Tag: guide me

129. My stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and He in whom I take refuge

2Samuel 22:1  And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

Deuteronomy 32:4     “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

1 Samuel 2:2   “There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

Psalms 31:3     For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;

Psalms 71:3     Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Psalms 91:2     I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalms 144:2    he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge

I wonder what we have to go through in order to see God as our refuge, rock, stronghold, shield, deliverer, savior, and fortress.  I think it comes down to how we see God in our heart, mind, and soul.  If we have a desire to know Him more, longingly spending time in His word, expecting to find a refreshing and strengthening of our faith, and seeking to do that which honors and glorifies Him will set us on a path that we see God’s hand in everything and in control of His creation.  When our understanding of God is continually fueled by His word we begin to see the awesome power, strength, might, and unlimitedness of God.  At his voice, the utterance of a word from His mouth universes and galaxies were made.  At his command the Red Sea parted, the Jordan River stopped, walls of Jericho fell, armies defeated, dead brought back to life, deaf given to hear, blind able to see, and so much more.  How do we call on someone who is not active in our life – we don’t?

Our ability to see God as rock, refuge, and fortress comes from faith and our faith grows as we deny more and more of self-interest and we spend more time in His word (conscious intentional choice), seeking to humbly serve, honor, follow, obey, cling to, rely on, and trust in Him.  Don’t limit God for He is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.  Though we wait, we trust.  Though we have moments of anxiousness we renew our trust. Though we do not see the end of our trial we trust and know God is in control and all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Though I do not see Him I know He is there and in His hands I find peace. Though I don’t know when my trial will end I will not carry this burden for He is my refuge, rock, stronghold, shield, deliverer, savior, and fortress

39. Guide me in your truth and teach me

1 John 1:8  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

1 John 3:18  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

1 Timothy 2:15  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

John 1:14  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:17  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

John 8:32  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 14:6   Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 17:17  Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Psalms 25:5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalms 119:160  All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

Psalms 145:18  The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

John 18:37  “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

1 Corintians 13:4  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.

I heard Charles Swindoll speaking on truth and it got me to thinking about what is the truth.  It is hard to tell what is truth or lies.  Truth for us is surrounded by perception.  What we declare as absolute truth someone else can see it as false.  We listen to media outlets speak of their truth and it is hard to tell because of how they spin the article.  The same can be said about those who are called out by the media.  When caught in an outright lie they respond with “I’m sorry for the confusion” or “that is not true” and we are left to determine what is true by our perception of what we have heard or read.  It has been said “how do you know if a politician is lying? When they open their mouth”

We can see pictures that accompany an article and are convinced of the truth, only to find out that the pictures were staged.  We don’t have to look far into social media to see how people will tell us “all is well” they support this with pictures of smiling faces and no troubles in their relationships, finances, employment.  The fact is that we have no way to determine truth from lies in this world.

There is one truth that we can believe “God” and “His word”.  It is impossible for God to lie.  It is impossible for God to judge improperly.  His plans are never wrong.  His purposes are never wrong.

We choose to believe the truth of Him through His word, or we choose to believe some of it and lie to ourselves that the rest does not apply to us.  We choose to believe the truth of His love, Jesus Christ, salvation, heaven, eternity and then somehow choose to believe wrath, judgment, anger, sin, complacency, neglect, discipline, rebuke, and testing are not true enough to even give a second thought about.  If we spend time in His word we see that this way of thinking is believing in lies that our culture influences our heart, mind, and soul with.  We believe the lie we are “ok enough” or “not bad as others” or that there is some kind of grading scale by which we will be approved” or “I’m saved by grace and therefore I have no need of works” or “I will get serious about God in my life when I am not so busy” or “God won’t know or doesn’t see” or “God is a God of love and will not display anger or wrath against me” or “I have done enough good to stand before God on the day of judgment”….

In our unholiness, it is hard for us to understand the Holiness of God.  It is hard to understand that “He is withholding His wrath and anger” in light of this time of “His Steadfast Love, Grace, and Mercy”

Being luke-warm, neglectful, complacent, stiff-necked, with a hardened heart, dull ears, closed eyes, and not seeing a need of forgiveness, disobedience, double-minded, prideful, lustful, greedy, causing and living in confusion, anxiousness, and grumbling, these are results of chasing after and believing lies.

Peace, joy, love, gentleness, kindness, hope, forgiven, strength, power, courage, humbleness, rest, order, purpose, meaning, eyes and ears open, and heart, mind, and soul desiring and seeking to serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey God are results of believing God’s truth.

Make it an intentional daily plan to spend time in His word of TRUTH.

Bear you up

“ Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.”

“ For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;”

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.  On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”

Psalms 71:1  In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me! Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.  Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.

Proverbs 18:10    The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Isaiah 33:16     he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.

Psalms 91:1  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty  I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

I read a review of this Psalm and share it with you.  Let us ask for help, that we may disappoint the calculations of those who hate us, whether men or demons. It is a piteous spectacle when apparently prosperous careers” are overclouded, and age is overwhelmed in catastrophes which there is no time to overcome. But such is not God’s way with His loyal servants. His rivers do not end in swamps and marshes, but broaden and deepen till they kiss the mighty ocean.  It is good for us to keep God our rock, refuge, power and might in both good times and times of trials allowing His perfect will, purpose and plan for our lives.

Hope in weakness

“Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge”

“For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Psalms 31:1   In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!  For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

Romans 5:2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Isaiah 49:23  Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”

Proverbs 22:17  Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge,

2 Samuel 22:3  my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.

Psalms 71:3  Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Jeremiah 14:7   “Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for your name’s sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.

2 Corinthians 12:9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2Timothy 2:24  And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,  and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

At the time we are asking God to be our refuge, fortress, strength, power, rock, savior, shield, and come speedily to our rescue we also have to know too that His power is made perfect in our weakness.  It is in this weakness we find hope.  This hope comes to us as we finally get to a place where we have exhausted all of our own efforts to see that what we are facing is much bigger and complex than we can have influence on.  I recently heard a person say “I finally turned it over to God, and when I did I had this peace come over me.  I am fine with whatever comes”.  Why is it we are slow to bringing it to God and quick to try to keep it in our own power?  We don’t find peace in our own power do we.  It is only when we have surrendered it fully to God do we find hope, peace and rest.