Wednesday, November 26, 2014

When I consider THY heavens, the work of THY fingers...

" What is man that THOU art mindful of him?... 
Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor...
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of THY hands; 
THOU hast put ALL things under his feet..." 
Psalm 8: 4,5,6

Lately I've been thinking about my worth in the eyes of God.  Who am I... that God would humble Himself to even look at me? Have you ever realized how much worth we have in God's eyes?

"Who is like unto the LORD or GOD who dwelleth on high, who humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! " 
Psalm 113:5,6

I know we tend to think about God's goodness from time to time. How we don't deserve His grace. How merciful He is with us. But you know, seeing God in the light of the Scriptures really makes you appreciate and hold fast to what God has done on our behalf... and to praise Him. 

Maybe "appreciate" and "hold fast" are not the right words. Sometimes I feel there are no words to describe God's goodness to us.

This past week I've been thinking how God, from the beginning, made us to be a people worthy of His blessings towards us. 

And then I thought how sin made us to depart  from God... bringing death... and death brought separation from God.

So I began reading Psalm 113... and was amazed at God's love and mercy shown to us.

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust...
He lifteth the needy out of the dunghill...

WHY? 

"That HE may set him with princes, even with the princes of HIS people." 
Psalm 113:8

Oh, what a merciful and gracious God! He restored us from our fallen state... to one of glory!

How can I ever thank Him... for making me have worth in His eyes...  all because of His precious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, 
And hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, 
Not imputing their trespasses unto them
And hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." 
2 Corinthians 5: 18, 19

He took my iniquities away... did not impute my trespasses against me! 

I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart...

May you take time to praise and thank the Lord for all  HIS benefits to you today.

Have a most blessed Thanksgiving!
~Ellie

Thursday, November 20, 2014

And HOPE maketh not ashamed...

" His delight is in the law of the LORD; 
And in HIS law doth he meditate day and night." 
Psalm 1:2

I've been thinking of the great joy we have when we abide in God's presence. There is FULLNESS of joy.

How often I've taken for granted... the privilege we've been given ... to come before the heavenly Father. 

What joy unspeakable is gained in the presence of the KING. Blessings and riches untold. 

The HOPE... that one day we shall behold HIS glory.

Happy are we when we bow before the King. Happy are we when we abide and give honor to the ONE and only true GOD.

"We shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water... that bringeth forth his fruit in his season... his leaf also shall not wither..." 
Psalm 1:3

So this morning I took time to jot down a simple poem... as a reminder that we are most happy when are eyes are fixed on the LORD. 

True joy is found in the presence of the KING...

LORD, HAPPY ARE WE 

Lord, happy are we,
When our delight is always in Thee.
By rivers of waters our lives are enriched. 
For in due season fruit shall we see.

O Lord, indeed happy are we,
When all honor is given to Thee.
Yes, happy are we,
When like Thee we desire to be.

O Lord, in Thee do we trust,
To guide and direct our way.
For in Thee do we find,
All peace and contentment alway.

Lord, in Thy presence alone
Are riches and blessings untold.
Thou art the hope that fades not away,
As Thy glory one day we'll behold.
Ellie 10/23/2014

May you delight in God's presence... and meditate on His goodness.
~Ellie

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Gracious is the LORD, and righteous....


" What shall I render unto the LORD for all HIS benefits toward me?" 
Psalm 116:12

You know sometimes it's rather hard to get spiritual encouragement from passages in the Bible that are difficult to understand. Sometimes the difficult passages tend to be skipped over or  maybe they are read over with much speed.

Do you ever do that? Skip over a passage... or read over words with such speed that nothing is implanted in the heart or mind?

Well, today while reading through Jeremiah chapter 2, I felt that way.

It wasn't that the passage was difficult to understand, but my mind had a difficult time grasping the many admonitions of the LORD against the people of Judah. They were many!

You know sometimes you feel like the passage you are reading doesn't really relate to you. And I think that's where we often go wrong. We treat the words as mere "history"... facts that happened in the past.

But as I kept reading through the chapter, the LORD spoke to me as I neared the end. A verse spoke to me so strongly that I stopped to meditate on it for a long time.

" Can a maid forget her ornaments, or the bride her attire? 
Yet my people have forgotten me days without number." 
Jeremiah 2:32

Wow. God is so clear and detailed.

Have you ever thought of that? Can a bride forget her attire? We would instantly think, " Of course not!" Impossible. I mean,really, how can a bride forget her dress?

And yet... we forget God. And think nothing of it.

That's when the spirit of God made me stop. I thanked the Lord for His faithfulness.... for even when I am unfaithful, He remains faithful!

It makes me so sad to know how often I've grieved the LORD... through my lack of placing Him first, or forgetting His benefits because things "are going well".

Not to mention how I grieve Him when I take things in my own hands... thinking I can make it "all better"... all by myself. Because in reality that's what I do when I don't trust the LORD... when I fret or am anxious.

You know, it isn't just the people of Judah... that have grieved the LORD.

"For my people have committed two evils; 
They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters..." 
Jeremiah 2:13

The verse applies today to us as well... to me.

I'm grateful for the wonderful reminder today... to give the Lord God due honor and glory in my life... in trusting and obeying His word... in forgetting not His benefits.

Thankful for the Lord's mercy that endureth forever!


"...yea, our GOD is merciful." 
Psalm 116: 5

May you be encouraged to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving... and call upon the name of the LORD always.
~Ellie