Psalm 139: Day 4

Hi Bible Study girls.

Here are the last few verses of Psalm 139, broken down using the 3-Question Method.

Psalm 139:17 - "How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!"

Step 1: Your thoughts are precious. How vast.

Step 2: God thought of everything when He created us.

Step 3: How can I feel incomplete when God thought of everything when He created me?

Psalm 139:18 - "Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with You."

Step 1: Were I to count, they would outnumber the grains of sand. I am with You.

Step 2: The thoughts of God are incomprehensible, and yet He cares about us enough to desire to spend time with us.

Step 3: Have I made time to spend with God, or have I been too busy with what I deem as important to give Him the time He so deserves?

Psalm 139:19 - "If only You would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!"

Step 1: If You would slay the wicked. Away, you bloodthirsty men.

Step 2: When we are in the presence of God, we begin to hate sin.

Step 3: Do I hate sin, or have I developed a tolerance to it?

Psalm 139:20 - "They speak of You with evil intent; Your adversaries misuse Your Name."

Step 1: They speak with evil and misuse Your Name.

Step 2: The evil in this world wars against all that we stand for in Christ.

Step 3: What do I view as evil? Do I believe the evil in this world is reveal? In what ways have I seen the evil in this world war against my belief and standards in Christ?

Psalm 139:21 - "Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against You?"

Step 1: Do I hate those who hate you and those who rise up against You?

Step 2: We are to combat against the forces of evil, and cling to Christ.

Step 3: Am I clinging to Christ against the forces of evil, or do I succumb to the pressures of this world?

Psalm 139:22 - "I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies."

Step 1: I have hatred for them. I count them enemies.

Step 2: We are to hate what is evil.

Step 3: Do I hate the evil in this world?

Psalm 139:23 - "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts."

Step 1: Search me and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Step 2: God searches our hearts, and knows even our most anxious thoughts.

Step 3: What anxious thoughts are on my heart? Have I handed them over to God? Do I believe He is capable of taking care of even my worst fears?

Psalm 139:24 - "See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Step 1: See if there is any offensive way in me. Lead me in the way everlasting.

Step 2: When we truly know God's character, we desire to be more like Him in everything we do. Only the eternal will last.

Step 3: Do I desire to be more like Him, knowing that only the eternal will last?

Psalm 139: Day 3

For those of you who have not caught on throughout the past few posts, I am leading a Bible Study for some college girls. We had our first night of Bible Study this past Tuesday. We have decided to take a walk through Psalm 139 together this week. Below is one way I have suggested that they study this particular Psalm. It provides the opportunity to look at each verse - factually, spiritually, and personally.

Psalm 139 is one of my most favorite passages of Scripture. As women, until we truly can grasp Who we are created by, what we are created for, and who are created to be ... I believe we will be living unfulfilled lives. Been there, done that, not fun. And though the Lord has been so faithful to reveal to me that my identity is found ultimately within Him, I still often struggle with my worth asking myself the same questions: what was I created for? who was I created to be? And when I find myself pondering those thoughts, I find such relief to open my Bible and read Psalm 139.

Because when I can truly see myself in light of the Creator God of the Universe, my purpose in life becomes secondary. Just knowing such a God becomes priority. And through seeking Him, I find Him. And I find me. And then I know ... what I was created for, and who I was created to be.

Psalm 139:11 - "If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me ... '

Step 1: The darkness will hide me, and the light become night.

Step 2: It is easy to get overwhelmed by the evil in this world, though we must not forget that God is in control.

Step 3: Do I easily become overwhelmed and discouraged by the evil in this world? Do I cling to God in those moments, knowing that He is in control?

Psalm 139:12 - " ... Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You."

Step 1: The darkness will not be dark to You. The night will shine like day. Darkness is light to You.

Step 2: There is no darkness in God - Only light.

Step 3: Am I a light in the darkness - shining for God?

Psalm 139:13 - "For You created me in my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb."

Step 1: You created me. You knit me together.

Step 2: God is our Creator and has fashioned each one of us uniquely since the time of conception.

Step 3: In what ways has God uniquely fashioned me?

Psalm 139:14 - "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Step 1: I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful.

Step 2: God's creation of human life is wonderful.

Step 3: Do I view my life, my being, as a creation of God? Do I believe that I am a wonderful creation of the Most High, as the Bible tells me?

Psalm 139:15 - "My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth ... "

Step 1: My frame was not hidden from You when I was made.

Step 2: We have always been known by God.

Step 3: Do I realize that I truly am known by God? That He knows me better than anyone one this earth?

Psalm 139:16 - " ... Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be."

Step 1: Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book.

Step 2: God has plans for our lives.

Step 3: Do I believe that God has a plan and purpose for my life?

What's Burning???

Here is some comedic relief for your Friday afternoon.

So, I had an appointment with a client this afternoon. He sits down across from me at my desk and immediately asks me, "What's burning???"

I breathe in and don't really smell anything. So I say quite matter-of-factly, "Oh, it's most likely my computer. It's been giving me a very hard time. I'm actually picking up a new one next week."

A few minutes later when he has left my office, I suddenly get a whiff of that burning smell.

And I am almost 99.9% sure that the burning smell ...

Is coming from ...

My hair.

Why would my hair smell like something was on FIRE, you ask?

Well, let me just tell you why. Because I admittedly suck the ever-loving LIFE out of one particular hair product of mine: My TIGI Bedhead curling iron.

This was a gift to me for Christmas from my husband. The same curling iron they used on my hair for my wedding, and I love it so much because my hair stays curly all day long when I use it.

Hmmm ... Wonder why???

Because it evidently FRIES every hair on your HEAD ...

And leaves the smell to prove it.

Perhaps my hair is another one of those things my husband would refer to as "perfectly scorched"??

Lovely.

{And I would just like to add that the same client just walked back into my office for a moment and once again smelled the burning scent. I just couldn't do it. He wouldn't understand. So, yep. I just continued to let him believe my computer was fixing to blow up. What?!? Like you wouldn't have done the same thing???}

Happy Friday!

Hope your weekend is just one big ball of Fire-y Fun.

[I think I'll go buy some hairspray.]

Psalm 139: Day 2

Good Morning Bible Study girls! [I need a new name for y'all.]

For day 2, I'm going to focus on verses 5-10 of Psalm 139.

*For those of you wondering what I'm talking about, read yesterday's post. Please join us in studying Psalm 139 this week, if you're up for it!

**Click here to once again refresh yourself on this method of studying the Bible.

Psalm 139:5 - "You hem me in - behind and before; You have laid your hand upon me."

Step 1: You hem me in. Your hand laid upon me.

Step 2: God is in our past, our present, and in our future.

Step 3: Do I trust that God has forgiven me for my past? Is with me in the present? And has my future in His hands?

Psalm 139:6 - "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain."

Step 1: Such knowledge is too wonderful and lofty for me.

Step 2: We cannot even come close to grasping the love and greatness of Christ.

Step 3: Am I amazed at the love and greatness of Christ in my day-to-day life?

Psalm 139:7 - "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?"

Step 1: Where can I go from Your Spirit or presence?

Step 2: God is everywhere.

Step 3: Do I recognize God's presence in my daily life? Do I feel Him near me? How would I live differently if I realized He is always with me?

Psalm 139:8 - "If I go up to the heavens, You are there; If I make my bed in the depths, You are there.

Step 1: Heavens, in the depths - You are there.

Step 2: God is present in our victories and in our hardships.

Step 3: Do I look for God in my victories as much as in my hardships?

Psalm 139:9-10 - "If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast."

Step 1: Your hand will guide me/hold me.

Step 2: God promises to lead and guide His children.

Step 3: Do I trust that God will lead and guide my life?

So what is my take-away from today's verses?

Short and simple and to the point: God is with me! And He is with you! He has our past, our present and our future in His hands. Regardless of what we are encountering on this very day, or in this very season of life, He is with us. May we acknowledge His presence in our day-to-day.

To read a little more about this topic, take a look at this previous post.

Psalm 139: Day 1

These next series of posts on Psalm 139 are for my Bible Study girls. The rest of you Hints of Hopers are totally welcome to follow along! My Bible Study girls and I are going through Psalm 139 this week - Each day we are reading a couple verses and asking God to teach us something personally from the Scripture. So ... Here we go! Again, you are welcome to join us.

Hey sweet Bible Study girls!

Ok, first thing's first - I had an absolute blast with you all this evening. Thank you for inviting me into your life and spending your Tuesday night with me! You all are precious. Take a look at this previous post to re-fresh yourself on the Bible study method we talked about tonight.

For the first day, I'm going to focus on the first 4 verses of Psalm 139.

Psalm 139:1 - "O Lord, You have searched me and You know me."

Step 1: You have searched and know me.

Step 2: The Lord searches our hearts and knows us better than anyone.

Step 3: What does the Lord see when He searches my heart? Do I believe that He truly knows me better than anyone? Do I know Him that way?

Psalm 139:2 - " You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar."

Step 1: You know when I sit and rise, and perceive my thoughts.

Step 2: The Lord knows our actions and our thoughts.

Step 3: Do I operate on a daily basis as if He is truly with me, seeing all of my actions and knowing all of my thoughts?

Psalm 139:3 - "You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways."

Step 1: You know my ways.

Step 2: The Lord is aware of the way we take.

Step 3: Do I acknowledge the Lord in my decision making?

Psalm 139:4 - "Before a word is on my tongue, You know it completely, O Lord."

Step 1: Before a word is on my tongue, You know it.

Step 2: God is aware of the words we speak.

Step 3: What is my language like? Do I use my words to build others up, or tear them down? Do I think before I speak, knowing that God knows the words of my mouth?

So my friends, what do we take-away from studying these 4 verses? Undeniably, that our God is into the details of our lives. He cares about the condition of our heart, the actions we take, the thoughts we think, the decisions we make. He even cares about the words we speak. That definitely leaves much to ponder. [Perhaps we will ponder over it in our Life Book???]

As you finish up your verses today, reflect lastly upon the following verse:

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)

A place to call your own

I happen to be one who enjoys the time I spend alone. Weird? Maybe so. I guess it's because even when I am physically alone, I know He is with me. And that is precious to me. Rare, but precious.

Don't get me wrong - I love being with my husband. And I love being with my family and friends. Regardless of how important the relationships in my life may be, I still need time alone with God to listen to Him, to seek Him. Time alone with my Father. Whether it was in my college dorm room, my favorite coffee shop, my bedroom at my parent's house, or my one-bedroom apartment ... I had my own space in those places, and very much cherished those sweet times spent alone with just me and the Lord.

Alone time is good for our souls. I believe it is necessary at times in our lives to hear the voice of God speak to us - through His Word and through His Spirit. It teaches us dependency on God. It teaches us how to pray. It teaches us how to listen. It teaches us how to be still.

Psalm 131:2 says, "I have stilled and quieted my soul ..." (emphasis mine)

And if I dare boldly say: Once a girl experiences meaningful, deep, life-changing alone time with the Lord, the craving does not go away.

And so I have craved it. Immensely.

I am proud to announce that I have found a place to call my own here in this house of ours. [I'm a terrible photographer, but here are a few snapshots.]

A place to be quiet.

A place to read.

A place to come and listen to the voice of the Lord through the pages of His Word.

[Please ignore my bare round table. The tablecloth is on it's way. Well ... one of these days!]

A place to reflect on the things God has done in my life.

A place to pray and thank Him. For all He has done.

One of my precious mentors gave me this framed Scripture as a wedding gift. This Scripture reminds us that all we have is from Him:

"The Lord has done this and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:23-24)

What I love is that God knows what we need, girls. Nearly two years ago when my husband began to embark upon building this home, the home plan did not show a third floor. He saw an opportunity for an additional bedroom/bath and third floor laundry room and went with it. Little did he know, over a year later he would marry a girl who needed a place to call her own.

[Now tell me God isn't into details!]

I pray that you too ...

will find a place to call your own.

Meddling

"If you are insulted because of the Name of Christ, you are blessed,

for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or

any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.

However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed,

but praise God that you bear that name."

~1 Peter 4:14-16 ~

Meddler: A busybody in other men's matters. One who busies himself with what does not concern him.

Is it a pure coincidence that this particular type of person is placed within the same category as a murderer, a thief, and a criminal?

As you meditate upon the above Scripture today, take some time to think about how our words have the ability to steal, to tear down -- even to kill -- someone else's soul.

May we take the high road today and walk away from the conversations which aim to knock down and destroy another human being. In most cases, that "human being" is another woman. Regardless of how flawed we may see her, she is a creation of our Heavenly Father. We, after all, are looking at her through our own imperfect eyes. Just for a change, may we attempt to see her through Jesus' eyes today.

And as we do this, I suggest we prepare for some waves to crash in. We should not be surprised if some hurtful words are spoken about us. Because in walking away from meddling, we will undoubtedly be going against the grain. Not because we are better. But because we desire obedience. Because we desire to make much of Jesus. Because we have an overwhelming desire to build up our sisters -- not tear them down, even more than this crooked world is already guilty of.

Friends, my prayer is that we would wholeheartedly seek to "become blameless and harmless, children of god without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom [we] shine as the lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15).

Busily concerned about the Lord's matters ...

Not each others.

Take-Away: Do I find myself caught up in meddling? Do I busy myself with what does not concern me? How does meddling leave me feeling? Instead of busying myself in other people's matters, with the help of Jesus may I seek to uplift and encourage those around me --Even if it means walking away from some juicy conversations. May bearing the Name of Jesus mean more to me than the latest gossip or drama.

Humanness

"For He Himself knows our frame;

He is mindful that we are but dust."

~ Psalm 103:14 ~

I had an interesting conversation with a friend the other day. We shared with one another how overwhelmed we can become with our own personal frailties. We spoke of how all to often we find ourselves caught up in this mind game of pointing out our own imperfections and shortcomings. Those very things which we tend to view as personal "failures."

Insecurity. Vanity. Pride. Self-absorption. Low self-image.

Call it what you want.

It's a trap. A downward spiral.

A most respected commentary has the following to say, in reference to Psalm 103:14. Quite honestly one of the most profound words I have read in a long time. Let me share it with you this morning:

He knows how we are made, for He made us. Our make and build, our constitution and temperament, our prevailing infirmity and most besetting temptation He well perceives, for He searches our inmost nature.

Made of dust, dust still, and ready to return to dust. We too often forget that we are dust, and try our minds and bodies unduly by excessive mental and bodily exertion; we are also too little mindful of the infirmities of others, and impose upon them burdens grievous to be borne; but our Heavenly Father never overloads us, and never fails to give us strength equal to our lot.

Have you found yourself mentally exhausted? How about physically? Perhaps both? I will be the first to say, "YES -- to both!" The world in which we live often fools us into believing that we can be all things for all people. That if we do not have something going on everyday/all-day, we are destined for failure on this journey to a purposeful life.

Not the case, according to our Heavenly Father. Why is it that reading the words, "we are but dust," seems to be rather difficult for us? Does the word humanness seem to drudge up any reaction? These few short words in Scripture remind us of our inability to attain perfection. And more that that - They remind us of the insignificance in ever even desiring such a thing. Because it is not God who has put these types of unrealistic demands upon us. No, sweet friends. We have done it all by ourselves. So truly, is it a wonder that we feel like failures 90% of the time? No, not really. Because in many ways, we have set ourselves up for it by our own unrealistically formed expectations.

So today, let's do something different. Let's take a deep sigh of relief. Let's cut ourselves some slack. And you know what? While we're at it, let's just go ahead and cut those around us some slack as well. Knowing full well that the only thing "perfect" about us is the Savior who has stamped His seal of ownership upon our souls. And let's allow that to be enough.

Because Jesus is not the One who needs to be reminded of our humanness ... We are.

Take-Away: Is my inability to come to grips with my humanness,

standing in the way of me fully experiencing His greatness?

The Author of Today

"All the days ordained for me were written in Your book

before one of them came to be."

~ Psalm 139:16 ~

Ordain: To form, to fashion, to shape, to devise.

Good morning, Hints of Hope world. No profound words for you today. Just a bit of encouragement to send you on your way - on your way into whatever life has for you today.

This day, sweet friend, has been fashioned by the God of the Universe, for you to take part in. Jesus has a plan and a purpose for this very day in your life - Wednesday, March 3, 2010. This very day is already written in His book with your name on it.

Isn't that awesome?

And I know what's happening in your little head right now. You're thinking - Oh wow, it's only 8:00 a.m. and I've already blown it! So much for this day. This was definitely not God's plan for today.

But rather than allowing this Truth to put pressure on us, let's think about it differently. Plain and simple. God is with us. Right now. Today. And He will still be there this evening when your home is crazy and you're trying to juggle 50 million tasks at once. Or when you're sitting down watching American Idol (because that's where I'll be this evening at 8:00 p.m. sharp!).

So no, today is not just another day, as we all too often remark. Rather, it is a day that has been fashioned for us by our Creator God. A day for us to enjoy and thrive within. A day ... Ordained by Him.

So let's live it like we mean it.

As if God truly is the Author of Today.

Identity Crisis

I am ashamed to admit it, but I have to. I have had a bit of an identity crisis over the past few weeks, where Hints of Hope is concerned. Is this the reason I have been distant in the past several weeks? Partly. Not totally, but partly. So, here I am. Finally making time to sit down for a short while to plunk it all out for you. And as I sit here on this couch (of which I had to use 3 whole sticky layers of my mega-sized lint roller to roll the dog hair away), a few of my very favorite things are right in eye's view:

1. My coffee. [I'm onto Dunkin' Donuts lately, so I ran through the drive-thru on my way home this afternoon.]

2. My Bible.

3. A Jan Karon book that I am praying I have time for today.

3. A fire. I don't care if it's March 2. It's cold out there, darn it!

4. And this ... which absolutely cannot be described in words:

Too cute. Elenoir [known to most as 'Ellie,' though to others simply as 'Crazy Dog'], was spayed last Monday morning. It has been quite the venture attempting to keep her still and restful throughout the past week, though I must admit not as horrible as anticipated. We took her to the vet to have her sutures removed today. Bless her heart, she is still such a puppy. Which is to be expected - She just turned 1 year old this past December. I have absolutely convinced myself that children ... will be less work. Is that terrible that I have that mentality? Comparing my experience of raising a dog, to raising a child? Probably. I will spare you the details, but I'll give you one short example just for you to get the gist: 65 pound dog crawling on your [umm] head. At 6:00 a.m. Morning ritual. All this being said, I love her very much. My husband would, and will, beg to differ. And to that, this is my rebuttal: Without her, I would never have met you, my darling. [That story is for another day.] And so, how could I not love her and be forever grateful for her little spazzy, puppy life?

Point being: I love these days. Days like this when I can sit on the couch with my little family and spend time with them, even if they're taking a nap. Just knowing we're all here together is so special, such a gift from God. You see, my husband and I have very different schedules than most people. I typically work weekends, and though he has a fairly flexible schedule, it is not often that we have a day like this to spend together. We have our evenings together, but you know how weeknight evenings can be. But today for some reason, he's home with me on my day off and I am so thankful for this short afternoon together.

Alright, so back to the identity crisis. It started with my own life's distractions. Balancing work, home, ministry, friends, etc. It has all been very much a transition - A very good one, but a very difficult one. Difficult in the sense that God has really had to teach me how important time management is. And difficult in this sense as well: I am a complete wreck without time with my Creator God each day. Yep. A complete wreck. No embellishing needed :)

What happens when I get distracted and insanely busy, is that I run harder and faster than ever. It's probably annoying to absolutely everyone around me. Pretty soon, I'm exhausted and have nothing left to give - I'm left annoyed [primarily at myself] because I cannot for the life of me find time to focus my attempts on what God has called me to focus my free time upon. And for those of you who feel called by God to commit to a certain area of ministry or service, you know what I'm speaking of - It's a deep conviction that pries at your heart and soul.

And in the midst of this struggle of finding time for everything, Hints of Hope fell of the radar. I began to struggle with the purpose of this blog, the future of this blog, the impact of this blog ... And so I've had to re-evaluate a little bit. And this is my heart, regarding Hints of Hope:

1. Hints of Hope began as a trial. A friend of mine asked me to do it. It began at a time when Jesus had my fullest attention - I was single and in waiting - both for my future husband, as well for God's direction in ministry. Little did I know that God was opening a door for ministry through a little blog called Hints of Hope. I do not know who reads it, and I don't want to know how many read it. I have received so many emails from readers - many who do not even leave comments - who are blessed by a verse shared or an issue discussed. Ladies, this is my heart. Just to see women transformed and changed, challenged and encouraged, satisfied and fulfilled, by Jesus through His Word. Please keep those emails coming. Not because I want to give myself a pat on the back - Much different than that. Because I so long to see much made of Jesus. I so love hearing how He has used a passage or truth in Scripture, to challenge and encourage you. That is the heart of Hints of Hope - Allowing His Word to transform our lives as women of the Word.

2. Hints of Hope is a little bit of me, and a whole lot of Him. Now and then, I may share a funny or silly story with you about something that has happened in my life. Mainly just so you know there is an actual person behind this computer screen: A real actual flawed human being. A woman you can most certainly relate to. One who is bound to make you feel better about yourself due to the most out of the ordinary situations she finds herself in. There is nothing exciting about me. In fact, this has been a big part of this particular identity struggle. I don't want this blog to be about me. I want it to be about Him. Interestingly enough, He recently reminded me that a long time ago [and much to my previous dismay], He called me into the business [and I use that term loosely] of ministering to other women. Before I fully even knew what in the world 'women's ministry' meant. And a part of ministering to women, is talking about [ugh] me sometimes. Even when I don't really want to. And that's my own pride and insecurity all wrapped up into one - But not to worry - I assure you that God is dealing with this issue in my life during this very season. Yay.

3. Hints of Hope is about you. Whoever you are :) What suggestions do you have to make Hints of Hope more interactive? We are working on our look, which will hopefully give us some more opportunity - Perhaps an e-devotional sign up will be on the way, a prayer request sign-up, etc. What other suggestions do you have? Email Hintsofhope@gmail.com with any suggestions or feedback.

We are back on track, girls. Just some growing pains. Thank you for bearing with me through it. So goodbye, Identity Crisis. We now have been reminded of who we are over here in Hints of Hope world.

And one last thing. Hopefully a small piece of encouragement for you today [Or in 3 months when you read this, because you thought I fell off the planet]. I have this little book near my desk at work called Master What Matters. It was a suggested read from our CEO at work. I have yet to read the entire thing, but I keep it near my desk so that I have to look at the title often [and so that I will be motivated to finish reading it]: Master What Matters. What a principle to apply to our lives!

What is God calling you to focus on in your life? Is it your marriage, your friendships, your church, a particular area in ministry, a new job, your children? Whatever He has prompted your heart to focus on, as Isaiah 1:18 so boldly admonishes: "consent and obey," sweet friend. God will bless you in your promptness to obey. He will not bless our procrastination. And then master it. Master what matters. Do the very thing He has placed upon your heart - And do it well, to His glory. And I will, as well ...

"But now God has placed the members, each one of them,

in the body, just as He desired."

~ 1 Corinthians 12:18 ~

"But one and the same Spirit works all these things,

distributing to each one individually just as He wills."

~ 1 Corinthians 12:11 ~

I love the Hints of Hope girls!