November 15, 2024

This Week…Psalms 139:23-24

September 25, 2015 by

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Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalms 139:23 and 24

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This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have reached the conclusion of our series on this wonderful chapter, Psalm 139.  These final verses show the heart of a humble person who recognizes…and asks for…God’s help.  Here’s a little of what our devotional writers shared….

In Change, Ahmee encouraged us to recognize we need God’s help for this…

Do you believe that’s a person can change?  I do…I believe that a person can change, if they want to change.  We cannot change people, people have to want to change on their own or the change won’t stick.  I’m talking about true change not “appearances” of change.  Can people change on their own?  I do believe that even this is possible.  However, I also believe that the easiest change you will ever experience is with the help of God.  And by easy I mean that the tools are readily available if you will accept them. First, and foremost, a person needs to acknowledge that there is a need to change….

❦

In Search Me, Ann reminded us that nothing is ever hid from God…

‘Search me, O God’—this is an appropriate prayer for every believer.  Not only must we hate unrighteousness in the world but we must also be aware that there may be something in us that grieves God.  We should be willing to ask God to put us through any test that would further His work of sanctification in us.  If anything offensive is found, we must turn from it and repent.

  • We cannot hide anything from God for He is the All-Knowing God
  • Our God sees everything
  • This we should know: we cannot hide anything from the eyes of God.

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In Lead Me, Tina shared about the best leader—God and how He leads us…

Being a leader carries with it a lot of responsibility.  Some do it well, working hard to be available to their team and leading by example.  It is hard work to keep everyone motivated and on the right page. God is a great motivator.  He wrote us a manual for motivating ourselves and others..it is called the Holy Bible!

No matter what we are feeling, God is there with His words ready to fill our hearts.  He created the Holy Spirit to aid us to stay on the path that leads to an everlasting life….

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Lead Me

September 24, 2015 by

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Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
and see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalms 139:23-24

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Being a leader carries with it a lot of responsibility.  Some do it well, working hard to be available to their team and leading by example.  It is hard work to keep everyone motivated and on the right page. God is a great motivator.  He wrote us a manual for motivating ourselves and others..it is called the Holy Bible!

No matter what we are feeling, God is there with His words ready to fill our hearts.  He created the Holy Spirit to aid us to stay on the path that leads to an everlasting life.  Where we may fail in this world, if our focus is on doing our best, then how can we go wrong?

That is why we labor and strive,
because we have put our hope in the living God,
who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
1 Timothy 4:10

God is amazing in how He loves us.  He already knows who is going to believe in Him and who will exceed what they imagined being able to do. Focusing on God’s best is where we will excel in all that we do.

Jesus is a wonderful example of this.  Jesus knew His fate before He agreed to obey His Father and become a human baby.  A baby who was helpless from birth and who would grow into an intelligent young man.  Going through the wilderness for forty days after being baptized by His cousin, John, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit to persevere and not give into the temptations of Satan.  Jesus knew He ultimately would have the power He was tempted with.  God had already promised Jesus many things.  But God did not keep His Son from suffering that horrible death on the Cross. Why?  So we could see how much God knew our brokenness.

Only through our brokenness, and Jesus dying on the Cross and becoming a curse for us on the Cross, can we lay down EVERYTHING we have ever suffered.  Jesus, on the Cross, was displayed for all to see.  He was naked, beaten, tired, hungry, thirsty, abandoned, alone, suffering, hurting, crying, afraid, broken-hearted.  God left Him there to die.  In order for Jesus to be the final Lamb, the Sacrifice, God had to let Him die.  In Jesus’ death and resurrection, death was defeated.  We should not fear what is coming at the end of our life.

We have heard stories of people celebrating when they know they are approaching the end of their life.  They know God is waiting for them.  They have lived for God, keeping their focus on Him.  As Paul was nearing the end of his life, he knew death was coming.  In the Book of Acts, Paul is making his way to Jerusalem, then is told that he must go to Rome and present the case for Jesus before Felix.  Different people tell Paul not to go, but Paul was not deterred.

After we had been there a number of days,
a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said,
“The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
Acts 21:10-11 

and then:

The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage!
As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
Acts 23:11 

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Father, thank You for Paul’s boldness.  Thank You for sending Jesus to us to care for us and show us how to live selflessly for You.  Continue to show to us the leadership we can develop and share with others in our lives.  Forgive us when we become afraid.  Let us seek courage to take up our task and to finish the race well!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Lead Me In The Way Everlasting

September 23, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalms 139:23 and 24 NKJV

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Esther Mui/Christian Worship and Scripture Songs 

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Search Me

September 22, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Search me, O God, and know my heart,
test me and know my anxious thoughts,
see if there is any offensive way in me
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalms 139: 23-24

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

‘Search me, O God’.  This is an appropriate prayer for every believer.  Not only must we hate unrighteousness in the world but we must also be aware that there may be something in us that grieves God.  We should be willing to ask God to put us through any test that would further His work of sanctification in us.  If anything offensive is found, we must turn from it and repent.

We cannot hide anything from God for He is the All-Knowing God.

I, the Lord, search the heart and examine the mind
to reward a man according to his conduct,
according to what his deeds deserve.
Jeremiah 17:10

As believers, whatever we are doing whether in words or deeds or enjoy, we should be asking ourselves the following questions:

• Can it be done to Gods glory?
• Can it be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, asking His blessing on the activity?
• Can it be done whilst sincerely giving thanks to God?
• Is it a Christ like action?
• Will it hinder or weaken my witness for Christ?
• Will it weaken my desire for spiritual things?

Why ask these questions? It is because of Jeremiah 23:24:

‘Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.

Our God sees everything.

At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps
and punish those who are complacent
who are like wine left on its dregs, who think
“The Lord will do nothing either good or bad.”
Zepheniah 1:12

Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel
there I will hunt them down and seize them.
Though they hide from Me at the bottom of the sea
there I will command the serpent to bite them.
Amos 9:3

This we should know: we cannot hide anything from the eyes of God.

And He who searches our heart knows the mind of the Spirit
because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. Romans 8:27

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Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for the grace that enables us to do Your work.  No one is like unto You, Father.  Be glorified.  Search our hearts, dear Lord, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   This we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Change

September 21, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends You,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Psalms 139:23-24 NLT

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Do you believe that’s a person can change?  I do…I believe that a person can change, if they want to change.  We cannot change people, people have to want to change on their own or the change won’t stick.  I’m talking about true change not “appearances” of change.  Can people change on their own?  I do believe that even this is possible.  However, I also believe that the easiest change you will ever experience is with the help of God.  And by easy I mean that the tools are readily available if you will accept them.

First, and foremost, a person needs to acknowledge that there is a need to change.  As you can see in Psalms 139:23-24, he asked for the Lord to change him—to make him better.  Confession time: when I first came to Christ, my biggest concern was that if I let Him “change“ me that I would no longer be “me“. Through prayer and constantly going to God about my concern, He pointed out that He was not changing me, but was making me into the person I was intended to be before life happened.  The “me” that I came to Him as was not the “me” He had envisioned me to be. The more I explored Scripture, the more I was able to accept this.

God says, “Bring all who claim Me as their God, for I have made them for My glory. It was I Who created them” (Isaiah 43:7 NLT).  He made us for His glory.  Does He find glory in the fact that I isolate myself or that I am mean to others?  Well, no.  So, then this is not how He created me to be.  How we are is not the same as how we were created to be.

Things happen in life that influence us—in positive and negative ways.  God happens to make us right.

…this means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.
The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17

New life is what we are promised.  But you know we have to choose to live in this new life.  God can show us a better way to do anything; whether it is managing money, or loving your family and friends, or loving the people of the world, or interacting with other believers, or how to be a better mother… boss… worker… or anything!  God knows the very best way to do it!  And, if we ask, He will show us.

The key is that you have to want it.  So, what do you want?

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Search Me, O God

September 20, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalms 139:23-24

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Christ Our Life Christian Fellowship
click here to visit their website

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Lord, You have formed me and know every part
You wove me inside of the womb
Lord, I will praise You with all of my heart
How marvelous the works You do

Search me, O God, and know all of my heart
Try me and know every anxious thought
See if there is any wicked part
Lead me in Your righteousness

Your eyes were on me when I was unformed
My frame was not hidden from You
My days were ordained, and were all written down
How marvelous the works You do

You are holy,
You are holy,
You are holy, Lord

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This Week…Psalms 139:19-22

September 18, 2015 by

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If only You would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
They speak of You with evil intent;
Your adversaries misuse Your name.
Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord,
and abhor those who rise up against You?
I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
Psalms 139:19-22

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This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have continued along in our series on this wonderful chapter, Psalm 139.  The passage that our devotional writers have written on is NOT an easy one.  But each of them has reminded us of the standard that God has for us and the example that Jesus set.  Here’s a little of what they shared….

In Loving Our Enemies, Ahmee reiterated the standard we already know….

Did Jesus agree with sinning?  No.  But yet he was still able to mingle among sinners.  Jesus did not stand apart from them and shake his finger at them. Not our Jesus.  That is just not how He operated…We are so quick to point fingers at other people, especially non-believers.  We cannot hold non-believers to the standards we would believers—they don’t believe what we do.  Our first goal should be to win them over and show them God’s love and mercy.  I say this in regard to Psalm 139:22, where it says, “I have nothing but hatred for them, I count them my enemies.”  The psalmist does say this, but we have been called to love those in the world.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
Matthew 5:44

As followers of Jesus, He obey His commands…and if He said that we are to love our enemies…then we are to love our enemies.  He is not saying  “Love all the sin that your enemies do.”  Nope.  He is saying—love the person, hate the sin.

❦

In Attitude Towards Righteousness and Wickedness, Ann reminded us of God’s attitude….

Having meditated on God’s great love for him, the psalmist reciprocates with great love and loyalty to his Lord.  His anger is stirred against those who oppose and blaspheme God’s wonderful name.  In deep sympathy with God and His cause, he so identifies himself with the Lord that he hates what God hates and loves what God loves.

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
Hebrews 1:9

This shows that it is not enough for God’s children to love righteousness, they must also hate evil.  We see this clearly in Christ’s devotion to righteousness (Isaiah 11:5) and His hatred of wickedness in His life.

❦

In Respect, Tina reminded us of the importance of respect….

Through respecting and honoring them, I am showing the same respect for God.  God tells us we will be blessed with long life and abundance when we respect and honor our parents.  But we also need to teach this to our children and to those around us.  When everyone has a respect for each other, then this world will become a better place.  It only needs to start with us.

Honor your father and your mother,
so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Exodus 20: 12

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Oh, That You Would Slay the Wicked

September 17, 2015 by

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Oh that You would slay the wicked, O God!
    O men of blood, depart from me!
They speak against You with malicious intent;
    Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord?
    And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with complete hatred;
    I count them my enemies.
Psalms 139:19-22 ESV

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Click this link to listen to a stirring rendition of this passage.

from The Verses Project
written by Aaron Strumpel

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Respect

September 16, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

If only You, God, would slay the wicked!
    Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
They speak of You with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse Your name.
Do I not hate those who hate You, Lord,
    and abhor those who are in rebellion against You?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.
Psalms 139:19-22

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As we go through life, we have choices.  The choices we make determine our future.  We can choose to serve God or our own needs or wants.  Just as David decided to trust God with his life through all he experienced, we can learn to walk through our trials in this life.

Our memories and reactions are just as unique as we are.  There are similarities between us, but we are unique.  Our families have formed us to be who we are.  Our dads are usually how we compare who God is.  I was adopted by my aunt and uncle.  I am not sure how old I was, but I do know they did the best they could in raising me and my cousin, their son.

Dad always did what he could by us kids and by mom.  He provided a place for us to live and thrive when we moved to the country.  He set mom up in a grocery store.  We were able to walk to elementary school and grew up protected.  There were not the typical pressures of living in a big city and attending a large school getting lost in the crowd.

We thrived and grew and matured.  We respected what our parents was able to do for us.  Especially now that we are older. I remember thinking I won’t say that to my kids and then I hear myself saying it to my son or daughter. Yeah, I had those days.  I would have days where I truly disliked my parents because I thought they were unfair and that I would not ever leave.  But I did, and through lots of tears and forgiveness, I have been able to respect my parents.

Through respecting and honoring them, I am showing the same respect for God.  God tells us we will be blessed with long life and abundance when we respect and honor our parents.  But we also need to teach this to our children and to those around us.  When everyone has a respect for each other, then this world will become a better place.  It only needs to start with us.

Honor your father and your mother,
so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Exodus 20: 12

In our time, as in David’s, ignorance prevents us from being in line with God’s best for us.  When we begin to serve our own desires we are out of God’s plan.  We need only to repent and turn back to Him

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Father, forgive us for when we seek our own way and not Your way.  Thank You for providing Your Holy Spirit as a guide and a reminder to us to return to You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Loving Our Enemies

September 15, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

If only You would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
They speak of You with evil intent;
Your adversaries misuse Your name.
Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord,
and abhor those who rise up against You?
I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
Psalms 139:19-22

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Did Jesus agree with sinning?  No.  But yet he was still able to mingle among sinners.  Jesus did not stand apart from them and shake his finger at them. Not our Jesus.  That is just not how He operated. Remember last week, I said God shows us our yuck without making us feel yucky.  Jesus jumps right on in and mingles, he builds a rapport with people instead of throwing stones and He makes connections.  When Jesus met up with the Samaritan woman at the well, He did not tell her how horrible she was, instead He stated, “… then neither do I condemn you… Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11).

We are so quick to point fingers at other people, especially non-believers.  We cannot hold non-believers to the standards we would believers – they don’t believe what we do.  Our first goal should be to win them over and show them God’s love and mercy.  I say this in regard to Psalm 139:22, where it says, “I have nothing but hatred for them, I count them my enemies.”  The psalmist does say this, but we have been called to love those in the world.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
Matthew 5:44

As followers of Jesus, He obey His commands…and if He said that we are to love our enemies…then we are to love our enemies.  He is not saying  “Love all the sin that your enemies do.”  Nope.  He is saying—love the person, hate the sin.

Sin is something that we human beings have been cursed with; so we all are familiar with it.  Some us run from it…some us hide from it…some of us try to ignore it.  But how we deal with OUR sin as believers is different than how others outside of our belief system do.  It’s so easy to say, “Well, that <someone else’s actions> is wrong.” But have you ever stopped to think why it’s wrong?  A lot of the stuff that we believe is  wrong is based on things that we have read in the Bible.  We believe that our Lord God has set forth instructions so we can tackle this life we are living.  But, if someone does not believe in God or serve Him or read the Bible, why should they care if He thinks they are sinning?  (This is geared towards people who truly see nothing wrong with what they are doing.)  We, as believers, can introduce them to God first, and let God work his ever-changing-power on them.

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Lord, help us to know how to handle the uncomfortable situations we experience in life and give us guidance to know what to do.  Thank You, Lord!

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