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.

John 1:14 (New American Standard Bible)

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Thank you, Lord, that you walked on earth to save us from our sins and to reconcile us to God and one another.

_________________________

Music:

Yesterday I saw people out with their baskets in a “u-pick-it” strawberry field here in Florida.  And I know that when I lived in the Midwest, this time of year was good seed catalog time!  So as I think of the Lord blessing our land and giving us a harvest, as in the verses and pictures above, perhaps this song need not be confined to autumn months!

_________________________

Simple Secrets of the Kingdom
Study 11 – Daily a New Creation

Every person needs to live under God’s grace in Jesus. To do this requires a transfer from living under the law. Only under grace are we free to yield control of our behavior to God. Under law sin still controls. People who live under the law are not free because sin still rules them. Under grace, God is in control. This study helps you to see whether you are living under law or under grace.  Click here for AUDIO or VIDEO.

_________________________

New International Version (NIV)   Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Images courtesy of:

Swanson.    http://www.johnaugustswanson.com/ImagesUpload/Ps85-700.jpg

Imagine God’s salvation.   http://magnifythelord.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/psalm85_6-7.jpg

harvest basket.   http://www.therockgifts.com/images/u/088418696bdd4fd8b4c2f1210e9e4c12-800.png

705.) Psalm 84

Psalm 84 (New International Version)

For the director of music. According to gittith. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

¹ How lovely is your dwelling place,
   LORD Almighty!
² My soul yearns, even faints,
   for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
   for the living God.
³ Even the sparrow has found a home,
   and the swallow a nest for herself,
   where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
   LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
   they are ever praising you.

_________________________

Music:

Brahms’ “How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place” (Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen) from Ein deutsches Requiem, op. 45, performed by the Holden Consort Orchestra and Choir.  Take your time to listen and watch — breathe deeply.

_________________________

⁵ Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

From all the corners of the earth, from all the nations of the world, we come as pilgrims to Jerusalem.

_________________________

⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
⁷ They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.

⁸ Hear my prayer, LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
⁹ Look on our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.

¹⁰ Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
¹¹ For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

from This Day with the Master,
by Dennis F. Kinlaw

TO BE IN HIS PRESENCE

Meeting God profoundly affects our confidence and our expectations.  When we find him, it is always a shock to realize how much he cares about us.  Instead of confronting a vindictive judge who waits for a chance to deal with us about our shortcomings, we find a God of grace who looks for the chance to forgive our sins, establish us in his favor, and pour on us his blessings.  To our surprise, we learn that he will withhold nothing good from those who walk in sincerity and uprightness before him.  He is the source of all good, and his will toward us is loving concern.  He is our sun who gives us light and our shield who surrounds us with protection.

The most important consequence of meeting God is what it does to our sense of priorities.  We come to realize that we need him more than anything else.  In fact, we need him even more than we need his gifts.  It is for God himself that our soul cries out.  The association with God will leave in us the hallowing impact of place and people and seasons, but our hearts will hunger for his presence.  He is the source of all good, but he is better than all good.  There is no justification needed for our searching for him.  Although some do not know it, to be near God is the deepest desire of every human heart.

_________________________
¹² LORD Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.

Matthew 5:3-10 (English Standard Version)

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

_________________________

New International Version (NIV)   Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Images courtesy of:

Psalm 84:10.    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-stJ28-iVJv4/TWBn5x8eBXI/AAAAAAAABRI/qRyidgJI40Q/s1600/Psalm+84+10.jpg

Welcome to Jerusalem.  http://www.tamilbiblestudy.com/thewayofsalvation/images/Welcome%20to%20Jerusalem.JPG

Golden Gate, Temple Mount, Jerusalem.     http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HEJOSY8VS8U/TjzYBzx2sII/AAAAAAAAAQ8/YRoxh7CE74w/s1600/HananIsacharCORBIS_GoldenGateTempleMount.jpg

God bless you.  http://ilovemydarling.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/may-god-bless-you-my-darling.jpg