Thursday, May 20, 2010

Today, on God I rest.

I'm not quite sure, but it seems like tonight would be a good time to write out some bible verses. I don't know if they will be used specifically, or are just generally to encourage you as the reader. I guess for me personally, I have a really hard time being encouraged solely through God's Word. When I'm down about something, the first thing I want is physical comfort, and that's something Jesus can't directly give me. Unfortunately, Jesus doesn't specifically 'hold' me the way I wish to be held. At times, He holds me through other people's arms. But usually, He holds me through His Word, the bible. Right now's a time I need to be held. 


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.
       Selah

 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
       the holy place where the Most High dwells.

 God is within her, she will not fall;
       God will help her at break of day.

 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
       he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

 The LORD Almighty is with us;
       the God of Jacob is our fortress.
       Selah

 Come and see the works of the LORD,
       the desolations he has brought on the earth.

 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
       he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
       he burns the shields 
with fire.
 "Be still, and know that I am God;
       I will be exalted among the nations,
       I will be exalted in the earth."

 The LORD Almighty is with us;
       the God of Jacob is our fortress.
       Selah

(Psalm 46)


Do not fret because of evil men
       or be envious of those who do wrong;

for like the grass they will soon wither,
       like green plants they will soon die away.

 Trust in the LORD and do good;
       dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

 Delight yourself in the LORD
       and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 Commit your way to the LORD;
       trust in him and he will do this:

 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
       the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
       do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
       when they carry out their wicked schemes.

 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
       do not fret—it leads only to evil.



If the LORD delights in a man's ways,
      he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall,
     for the LORD upholds him with his hand.


Wait for the LORD
     and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
     when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.


The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
     he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
(Psalm 37)


As the deer pants for streams of water,
       so my soul pants for you, O God.

 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
       When can I go and meet with God?

 My tears have been my food
       day and night,
       while men say to me all day long,
       "Where is your God?"

 These things I remember
       as I pour out my soul:
       how I used to go with the multitude,
       leading the procession to the house of God,
       with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
       among the festive throng.

 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
       Why so disturbed within me?
       Put your hope in God,
       for I will yet praise him,
       my Savior and 
my God.
       My 
soul is downcast within me;
       therefore I will remember you
       from the land of the Jordan,
       the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

 Deep calls to deep
       in the roar of your waterfalls;
       all your waves and breakers
       have swept over me.

 By day the LORD directs his love,
       at night his song is with me—
       a prayer to the God of my life.

 I say to God my Rock,
       "Why have you forgotten me?
       Why must I go about mourning,
       oppressed by the enemy?"

 My bones suffer mortal agony
       as my foes taunt me,
       saying to me all day long,
       "Where is your God?"

 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
       Why so disturbed within me?
       Put your hope in God,
       for I will yet praise him,
       my Savior and my God.

(Psalm 42)


Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)


Do everything without complaining or arguing... (Philippians 2:14)


Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. (Ephesians 1:3-4)


Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 


For he himself is our peace.


He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we have both access to the Father by one Spirit.



In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. 
(Ephesians 2)


Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.



Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.


May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
(1 Thessalonians 5)


Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
       for his compassions never fail.

 They are new every morning;
       great is your faithfulness.

 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
       therefore I will wait for him."


For men are not cast off
       by the Lord forever.

 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
       so great is his unfailing love.

 For he does not willingly bring affliction
       or grief to the children of men.

(Lamentations 3)


Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. 


You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.


For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.


In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8)

 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."
(Hebrews 12)



For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1)

I guess that's enough for tonight. Aka, Ally's eyeballs are wilting. 

Let Jesus hold you. Let Jesus hold you. Give up, and give Him freedom to hold you.

Yeah.
I'm going to bed now. I pray you find rest tonight, as well. Find rest in Him.

Ally



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