Psalms 39:1-44:26

“O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds You performed in their days, in the days of old; You with Your own hand drove out the nations, but them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, but them You set free; for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but Your right hand and Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You delighted in them.” Psalms 44:1-2

Fridays are my Sabbath day, many of you know this. I learned the importance of a Sabbath when God took me through writing Rest, and the rest has been history. 😉

I’ve gone back and forth on being good on my Sabbaths and I’ve gone through times when I’ve even gone out and gotten groceries on those days, or run errands. But deep in my heart I’ve always known that those are supposed to be the days I set aside just for God. Like a longer form of my morning devotions my Sabbath days are supposed to be just for me and God.

Lately, although I’ve known that some good old fashioned quiet time in prayer with Him is what He’s been longing for with me. I’ve not done it. I’ve allowed myself to become slave to my phone and the messages that constantly pop up onto its sweet little screen. The words telling me that I’m important to the people on the other side, that they need my help and my time. All the while there’s a tugging at my soul with the still small voice of the LORD calling me to “be still and know that I am God”. (Psalm 46:10) Yesterday I battled with myself for hours over this, back and forth and back and forth. I’d pick up the phone tap out a text or two responses and then I’d feel dirty and put it back down. I’d pray for a couple minutes the whole while the silenced phone tugging at my consciousness begging me to pick it up again just to see if there were any new messages validating my worth. Finally it all came to a head and I put the phone on my desk. I was exhausted from the hectic week and full schedule. I was exhausted from the emotional struggle I’d been on all morning. I was exhausted. So I went to bed.

My head no more than hit the pillow and God’s voice burst forth like a bubbling spring that had just been released from the pressure of silent captivity. He was so HAPPY that I had finally given up the fight and allowed myself to REST. I had finally determined that my sanity was worth more than all those messages. And in true Holy Spirit style, while the words He spoke WERE convicting, His voice was like a honey and butter on toast, sweet and smooth and warm with just the perfect amount of gratifying crunch that makes you happy on the inside because He is speaking the TRUTH and the truth sets us free.

He said “Grounded”,

and then showed me a picture of a palm tree (Tamar is the name of the date palm trees that bear the dates that were a main staple during Biblical times).

*

He said, “Your name is Tamar for a reason. I call you as you are not how you act. You are a tree, grounded and sturdy, strong and yet flexible. But that’s not how your acting right now is it? How do you feel right now?”

“Like a bobber on the end of fishing line, not really attached to anything just floating in the tossing waves trying to keep my head above the water… and it’s not working Lord. I want to BE that tree, steady and unmoving, but it’s so hard because I want people to LIKE me!”

“Sweetie you know better than that! It’s not about people liking you! It’s about making people more aware of ME through you. It’s about staying within the boundaries I’ve set for you, for your protection – not your captivity. You KNOW time with me in stillness is for your benefit, yet you’ve avoided it all morning, why?”

“They needed me.”

“Yes Baby, but you needed ME more than they need you right now. You’ve GOT to understand that. You’ve got to come to a point where you allow yourself to be weak and in need of a recharge from My hand. You’ve got to allow yourself to admit that you’re not the super mom, super friend, and super worker that you expect yourself to be. Because when you allow yourself to be weak (the way I MADE you) then you will be filled with MY strength and you know that it’s ever so much stronger than your own strength. So why fight it? Why waste your time and energy trying to do everything on your own when you KNOW that you can do it all so much better when you’re with Me? Sweetie, sometimes you just have to stand up for yourself and tell people “No”. Even if they don’t want to hear it. Sometimes loving yourself first IS loving your neighbor and being a good friend. Taking care of yourself IS taking care of your family and your friends. Recognizing that you’re tired and allowing yourself to take a time-out (and maybe a nap) IS taking care of your kids and your husband.

You know that when you are well rested you are happier. You know that when you’ve spent time in the Holy of Holies with Me you are more calm and peaceful throughout your day. You know that when you’ve taken this one day off the rest of your week goes so much more smoothly. You know these things, yet you’re allowing the people in your life to dictate whether or not you take the rest you need rather than listening to ME. You know this is the standard I’ve set for you: no leaving the house while the kids are at school, no talking or texting on the phone, no opening your computer for any reason, just time with ME. Yet every single one of those standards you’ve allowed the people in your life to stomp all over them. If you’ve told them that these are the rules I’ve set up for you, and they don’t respect them, then they’re not respecting you or Me.”

“Well, Lord, I don’t know that they know all that. I think I’ve really only told them that Friday is my Sabbath. I don’t know that I’ve ever really detailed it for any of them.”

“Hmmm… you’d better do that then shouldn’t you? How can you expect them to respect my boundaries for you if you’ve not told them what those boundaries are?”

“Yes Papa.”

*Thanks to Omgzi’s blog for these FABULOUS pictures!!! If you have time you should check it out, he has TONS of great information there! I will definitely be returning!

Psalms 35:1-38:22

“The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when He delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.” Psalms 37:23-24

I remember when my kids were learning to walk how often they fell. I would hold their hand so that when they fell they wouldn’t hit their head or their face. That’s the picture that I get from this scripture. Though we fall… and we certainly do, we won’t go flying headlong into the pavement because the LORD is with us. He will not let us continue down a path that leads to our own destruction. He loves us too much to allow us to do that. He is faithful to us, especially when we’re not faithful to Him.

Isn’t it so great to know that even when we fall, we’re not fallen?

Psalms 29:1-34:22

The voice of the LORD is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the LORD, over many waters.

The voice of the LORD is powerful;

the voice of the LORD is powerful;

the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;

the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,

and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.

The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;

The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth

and strips the forest bare,

And in His temple all cry, “Glory!”

Psalm 29:3-9

“My child, you mean too much to Me to allow you to continue down this destructive path. I know the path I’m asking you to walk is humbling and fraught with difficulty. But I’m not asking you to walk it alone. For I am with you always to the end of the age.(1) You see, I love you way too much to allow you to walk any path without Me. I’m here for you; to guide you and protect you. I love you and all I’m asking is that you will trust Me on this. I am a good parent, I wouldn’t ask you to do something this hard if I wasn’t also planning on helping you through it.

You’re gonna make it. It’s going to be OK. Remember, I’m bigger and scarier than anything you could be facing out there.(2) Remember, I am with you. And if I’m with you then who can be against you?(3) You can do all things through Me because I will give you strength.(4) Did you know that nothing, absolutely nothing, is impossible for Me?(5) Yup. And all things are possible for those who believe Me(6) when I say, “I love YOU”.(7)

You are My beloved child in whom I am well pleased.(8) You have been a faithful servant, now be a faithful friend,(9) go with Me into this new place I’m taking you.(10) Trust Me when I tell you that it’s good.(11)

I love you!

Papa J

1. Matthew 28:20 And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
2. 1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
3. Romans 8:31-32 What then shall we say to these things? 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 with him graciously give us all things?
4. 1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. Philippians 4:12-13 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
5. Luke 1:37 For nothing will be impossible with God.
6. Mark 9:22-24 “But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
7. John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
8. Matthew 3:17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” 1 John 4:17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he [Jesus] is so also are we in this world.
9. John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
10. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
11. Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Psalms 1:1-8:9

“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! … When I look at Your heavens the work of Your fingers, the moon and the starts, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him?” Psalms 8:1, 3-4

Ahhhh…… I am SOOO excited to be here today! We’ve made it to the Psalms! I have really been looking forward to them. If there’s one book in the Bible that everyone is sure to relate to, it’s the Psalms. And today’s verse could not have come at a better time. On laundry day this week Louie Giglio helped me sort and fold while I watched a couple of his videos on the heavens (How Great is our God and Indescribable). I HIGHLY recommend taking the time to watch them if you want your socks knocked off! The abundance of the heavens is beyond imagining.

Isaiah 40:12 (EXB) says “who has measured the oceans [waters] in the palm [hollow] of His hand? Who has used His hand [a span; the distance between the extended thumb and the little finger] to measure the sky [heavens]?”

The entire universe fits in the palm of His hand, and yet who am I that He is mindful of me? And yet His is!

1 Peter 5:7 says to, “Cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.”

According to Psalm 40:5, His thoughts toward you are multiplied.

In Jeremiah He says to, “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and wondrous things that you do not know.” (3:33)

And “I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (29:11)

Job asks, “Does not He see my ways and number all my steps?” Job 31:4

And Jesus assures us, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7

Still don’t believe that He cares for you? Look at the beauty and sheer mass of the heavens all unique yet He calls them all by name.(Psalms 147:4) Awesome right? Now look at your finger tips. Each one creates a unique imprint, no two are identical, even on your own hands! He cares SO MUCH for you that He put that much detail into your creation. He made you special, holy, different, even weird, because He cares about Y.O.U.! And He calls you by name. You are not a number in a crowd my friend, you are special to Him.