May 2, 2026

Lay It Down

August 21, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’ve been lookin’ till my eyes are tired of lookin’
Listenin’ till my ears are numb from listenin’
Prayin’ till my knees are sore from kneelin’ on the bedroom floor
I know that you know that my heart is achin’
I’m running out of tears and my will is breakin’
I don’t think that I can carry the burden of it anymore
All of my hopes and my dreams and my best-laid plans
Are slowly slippin’ through my folded hands

So I’m gonna lay it down
I’m gonna learn to trust You now
What else can I do
‘Cause everything I am depends on You
And if the sun don’t come back up
I know Your love will be enough
I’m gonna let it be, I’m gonna let it go,
I’m gonna lay it down

I’ve been walkin’ through this world like I’m barely livin’
Buried in the doubt of this hole I’ve been diggin’
But You’re pullin’ me out
I’m finally breathin’ in the open air
This room may be dark but I’m finally seein’
There’s a new ray of hope, and now I’m believin’
That the past is past, and the future’s beginning to look brighter now
Oh, cause all of my hopes and my dreams and my best-laid plans
Are safe and secure when I place them in Your hands 

Singer / Songwriter – Jaci Velasquez
* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ * 

Each of us has burdens and cares and concerns…some days it seems they are more than we can bear.  To think you can walk through this life without them is to deny the Truth.  However, they are not ours to carry and bear on our own. Throughout the Scriptures, we are told that the Lord will bear them for us.

Blessed be the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day,
even the God Who is our salvation! Selah
Psalm 68:19

Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.
All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me,
because I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30

The burdens, the concerns, the cares of this life can turn into worries, doubts, fears if we do not bring them to our Father letting Him take care of them. We are to humbly recognize our great need for our Great God, and all that He has promised to do for us, because He cares for us.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God
so that at the proper time He may exalt you,
casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6 and 7

Let’s listen to Jesus’ admonition and promises in Matthew chapter 6:

Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater [in quality] than food, and the body [far above and more excellent] than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?
And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life?
And why should you be anxious about clothes? Consider the lilies of the field and learn thoroughly how they grow; they neither toil nor spin.
Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence (excellence, dignity, and grace) was not arrayed like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear?
For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all.
But seek first of all His kingdom and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given you besides.
So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.

Jesus’ words are full of action for us to take…but not the action of taking care of ourselves. Rather, our Lord and Master tells us to–

  • stop being perpetually uneasy
  • look at (and consider) the birds of the air
  • consider the lilies of the field
  • do not worry and be anxious
  • seek (first of all) His kingdom
  • <again> do not worry or be anxious

These are not always easy to do…but they are what we are to do in obedience. The choice, moment by moment, is ours (yours and mine)—will we stop… look…consider…not worry or be anxious…but seek His kingdom OR will we worry, doubt, have anxiety and fear.

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

I am praying for you that TODAY you will choose to trust and say, “I’m gonna let it be, I’m gonna let it go, I’m gonna lay it down…in Jesus’ powerful name, amen.” (Will you pray that for me, too?  I’d be so appreciative!)

 

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

High Fiber Quick and Easy Lunch

August 20, 2014 by

Beans

Fiber! It is one of the things we know we need to add to our diet. The benefits of fiber have been shown to protect against cardiovascular disease, help with weight control, reduce risk of type 2 diabetes and be a source of cancer-fighting antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Today’s woman should be consuming 15-25 grams of fiber a day (14gms for every 1,000 calories). However, for busy women, it is hard enough to find the time to eat anything healthy (consistently) much less worry about adding in fiber.

Adding fiber to your diet isn’t as hard as it may seem. It just takes a little know-how and some motivation. It can be as easy as choosing nutrient-rich foods such as legumes, whole grains, and fresh (or frozen) fruits and vegetables. Dried fruit, carrot sticks, a whole-grain pita and even popcorn are also a good choice.

Another reason some women may not get enough fiber is because they get in a rut of eating the same thing every day… grilled chicken salad.  Do you want something new and easy? Try this quick salad. I love it because you can quickly prepare it on Sunday evening to have for lunches during the week or as a side for an evening meal. The best thing is it will provide almost half of your daily fiber requirements.

Three Bean Salad
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 tbsp Equal® Spoonful (or use 4.5 packets of Equal® sweetener)

1 tbsp olive oil

3/4 tsp Italian seasoning

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 can (14.5 oz) cut green beans,
drained

1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained

1 can (15 oz) dark kidney beans, rinsed, drained

1/4 cup sliced green onions

  • Combine vinegar, Equal®, olive oil, and seasonings; mix well.
  • Stir in remaining ingredients.
  • Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.

Serves 6
Calories – 159
Fat – 3 gms
Protein – 8gms
Fiber – 8gms

** adapted from Calorie King

** Add grilled chicken if you desire; however, nutritional content will change.

 

In Good Health,
Crystal

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , ,

Strength and Shield

August 20, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

1 Lord, You should receive the honor, not us.
    The honor belongs to You
    because of Your faithful love and loyalty.
2 Why should the nations wonder
    where our God is?
3 Our God is in heaven,
    and He does whatever He wants.
4 The “gods” of those nations are only statues
    that some human made from gold and silver.
5 Those statues have mouths, but cannot talk.
    They have eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears, but cannot hear.
    They have noses, but cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but cannot feel.
    They have feet, but cannot walk.
    No sounds come from their throats.
8 The people who make and trust in those statues
    will become like them!

9 People of Israel, trust in the Lord!
    He is your strength and shield.
10 Aaron’s family, trust in the Lord!
    He is your strength and shield.
11 Followers of the Lord, trust in the Lord!
    He is your strength and shield.

Psalms 115:1-11

What does it look  like to love God with all of your strength?  Mark gives us great advice:

To love Him with all your heart,
with all your understanding
and with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Mark 12:33

For me, this is easy to do. Obedience is where I would say I fail. Obedience is where I should choose to study His word and not give into distractions. Obedience says not to place my expectations on others. Obedience is forgiveness of others. Obedience is forgiving myself. When our heart becomes aligned with God’s truths then all else will fall into place.

Sometimes it is stepping out in faith when we feel that we are called to fulfill a calling on our lives. God will honor our choice to be obedient and reward us. We will be laying up our treasure in heaven by submitting to His will. I hope to see my ‘mansion’ in heaven. I do not think I would mind a small one, but then, I am not sure I would stay in that building because I would want to be in His presence all day.

In John 14 Jesus says,

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going” (Verses 1-4).

What a comforting passage to us. We know the story and how Jesus died on the Cross and was raised in three days.  To the robber who was crucified alongside of Him, Jesus told the man he would be with Him in paradise. Jesus, always thinking of others, not of Himself.

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Father, thank You for Your Scriptures.  Thank You for teaching us and showing us Your heart. Help us become more like Jesus—obedient, loving, kind, and always thinking of others.  Not to be blind, but to have compassion, to have discernment, and wisdom. Wisdom in knowing how to help someone or when to refer them to someone else.  Thank You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

A Beautiful Exchange

August 20, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

You were near though I was distant
Disillusioned I was lost and insecure
Still mercy fought for my intention
You were waiting at the door, then I let You in

Trading Your life for my offenses
For my redemption
You carried all the blame breaking the curse
Of our condition
Perfection took our place

When only love could make a way
You gave Your life in a beautiful exchange
When only love could break these chains
You gave Your life in a beautiful exchange

My burden erased, my life forgiven
There is nothing that could take this love away
And my only desire, and my sole ambition
Is to love You just the same

Holy are You, God, Holy is Your name
With everything I’ve got my heart will sing
How I love You

Songwriter – Joel Houston / Performed by Hillsong United

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Thank You, Lord, that You were near even when I was distant….

Sometimes, there’s so much going on in your life that, God fades from the picture…creating distance.  In other words, your relationship with God may be weakened because your focus is not on Him.  Not spending as much time with God can create distance because your mind becomes occupied by other things…thus shutting God out.  If you are a person who spiritually feels God’s Presence and Love—and then you don’t feel it anymore—that can mean you are becoming distant from God.

But even if there are things going on and you are distant from God, He is still always there and He will never fail you, even if you don’t feel His presence.  All you have to do is close the distance, and put your trust and focus back on Him.

The problem lies within us.  God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever; He never changes.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8 ESV

We must return our focus back to Him the One who is Faithful…

What a beautiful exchange—Jesus’ life for mine!  He freely laid His life down for you and me.  Therefore, all thanks, praise, and honor should go directly to Him!

Jesus said in John 15:13 that there is “No greater love that a man can have than this: that he lay his life down for his friends!”  How can we not place our main focus on Him and allow Him time in our lives when He laid down His life for ours?!?  We must not let the distractions in our lives take precedence over our time with Him.

My burden erased…my life forgiven…there is NOTHING that could take this love away for you and for me.  Our sole ambition should be to love Him the same!

 * ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Heavenly Father, I come to You today with a grateful, thankful heart. Forgive me for the times I have let the distractions of my life take away from my time spent with You. Thank You for the beautiful exchange of laying down Your life for mine…and that, no matter what, nothing could ever take away from Your love for me… In Jesus’ name, AMEN!!!!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Modern Idols

August 19, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

But their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.
They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
They have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk,
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
Psalms 115:4-7

When I was growing up, I always thought that idols were statues.  That was how they had always been portrayed as being in the movies and my own imagination. However, when I reached my teens and young adult years, I learned that idols are more than just statues that are worshipped as gods.

One dictionary definition of idol is any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration, or devotion.

The Bible definition of idol is an image of a deity other than God.

In my opinion, an idol is anything that turns your attention away from God.  With so many things to grab our attention, it is easy to allow something or someone to grab all our attention. Cell phones, TV, work, family activities, etc., can keep us from doing what we really should be doing. When it comes to God, these can also affect our relationship with Him.

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” He said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.” The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple courts, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ they were indignant.

Matthew 21:12-15

The merchants of Jesus’ time had made His temple a place of idolatry.  The merchants and the priests were more worried about money and the power they had then of having a true relationship with God.  When Jesus took their idols away, they became indignant.  If you were to try to do that to someone or a group of people today, it would become total chaos.  Rights are taken away, and the rights of the people who are seeking to do the right thing are taken away.
However, one day Jesus will return, and He will turn the tables on the idols of the world again.  Until then we should strive to keep the idols out of our view.  We should focus our lives upon God.  We should work and live for the glory of God.

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father, I strive to put my focus on You.  You have saved me from the clutches of sin.  Idols have no place in my life.  I love You and work to glorify You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Oceans

August 19, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvYou call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise my soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

Performed by Hillsong United
Songwriters: Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Salomon Lighthelm

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

In Matthew 14:25-32, Peter walked on the water with Jesus.  Just imagine seeing Jesus out on the water and crying out to Him and asking to walk as He was on the water….  Then imagine being told by Jesus to come and walk on the water with Him! I would imagine that Peter was intrigued and excited to experience walking on water. Once out of the boat and walking with Jesus, Peter, felt and tasted the salt spray, smelled more intently the water, and I would imagine the waves picking up and moving greatly would make him afraid.

…Then I think of how this account can be applied to mine or anyone’s life. As we go through life, we will have moments where we are so excited that we will jump in and not think of consequences. And, sometimes, God wants us to take those risks and to trust Him fully. I pray that this song will speak to you, encouraging you to follow God more fully.

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Father, help me become a more fully devoted follower.  Help me to seek You even when I doubt. You are there for us—just waiting for opportunities to show us how to push through and to show off Your awesome power. I pray for those who are hurting. I pray for those who are happy. I pray that they are all seeking Your Will for their life in all that they do.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Arugula, Peach, Quinoa Salad

August 18, 2014 by

Recently a friend told me about this delicious ‘rice’ salad that she and her family were enjoying that she purchased at her favorite grocery store from the fresh salad bar. Well, as it turns out it wasn’t rice (when I questioned her thoroughly) but red quinoa!  Oh, I do love quinoa…so I was quite interested!  Here is my variation on this salad.  You can surely make this ‘your own’ by varying the fresh veggies added, what type of fruit you put in (berries would also be lovely!), the kind of vinaigrette you use (perhaps use your family’s favorite bottled vinaigrette!), and what variety of nuts you sprinkle across the top!  I would love to hear how you changed it up; leave a comment below!

Quinoa <kEEn-wah> is a grain but it is the seed that we eat! (Good news for those who eat low-carb, right?)  And it is jam-packed full of protein.  Have you and your family enjoyed quinoa before?  To find quinoa in your grocery store, check the natural food section, or the rice/pasta aisle.  Usually when I prepare a pot of quinoa, I make extra to use for another meal. Our favorite is ‘red’ quinoa although it also comes in white (or golden), and black variations. Check out these nutritional facts.  This light salad fits well into our ‘healthy but oh-so-yummy’ POV since it has a great vegetable protein base, and lots of fresh veggies and fruit!  Serve it alongside something yummy from the grill—chicken, shrimp, or salmon, for example.  Oh, and if you DO grill…throw the peaches on the grill for 5 minutes or so, too!  Enjoy!

Quinoa, Peach and Arugula Salad

2014-08-17 19.34.04

ingredients:
1 cup red quinoa
1+3/4 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup mango (or orange) juice
1 tablespoon honey, agave or maple syrup (optional)
2-3 splashes of white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic (I use jarred)
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 cups arugula
2 ripe peaches (or mango), chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 cup cucumber, small dice
handful of sugar snap peas (defrosted from frozen OR fresh)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup nuts (pistachios, pignoli, chopped almonds)
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

directions:

  • prepare quinoa: bring water to a boil in a small saucepan; add the quinoa, bring back to boil, stir, cover, and then reduce heat to very low and simmer until the water is absorbed (10-15 minutes).  remove from the heat, keep covered, and let sit for 5 minutes.  fluff up with a fork and transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool2014-08-17 18.59.45 HDR
  • make vinaigrette:  whisk together the juice, garlic, sweetener (if using), balsamic, and s&p; slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk away ‘til thoroughly emulsified. (this can be done in your food processor or using an immersion blender)
  • assemble:  add the veggies, arugula and herbs to the quinoa already in the large mixing bowl, ; toss together
  • pour 3/4 of the vinaigrette evenly over the mixed salad; season well with additional s&p to taste
  • top with sliced peaches, nuts, and cheese

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Glory! Glory be to…Wait, Who is glory for?

August 18, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness.

Psalm 115:1

A few days ago, I finally re-enrolled in college. I came up with quite a few reasons why I couldn’t go back; but overall, every one of my excuses were fear based. Even now, some of the logistics of this new endeavor have yet to be worked out. But (as I had to remind myself going in)—trust God and He will guide you.

Now, that I’m re-enrolled, I’m kind of excited! I’ve told the news to many of the closest people in my life, and heard plenty of “I’m proud of you!” Which, of course, is easy for me to soak up. Yes, I do feel good about accomplishing something that I’ve said I was going to do and, oh, how easy it would be for me to feel self-accomplished. But without the Lord’s favor I wouldn’t be going back to school at all…so glory be to Him!

For years I’ve been denied free financial aid. This year out, of the blue and at the very last minute, I received a grant…finally. I practically talked myself out of taking the grant, until a random comment to the most unlikely person turned into a handshake and a promise that I’d at least go to the school and talk with an advisor. So first I had to wait for a letter that came 3 days before I had to have everything done. Then I was told I had to take a 3 hour-long test (3 hours before I had to be to work), and then I was sent on a scavenger hunt all around campus trying to finish things up.

Every bit of the way, I had a voice in my head trying to give me excuse after excuse for why I should not be doing this. But, with every excuse, that little voice gave, I heard a louder voice give me reason after reason to trust in God. And thank God for that! All I did was take the steps the Lord placed before me and for that He deserves all the glory.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Thank You, Lord, for being glorious beyond all measure.  Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

All The People Said Amen

August 18, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

You are not alone if you are lonely
When you’re feeling afraid you’re not the only
We are all the same in need of mercy
To be forgiven and be free
It’s all you got to lean on
But thank God it’s all you need

And all the people said Amen
And all the people said Amen
Give thanks to the Lord for His love never ends
And all the people said Amen

If you’re rich or poor well it don’t matter
Weak or Strong, you know love is what we’re after
We’re all broken but we’re all in this together
God knows we stumble and we fall
And He so loved the world He sent His son to save us all

Blessed are the poor in spirit who are torn apart;
Blessed are the persecuted and the pure in heart;
Blessed are the people hungry for another start,
for this is the kingdom, the kingdom of God

Singer/Songwriter: Matt Maher along with Paul Moak, Trevor Morgan

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

I have had this song stuck in my head for days, y’all! I decided to find out what was the story behind the song. This is what I found:

“One of the things Maher says he loves doing as a songwriter is to look at phrases that have become clichés among church folk. ‘I think that a lot of Millennials, they would hear a pastor say, And all God’s people said amen, and they would just kind of maybe roll their eyes a little bit at that. Well, first of all, that’s Scripture. So, please don’t roll your eyes at Scripture.’ ”

We tend to do that, don’t we? Maybe not roll our eyes but we tend to brush it off because we have ‘heard it all before.’ So, I did some research on the word “Amen.”

May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised from everlasting to everlasting.”
Then all the people said, “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”
I Chronicles 16:36 HCSB

May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised from everlasting to everlasting? Let all the people say, “Amen!” Hallelujah!
Psalm 106:48 HCSB

definitions and usages:

  • Wikipedia – a declaration of affirmation
  • Merriam Webster – used to express agreement or approval
  • Greek Old Testament – so be it
  • Dictionary.com – it is so
  • It can also be used in place of “truly” or “verily”

The one that caught my attention was “it is so,” used as an expression of belief. It reminded me of a verse I had recently seen:

But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak,
2 Corinthians 4:13 NASB

I believe therefore I speak. Beth Moore says, “God’s words are omnipotent. Our words are potent.” When we speak Scripture aloud we are externalizing our internal passion. We are in agreement with God; we are sharing the mind of Christ. When we speak Scripture, we are accepting it, receiving it into our lives.

Now go back to this song…

  • “We are all the same in need of mercy to be forgiven and be free. It’s all you got to lean on but thank God it’s all you need”
  • “His love never ends”
  • “God knows we stumble and we fall and He so loved the world He sent His son to save us all”

These are all things I agree with—things I believe—therefore I can say “Amen!”

What are you willing to say AMEN to?

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Father, thank You for a love that never ends. Help me speak what I believe. Remind me why we say “amen.” Make me aware of what I am saying “amen” to. Thank You for being all I ever need. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN – so be it!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Who Is Your God?

August 17, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory,
for the sake of Your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens;
He does all that He pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
Psalms 115:1-11

As I was reading this passage and the related commentaries, my mind kept circling back to one thought: we all worship something.  Every one has a “god”—a guiding principle, a passion that is master of their life.   As I continued reading, I realized that verses 1-3 and 9-11 reveal a lot about the One True God.   Verses 4-8 illuminate the contrast of idols.  So I created a chart for comparison.

One True God                              idols

Loving & merciful                                           hard & unfeeling
Reigns in Heaven                                            resides on earth
Sovereign, has dominion                            controls nothing
Always has been, is & will be                      man-made
Holy                                                                     dirty from ore dug from earth
Alive & powerful                                             dead
All-seeing                                                           blind
Always hears our prayers                           deaf
All-knowing                                                       dumb
Transforms man into His Image               made in the image of man
Has done everything for us                        can do nothing for us

This passage begins and ends with God.  Ironic, isn’t it?  Verses 1-3 remind us everything is for His glory and not our own.  His mercy is freely given and cannot be earned.  Therefore we boast in Him alone.

Look at these two verses:

You will show loyalty to Jacob and faithful love to Abraham,
as You swore to our fathers from days long ago
Micah 7:20 HCSB

He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for His mercies to them.
Romans 15:9a NLT

God made plans long ago to be faithful and merciful to us. Verses 10–11 sum the passage up by reminding us wherein our strength and protection lie. The Lord is our “help and our shield” if we only will trust Him.

Acts 10:35 (NASB) tells us: “…but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.”  And not only are we welcomed but Psalm 147:11 (AMP) says our reverent fear delights Him:  “The Lord takes pleasure in those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy and loving-kindness.”

“God is seeking to make us like Himself” – Chuck Smith

Either we are making a “god” like ourselves and indulging in self-idolatry OR God is transforming us daily into His image.  Our actions reveal our “god.”

What are your actions saying?

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Lord, we just want to thank You for all You have done for us.  We treasure Your faithfulness and mercy towards us.  Show us if we are allowing another “god” to become our passion.  Stop us before it happens.  We boast in You alone.  May our actions and our lives bring You glory.  In Your Holy name we pray, Amen – so be it!

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