Psalm 139

I memorized Psalm 139:23-24 years ago this way: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

Here’s what I understood with my black & white thinking: Judge my heart and keep me out of sin.  

I looked up each word in the Blue Letter Bible (original Hebrew) as my sister, Sandra, and I discussed each word. This is the Becky Translation:

I open the door of my heart to you and invite you in for inspection. Examine my heart intimately. Use your power of observation and discern what is there.  Examine, scrutinize, and perceive my disquieting, anxious thoughts (my anxiety) which are troubling me. Consider my sorrow and pain (physical or mental). Take into account my idolatrous ways and the journeys I’ve taken with bad habits. Guide me to you. Forgive me. Restore me. Lead me into an intimate relationship with you which will last forever. 

This interpretation is of a loving father accepting his traumatized child’s invitation to rescue him and lead him into restoration, healing, grace, love, and redemption—and away from trauma, anxiety, pain, sorrow, bad habits, sin and the effects of sin! God exposes lies and reveals truth which brings freedom. The result is a beautiful life which knows no end. 

It will be worth it if you open your heart to God and let him examine it.  

The GOOD Shepherd

Let Him carry you tonight.  

Life is hard. Things are coming too fast. It’s exhausting and overwhelming. It creates anxiety, sadness, and even loneliness. 

But Jesus WANTS to carry you. He will anoint you with His oil to cover you and protect you. He IS peace and wants to fill your heart, mind, and soul with His peace. He wants to comfort you, hold you close, and sing over you. Listen.  Do you hear that song? It’s one of love and meant for your heart alone. He wants you to know He will never abandon you. In fact, he’s been chasing you down! He doesn’t want you doing this hard life alone. He will walk beside you, guiding you, and talking to you. He will also pick you up and carry you when things get too difficult. He wants you to know His voice so you won’t be deceived by the one who wants to destroy you. He is jealous for you! He will lovingly bring you through. Trust him. 

He is for you. He is the GOOD shepherd.

The Name of the Lord

Psalm 124:8 says, “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.”

I’ve learned how important names are—His and ours. So what is His name? What’s wrapped up in his name?

The name of the Lord is…

El—God who is mighty, strong, and prominent

Elohim—Creator, mighty and strong

El Shaddai—God almighty

El Elyon—Most High

El Roi—The God Who Sees

Adonai—Lord

Alpha & Omega—Beginning & The End

Abba—Father

Attiq Yomin—Ancient of Days

YHWH—LORD

Qanna—Jealous God

Qedosh Israel—Holy One of Israel

Immanuel—God with us

Hupsistos Theos—The Most High God

Logos—The Word

Or Goyim—Light of Nations

El-Elohe-Israel—God, the God of Israel

El Gibor—The Mighty God

El Olam—The Everlasting God

Jehovah Jireh—The Lord will provide

Jehovah Rapha—The Lord who heals

Jehovah Nissi—The Lord our banner

Jehovah Sel’i—My Rock

Jehovah M’Kaddesh—The Lord who makes holy

Jehovah Shalom—The Lord our peace

Jehovah Chereb—Glorious Sword

Jehovah Go’el—Redeemer

Jehovah Hamelech—The King

Jehovah Heshopet—Judge

Jehovah Hoshe’ah—The Lord Who Saves

Jehovah Kabodhi—My Glory

Jehovah Machsi—My Refuge

Jehovah Magen—The Shield

Jehovah Ma’ozi—My Fortress

Jehovah Mephalti—My Deliverer

Jehovah Moshi’ech—Your Savior

Jehovah ‘Ori—My Light

Jehovah Uzi—My Strength

Jehovah Elohim—LORD GOD

Jehovah Tsidkenu—Lord our righteousness

Jehovah Rohi—The Lord our shepherd

Jehovah Shammah—The Lord is there

Jehovah Sabbaoth—Lord of hosts

Jehovah Eloheenu—The Lord our God

Jehovah Hoseenu—The Lord our Maker

Jehovah Mekaddishkem—The Lord our Sanctifier

Jehovah Makkeh—The Lord Who Strikes

Jehovah Tsuri—The Lord is my rock

Jehovah N’Kaddesh—God my Holiness

I AM—The Everlasting One

THAT’S who you’re calling on today…and so much more!

Prophetic Peace Covenant for Israel

Daniel 9 tells us that the Antichrist will make a peace covenant with Israel some day in the future. Just like Israel becoming a nation signified the beginning of the last days, this covenant will signify the beginning of the Tribulation. 

I’ve often wondered why this covenant would be needed. In my lifetime, Israel has only grown stronger. Their war with the Arabs in 1967 only lasted 6 days with an Israeli victory.  In 1973, they battled one another again for 20 days which ended in a cease-fire. There have been skirmishes constantly between Israelis and Arabs which is why so many American presidents have tried to establish peace treaties between the two. 

But what could be happening politically or militarily that a new world leader could step up to the plate and offer “world peace” through a peace covenant with Israel—and that they would accept it? 

It’s becoming clearer, isn’t it?

Psalm 119

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. Did you know every single verse says something about the Word of God?  My mentor shared that with me years ago. I can’t help looking for it every time I read it. It may not say “word,” it may use words like:

  •Precepts

  •Law

  •Commandments

  •Statutes

  •Judgments

  •Testimonies

  

You get the idea. Now you can be looking for them. Did you know the Holy Spirit will teach you as you read the Word of God? He’s the best teacher you will ever have! But you have to choose to be a student. Open that book and read!! Because when you do, Psalm 119:50 says, “Your Word has given me life!”  Psalm 119:97-104 tells us that we can have more understanding than our teachers or the ancients—because He teaches us! The Word will also guide our steps and light our paths according to verses 105-106, 130. He’ll show us exactly where to go and give us understanding and discernment. The Word redirects us when we’re going the wrong way. (Vs. 9)  One of the most amazing things God gives us through His Word is peace. “Great peace have those who love your law and nothing causes them to stumble,” according to verse 165.

The older I get, the more I live and observe, there is nothing more powerful than embracing and filling yourself with the Word of God. Money will fail you. People will fail you. Drinking will fail you. Going your own way will fail you. But God’s Word WILL NEVER FAIL YOU!!  

“Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations.” Psalm 119:89-90. 

Read His Word. Embrace it. Let the Spirit of God teach you. And then you will truly LIVE!!!

The Tomato Worm

I was probably 7-years-old when it happened. It was summertime and I’d played hard all day. I loved making mud pies; sometimes adding dad’s green tomatoes to create culinary wonders! Dad had a green thumb and had lots of beautiful tomatoes so I never got into too much trouble over chopping one or two. Mom had done laundry and hung clothes on the clothesline to dry. I was her helper—handing her clothespins as she hung each article of clothing on the line. I didn’t mind helping. I loved watching the sheets flap in the breeze and I liked being a helper.  

That night, I fell asleep quickly. Since I was the only girl in the house at the time, I had my own bedroom. I remember hurting and moaning even in my sleep. My arm was hurting. I guess I began whimpering and my dad came into my room and said, “Becky! What’s wrong?” I whimpered and said, “My arm hurts!”  Dad came over and wanted to know where it hurt. He raised my arm and exclaimed, “It’s a tomato worm!” Sure enough, a tomato worm had somehow gotten on my pajamas as they hung on the clothesline and it had crawled under my armpit.  Dad took it and got rid of it and I went back to sleep. 

You know…sin is a lot like that tomato worm. It moves in slowly and insidiously. But once it digs in, there’s pain and and a price to pay. Satan cares nothing about you. We are pawns in his effort to triumph over God. He honestly thinks he’ll win. He delights to entangle us in sin to thumb his nose at God. But God…God is like my dad that night. Just like my dad asked, “What’s wrong?,” God wants us to admit what we’ve done. Then it’s nothing for him to pick up that sin and toss it away so we never see it again. God will win. 

Whose side do we want to be on? If you want to be on God’s side, confess your sin and repent (turn away from sin). Tell him that you choose to follow him. Then follow him. Read his Word (the Bible) and talk to him. Obey him. 

Remember…God WILL win!

Bronze Serpent

Did you know the children of Israel carried the bronze serpent around for about 750 years? Why?

First of all, I believe they kept it because God told them to make it. You remember the story. Moses was leading the children of Israel through the wilderness and they began complaining about Moses’ leadership and God’s provision. So God sent fiery serpents among them and many of the people died. When they repented, God told Moses to make a fiery serpent out of bronze and lift it up on a pole and anyone who looked at it would be healed. (Every ambulance tells this gospel story with their symbol—look next time!). The fiery serpent was a picture of Satan and sin. The bronze serpent on a pole was a foretelling of Jesus being lifted up on the cross—and everyone who looks to him in faith will be healed spiritually.  

So God told them to make it and they didn’t know it was a one-time thing.  Maybe they thought they better keep it in case more serpents came. It could be that as years passed, it became like a “good luck charm.” But more than that, people eventually began offering incense to it. Isn’t it interesting how quickly people replace worshiping God with worshiping something they can see or touch? Or at the very least, people are determined to worship God their way instead of the way He desires and has laid out for us. 

Hezekiah was the king who destroyed it. He knew the people’s hearts were wrong. No more offering incense to the serpent. God commended him for it. 

Have we offered incense to a bronze serpent? Are we fixated on a miracle in the past and worship there? Are we worshiping God OUR way instead of His way? Are we worshiping the past and constantly wishing things were the same—or that worship songs were the same? Are we looking for a physical representation of God to worship? Has something like a cell phone taken the place of God?

It’s time to crush some bronze serpents. 

Rain in China

We’d taken our usual group of adults to China, but this particular year, we included a group of high school and college kids. We’d spent our first week in the city teaching English to elementary students. The second week, we went to a rural area in the mountains and taught middle school kids. We’d taken our teenagers on a hike to the Yangtze River and on our way back, we saw a family watering their field—by hand. This area of China was experiencing one of the worst droughts (during their monsoon season) they’d ever had which meant more work for these poor farmers. We all kept bottled water with us to avoid altitude sickness and since I was leading the way, I raised my water bottle to the family and asked if we could help. Of course, they didn’t speak English, so Andy and our interpreter walked over to them and got their permission to help. It would have taken their family all day to water that field but it  took mere minutes with our crowd helping! After we were finished, Andy had our interpreter tell them that we were going to pray to the One True God and ask him for rain. They thanked him. 

That night after dinner, we gathered outside below the open restaurant and began to worship and pray for rain. We knew there were some government officials eating above us and what we were doing wasn’t really permissible, but we were intent on keeping our word. A waitress came down and told Andy the government officials wanted to know what we were doing. Andy said, “Tell them we’re praying to the One True God and asking him to send rain!” We soon heard laughter after she relayed the information. We began praying.  

It was dark as we began praying. Several people had prayed and I happened to look up. I whispered, “Andy. Andy!  Look behind you!” Behind the Himalayas was a small cloud rising with lightening. Andy gasped and every kid looked up. We were so excited and our prayers became much more fervent. We finished our time praising God, believing rain was coming. 

The rain began as a soft shower about 3 a.m.  By the time most of us woke up, a nice, full rain was falling all around us. The farmers we’d helped the day before showed up at our motel and wanted to talk to Andy. They kept saying, “Must be miracle! Must be miracle!” Through an interpreter, Andy got to tell them about the One True God. 

We’d begun giving scholarships to one student each year so a girl (boys had to stay and help on the farm) could go on to high school in a larger city. This was a big deal. We supplied the scholarship but the teachers and principal chose the worthy student. The parents might walk for a day to see their daughter receive the award. And…there was no auditorium or gymnasium. Any time the students met as a body, it was outside. So our ceremony was set to happen that day—in the rain. 

We gathered our group together and told them we needed to ask God to stop the rain for 30 minutes so we could make the presentation. The kids were due to come outside any minute. We prayed. The rain stopped. We made the presentation and as soon as the students began walking back to class, the rain started again. 

One of our adults kept their eye on the weather for this area after we came home. It rained for weeks. The drought was broken. More importantly, a Chinese family knew about the One True God!

Led by Peace?

I’ve often heard people say, “God will lead you by his peace.” Is that true? Often…but not always.  Let me give you an example.  

Early in our ministry, we were invited to come interview with a church in a different state. We were so happy in the church we were in that I couldn’t imagine leaving it! But because we knew the pastor issuing the invitation, we were interested. So we met with their youth committee. We had a great time getting to know all of those lovely people. 

But once we got to our motel room that night, I couldn’t quit crying! I didn’t know what was wrong. I’m sure Andy was so confused because he kept reassuring me we didn’t have to come.  I just kept saying, “Something’s wrong here!”

The next morning, we met with the pastor and his wife. They told us some things about the church and let us know they’d love it if we came. I asked, “Why are you here?” I had to know. If someone as black and white as this pastor was in this church, I had to know why. Maybe it would help make sense of my feelings. He basically said, “God had been teaching me some principles in my former church that I knew I needed to practice somewhere else.”

The night that the church voted on us, our little family was waiting in the pastor’s office. I couldn’t quit crying!! I just kept saying, “There’s something wrong here!” And Andy kept saying, “We don’t have to come!” Finally, I said, “Yes we do! I know God is leading us here, but WHY?” We went in front of the church (red face and all) and accepted their call.  

There WAS something wrong in that church. There was sin—and a spirit of control. I look back on that experience and am still amazed that the Spirit of God so clearly showed me how out of order things were in that church. What’s so crazy is that most of the people were great. The youth were exceptional. But the church was out of order. 

I believe God revealed how out of order things were—to prepare us. We counted the cost and accepted the mission. We encountered many hard things while we were there. But it was also where we grew…and where God defined our ministry. 

Will God lead you by his peace?  Yes, at times. But he may also show you a future filled with persecutions and have you count the cost before you say “yes.”

I’ve found both to be his way.